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Blog: Open Letter to Nahas Angula Prime Minister and People of Namibia - Namibian Seal Cull  



Seal Alert-SA Press Release, 6 July 2008
 
      On 1 July 2008, the same day Namibia started its annual 86 000 seal clubbing season, 93% of which is baby seal pup based, France took over the presidency of the EU. Stavros Dimas the EU Commissioner for Environment, said his proposed ban of seals and their products killed inhumanely, as defined by clubbing, is confident that the ban will be approved when put before the 27-member countries of the EU on 16 or 23 July, and has already secured strong support from the French presidency, alongside Belgium, Netherlands, Italy and Germany.
 
Open Letter to Nahas Angula Prime Minister and People of Namibia
nangula@opm.gov.na
Permission to Publish, Copy and Paste
 
       Dear Prime Minister, Nahas Angula and the good people of Namibia,
 
       The largest slaughter of wildlife mammals in Africa is now being slaughtered by Namibians in Namibia. The least human populated country on earth. Namibia's seal hunt is the second largest in the world and the only country killing nursing baby seal pups commercially.
 
       The sealing quota this year, for these endangered listed Cape fur seals is 86 000. Namibian sealing regulations and pup quota awards 4 seal rights holders the right to club 80 000 seal pups <1 year old, who must then be clubbed on the head with a wooden pick-axe until death.
 
       It is immensely cruel.
 
       Throughout the civilized world it is considered a criminal and punishable offence to beat or club an animal to death.
 
       The Animal Protection Act's of the world dating back to 1962 say so. US Government banned specifically Cape fur seal imports in 1972 due to its cruelty. Two US independent veterinarians judged that the sealing on two mainland seal colonies did not attain the standard of humaneness required by the US Department of Commerce in 1974. US Appeal court in 1977 invalidated any previous hardship economic waivers, as well. The EU banned nursing baby seal imports in 1983 and in 1987, Canada, Greenland, Russia and Norway banned in their own regulations the clubbing or killing of nursing baby seals in breeding grounds. South Africa ending its commercial sealing in 1990. 
 
      Yet, since your independence in 1990, Namibia has continue to award sealing quotas to 4 sealing rights holders, and awarded them quotas which are 90%, nursing seal pup based. There is no dispute that these pups at 7-8 months of age when herded together and clubbed to death, are nursing baby seals. The Namibian government earned 206,000 Namibian dollars from sealing last year.
 
      Prior to independence in 1989, your seal population on the three sealing colonies of Wolf/Atlas Bay in the diamond restricted area and Cape Cross in the Seal Reserve numbered 122, 018 seal pups born in December, to which you clubbed to death 6,285. 17 years later, these colonies produced 121, 462 seal pups.
 
     You all have seen the dead seal pups on the beaches over the years, scientifically this natural mortality has averaged since 1972 at 44% of the pups born. Subtracting this, would leave 68 000 seal pups alive, facing a seal pup quota of 80 000.
 
      Whilst the seal population has not increased in 17 years, your sealing pup quota has increased 1,172% since independence, from 6,285 pups to 80 000.
 
      This is a serious and direct threat to the future survival of this United Nations - Convention In Trade of Endangered Appendix II Species, as listed in 1977.
 
      Your largest seal colony at Cape Cross, to which attracts over 70 000 visitors each year, who contributes over 2 million Namibian dollars to your economy, completely collapsed on 10 August, last year, with not a single seal left in the colony. Likewise the largest employer and contributor to your economy De Beers, has publicly written its disproval of seal culling.
 
      Between the 16-23 July 2008, 27-member countries of the EU will vote to ban Cape fur seal products being imported into the EU, as Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Italy have already done.
 
      These bans are not Animal Rights Movement petitions or campaigns - these bans are world super-power, big government's government bans since the 1970s.
 
      These bans are based on one thing - seal cruelty.
 
      I invite you to log onto the on-line petition I recently set-up called the Declaration for the Protection of Cape Fur Seals http://www.petitiononline.com/DPCFS/petition.html, from which you will see various comments, country, occupation and age. We range in age from 13 to 70, from all walks of life, we are not all, just bunny-huggers or tree-huggers with nothing to do. What we all have in common is a deep concern for your environment, and ours.
 
      I could debate endlessly with the Right Honourable Nahas Angula or his Minister's about seal populations, quotas, mass die-off's, natural mortalities, sealing methods, extinct seal colonies on and on, or whether seals eat too much fish or should be culled.
 
      No matter what is said on radio, television, in documentaries, in newspapers, in reports, in meetings or the internet - the thing that cannot be changed is that it is cruel.
 
      You know it, I know it, the world knows it and Namibia knows it.
 
      It was cruel in 1902, in 1972, in 1990 and it is just as cruel in 2008, but far larger.
 
