March 6, 2014 – Ottawa, Ontario  –  Bill C-555 enhances Government’s ability to protect sealers from those who attempt to disrupt the hun

The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of the Environment, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and Minister for the Arctic Council today expressed their support for Private Member’s Bill C-555 to amend the Marine Mammal Regulations, introduced by MP Greg Kerr. The proposed amendment would increase the distance that any unlicensed observer must maintain from a person who is fishing for seals, from one-half nautical mile to one nautical mile.

If passed, Bill C-555 would strengthen the Canadian seal harvest by providing a safer operating environment and reducing the potential dangers of interactions between seal harvesters and unlicenced observers during a seal harvest. The added distance will give enforcement personnel more time to react to individuals who may attempt to disrupt the harvest. Given the harvest is conducted on ice floes, reckless disruption or protest activity may put sealers and observers at risk.

Full press release here: