and the ensuing loss if sea ice upon which these mother seals depend to give birth. Further, the Canadian DFO hasn't done a population survey since 2004. Also, their so called surveys are so shoddy and untrustworthy, that in fact, they have no idea of what the seal population is now.
Here's a report from the IFAW about observed conditions in 2007 after nearly 9 years of sea ice loss:
"The ice conditions this year are among the worst on record. Scientists have recorded below average ice conditions in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and off Newfoundland for the past nine out of 11 years. In 2002, 75% of harp seal pups born in the Gulf died due to lack of ice before the hunt even began. This year, the ice conditions appear to be even worse than in 2002 and scientists with IFAW are concerned that pup mortality will be extremely high.
“It’s highly likely that this year we could have close to 100% pup mortality in the Gulf of St. Lawrence due to the poor ice conditions caused by rising temperatures,” said Dr. David Lavigne, IFAW’s science adviser, who recently co-authored a report on the impacts of global warming on harp seals."
(more info at the link):
http://www.ifaw.org/ifaw/general/default.aspx?oid=209471There is another article from New Scientist about the threats to the Harp, Hooded seal populations due to global climate change. Remember that last year saw the least amount of sea ice in recorded history in the Arctic.
http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/dn11489-lack-of-sea-ice-devastates-seal-populations.htmlSeal predators which are Killer whales, Polar bears and Greenland sharks are declining too from the effects of global warming. Altogether, our oceans are dying for many reasons, not the least of which is overfishing and Canada's infamous poor management of their fisheries which have decimated Cod stock, etc.
Harp seals do consume the larger predators that feed on young Cod fish as well.
In a very sad irony, one scientist suggests that the rotting bodies of harp seal pups might be creating hypoxic conditions (lack of oxygen) in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, thereby causing deaths of thousands of Cod and other fish. Nearly half a million rotting bodies of dead seals thrown overboard could conceivable create such hypoxic events. See this link for details:
http://www.fisherycrisis.com/seals/hypoxia.htmLastly, it is dumb statements like yours that have turned the world against not only the Canadian harp seal hunt in particular but Canadian government policies and attitudes in general. Educate yourself!