Seal hunting: Is it really necessary?

Seal hunting, or sealing, is the personal or commercial hunting of seals. Mostly taking place in the countries near the north pole.

Currently there are five countries hunt seals,which are Canada, Greenland (belongs to Denmark), Namibia (a country in Africa), Norway and Russia. Among these countries Canadians catch the most seals. And Norway is the largest market of seal products for Canada(CTV News,2006). As the seal hunt benefits the economy of Canada, the government release a quota each year like they do in the fishing industry, as the guide of catching. In Canada there are 3 types of seal that could be hunted: harp seal, hooded seals and grey seals.(CBC News,2009)


The Inuit live in north pole have a history of hunting for seals for at least 4000 years. Seals as one of their biggest hunting object, provide them almost everything they need: the fur for cloth, oil for lamp fuel and lubricating, meat to eat, bones and teeth can be used as weapons and adornment.
It is a part of Inuit culture. And they hunt the seals for living.

But in modern days, not only Inuit realize how useful a seal could be. Seal furs starts taking part in fashion design. Asian import seal meat to make pet food, and seal penis is a very popular medicine to be used as an aphrodisiac. Seal oil is also believed to be good for health after Danish scientist discovered it contains long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids during 1970s.
From all of the usages of the seals, together they produced a landed value exceed $16.5 million in 2005. And more than 13 million worth of seal products were being exported in 2007. Sealing brought incomes and jobs for sealer and their families.
There is also a tour to experience the hunting during sealing season in Norway from in 2005.
Because of the huge profit sealing could bring, government encourage hunters by providing subsidies. From 1995 to 2001, more than 20 million dollars of subsidies were given by Canadian government. Also as the largest country imports Canadian seal products, Norwegian government has also providing financial assistance for the seal hunting companies.
There were some fishing industry lobby believed in hunting seals could restock the population of cod. But now scientific community agrees that the true cause of the depletion of fish stocks off Canada's East Coast is human over-fishing.

Everything in the world has two sides. If there are supporters for something, then there must be opponent for it as well.
Although Canada has banned the hunting of newborn harp seals (also known as whitecoat seal) and hooded seals in 1987, the bloody image of whitecoat seal being clubbed still have a great impact among Canadian. And actually, even though hunting whitecoat seals is banned, hunting young seals never stops. Most harp seals being caught are under 3 months.(CBC News,2009)
Catching young seals is not the only reason seal hunting being against internationally. There are a lot of report show that seals were being skinned or castrated while they were still living. This is a very inhumane manner. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) had given an explanation that "seals have swimming reflex active even after death." But most opponent seems do not accept this answer.

The only way of stop the opponents is to stop hunting seals. And one of the comment left on my blog wrote that "seals are cute and not harmful to human". I quite agree with that. In my opinion, hunting on the seals is completely unnecessary. Although the hat made by the skin of whitecoat seals looks really nice and warm, but when I think about how sanguinarily they were killed, all I feel was cold.
Also, technology and transportation now days are very advanced and convenience, Inuit could live with out seal product if they want as well.
The profit on seal product is getting less each year. Price for one piece of pelt has dropped from more than a hundred dollars in 2006 to only fourteen dollars one pelt last year. And EU has also banned import the seal products from Canada. There is going to be nowhere to sell the seal products any more soon.
Maybe in the future not far away, the unnecessary of seal hunting by human will not exist any more.