Canadian Seal Hunt

Do you support the Canadian seal hunt?

  • Yes

    Votes: 266 88.7%

  • No

    Votes: 11 3.7%

  • Don't care or don't know enough

    Votes: 23 7.7%
  • Total voters
    300
bwery said:
8 people say no but not one of them has said why. Just curious of their opinions. If I was against it, I probably wouldn't weigh in either because of how quick people are to attack.
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I support the seal hunt in principal, but I do not look upon a commercial hunt the same way as I do sport hunting. IMHO, a commercial hunt should be conducted with greater scrutiny. I don't know how one would get an accurate count of how many seals are in any given population when setting limits, but ideally the harvest would be such that the seal population is not negatively affected over time, while at the same time resulting in maximized birth rates. A sustainable harvest benefits the welfare of seals, sealers, and fish stocks. Unfortunately the hunt has become politicized to the extent that neither legislation from Canada nor embargoes from Europe, seem to be made with the welfare of the seal population or the fishery as the primary concern.
 
Boomer said:
I don't know how one would get an accurate count of how many seals are in any given population when setting limits, but ideally the harvest would be such that the seal population is not negatively affected over time, while at the same time resulting in maximized birth rates. A sustainable harvest benefits the welfare of seals, sealers, and fish stocks.
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I agree with that, but I haven't seen any reliable information to suggest that a commercial hunt isn't sustainable.
 
cjs said:
....not everyone can move to Toronto or Vancouver or something and give up rural traditions!!!!!!!!
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Beleive it or not,not everyone wants to.

DirtyOldSix said:
There is not a single Fish Trawler in South African waters that doesn't have a rusted old single barrel 12g shotgun on board. I talked to a fisherman in a gunshop about a year ago. He wanted to buy a recoil pad, because his shoulder was hurting from shooting 18 seals around the boat.:50cal:
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Many Bay of Fundy lobstermen and ALL salmon farmers shoot'em on sight.
 
apple said:
As I am uneducated when it comes to seal hunting, I was wondering if they are still taken with a club?
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Not many at all anymore. Most folks at the "Front" (northeast of Newfoundland) use rifles, typically .22 centrefires. You still see the club ("hakapik") in the Gulf sometimes, but it isn't used for the larger (older) seals any longer.

Having said that, the hakapik is an effective and humane tool. Seal skulls are relatively fragile. Even with the rifle, you're directed to make a head shot, and this is preferable anyway because you do not want to spoil the pelt.

On top of looking for a quick kill, you are mandated by law to make sure the animal is dead. This used to be a blink test (yes, poke the seal in the eye), but that's been expanded to check the skull to ensure its been crushed, and to sever both arteries under the flippers to bleed the animal out.

I am not sure there is any other kill (whether that be commercial animal slaughter, hunting, etc) that is so heavily regulated to ensure an effective, humane harvest.
 
CV32 said:
Not many at all anymore. Most folks at the "Front" (northeast of Newfoundland) use rifles, typically .22 centrefires. You still see the club ("hakapik") in the Gulf sometimes, but it isn't used for the larger (older) seals any longer.

Having said that, the hakapik is an effective and humane tool. Seal skulls are relatively fragile. Even with the rifle, you're directed to make a head shot, and this is preferable anyway because you do not want to spoil the pelt.

On top of looking for a quick kill, you are mandated by law to make sure the animal is dead. This used to be a blink test (yes, poke the seal in the eye), but that's been expanded to check the skull to ensure its been crushed, and to sever both arteries under the flippers to bleed the animal out.

I am not sure there is any other kill (whether that be commercial animal slaughter, hunting, etc) that is so heavily regulated to ensure an effective, humane harvest.
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Interesting info..... Thanks :)
 
Imagine the fish problems we would have if the population wasn't controlled???? It is a form of consevation our duty really!!!
 
The fact is that the seal hunt is sustainable. It's also needed to keep numbers in check and keep fish stocks up. I might even add a decal supporting seal hunting in my truck window... ;)
 
don't know enough about it to give an informed opinion
but so long as it's done in a safe, humane, and non wasteful manner... sure why not?
 
Beaner1976 said:
For survival I agree, maybe even for sport if regulated. But commercial definately not, just my opininon.
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I suppose you're entitled to it?That said,how is harvesting seals any different than farming chickens or beef for profit?

hunt365 said:
Imagine the fish problems we would have if the population wasn't controlled???? It is a form of consevation our duty really!!!
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We already have fish serious problems,think cod,Atlantic salmon just to name a couple.Seals are grossly underharvested and compounding the fisheries problems.

tactical870 said:
The fact is that the seal hunt is sustainable. It's also needed to keep numbers in check and keep fish stocks up. I might even add a decal supporting seal hunting in my truck window... ;)
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It's more than sustainable,there's way too fn many of'em,6 or 7 times what there was before the seal huggers succeeded with the boycotts.You western boys either otta support the hunt or stop whining about newfs taking "your" jobs.Too many seals eating too many fish = more Maritimers on the oil patch.
 
Word seems to be that there are way too many of them here on the Wet Coast. Is the species here good to eat? Im not into killing something for sport except for groundhogs and coyotes maybe. Cooked and tried a groundhog once-like seagulls they are not edible IMHO.
 
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