      Namibian's do not eat fish and export 97% for profit, likewise do Namibian's not eat seal meat, or have any need to wear their skins, teeth or bones, use their oil or use the seals sexual organs to reproduce. Namibia and Namibians have therefore no valid reason to kill seals.
 
      Claiming no other alternative method for killing baby seals - is not a valid legal defence for a national policy of the criminal act of animal cruelty.
 
      If you were too as a country or as a Prime Minister, to announce the end to seal clubbing. We will note rub your noses in it, but instead we will commend you, support you and rejoice, and do whatever is in our humble power to help you and your good people to prosper and grow your beautiful country.
 
      Please announce an end to sealing.
 
      Below are the sequential dates recorded of this seal cruelty.
 
For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA 
 
NAMIBIAN SEAL CULL
 
       The largest slaughter of species mammal wildlife on the African continent is the annual slaughter of 86 000 Cape fur seals in Namibia.
 
       In 1893 government acknowledged that the Cape fur seals as a species distributed between South Africa and Namibia was close to extinction due to over exploitation by sealers. In 1902 the Sealing quota was 2443 seals, 100% of which was seal pups < 1 year. In 1972, the US legislated the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which lead to the banning of imports of Cape fur seal pup skins, as according to section 102 (b) of the MMPA, marine mammals or their products may not be imported into the USA, if the animals concerned (1) pregnant at the time of taking; (2) nursing at the time of taking or less than 8 months old, whichever occurs later; (3) taken in a manner deemed inhumane.
 
      In 1973, South Africa introduced the Seal Protection Act no.46. Defining its jurisdiction it stated, that it was a criminal offense for any person to set foot upon any island, or within the territorial waters or fishing zone or along the coast between the low-water mark and the high-water mark, pursue or shoot at or wilfully disturb, kill or capture any seal. Namibia adopted this legislation until 2000, where Cape fur seals were incorporated into the Marine Resources Act of 2000 thereafter.
 
     In 1973, Namibia's sealing quota was 57 631 seals, 96% of which was seal pups <1 year of age.
 
    Sealing Regulations since 1976, define a "pup" as a seal in its first year of life. A "Clubber" means a member of a sealing team equipped with a sealing club. (b) A clubber must kill a pup by clubbing it on the top of the head with a seal club until dead.
 
    Namibia's Sealing Quota has ranged between 78% - 100% seal pups aged <1 year.
 
    In 1974, two independent US veterinarians judged that the sealing on two mainland seal colonies did not attain the standard of humaneness required by the US Department of Commerce. In 1973, various hardship economic waivers were sought to continue exports to the US, which were all finally invalidated by a US Appeal Court in 1977, based on infractions concerning nursing and age of the clubbed seals.
 
    It has never been officially disputed that the clubbing of seal pups to death is not cruel.
 
    In 1975, South Africa became a signatory of the United Nations - Convention in Trade of Endangered Species ( CITES ), and to which in 1977, Cape fur seals were listed as an Appendix II endangered protected species. After Namibia's independence, it too become a signatory in 1991, "Appendix II includes species not necessarily threatened with extinction, but in which trade must be controlled in order to avoid utilization incompatible with their survival". This is the only legally binding international agreement in regard to Cape fur seal protection, Namibia has signed.
 
    The Convention In Trade of Endangered Species ( CITES ) Trade-Database lists 21 countries in Europe to which Namibia has exported Cape fur seal products. 100% of its raw seal pup skins are exported.
 
    In 1990, South Africa established the Commission on Sealing, chaired by Professor John Hanks of WWF which lead to South Africa announcing a moratorium on all future commercial sealing.
 
    In 1990, Namibia's sealing quota was 11 724 seals, 83% of which was seal pups < 1 year.
 
    Three years later, at the peak of the seal population in 1993, the sealing quota had increased 370% to 55 000 seals, 78% of which was seal pups <1 year of age. Although between 1989 - 1993, the seal population had only increased 34%. With sealers only filling 75% of the pup quota.
 
    In 2000, Namibia stated it was harvesting seals in accordance with Article 95 (1) of the Constitution, "the utilization of living natural resources on a sustainable basis for the benefit of all Namibians", yet Article article 101 states, "The principles of state policy contained in this Chapter shall not of and by themselves be legally enforceable by any Court".
 
    In 2000, Namibia doubled its sealing quota from 30 000 to 60 000 pups. Sealers filled 64% of the pup quota. Although the seal population had declined between 1993 - 1998 by 20%. This was after its Namibian scientist JP Roux from the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources confirmed that 300 000 seals died during the mass die-off from starvation recorded in 1994, involving nearly a third of the total seal population. In December 2000, director of Marine Resources, Burger Oelofsen stated, "The phenomenon reminds of the seal die-off seen in 1994 and the cause is in fact the same as in 1994". 
 
   These recorded mass die-off's of the seal population have increased the natural seal pup mortality from the average 44% to 62% of all seal pups born.
 
