ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - Heavy ice, high fuel costs and low pelt prices are keeping some sealers ashore even as the annual seal hunt was set to begin off Newfoundland. In any other year, Greg Winslow would be 160 kilometres offshore looking for seals. But this year, his boat's staying tied up. The sealing industry just isn't viable anymore, Winslow said. "The situation is such that no one has any heart for it," he said.
Sealing boats stuck on the ice off the northwest coast of Newfoundland on Friday.
This will be the first time in five years he's not taking part in the hunt, which started in the Gulf of St. Lawrence Friday and on the Front, off eastern Newfoundland, Saturday. He estimated it would cost about $9,000 in fuel to reach the seals, reported to be 100 to 200 kilometres off St. John's, plus the cost of ammunition, groceries and wages for his crew. "Three years ago, we got $107 (per pelt)," he said. "Right now, we're talking $31. ... We can't even think about it." Winslow said he'd need to see prices around $75 a pelt to cover his costs and make some money.
Meanwhile, Mike Symmonds was at home in Conche, on Newfoundland's Northern Peninsula, wishing he was hunting seals. The 60-year-old fisherman started hunting the animals when he was 15. He said this is the first year he can recall choosing to stay home. "It makes you feel terrible when you can't get out there, but there's no point when you can't make the dollar," he said. He added that most of the boats in the community are also staying put. "We went out (in the past) when (pelts) were $7, $8, $10. But not with the price of fuel where it's at today. That's the big thing."
But not all hunters have decided to forgo the seal harvest. Gus Sacrey of Paquet, further south on the Baie Verte Peninsula, was already on his boat, the Brittany and Ryan, heading toward the seals on Friday. He said he considered the economic pressures before leaving port, but decided to take the gamble. "Well, we thought about it, but we're always hoping for a better price when we get in," he said. And with fewer sealers taking part, he's hoping he'll get a greater share of the pelts. Sealers will be looking to kill 51,000 seals in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and 194,000 off northeastern Newfoundland.
http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=9aadf816-4dc6-4679-98f6-752b9e44b749&k=68985Humane society - baby seals clubbed
http://www.youtube.com/user/hsus
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The province of Newfoundland has dragged the Canadian flag through the most innocent of blood
Paul Watson
There are those who argue that the slaughter of seals is a part of Canada’s Maritime culture. As a Canadian raised in Atlantic Canada I reject that idea. It is not a part of my culture nor was it a part of Canada’s identity until 1949 when Canada admitted the colony of Newfoundland into the Dominion.
All of the seals killed off of Newfoundland prior to 1949 were not killed by Canadians. Cruel sealing Captains like Abraham Kean were not Canadians. The great sealing fleets of Newfoundland that so ravished and raped the harp seal nurseries were not Canadian.
The current Canadian Minister of Fisheries Loyola Hearn was not born in Canada. He was born in Renews, Newfoundland on March 25, 1943. He was born during the annual Newfoundland slaughter of whitecoat seal pups.
An impoverished Newfoundland joined Canada after they had exterminated the Beothuk Indians, the Labrador Duck, the Giant Auk, the Walrus, the Newfoundland wolf and ravaged the populations of sea-birds and pilot whales. They fed pilot whales to mink in cages until the whales just simply disappeared. They joined Canada reluctantly because Canada offered them the baby bonus – they would receive money just for having kids. That was the deal clincher for Newfoundland.
So they turned down the offer to join the United States. Too bad, the Marine Mammal Protection Act would have ended the seal slaughter back in 1972. They turned down the offer to remain with Britain. Again too bad, because Britain would not be tolerating Newfoundland arrogant cruelty today. No they joined Canada and despite the baby bonus, unemployment insurance and welfare they have never stopped moaning and groaning about how Canadians don’t respect them.
http://www.seashepherd.org/editorials/editorial_080410_1.html
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
