The Seal Hunt

[MJK]

As many of you may or may not know I am from Newfoundland and the Seal hunt is a huge part of our history, tradition and economy. The thing is, there has been a lot of controvery over the past few months about it. It primarily started when Paul McCartney and his wife decided to come over here and protest it.

They were both on CNN's Larry King Live along with Danny Williams, the premier of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Where do you stand on the seal hunt issue. Do you want it stopped?

I'd be interested to see where you guys stand on this.

[TheyCallMeBruce]

If we don't keep the seals in check, they'll eat all the penguins...and if "March of the Penguins" have taught us anything, is that penguins are ultra-awesome.

[Frank the Tank]

Humans hunt and kill all kinds of animals, I don't see why seals should be exempt.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Buy Frank, they're soo darn cute.
We should only kill ugly animals.

Hyena burger anyone????
Maybe a badger coat???

[Maritime Q-Scout]

personally I'm against the seal hunt on the surface.

I don't think we should just be "clubbing" seals for the sake of clubbing seals.

HOWEVER

The Newfoundland seal hunt I do support. Because the root of the problem isn't the fact there's too many seals, but ot enough fish. If we could get better support for the cease of over fishing off the Grand Banks by European trollies, then we wouldn't have an overpopulation of seals, and no need to "club" them.

Also should be noted that seals are killed with a gun, and not clubbed (for the most part) as well you can't club the baby ones, if they have a cute white coat they live, if they're ugly, old, and grey, bang!

Let's solve the root of the problem, as solving just this effect will lead to seals starving and dying slow painful deaths (which apparently is better according to animal rights activists such as Paul McCartney)

[Frank the Tank]

Haha! Frickin' celebrities and their causes eh?

BTW, I'd like a badger coat....

[Engine09]

F'ing brutal way to die, no matter what type of animal.

I have tons of respect for peopel who stand up for what the believe. Much easier to crack jokes and project some macho facade.

[Frank the Tank]

Originally Posted by Kryzsky

F'ing brutal way to die, no matter what type of animal.

I have tons of respect for peopel who stand up for what the believe. Much easier to crack jokes and project some macho facade.

The seal hunt is no less humane than the way we kill a chicken or cow for meat.

[MJK]

A few points to consider:

1. Starving seals are actually going into fresh water rivers in order to feed. That's actually happening. So not only have they been eating tons of Cod, they are now working on the Salmon.

2. Seal population is actually strengthening significantly and now the herd has grown to three times the quantity in the 70s.

3. 90% percent of seals are killed by firearms, not by clubbing.

4. The product that comes from seal is not only fur, it's meat. It provides shelter. It provides fuel. It also provides omega-3 oils, which are used for heart problems, arthritis problems, menstrual problems, liver problems. So there's a worthwhile product.

[Bring_Back_Shantz]

Originally Posted by Kryzsky

F'ing brutal way to die, no matter what type of animal.

I have tons of respect for peopel who stand up for what the believe. Much easier to crack jokes and project some macho facade.

It's not a matter of cracking jokes over some macho facade, it's a matter of perspective.

Most people who have no opposition to the seal hunt are able to put into perspective the fact that every day thousands of animals are killed for fur, meat, leather, sport, and that for the most part this goes unprotested. Why is it that the seal hunt is so heavily protested? I personally believe it's because they are cute, as I've said before, I'd be a million dollars no one would protest a hyena hunt.

Should seal hunters be given Carte Blance to do whatever they want? No, and I think most of them are responsible and as humane as possible. I highly doubt there are many people who take up seal hunting simply because they like bashing cute little seals.

For the most part the seals are killed quickly and cleanly (think about it, doing it quicly and cleanly is in the hunters' best interest as well), but yes occasionaly one doesn't die from the first bullet, or whack on the head, and they are hit again (sometimes several times), but the same thing happens every day in slaugther houses, and on a much larger scale, yet that is seen as humane.

Do it to a half ton of ugly beef in a dark warehouse and it's humane, do it to a cute seal and suddenly it's the crime of the century.

[MJK]

I'd be a million dollars no one would protest a hyena hunt.

LOL

Funny but damn true!

You make some great points Bring_Back_Shantz...its sad that people can get so caught up in a 'cause' that they lose focus of what they are really fighting for.

[ken0042]

Just a question, why are the seals so abundant? Did we as humans knock out one of their natural predators?

Just curious.

[Igottago]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

Do it to a half ton of ugly beef in a dark warehouse and it's humane, do it to a cute seal and suddenly it's the crime of the century.

I agree...its a good way for Paul McCartney to get his name out there and look like a good guy...and maybe he is. But he needs to have some perspective..there are atrocities being committed against people in many parts of the world, why not lend your name to something like that? Personally I don't know enough about the seal hunt, why it happens, and what its for, so I can't say how I feel about it one way or the other. But I know I consume meat on a daily basis, and I'm not stupid enough to believe that the cows and chickens live a life of splendor and are slaughtered with smiles on their faces. I don't agree with cruelty to animals, but at the end of the day they are a resource we use, cute or not.

[habernac]

the only thing about the seal hunt I don't like is the club aspect. I know that most are killed by guns. The clubs should be put away for good.

As for why there are so many, I've wondered that as well. Didn't polar bears used to keep them in check before the ice receded? Any of our east coast friends have insight on that?

[MJK]

There are so many because they don't have any predators here at all.

Polar bears, sharks, all of the predators that you would think would keep the seal population in check, are really non factors. The only thing keeping the population in check is the hunt itself.

[Bill Bumface]

I'm against killing something soley for the purpose of its fur. I hate fur and all the J-lo wannabe's that wear it. Its not the 1800's, we have better ways of keeping warm. Population control/meat etc are all fine. You won't catch me putting a bullet in a seal's head, but I know its got to happen.

[RougeUnderoos]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/sealhunt/

That's kind of interesting. It doesn't say why, but the Department of Fisheries say there are 3 times as many seals today as there were in the 70's. Also that it's not done to protect cod because seals eat lots of things, including fish that eat cod. Those cute little white ones are only protected for about 2 weeks. They aren't even a month old when they turn grey and most seals killed are about 25 days old so that's kind of odd and definitely goes along the lines of "they are cute".

I don't want to be a hypocrite (I'm wearing a leather belt after all) but one thing that is "distasteful" about this whole thing is that they are just (or it appears that way) killed for their pelts. Nobody needs them except for rich European fashionistas.

[MJK]

Rouge...

The product that comes from seal is not only fur, it's meat. It provides shelter. It provides fuel. It also provides omega-3 oils, which are used for heart problems, arthritis problems, menstrual problems, liver problems.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by MJK

Rouge...

The product that comes from seal is not only fur, it's meat. It provides shelter. It provides fuel. It also provides omega-3 oils, which are used for heart problems, arthritis problems, menstrual problems, liver problems.

Shelter and fuel? How many people in Newfoundland live in a seal skin house and use seal oil for fuel? Maybe the meat and omega-3 thing are beneficial (although we get that in eggs), but I find it hard to believe that selling the skins isn't what brings in almost all the money and is the main economic driver for the whole industry.

Maybe not though. I don't know. If not then they need some better PR.

[comrade]

Hasn't Pamela Anderson hijacked this train too, and she wants to speak to Harper about it?