[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 15]
[House]
[Pages 21357-21358]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    URGING THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA TO END THE COMMERCIAL SEAL HUNT

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 427) urging the Government of Canada to end the 
commercial seal hunt.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 427

       Whereas on November 15, 2006, the Government of Canada 
     opened a commercial hunt for seals in the waters off the east 
     coast of Canada;
       Whereas an international outcry regarding the plight of the 
     seals hunted in Canada resulted in the 1983 ban by the 
     European Union of whitecoat and blueback seal skins and the 
     subsequent collapse of the commercial seal hunt in Canada;
       Whereas the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 (16 U.S.C. 
     1361 et seq.) bars the import into the United States of seal 
     products;
       Whereas in February 2003, the Ministry of Fisheries and 
     Oceans in Canada authorized the highest quota for harp seals 
     in Canadian history, allowing nearly 1,000,000 seals to be 
     killed over a 3-year period;
       Whereas more than 1,000,000 seals have been killed over the 
     past 3 years;
       Whereas harp seal pups can legally be hunted in Canada as 
     soon as they have begun to molt their white coats at 
     approximately 12 days of age;
       Whereas 95 percent of the seals killed over the past 5 
     years were pups between just 12 days and 12 weeks of age, 
     many of which had not yet eaten their first solid meal or 
     taken their first swim;
       Whereas a report by an independent team of veterinarians 
     invited to observe the hunt by the International Fund for 
     Animal Welfare concluded that the seal hunt failed to comply 
     with basic animal welfare regulations in Canada and that 
     governmental regulations regarding humane killing were not 
     being respected or enforced;
       Whereas the veterinary report concluded that as many as 42 
     percent of the seals studied were likely skinned while alive 
     and conscious;
       Whereas the commercial slaughter of seals in the Northwest 
     Atlantic is inherently cruel, whether the killing is 
     conducted by clubbing or by shooting;
       Whereas many seals are shot in the course of the hunt, but 
     escape beneath the ice where they die slowly and are never 
     recovered, and these seals are not counted in official kill 
     statistics, making the actual kill level far higher than the 
     level that is reported;
       Whereas the commercial hunt for harp and hooded seals is a 
     commercial slaughter carried out almost entirely by non-
     Native people from the East Coast of Canada for seal fur, 
     oil, and penises (used as aphrodisiacs in some Asian 
     markets);
       Whereas the fishing and sealing industries in Canada 
     continue to justify the expanded seal hunt on the grounds 
     that the seals in the Northwest Atlantic are preventing the 
     recovery of cod stocks, despite the lack of any credible 
     scientific evidence to support this claim;
       Whereas two Canadian government marine scientists reported 
     in 1994 that the true cause of cod depletion in the North 
     Atlantic was over-fishing, and the consensus among the 
     international scientific community is that seals are not 
     responsible for the collapse of cod stocks;
       Whereas harp and hooded seals are a vital part of the 
     complex ecosystem of the Northwest Atlantic, and because the 
     seals consume predators of commercial cod stocks, removing 
     the seals might actually inhibit recovery of cod stocks;
       Whereas certain ministries of the Government of Canada have 
     stated clearly that there is no evidence that killing seals 
     will help groundfish stocks to recover; and
       Whereas the persistence of this cruel and needless 
     commercial hunt is inconsistent with the well-earned 
     international reputation of Canada: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,  That the House of Representatives urges the 
     Government of Canada to end the commercial hunt on seals.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Lantos) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to 
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.

