China's help sought to end Canadian seal-hunt

A baby seal lies helpless on the ice. Towering above it, a man wields a club, poised to land the blow that will smash the seal’s skull.

Moments later, the seal is dead, its body dumped on a mound of freshly-skinned carcasses. Its skin is thrown on a pile of bloody furs to be shipped back 270 km to the Canadian east coast to be sold for around US$42 each.

It’s a highly emotive image. To animal campaigners, it highlights what they claim is a cruel, inhumane slaughter of defenceless mammals. To the seal fur traders and the Canadian government it depicts a humane and strictly controlled hunt that is part of a valuable industry.

Rebecca Aldworth, director of Humane Society International, is hoping the Hong Kong and China public will see the cruelty and add their support to the anti-seal-hunt campaign.

But why Hong Kong? According to Aldworth, the former British colony has the power to help end the commercial seal hunt in Canada.

Aldworth was recently in Hong Kong to muster support for a campaign to ban the seal trade in the city.

Such a move, following similar bans in countries all over the world, would close one of the few remaining markets for seal products from Canada and could bring about an end to the hunt, she says.

The US ended its trade in seal products in 1972 and the European Union is set to follow suit in the near future with regulations banning the trading of seal products except in cases where hunting techniques are guaranteed humane.

The move will be a major blow to the Canadian seal product industry costing it millions of dollars, says Aldworth, leaving only three of its existing main markets open: Norway, China and Hong Kong.

In 2006, the global market value of seal pelts amounted to around $13 million to Canada, according to Canadian government statistics. Of this value, one third, around $4.1 million, went to Europe.

Compared to Europe, the Hong Kong trade in seal fur is relatively small, worth around $100,000 in 2006. However, the China market is much larger and was valued at around $700,000.

There is also a growing market in seal oil which was valued $1.2 million in China and $60,500 in Hong Kong in 2007.

With Europe closing, Aldworth believes the seal industry will turn its attention to Hong Kong and China. Banning the trade in Hong Kong would not only close the market here, but would have a knock-on effect on China, drying up one of its main trade routes.

"If we can convince them (the Canadian government) that markets even here are closing it will be enough to compel the Canadian government to make a final decision to end the hunt."

The move to Hong Kong and China marks the latest stage in campaign spanning more than 40 years by the organisation.

It is a campaign which has attracted much attention and gained the support of a number of celebrities, including Paul McCartney, Australian entertainer Rolf Harris and British rock star Morrissey.

During that time millions of young seals have been killed for their fur.