   In 2001, Namibian Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources introduced three-year rolling sealing rights, and lengthened the seal harvesting season by one month, to allow that even younger seal pups can be clubbed, and in order to facilitate sealers inability to fill their pup quotas.
 
    Prior to 2002, Namibian sealers were only able to fill 60% on average of their pup quota.
 
    In 2006, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, announced a moratorium on new fishing rights for next 5 years, and stated that 2 of the 4 sealing right, rights expire end 2007/early 2008. In 2007, it renewed all these seal rights with with 7 - 15 year rights. Announced a 30% increase in the seal pup quota to 85 000. Shortly thereafter released a statement, "seal mortalities along the Namibian coast", and then described, "that the majority of pups in the south would not survive post weaning survival mass of 11 kg".
 
    In 2007, Namibia reduced the pup quota to 80 000. Shortly thereafter, just 40 days into 139 days, Seal Alert-SA photographed Namibia's largest seal colony completely deserted and void of any seal.
 
    Namibia seal pup quota of 80 000 for 2007, 2008 and 2009, 93% of which is seal pups <1 year of age, and relies upon the pup population survey recorded in December 2006, which found for the three sealing colonies,  a pup production of 121 462.  Namibia's Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources scientists stated in 2007, the average pup mortality since 1972, had been 44%, prior to the start of sealing season. Subtracting this natural mortality would leave 68 000 seal pups alive in the colony to kill. Other Namibian scientists put the natural mortality since the mass die-off's average at 62%. The quota, for the next three years, exceeds the number of pups alive on the sealing colonies.
 
    In December 2007, the European Food Safety Authority commissioned by the EU Commissioner of Environment, scientifically concluded that seals are not fish fish, and therefore as sentient mammals can experience pain, distress, fear and other forms of suffering.
 
   Namibia did not officially oppose the EFSA findings of the Namibian Seal Hunt and in fact did not submit any opposing documents at all. In a further meeting, reviewing the socio-economics of a possible ban, director of Namibia's Fisheries and Marine Resources did attend the meeting in Brussels, where he re-confirmed, "Namibian government was sceptical about any process which requested information on hunt welfare as in the past this information had been used by an NGO to criticize the hunts unfairly. Hence they tend to be 'very styingy' with the information they give out. He was later quoted, "Killing unweaned pups - why is this perceived as negative, the only difference is the diet, so why the sensitivity?", and "Herding -  psychological trauma, why is this perceived as negative and poor welfare?".
 
    Once again, Namibia did not dispute that clubbing seal pups is cruel, nor offer any evidence to support that it is not.
 
    The Animal Protection Act of 1962 states, it is an offence to , "ill-treat, neglect, infuriate, torture or maim or cruelly beat (club), kick, goad or terrify any animal; or starve it".
 
    All of which can be described as those methods used in Namibia's Sealing Industry.
 
    Last week, director of Marine Resources at the Namibian Ministry of Fisheries stated, Namibia sealing quota of 86 000 seals, 93% of which is seal pups <1 year of age, must be clubbed to death, as per the regulations to protect fish stocks.
 
    It is therefore cruelty to an animal, perpetrated as a national policy, that is the largest case of mammal wildlife abuse, cruelty and death being committed annually on the African continent.
 
For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA  

Posted: Saturday July 5, 2008, 9:08 pm
Visibility: Everyone
      

Tags: fur seal seals email campaign slaughter eu ban namibian hugo francois alert-sa
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Judith Lerner (34) 		Sunday July 6, 2008, 12:53 am
My mind was filled with pleasing thoughts as I prepared to go to sleep,then read leStter to Prime Minister of Namibia regarding seal cull.Cubs clubbed. Bloody water No guilt

Debbie L. (155) 		Sunday July 6, 2008, 4:42 am
Peitition signed and email sent.How can anyone kill these beautiful creatures and live with themselves. Disgusting and Brutal.

Judy S. (0) 		Sunday July 6, 2008, 10:54 am
Please save these mammals.

Shoshana Simon (99) 		Sunday July 6, 2008, 12:35 pm
I guess I'll cross off Namibia as a place to visit.

Tina Choate (0) 		Sunday July 6, 2008, 11:22 pm
You should be ashamed of this horrible and heinous acts committed with your permission upon these defenseless seal pups. You have no right, they belong to God, not you. You are clearly savages of the worst kind, aren't you embarrassed by the rest of the world watching what you are doing? So, try to redeem yourself in the eyes of the world and stop this slaughter. This eyes of the world will not go away, so do what is rightand a and try to regain some sense of respectability as a nation and a "civilized" people.

Alicya L. (137) 		Monday July 7, 2008, 8:11 am
email is on their way

Lucy Robinson (0) 		Monday July 7, 2008, 3:47 pm
Please reconsider this, please and thank you?!

Laurel W. (152) 		Thursday July 24, 2008, 4:27 pm
Signed and noted.

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