Dummies Guide To Overwhelming Evidence Why The Namibian Seal Cull Must End NOW!

by Francois Hugo 

Fisheries. 

Since independence Namibia has doubled fishery catch, landings and quotas, from 300 000 tons to 600 000 tons per annum. When it should have reduced it by 50 per cent in 1990. Bank of Namibia annual report, the fishing industry's contribution to the country's GDP was 5 per cent in 2005. Sealing accounts for 0,01 per cent of fishery exports.

Policies

1990 South Africa stops its sealing policy on same species. Scientists state their is no biological distinction between Namibian and South African Cape fur seals - the seals are one population. Sealing Commission chaired by WWF recommends a single species management. South Africa stops, Namibia starts sealing.

Number of pups alive on July 1. Excluding a mass die-off, less than 70 000 or lower. Sealing pup quota 80 000.

Natural Pup Mortality/Environmental Cull

Double the fishery catch doubles the natural seal pup mortality. Up from 25% to now 62%. Excluding, recorded mass die-off years from starvation 1994, 2000 and 2006 (95% of pups died and half the adult seal population). Nature already kills 62% of the seal pups before sealers start their annual 139 day seal cull.

 Environmental. 

Global warming, loss of former habitat, reduced fisheries, massive culls, all will lead to this species extinction.

Unnatural Pup Mortality.

Double the fishery capacity, doubles the entanglement, interactions, illegal shootings and drownings of foraging seals at sea. Up from 30 000 to 60 000 seal mortalities for one sector of thirteen sector Namibian fishing industry. Its trawler fleets.

Seal Quota

Decade ago (1996) Seal quota was 20 500. 2006 it was 91 000. 2007 it is 86 000. Not a single marine predator species (fish, seabirds, sharks, whales or dolphins) has increased, neither has seals. Pup Sealing quota increased 300 per cent over last decade.

Cull.

Is a term scientific conservationists use to reduce a wild population of animals in an enclosed area (game park). It should have no basis for an annual commercial sealing industry. It should be breeding female based. Namibia exempts all breeding female and cow seals.

Tourism

Four of the largest international incoming tourist country's to Namibia. United States, South Africa, Germany and Netherlands have all specifically banned Cape fur seal product imports.

Largest Contributor to GDP

De Beers Diamonds (the world's largest producer of gem diamonds) has publicly voiced horror at the methods used to cull baby seals and is opposed to the cull of seals within diamond restricted area of Namibia.

Harvest. 

Constitutionally it must sustain the population and not reduce it. Namibia does neither.

Number of pups alive on July 1. Excluding a mass die-off, less than 70 000 or lower. Sealing pup quota 80 000.

Namibian Sealing Policy.

Annual. 90 per cent baby seal pup based and 3000 - 6000 bull seal genital/penis harvest. 

Percentage of Population Harvested. 80% of the Seal Population for 139 days (July to November) each year.

 Media Banned From Cull. Previously photo-journalists arrested. Diamond Area, restricted. Cape Cross Nature Reserve patrolled by armed-guards. Staged Media day in 2000. Mnet Television production Carte Blanche produces evidence of random clubbing of all age groups of seals, secretly filmed.

Morality 

Aspect. 1971 United States of America banned the harvesting or importing of products from nursing baby seals. European Union in 1983. World remaining sealing countries (Canada, Greenland, Russia and Norway) in 1987. Interferes in the natural behaviour and breeding cycle. Threat to the survival of the species. Considered a Crime Against Nature, even by sealers. 

Protection of Fish Stocks.

Latest scientific research (June 2006) reveals quantative consumption of commercial fisheries cannot be determined effectively, nor confirm whether competition exists. Up to 50 per cent of Cape fur seals diet is non-commercial fish species based. Namibia's seal cull, exempts all fish-eating seals, including breeding cows. Cull is 90 per cent based on nursing baby seals suckling mothers milk (non-fish eaters).

Cruelty Aspect. Chasing and rounding up 80 per cent of the seal population for 139 days each year, to separate pup from nursing seal cow, is traumatic and cruel. Sealing regulations state seal pup must be clubbed with a 1-metre wooden stick (pick axe-handle) on the head and stabbed in the chest to facilitate death. Filmed images of the slaughter, show pups must be clubbed repeatedly, before and after being stabbed in the heart. Pups found breathing after being clubbed and stabbed. Pups vomit up freshly drunk white mothers milk in shock, before, during and after being clubbed and stabbed. Pups chest being cut open whilst still alive. Bulls shot for their genitals.

Sealer Clubber Qualification. None. "Sealing Industry sustain jobs for the unemployed, poor and destitute" - (quote) Namibian Permanent Secretary Mbako (July 4, 2007). Unskilled part-time employment.

Value Seal Product Exports. No figure available for recent years. 2000 a total of 41 753 harvested seals (pelts, oil and meat) earned (officially) Namibian $ 600 000. N$14 or USD $2 per seal. Although Sealers claim industry earns N$5 million.

Sealing Industry.

Three-man held concession. Two of which Rights to Seal end 2007. Namibian has imposed a 5-year moratorium on new fishing rights,.

Seals Killed Per Day. 600 pups are clubbed and stabbed each day, for 139 days until quota is filled or season ends. 200 bulls seals per day are shot with rifles to reach the 6000 bull seal quota. 

Protection Status. Listed as an Endangered seal species in 1977 by the United Nations Convention In Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix II. Whose survival is dependent upon sound conservation measures.

Distribution. Only species of seal breeding on African Continent.Range. South Africa, Namibia and Angola. Found nowhere else on earth.

Original Habitat. Former breeding Islands 98 per cent extinct. Less than 20 per cent of the seal population still bred in their natural original habitat - islands.

Sealing Colonies. Now all mainland based. 80 per cent of population. 2 mainland seal colonies. Wolf/Atlas Bay within the De Beers/Namibian Government Diamond Restricted Area. Operated by Namibian Venison & Marine Products with a 38 050 seal harvest quota. Cape Cross, a nature reserve on the mainland, operated by two sealing concessionaires, Seal Products 32 950 seals and Cape Cross Seals 20 000 seal harvest quota.