Russia’s Ban on Harp Seal Skin Imports a Big Hit to Canadian Seal Hunt

by Jennifer Mishler December 19, 2011
Categories: Animals, Causes
Tags: bill-maher, ellen degeneres, kesha.
Photo: Norbert Rosing/National Geographic

All signs point to the end of the Canadian seal hunt. The European Union’s (EU) ban of seal product imports in 2009 was a big step, and Canada has unsuccessfully been trying to get the ban lifted since. With the demand for their seal pelts declining rapidly, Canada struck a deal with China this year to sell seal meat and oil, but the deal has so far been postponed. The movement to end the seal hunt continues to grow and attract big celebrity names including Ellen DeGeneres, Kesha, and Bill Maher.

Today, another big hit to Canada’s seal hunt hit the news. Russia has banned imports of harp seal products. According to a statement by Sheryl Fink, Seal Programme Director for International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the ban by the Customs Union of Belarus, Kazakhstan, and the Russian Federation is the biggest win in the campaign against the hunt since the EU ban. Russia ended their seal hunt in 2009 with Putin calling it a “bloody industry” that “should have been banned years ago.” Now, this ban is another big step as Russia imported approximately 90% of Canada’s seal exports.

Fink says that IFAW has played a big role in this progress. “IFAW’s campaign efforts have a history of successes in Russia, beginning with our efforts to end the slaughter of whitecoat seal pups by helicopter in the White Sea. Our teams observed and documented the Russian harp seal hunt in the White Sea in 1995 for the first time, and we were the first organization to campaign to end the Russian seal slaughter. Documentaries of the White Sea hunt were produced and widely shown on Russian television, along with photos and news articles. Thanks to IFAW, the Russian seal hunt could not remain hidden, and this cruel slaughter soon became public knowledge.”

Fink continued, “The Belarus-Kazakhstan-Russian trade ban is a significant victory that should be celebrated by all concerned with animal welfare and wildlife conservation…The time has come to acknowledge that the world does not want, nor need, cruel seal products. It is time to stop commercial seal hunting once and for all.” As the demand for seal products declines and the world’s awareness of the cruelty involved in the hunt grows, how much longer will Canada be clubbing and shooting seals?

About Jennifer Mishler

Jennifer is an animal advocate and activist. She is a volunteer coordinator with The Girls Gone Green, a nonprofit organization advocating for animals rights, veganism, and environmentalism. She is also an Onshore Volunteer with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and a volunteer with CJ Acres Animal Rescue Farm, a nonprofit that rescues and rehabilitates farm animals. Along with writing for Ecorazzi, she writes about veganism and animal rights on her blog, A Dog's Eye View. She lives in Jacksonville, FL with her husband and their three animal friends. Follow Jennifer on Twitter: @jennygonevegan

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Doods25

Such exciting news!

Suck it Canada!
romika3

Russia recently held a seal hunt. Politically it would not look good if Russian’s imported Canadian Seal Products. The harp seal population is doing well. With a biomass approaching 10 million, up from 2 million in the early 90′s an annual harvest of .02 percent is sustainable.
Suki_lara

great news about time
http://www.facebook.com/people/Eleish-Harvey/100001894515323 Eleish Harvey

well done russia, on behalf of the harp seals, thank you. its wonderfull. thank you. xx
Anonymous

Hurrah!!!! This is absolutely terrific news. I live in Canada and like many Canadians I have been against this barbaric and inhumane hunt for years. I even wrote to my member of parliament but all I received was a blah blah response. This is a huge step against the seal hunt!!!!!
Bob

Yawwnnn….
Same thing animal rights scam artists have been saying for years. Doesn’t mean a thing. This is a typical example of “credit grabbing” by Sheryl Fink and IFAW. Congratulating themselves for things they didn’t so.

For a good explanation of why IFAW protests the seal hunt, see this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_gTBDFTXE0
Tommysalt

Canada sucks!
Kconners49

Is it possible that some places in this world is finally showing signs of civilization, thank you Russia
romika3

Here is the real details on this issue. Russia and two nations on it boarders will implement trade restrictions as of January 1, 2012 for raw and tanned seal pelts. This as no relationship to Canada as Canada hasn’t exported pelts to Russia for the past three years. Apparently the IFAW who released this information with incorrect dates are, as stated buy some sources, a money laundering organization. In Russia and worldwide they still distribute pictures of the white coat that has not been harvested since 1987 (the will be 25 years ago in 2012)!!!!!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Mikhail-Novikov/100001597796175 Mikhail Novikov

Barbarians! Don’t dishonor the country before the civilized world!
Even in Russia such disgrace by which you do is forbidden.
You want to be similar to Chineses?
It is a degeneration way!
People of the whole world see your shameful disgusting greed!