                              {time}  1515

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
and yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we are all familiar with National Geographic images of 
fluffy white baby seals nestled next to their mothers. We stare at them 
on our TV screens or in our magazines and reflexively remark about how 
adorable they are. But now imagine, if you can, the brutal death that 
awaits hundreds of thousands of these baby seals every single year. 
With stunning barbarism, Canadian hunters swoop in with heavy clubs and 
stun guns to immobilize these little innocent creatures. They are then 
skinned alive simply so that their soft white fur can adorn winter 
coats, coats that could be composed of different materials without 
torturing animals.
  These gruesome images are sadly commonplace in the Canadian 
Northwest. The Canadian Government estimates that over 1 million seals 
have been killed in the most recent 3-year period. Public outcry over 
this barbarism led to a ban of all seal products in the United States 
and in the European Union in 1983. Unfortunately, the public seems to 
have forgotten that the grisly practices of commercial seal hunters 
still go on, and international pressure on Canada to end the hunt has 
abated.
  My resolution brings the focus of the United States Congress back to 
this heinous yearly slaughter. It urges the Canadian Government to 
cease this gruesome practice and bring Canadian policy in line with 
that of the United States and the European Union.
  Mr. Speaker, let me note that this annual seal slaughter, enacted for 
mere vanity and vulgar consumerism, is also having deleterious effects 
on the ecosystem. Nature's careful balance is being thrown off by the 
depletion of the seal population. The barbaric seal hunt disturbs the 
food chain, hurting the fishing industry, which is now suffering in 
Canada.
  Ending the commercial seal hunt is not simply a matter of saving 
beautiful and innocent animals that tug at our hearts. It is a matter 
of intelligent ecomanagement, prevention of cruelty against animals, 
and helping our friends to the north restore their otherwise pristine 
international reputation. Killing baby seals echoes the torture and 
cruel killing of so many other animals around the world. As cochairman 
of the Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus, I will continue to 
bring the world's attention to such practices wherever they exist. I 
urge all of my colleagues to support this important and humane 
resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Harp seals, which live off of Canada's east coast, are sought for 
their pelts. Canadian hunters, who are regulated by Canada's Department 
of Fisheries and Oceans, have killed almost a million seals in the past 
3 years. The government set a quota of 270,000 seals for the season of 
2007, which is lower than the limit of 335,000 seals set in last year's 
season. The quota is determined annually by the department and is set 
based on estimates of the current seal population. Many concerned 
citizens

[[Page 21358]]

are quite upset that these seals are killed in an inhumane way, since 
many are beaten unconscious and then skinned while they are still 
alive.
  An independent group of veterinarians, invited by the International 
Fund for Animal Welfare to observe the seal hunt, concluded that the 
seal hunt was out of compliance with basic animal welfare regulations 
in Canada. Also, 95 percent of the seals are less than a year old.
  This resolution urges Canada to end the commercial seal hunt. Our 
Canadian friends are good allies and partners in many areas of common 
interest, and we hope that they will take this important step. Many 
have raised alarm about this, including our distinguished chairman of 
our committee, Mr. Lantos, and I thank him for his many years of 
leadership on the plight of people who have been abused, but also 
animals who have been mistreated.
  I rise in strong support of this resolution, and I urge my colleagues 
to do the same.
  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 
427, urging the Government of Canada to end its commercial seal hunts. 
While many countries have banned the importation of seal products, seal 
hunting in Canada has grown steadily in size over the past six years.
  The Canadian commercial seal hunt is said to have killed 
approximately 350,000 seals this year--a huge increase from the 67,500 
average number of seal deaths during the late 1980s and early 1990s. 
The seals are either clubbed to death or shot with high-powered rifles 
so as not to bloody their fur.
  Last year the Canadian Government claimed the seal killings brought 
in $16 million. I question the number and believe even if it is 
accurate $16 million does not come close to justifying this brutality.
  Sixteen million dollars is a mere fraction of the $3 billion that 
Canada receives from seafood exports. In addition, commercial seal 
hunting amounts to less than three percent of the annual incomes of 
commercial fishermen. Furthermore, the market for seal meat is limited. 
It is generally considered to be inedible and only a few nations import 
it for human consumption, additional proof of how wasteful seal hunting 
truly is.
  Canada allows the seal hunt because it allegedly helps provide jobs 
for the region. Newfoundland experiences unemployment rates of up to 40 
percent in winter because of its reliance on seafaring jobs and the 
collapse of the cod fishing industry. While I am sensitive to these 
concerns, how can this justify the cruel hunting methods employed 
during seal hunts. Eyewitness reports indicate numerous violations of 
Canada's marine mammal hunting regulations, such as baby seals being 
culled, animals being skinned alive, and injured animals being left 
behind to die slowly.
  H. Res. 427 urges the Canadian government to end commercial seal 
hunting, putting a stop to this cruel practice. I strongly urge its 
passage.
  Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I would like to submit for 
the Record a letter from Canadian Ambassador Michael Wilson in regards 
to H. Res. 427 the bill introduced by Mr. Lantos from California urging 
the Government of Canada to end the commercial seal hunt.


