The seal is a carnivorous marine mammal that has fins as feet. They have almost perfectly adapted to life in the water and resort to shores or ice floes only to breed and to rear their young. Seals eat fish, shellfish, and other marine animals.

In Canadian waters, harp seals outnumber the population of all other seal species put together, and account for most of the harvest. Any dispute that harp seals are endangered ignores all the scientific information that is available on this species.

Canada places strict limits on the number of seals that may be caught, based on scientific information and sound conservation principles. In 1996, 242000 harp seals were harvested out of the total allowable catch of 250000. In 1997 the total allowable catch has been set at 275000 because the replacement yield must not reduce the existing population.

A Canadian Royal Commission, that included marine-resource experts from Canada, Australia, Britain, and the United States, examined the Canadian sealing industry in the mid-1980s. The Commission found that the harvest was a legitimate activity and should be continued within the principles of sound management. It was recommended that the harvest be made more humane.

The use of large vessels for harvesting of whitecoat seals virtually ended in the mid-1980s because the market for seal products collapsed. In 1987, the Canadian government placed even tighter controls on methods of harvesting seals. It banned the commercial harvesting of whitecoat harp seal pups and prohibited large vessels from taking part in the harvest. This limited participation to inshore boats owned and operated by local people.

Up until 1996, harvests have amounted to about one third of the total allowable catch. The average annual harvest for the years 1986 to 1995 was around 60000 seals. In May 1994, a Parliamentary Committee in Canada recommended expanding the seal harvest and giving government support to finding new markets for seal products.

In February 1995, a sealing forum sponsored by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans brought together representatives of sealing and fishing communities and associations, aboriginal peoples organizations, provincial governments, academia, environmental/conservation groups, and non-government organizations. Common ground was reached on a great number of principles and issues. In addition to agreement on the need for new markets and new products, the forum stressed the importance of continuing to improve scientific studies on which to base total allowable catches.

In June 1995, the Canadian government released new scientific evidence that indicates the extent to which the harp seal population was increasing, and estimates of consumption of some fish species by harp seals.

In 1996, the total allowable catch for harp seals was increased from 186000 to 250000. The harvest of harp seals quadrupled over the recent average and markets showed a resurgence with all products from the 242000 harp seals harvested being marketed.

Although the fishing industry has become increasingly concerned at the implications for fish stocks due to the growth in the seal population, this is not the basis for Canada's seal harvest. Seals are an abundant natural resource that can and have been sustainably harvested by residents of coastal communities devastated by groundfish moratoria.

Information was obtained from The North West Atlantic Fisheries Centre