EFSA reports to European Commission finds Canada’s commercial seal hunt inhumane
13 March 2008
(Parma, Italy – 20 December 2007) – At the request of the European Commission, The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) today released its report on the Animal Welfare Aspects of Seal Hunting, finding there is absolutely no scientific evidence to support the Canadian government’s claims that its commercial seal hunt is ‘humane’.
“The Canadian government’s claim that 98% of the seals are killed humanely in the commercial seal hunt is exposed in the report as being scientifically incorrect. This report reveals the truth about Canada’s commercial seal hunt, and destroys one of the greatest myths constantly propagated by the Canadian government,” said Sheryl Fink, Senior Researcher with IFAW.
In its examination of Canada’s commercial seal hunt, the EFSA scientists found that:
there is strong evidence that, in practice, effective killing does not always occur;
- there is evidence that, during Canada’s commercial seal hunt, animals suffer pain and distress (ie, are inhumanely killed);
- sealers often do not comply with the Canadian regulations in relation to manually checking the skull or administering a blinking reflex test;
- in contrast to current practice, attempts to kill seals should not be made where the seal does not pose a stable target or the sealer may be unbalanced, such as on shifting ice floes;
- seal hunts should be opened up to independent inspections without undue interference.
EFSA concludes that seals should be recognised as sentient
marine mammals that can experience pain, distress, fear and other suffering -
not fish, as they are classified in Canada. It also recommends seals should be
protected from killing and skinning practices that cause pain, distress and
avoidable suffering.
The report draws an important distinction
between the prescribed methods for stunning and killing seals described in
Canada’s Marine Mammal Regulations and the methods that are actually employed
during Canada’s commercial seal hunt.
“IFAW has been documenting
Canada’s commercial seal hunt for decades and has witnessed unspeakable acts of
cruelty on the ice,” said Ms Fink.
IFAW submitted unedited footage
to the EFSA Panel that clearly showed the hooking and dragging of live seals,
wounded seals suffering for long periods of time and few sealers administering
basic tests to ensure seals are dead prior to skinning.
Robbie
Marsland, Director of IFAW UK, said: “The writing is on the wall – the
government of Canada must now admit what the EFSA report makes clear; Canada’s
commercial seal hunt is inhumane, current regulations do not satisfy modern
standards of animal welfare and they are unenforceable. It is time for Canada to
abandon this cruel and unnecessary hunt.”
For media-related
inquiries, contact:
Clare Sterling (IFAW, United Kingdom)
Tel: 020
7587 6708
Mobile: 07917 507717 E
Email:
csterling@ifaw.org
