The harp seal hunt provides a welcome source of income for several of the Russian fishing villages or kolkhozes, in the White Sea area. Traditionally, the seal-ers went out onto the ice fields on foot, but between 1910 and 1960, ice-breakers were used to help them reach the hunting grounds. Still more recently, helicopters have been used. Russian sealers have always enjoyed a strong national market for their products. The skins were sent away to be dressed, but the production of seal skin garments generally took place in the same region as the hunt. The meat was used as food for fur-bearing animals.
From 1972 to 1994, a certain number of seal pups were caught and brought to land alive to be kept in enclosures, where they were slaughtered after they had finished moulting. At this point, the quality of the skins is very high. The hairs that were shed during the moulting process were used locally to stuff waistcoats and cushions. However, the chaotic state of the Russian economy and infrastructure in recent years has also brought problems for the sealing trade. Cold storage plants for the meat have been poorly maintained, and spare parts and fuel for helicopters have been in short supply. The traditional markets are also undergoing a process of rapid change, further jeopardising the future of the sealing trade.
The White Sea seal hunt peaked during the period 1930-35, when Norwegian and Russian sealers took a combined annual catch of between 200,000 and 500,000. This led to a decline in the stock, but numbers recovered during the war when sealing was suspended. Just after the war catches again became excessive, and around 1960 quota regulations were finally introduced. The total quota for 1997 is 40,000, of which Norwegian sealers are licensed to take 5,000.
The keeping of seal pups in enclosures
pending their shedding of their skins, has
been brought to a halt for the time being.