Mr. Klaus Hänsch,
President of the European Parliament
Dear Mr. Hänsch,
In the EU-resolution "on the resumption of seal hunting by Norway"
dated January of this year (B4-0053/96), it says that "seal hunters use extremely cruel
methods of slaughter" and that they are guilty of "skinning them (the seal pups) - often
while they are alive".
Here, we are witness to serious allegations of inhuman brutality and a practice - "skinning alive", which can only be deemed a most blatant form of cruelty to animals,and indeed a most horrendous crime. Even though the title of the resolution points at Norwegian sealing; it also mentions Canadian, Russian and Namibian sealing. The allegations of extreme cruelty - including skinning alive - are of a general nature, aimed at all seal hunters, also including the inuit seal hunters.
We are of the opinion that these allegations are unfounded and untrue. One can safely say that, in general, the quality of killing methods used in the seal hunt, is far better documented and controlled, and is far higher, than that of the hunts of larger terrestrial mammals in Europe.
We request that the European Parliament immediately procure the necessary documentation to prove that "seal hunters use extremely cruel methods of slaughter" and that they practice "skinning them (the seal pups) - often while they are alive."
In the event of Parliament being unable to do so, as we are certain will be the case, then we consider it a matter of course that the President of the European Parliament immediately take the initiative to bring about suitable mechanisms for issuing a denial of the accusations presented in the resolution.
The European Parliament clearly has every right to commit itself to animal welfare issues - also outside the Union. But it is quite unacceptable for it to present false allegations of criminal activity and brutal and immoral actions, without being able to document them. This will undermine the professionalism, credibility and reputation of the EU Parliament, and constitute an inadmissible violation of the people towards whom the allegations are addressed.
The EU Parliament's demands on documentation and accuracy should be no less strict with regard to resolutions addressing issues outside the Union, than they are regarding those within it. On the contrary, they should rather be more so!
In a meeting in the EU Parliament Fisheries Committee, Jan. 22, MEP Brigitte Langenhagen, PPD/D complained that members of the Fisheries Committee were not aware of the seal resolution, let alone be consulted. In her opinion the urgency resolution procedure - as practised in this case - did not secure a proper treatment. The Committee Chairman, MEP Miguel Arias Canete, PPP/Esp, agreed that the seal resolution was badly drafted and should have been amended or at least improved.
The Royal Commission on Seals and the Sealing Industry appointed by the Canadian government in 1984 (and including 3 Canadian and 3 non-Canadian members) reached the following conclusion concerning the humaness of the killing methodes employed:
"The Royal Commission believes, from the evidence put
before it, that under the present regulations, given
the existing enforcement and educational programs of
the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the very great
majority of harp seal pups are killed in a manner which
meets a high standard of humane killing".
Since 1984 the Canadian regulations for the seal hunt has been made even stricter.
The Aasland Commission, appointed by the Norwegian government in 1989, (including 5 Norwegian and 2 non-Norwegian members) concluded that allegations of skinning alive were "unfounded".
A number of investigations have been carried out with regard to the killing methods employed in the seal hunt, and the reliability and efficiency of these methods, particularly when it comes to the killing of pups, are universally acknowledged. The report from the Council of Europe Committee on Agriculture report from it's open hearing on marine mammal management in Reykjavik, 25 May 1992, says that:
"Independent monitoring of the clubbing method in
commercialseal hunts reveals that, although unaesthetic
for human observers, this method is capable of consistently
delivering humane death, and very few wounded animals escape".
All sealing nations have rules and regulations saying that seals must be bled after being killed, and before being skinned. A survey of the killing of weaned seal pups with rifles, carried out during the 1995 Norwegian seal hunt , showed that 98.3 percent of the seals died, or lost consciousness immediately. (The survey involved 349 seals,shooting distance was from 10 to 30 metres, no seals were wounded or escaped in a wounded state.) "This is a very high proportion, and a better result than those registered for all forms of hunting or slaughtering of domestic animals," it says in a press release from the Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries (Dec 22, 1995).
One must remember that no killing methods are 100 percent reliable. Even in the most modern, industrial slaughterhouses it happens that the animals are not properly stunned, regaining consciousness while bleeding out, or having to be restunned. (Anil, M. & McKinstry, J.; Summarised results of a survey of pig abattoirs in England and Wales, Bristol University, 1993).
As a result of all the attention focused on marine mammal hunts, a great deal of work has been done to ensure that killing methods are as humane as possible. This has been done by way of the development of new rules and regulations, methods, equipment, inspection arrangements and documentation. In the Norwegian seal hunt there is an inspector aboard every boat.
Against such a backdrop, one can safely say that, in general, the quality of killing methods used in the seal hunt, is far better documented and controlled, and is far higher, than that of the hunts of larger terrestrial mammals in Europe. (Øen, Egil Ole, "Animal Welfare Considerations in the Killing of Large Mammals in Europe, a paper to the Human Killing Work Shop at the 1995 annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission, IWC/47/WK 10).
The High North Alliance (HNA) is an umbrella organisation whose members include sealers', whalers' and fishermen's organisations of Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Canada and Norway, together with a number of coastal communities. HNA defends the right of coastal communities to the sustainable utilisation of marine mammals.
We appeal to you, Mr. President, to handle our request as a matter of urgency. It is about credibility and fairness, two concepts of basic importance both to ourselves and the EU Parliament.
On behalf of the High North Alliance,
Yours Sincerely,
Jan Odin Olavsen (Chairman) Georg Blichfeldt (Secretary)
Copies to: the Foreign Offices of Norway, Canada and Namibia * Norwegian, Canadian and Greenland representatives to the EU * Leaders of the political groupings in the EU Parliament * Leaders of the Parliament's Fisheries and Environment Committee A selection of M.E.P.'s * The Canadian Sealer's Association * The Inuit Circumpolar Conference * The Media