EU's ban on seal products

In a major victory celebrated worldwide by animal rights groups,the EU announced a ban on seal products today.


Europe bans trade in seal products
1 hour ago
Euro-MPs have voted overwhelmingly for a total ban on the trade in seal products across Europe.
A resolution at the end of a three-year campaign, triggered by a public outcry at the annual seal culls in Canada and Norway, condemned the slaughter of seals as "inherently inhumane".
Labour Euro MP Arlene McCarthy, who helped steer the ban through the European Parliament, said: "This law is a victory for people power and a credit to the campaigners involved."
She went on: "The vast majority of people across the UK and Europe are horrified by the cruel clubbing to death of seals. This law will ensure there is no European market for these products and put an end to the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of seals every year."
She said MEPs had faced intense pressure from countries beyond the EU which support the seal hunt: "They sought to demonise Europe for ending a trade which in reality is collapsing around the world, but I have been determined to steer this law into place as a clear expression of the will of the European public."
Miss McCarthy said the mere threat to halt the seal trade had already worked: "The impact of this impending ban has already been felt. Thanks to the continuing collapse in the fur price the Canadian hunt has killed less than 60,000 seals this year, down from over 220,000 last year."
Nicki Brooks, director of campaigning group Respect for Animals, said: "This is a truly fantastic day for the seals."
He said an earlier proposal to label products "derived from seals" as a warning would not have been enough: "This clearly did not meet the expectations of the public. This ban will save the lives of millions of seals."
More than 400 MEPs launched a seal ban campaign in 2006 after growing complaints from the public. That prompted a European Commission plan in 2008 for a new law.
The final approval of legislation by a 550-49 vote in Strasbourg bans the trade in products derived from seals hunted for commercial reasons, but excludes the relatively small trade in seal products upon which the Inuit people "and other indigenous communities depend for their livelihoods".
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Trade in seal products has long been criticised as unnecessary in light of the pain and suffering suffered by new born baby seals, which are the primary targets of the seal hunt.

Considering the fact that fur today has dropped in value( there were sealers who stayed home rather than go sealing as a pelt today is worth no more than USD20 each compared to the grand ole days when they were selling at over USD100 each ) the demise in this trade was something that was going to come sooner than later. The worldwide protest against the trade of seal products only brought this day forward.

The one other group that will likely campaign to continue the seal hunt are the fishermen who complain that the "overpopulation" of seals is leading to the stock depletion of cod. To them I ask the question, was it the seals who are over populated or is it us? Their numbers increase and decrease as far as their environment can sustain them. It is our overconsumption of fish products that have lead to the depletion of cod stocks. Live and let live!