IFAW News release: Italy Shocked by Canadian Seal Slaughter - Par liamentarians Call for a Ban on Seal Products

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Here is our latest release in relation to the Canadian seal hunt, Italy

Shocked by Canadian Seal Slaughter - Parliamentarians Call for a Ban on Seal

Products.

Let me know if you need additional information.

 

Thank you,

 

Kerry Branon

 

 

 

For Immediate Release<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =

" urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office " />

 

 

 

Contact:

 

 

Chris Cutter (IFAW) - Tel: 508-744-2066; Email: ccutter

<ccutter

 

 

Gaia Angelini (IFAW) - Tel: + 32 (0) 2 237 60 52 or 0473 985165; Email:

gangelini <gangelini

 

 

 

 

Editors: For more information visit www.ifaw.org

 

 

 

Italy Shocked by Canadian Seal Slaughter - Parliamentarians Call for a Ban

on Seal Products

 

 

 

(Rome/Brussels - 27 April 2004) - Following the commitment of the Belgian

Government to ban the import of seal products, the Committee for Foreign

Affairs of the Italian Parliament has adopted a Resolution on the " Massacre

of seals in Canada, " which is criticized as being " the biggest and cruelest

massacre of marine mammals in history " , one million seals are set to be

slaughtered over the next three years. The Italian Ministry for Foreign

Affairs has already shown its support for the initiative.

 

 

 

The Resolution opposes the Canadian Government's main argument - that seals

have an adverse impact on fisheries - by stressing that it is based on false

science. The Resolution also argues that only a very small number of

fishermen are currently involved in the seal hunt and that export revenues

are marginal to the local economy of Newfoundland/Canada. The Resolution

reports that although the killing of baby seals is illegal in Canada, 97% of

the seals killed last year were below three months of age and the majority

of them between two and 12 weeks.

 

 

 

The initiative was spurred on by IFAW's video documentation of this year's

hunt and the close co-operation with the Italian NGO LAV

<outbind://11/#_ftn1> 1. To date, IFAW has submitted video evidence of more

than 660 probable violations of Canada's Marine Mammal Regulations -

including the skinning of live seals - to the Canadian Department of

Fisheries and Oceans. Not a single charge has been laid in response.

 

 

 

Italy is one of the most important markets for seal pelts in Europe and a

big importer of seal oil products for human consumption. Moreover, Italy is

also an important gateway by which seal products are imported and then

re-exported to other countries.

 

 

 

Lesley O'Donnell, Director of IFAW's European Office said: " We welcome the

Italian Parliament's Resolution and call on the Italian Government to

introduce a national ban on seal skin products (already in place in the

United States and upcoming in Belgium), as soon as possible. These important

efforts could contribute towards putting an end to this cruel and

unjustifiable massacre. "

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note to editors:

 

 

 

* In 2003, the Canadian Government decided to permit the killing of

one million seals over three years.

 

* According to Eurostat, over the past three years the turnover from

the import and export of seal skins amounted to seven million euros.

 

* Two thirds of the seal pelts on the Italian market are manufactured

in foreign countries.

 

* 30 to 40% of the seal skins on the Italian market come from seals

killed in Canada. The pelts are imported to Italy either directly from

Canada (only 3 to 4%) or through other countries.

 

* Seal oil for human consumption is also commercially available in

Italy. Its turnover in 2003 amounted to 400,000 euros.

 

* The export of seal oil products to other countries amounted in 2003

to 175,000 euros.

 

 

 

 

 

 

_____

 

<outbind://11/#_ftnref1> 1 Anti-Vivisection League (LAV)

 

 

 

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The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW -- <a

href= " http://www.ifaw.org " >www.ifaw.org</a>) works to improve the welfare of

wild and domestic animals throughout the world by reducing commercial

exploitation of animals, protecting wildlife habitats, and assisting animals in

distress. IFAW seeks to motivate the public to prevent cruelty to animals and to

promote animal welfare and conservation policies that advance the well-being of

both animals and people.

 

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