                                             Canadian Embassy,

                                    Washington, DC, June 25, 2007.
     Hon. Tom Lantos,
     Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee, House of 
         Representatives, 2170 Rayburn House Office Building, 
         Washington, DC.
     Hon. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen,
     Ranking Member, Foreign Affairs Committee, House of 
         Representatives, B-360 Rayburn House Office Building, 
         Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Lantos and Ranking Member Ros-Lehtinen: I am 
     writing regarding House Resolution 427, urging the Government 
     of Canada to end the commercial seal hunt, scheduled for mark 
     up by the Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday, June 26, 
     2007. As outlined below, Canada pursues a sustainable and 
     humane harvest of the seal herds. In this context, I would 
     ask that the Committee on Foreign Affairs reconsider 
     proceeding with this resolution.
       The Government of Canada takes its role as steward of the 
     environment and wildlife seriously and is committed to the 
     sustainable management of its renewable resources. The 
     Canadian seal hunt is a sustainable, economically viable 
     activity based on sound conservation principles.
       Canada sets quotas at levels that ensure the health and 
     abundance of seal herds. The harp seal population, 
     approximately 5.8 million animals based on a 2004 survey, is 
     nearly triple what it was in the 1970s. In no way can seals--
     and harp seals in particular--be considered ``endangered 
     species''. Fisheries and Oceans Canada manages the seal hunt 
     and has put in place a five-year management plan for 2006-
     2010. In 2007 the total allowable catch was reduced 
     considerably to ensure the resource remains sustainable.
       The Canadian commercial quota is unrelated to groundfish 
     stock levels. Several factors have contributed to the lack of 
     recovery of Atlantic cod stocks, such as fishing effort, poor 
     growth and physical condition of the fish, and environmental 
     changes. In addition, there are many uncertainties in the 
     estimates of the amount of fish consumed by seals.
       The Government of Canada makes every effort to ensure the 
     seal hunt is conducted in a safe and humane manner. The seal 
     hunt is c1osely monitored and tightly regulated. Fisheries 
     and Oceans Canada officers monitor catches, ensure humane 
     harvesting practices, and enforce regulations and licence 
     conditions. The hunting of harp seal pups (whitecoats) and 
     hooded seal pups (bluebacks) is illegal--and has been since 
     1987. Penalties are substantial and can include court-imposed 
     fines and orders to forfeit catches, gear, boats and 
     licenses.
       In September 2002 veterinarians from the Canadian 
     Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) issued a Special Report 
     on Animal Welfare and the Harp Seal Hunt in Atlantic Canada. 
     In independent observations of the seal hunt, the study 
     concluded that 98 percent of seals taken during the hunt were 
     harvested in an acceptably humane manner, contrary to the 
     reference in tile resolution. Harvesting methods used for the 
     seal hunt have also been studied and approved by the Royal 
     Commission on Seals and Sealing.
       An Independent Veterinarians' Working Group formed in 2005, 
     with representatives from the United States and four other 
     countries, made observations and recommendations to further 
     improve management and hunting practices. Fisheries and 
     Oceans Canada is currently working to adopt these and other 
     recommendations including improved enforcement and sealer 
     training. Neither of the above groups called for a ban on the 
     hunt.
       Seals are a valuable natural resource that provides 25-30 
     percent of an annual income to thousands of Canadians in many 
     remote coastal communities. This is a significant income when 
     average annual incomes may be only $17,OOOUSD a year and 
     unemployment rates are far above the national average. 
     Sealing and fishing are also time-honoured traditions that 
     allow people to provide for their families through knowledge 
     of the marine environment and hard work.
       In light of this clarification on the sustainable 
     management and humane harvest of the seal herds in Canada, I 
     would ask that the Committee on Foreign Affairs reconsider 
     whether proceeding with this resolution is warranted.
       I have included a fact sheet that provides more information 
     on the seal harvest in Canada. The Embassy staff remain 
     available to meet with your staff to discuss these issues 
     further.
           Yours sincerely,
                                                   Michael Wilson,
                                                       Ambassador.

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of 
my time.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 427.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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