Environmental activists who thwarted Japan whale hunt to target annual seal cull - UK article

[Annces]

Environmental activists who thwarted Japan's whale hunt have promised to employ similar tactics to disrupt Canada's annual seal hunt, which began today.

Paul Watson, the head of the Sea Shepherd Society, says he and other members of his group will document what they describe as the "perverse abomination" of the seal hunt. Mr Watson claimed his boat, the Farley Mowat, will remain outside of Canada's 20km territorial limit. He added that it would be an international incident if Canadian authorities tried to board the ship.

Canada's Fisheries Minister has threatened Mr Watson with prosecution and warned him to steer clear. He said Canada will not be bullied or blackmailed into forcing out people who depend on the sealing industry for their livelihood. He described the Sea Shepherd Society as an extremist organisation that jeopardises the safety of seal hunters.

Canada has given the green light for 250,000 seals to be culled this year and the authorities claim the harp seal population is "healthy and abundant".


Animal rights groups are receiving observer permits and expect to monitor the hunt. They argue the seal hunt is cruel, difficult to monitor, ravages the seal population and does not provide much money for sealers. Welfare groups and media had earlier claimed they were being prevented from monitoring Canada's annual commercial seal hunt.



full article with graphic pictures

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=548162&in_page_id=1811

[flvegan]

1. 275,000

92,000 seals can be taken in the Gulf of St. Lawrence hunt. 183,000 in Newfoundland and Labrador when that starts in April. My math says that's 275,000.

It's not a cull. It's for-profit cruelty as well as the elimination of competition.

Now, let's get on with that EU ban on seal pelts. That would be endgame. Wouldn't be able to justify it.

[Annces]

2. They are giving the permits

to the observers now that the hunt has started. I guess they could not get away with not giving permits at all. Must be a law or something.

This is getting a lot of play in the UK, thank goodness.

[flvegan]

3. I will give HSUS credit.

Aldworth's team is out there every year. HSUS is never going to "get in the way" like SSCS would/will/does, and there are reasons for that. The more play and exposure this gets, the sooner we see the forthcoming ban. HSUS and their documentation is going to be key for this.

I think they can only delay the permits for so long before someone sues. Then, we're back to putting all the hunt graphics, etc on trial in front of the world. That exposure would be pretty rough.