December 20, 2013 – The Canadian Sealers Association is very grateful for the wide-base support it is receiving in support of the wise and sustainable use of the seal resource. This resource naturally migrates to our shores each spring, and it provides food, clothing and much needed income to our rural people, who for the most part live in small and somewhat isolated villages, and who earn a living in one of the most difficult and dangerous environments in the world. It is essential that they avail of all opportunities that the ocean offers, including seals, as it is the only means of supporting their families. Also a viable seal industry, a well managed one, is a means of keeping a large seal herd from getting out of control and creating an imbalance in the eco-system.
Sealing is not something that is carried out in a frivolous manner or is undertaken for sport, since the time our earliest people settled here, it was the fabric that enabled our people to sustain themselves throughout the year, together with other commercial species, and it is just as important today, as it ever was. This is evident in the fact that there are over 11,000 licensed sealers in this province, together with over 4,000 who have personal use licenses. For those who contemplate buying out seal licenses, it is equivalent to asking someone to surrender about one-third of their income, not to mention the other workers who are employed in related industries.
The Canadian Sealers Association’s main goal is to advocate on behalf of all sealers, and to develop the industry to its fullest potential. It is one of the best managed and most humane harvest of its kind in the world, and we will continue to strive for excellence.
Year end statement from the CSA director Frank Pinhorn
