Where and how is seal hunting subsidized?
The Canadian government began subsidizing its sealers after the market collapsed in 1983, but only for market and product development, including a meat subsidy (1995-99) to encourage full use of harp seal. With the return to profitability of the industry, these subsidies ceased in 2001. While there are currently no direct subsidies to ensure harp seals are killed, the case for grey seals could be different in the coming years. Since there is no developed market for grey seals, present government quotas are under-utilized. In June of 2009, Canada’s Federal Fisheries Minister announced measures to ensure the targeted removal of grey seals from the Souther Gulf of St. Lawrence, due to the growing population’s hindrance to cod fisheries and cod stock recovery there. Anti-seal hunt NGO’s like to make the argument that the seal hunt costs Canada more than it makes. Industry players, however, view this as totally insincere – how can these groups suggest that hunting seals is “not valuable eno
