Protesters vow to end seal hunt
(apr. 14, 2008)
globe and mail

The war of words over the seizure of the anti-sealing vessel Farley Mowat continued Monday, with Sea Shepherd Conservation Society founder Paul Watson vowing that the end is near for the Canadian seal hunt.

Mr. Watson, who is in Sydney to bail two crew members out of jail, told CTV News that his team has footage of seals screaming while being skinned alive that will be used to help end the hunt.

“We haven't seen any evidence of a humane hunt here,” Mr. Watson said. “We're presenting this evidence to the European Parliament. They are going to pass a bill to ban seal products. That will end the Canadian seal hunt. We're looking at the end of days for the seal hunt.”

Author Farley Mowat donated the $10,000 needed to bail the ship's captain and first officer out of jail, Mr. Watson said.

Mr. Mowat, 86, is the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's international director.

“All of it came from Farley Mowat,” crew member Shannon Mann said of the bail money.

The boat was re-named the Farley Mowat in 2002.

The European Union's environment chief, Stavros Dimas, told Reuters on Sunday he will propose to ban imports of all seal products resulting from hunts where animals suffer. Belgium and the Netherlands last year banned imports of seal products on their own, prompting Canada to launch a trade dispute with the EU. Both bans were the result of concern about cruel hunts.

Mr. Dimas declined to comment on what constituted inhumane killing, instead referring to an EU-commissioned report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published in December.

The EFSA report recommended that animals be killed quickly, be checked that they were dead and bled before skinning, and that monitoring procedures be in place. At issue is how quickly the animals die, lest they end up being skinned alive.

Mr. Watson, who called the seizure of the Farley Mowatt “an act of war” maintains the Canadian government acted to prevent more potentially embarrassing footage from being captured.

“What we were in the gulf for was to get evidence on the inhumane killing of seals,” he said. “That's what Canada is afraid of. Canada isn't afraid of anything but our cameras That's what these laws are designed for. They're censorship laws to keep us from the truth.”

Captain Alexander Cornelissen – who hails from the Netherlands – and First Officer Peter Hammarstedt are accused of steering the Mowat to within 900 metres of the hunt. That is an offence under the marine mammal regulations unless an observer's permit has been granted. The Mowat does not have a permit.

The two men were granted bail and each must post $5,000. The charges could result in fines of up to $100,000, or up to one year in jail, or both.

Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn shrugged off Mr. Watson's comments, saying Canada had every legal right to seize the vessel. He also denied the charge that the government does not want observers at the hunt.

“We have issued over 75 permits this year for people to come visit within 30 feet of the hunt,” Mr. Hearn said. “If you have a permit, you can do that. ... The boat did not have a permit.”

Mr. Hearn said the incident has garnered international exposure, exposing Mr. Watson's group as one that flouts the rules with little regard for international law.

“Observe is one thing, obstruct is something else,” he said. “It's like the old days in Dodge before Wyatt Earp. This is the new Dodge, Mr. Watson. Welcome to Canada and welcome to the new Dodge City.”

According to the society, its board of directors makes all strategic decisions for the organization and directors serve without compensation or other tangible incentives.