[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. ____________________