NOVA SCOTIA GREY SEALS BETRAYED BY
PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT AGAIN
Hay Island to become open-air slaughterhouse for second year
Alert Date: 29 January 2009 - UPDATED 2 February 2009

Grey seal pups - photo HSI Canada

I received confirmation today from Canada's Department of Fisheries and Oceans that Nova Scotia's new Environment Minister, David Morse, has authorized a commercial hunt of grey seals to occur on Hay Island again this year. The slaughter is set to begin on Wednesday, February 4 and will run until March 14, 2009, or until there are no pups left alive, whichever comes first. Fishermen will be allowed to kill up to 2,200 grey seal pups. When questioned as to how many pups are actually on the island, the response was "more than last year". Last year fishermen were allowed to kill up to 2,500 when in actual fact there were only approximately 1,400 pups on the island. Clearly, this is not a conservation plan - it is a plan for extermination.

NS fishermen beating grey seal pups to death with wooden bats on Hay Island in 2008
- photo HSI Canada

Hay Island, part of the Scaterie Island Protected Wilderness Area in Cape Breton, was the scene of a horrific mass slaughter last year when Nova Scotia fishermen armed with crude wooden bats and boxcutters descended on the island and within just a few short days had bludgeoned to death over 1,200 grey seal pups just a few weeks old. The slaughter on Hay Island marked the first time the killing of grey seal pups in Nova Scotia was witnessed and documented by a third party. Humane Society International and Atlantic Canadian Anti-Sealing Coalition were present on the island and distributed to the public videotape evidence of the cruelty involved in the grey seal hunt.

Whitecoat watches helplessly as pup's carcass is dragged past
- photo HSI Canada

In just a few days, that horrific scene will be repeated, and defenceless grey seal pups in the provincially-held Protected Wilderness Area will be savagely bludgeoned to death with clubs by a crowd of untrained fishermen who bitterly blame the seals for the sad state of the stocks.

DFO's own scientists say there is no direct evidence that seals negatively impact cod stocks, and they simply do not know if reducing seal populations will aid in cod recovery. Seals eat a variety of fish, most of which are not commercially fished in Canada. Cod accounts for only 2% of their diet. In fact, seals eat predators of cod, which is beneficial to cod, not detrimental.

Grey seal - photo HSI Canada

I write this with a heavy heart. I was present on Hay Island last year and witnessed the horrific cruelty inflicted on the defenceless pups. What I saw and heard on that horrible day still haunts me. I know what fate awaits this year's pups, who are at this moment happily lazing in their nursery grounds, calling to their mothers and to each other, unaware of the impending horror that is about to begin. I know all too well the horror, and it breaks my heart.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Please take a moment to send an email to Nova Scotia's Environment Minister to let him know you oppose the slaughter of grey seals on Hay Island. Please send a copy to Premier Rodney MacDonald and Nova Scotia's Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ron Chisholm. A copy should also go Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Canada's Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Gail Shea, various other government officials and leaders of the provincial and federal political parties.

Terrified pups were herded together and beaten inches from each other - photo HSI Canada

Everything you need is on this page - names, emails and suggested email text. Please feel free to use the text as is, adapt it to your liking, or draft your own. Please remember that personalized letters work best. Please remain polite in your email, as profanity or threatening language will cause your email to be deleted.

For Nova Scotians, please also send a cc to your local Member of Legislative Assembly. You can find the list of MLAs here. For Canadians, please also send a cc to your local Member of Parliament. To find the contact information of your Members of Parliament please visit the Parliament of Canada Directory or use their searchable database. Please also send a bcc to us as action@antisealingcoalition.ca. Please also send us copies of any responses you receive from the Minister.

Whitecoat pup, one of the few survivors left on Hay Island in 2008 - photo HSI Canada

Thank you for taking the time to speak on behalf of the thousands of defenceless grey seal pups who face a grisly fate at the hands of Nova Scotia fishermen this year. These pups have no voice and rely on us to speak in their defence. We must protect them and urge the Nova Scotia government to do its duty and protect all life in Protected Wilderness Areas.