Sealing Facts
Posted by Kevin on 3/7/2005 @ 9:35 am
Liam O’Brien posted a seal FAQ:
http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/seal-phoque/faq_e.htm.
Randy Raymond poses the question “Who do we write?", and to that I would add, “What do we do?”
Well, I am about as removed from the seal hunt as anyone can get (side note: my grandfather was a sealer). I’d ask learned readers out there: lend your knowledge. Are there decision-makers in office that can be lobbied on this front? Is there a viable alternative campaign that can be run to combat entrenched other side?
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Last year, the Canadian Sealers Association folded. That organization did a great deal of work on behalf of the industry but lost its funding from government and therefore were unable to continue.
The members were suppose to pay dues so that the association could continue to be industry’s voice. Unfortunately, the membership was far below the actual number of sealers (600 of 12,000) and that was not enough to pay staff, office space etc. Thus the organization was suspended.
The work this association did was beyond valuable. It was the one voice that sealers and supporters of the sealing industry had. It is a shame it is gone.
So to answer your question, I know of no other organized effort on behalf of the sealing industry. Nor do I know of anyone to write other than perhaps the federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Geoff Reagan as he is the minister responsible. Perhaps a note to provincial fisheries minister Trevor Taylor wouldn’t hurt either; just to let him know that there is concern about and support for the sealing industry by others who are not directly involved.
Please see the story below.
Anti-Sealing Campaign Up in Air
March 8, 2005 VOCM web
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society isn’t sure if their ship will be able to continue with the anti-sealing campaign. The “Farley Mowat” is in Port aux Basques after it began taking on water off Cape Breton Sunday morning. It’s believed the ship may have been damaged by ice. Society spokesman Paul Watson says the first thing they have to do is find the source of the leak. If that’s done soon, the ship may be back in the ice for the seal hunt, which is expected to begin in about two weeks. Meanwhile, three members of the society, including Watson and TV star Richard Dean Anderson of McGyver fame, have already flown by helicopter to the ice to film seal pups.
Comment by Brenda S. , St. John’s — 3/8/2005 @ 10:08 amCheck out the Sea Shepherd website.
No mention of the mechanical troubles.
No mention that Dean and Paul were actually not “among the seal pups” as they claimed.
There’s also no mention of the fishery. How odd.
And curiously enough a big picture of a whitecoat despite the fact whitecoats aren’t harvested anymore.
Where are the pictures of the kids with the really big eyes and dogs playing poker?
Comment by Ed Hollett — 3/8/2005 @ 12:36 pmkevin:
Who to write?
Try the Sea Shepherd society. They might enjoy having popular mobilization techniques turned against them.
Try CNN, MSNBC and anyone else covering the Watson story.
Comment by Ed Hollett — 3/8/2005 @ 12:37 pmTo build on that, check out Hollett’s post over at Bond Papers:
Comment by Kevin McCann — 3/8/2005 @ 12:38 pmhttp://bondpapers.blogspot.com/2005/03/paul-watson-cod-arent-cute-enough.html
regarding Watson et al.
Ed Hollett said:
“Who to write?
Try the Sea Shepherd society. They might enjoy having popular mobilization techniques turned against them.”
I like this idea. Very good Ed. So what do you say Kevin. Do we actually have enough supporters of the seal hunt to make such a campaign effective? Could 10,000 or 20,000 voices be mobilized and invade the Sea Shepherd Society?
It would be an interesting and valuable exercise.
Comment by Brenda S. , St. John’s — 3/8/2005 @ 2:04 pmWell, my concerns:
- This is a very hard sell to people outside the province
- These groups have legions of fans who could easily target this site and hack it to pieces (ie flood the comments section)
I don’t think targeting the anti-sealing groups would accomplish anything. Why “invade” them? Targeting getting an elected official makes more sense, if that official has a decision to make regarding the industry.
An alternative would be to put together a piece or an effort whose goal is to spread education about the facts of the seal industry, combating the PR machine of the anit-sealing groups. Another hard sell.
Comment by Kevin McCann — 3/8/2005 @ 2:57 pm“An alternative would be to put together a piece or an effort whose goal is to spread education about the facts of the seal industry, combating the PR machine of the anit-sealing groups. Another hard sell.”
That is what the CSA was doing and doing well. Even though as you say Kevin, it was a hard sell. It shows what a loss this valuable organization was and continues to be to the sealing industry. It truly is a shame.
While many argue that the CSA should have been self sustaining, the fact remains that there is no voice for the industry and no one wants to be it. At the very least, the provincial government should be “educating” and “combating the PR machine of the anti-sealing groups". They have as much to lose as anyone.
So then, perhaps Trevor Taylor should be lobbied to begin an ad campaign to educate Canadians as to the positive aspects of sealing. And there are a few, especially as it relates to the health benefits of seal meat and oil.
I know that I would find ads in support of the sealing industry far more palatable than those of Ad-Gate.
Comment by Brenda S. , St. John’s — 3/8/2005 @ 3:49 pmOn a completely different topic, to all the women who may be dropping by, have a great International Women’s Day.
Women and their progress in Newfoundland and Canadian society certainly would have been a great topic of discussion on this most important day.
Comment by Brenda S. , St. John’s — 3/8/2005 @ 4:04 pmThanks for the tip Brenda.
Comment by Kevin McCann — 3/8/2005 @ 4:27 pmhttp://www.internationalwomensday.com/
Benefits of Seal Oil
March 12, 2005
Hospital patients around the world who require intravenous feeding may in future be getting their nutrition from seals harvested off this province. A Memorial University-based company has developed an emulsion from seal oil, which has been found to be superior to existing formulations. North Atlantic Biopharma Inc has formed a partnership with a Chinese company that will assist with further development and manufacture of the product. The Minister of Industry, Trade and Rural Development, Kathy Dunderdale, says the 50,000 dollars in seed capital contributed by the province to help North Atlantic Biopharma is paying off.
Comment by linda — 3/12/2005 @ 7:44 pmMaybe Loyola can send another (better spent)$150K out for TENDER to advertise that gem of positive good PR! A touch of good international press through Grassroots podCast might be a good way to go as well!!
Fred from CBS
Comment by Fred Harris — 3/12/2005 @ 9:36 pmjust reading a story on canada.com/national a second ago, people in paris held protest outside the canadian embassy
“SEAL SUPPORTERS: Animal rights militants and environmental groups stage a protest outside the Canadian embassy in Paris Tuesday to denounce the “cruel and needless slaughter” of harp and hooded seals in Canada.”
i really don’t understand these animal loving folk.. save the seals, what about every other animal that can spill red blood? do thay want to save every animal & have the world die of starvation… i mean, other animals hunt other animals
im pretty sure that means its the only way for humans to survive as well. sure moderate the slaughter.. have rules & regulations etc SO
frogs .. whos to say an animal is more important than another.
lets stop the cruel & needless slaughter of turkeys, fish, seals, cows, lambs, ducks… well gez, i could go on forever.
people just need to do better things with their time i believe
Comment by john doe — 3/15/2005 @ 3:46 pm