On May 5, 2009 history was made when the European Union voted overwhelmingly to close its borders to products derived from all seal hunts worldwide. Despite intense lobbying from large Canadian delegations spouting misinformation and the threat of trade reprisals, compassionate EU decision makers approved the ban with a vote of 550 in favour and 49 against.

The ban is set to come into effect prior to the 2010 hunt, but is already having a positive effect in driving down pelt prices to $15, an all-time low. Combined with high diesel prices and insurance premiums, the situation has caused many sealers to not even bother with the slaughter this year. Out of Canada’s 2009 quota of 338,200 seals, fewer than 65,000 have been killed to date. By the regulated closing date of the seal hunt—May 31—it is likely more than a quarter of a million baby seals will have been saved.

This momentous victory for seals likely spells the beginning of the end for the Canadian seal hunt. The EU was a primary market for Canadian seal products, and the Canadian government estimates the loss for Canada’s sealing industry to be in the region of 3.7 million pounds annually. Considering that the landed value of the Canadian seal hunt in 2008 was in the region of 3.9 million pounds, the implications are considerable.

What Lies Ahead

There remains, however, a lot of work to be done to ensure that the Harp seal hunt is banished to the history books forever. Canada is threatening to contest the EU ban at the World Trade Organization (WTO) level and will likely provide subsidies to assist the sealing industry in exploring markets in Asia and Russia.  We must educate and lobby in these regions to ensure that they too close their borders to cruelly derived seal products, and potentially assist in preparing a legal defense for the EU ban at the WTO. Please take action now for seals.