Canada allows the hunting of 280,000 seals this year

Canada this year allows the hunting of seals 280,000 on its Atlantic coast, announced Friday the Minister of Fisheries, Gail Shea, saying "extremely disappointed" that a European Parliament committee has called the ban on trade in seal products .
 "The TAC (Total Allowable Catch) of harp seals for 2009 was set at 280,000, out of a flock of more than 5.5 million animals," said the ministry in a statement.

 This figure is higher than the quota for 2008 (275,000) and 2007 (270.000) but lower than 2006 which was 335,000 animals.

The controversial hunting should officially begin between 25 and 31 March, told  a spokesman for the ministry.

Ottawa had adopted in late 2008 new rules for seal hunting to minimize animal suffering, particularly in order to avoid a ban on trade in seal products by the European Union.
But this did not prevent a committee of the European Parliament (EP) recently to endorse a proposal for a regulation to prohibit the sale of seal products. All Members must decide at the next plenary session of Parliament, probably on April 1. 

"We are extremely disappointed that the European Parliament has called for banning the trade of seal products," said Canadian Minister of Fisheries. 

  "Our position remains that any prohibition of hunting without cruelty, as is done in Canada, is unfounded," said Ms. Shea, saying "study" the legal and diplomatic means to enforce trade treaties International, an allusion to a possible complaint before the International Trade Organization (WTO).

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