Wildlife Conservation

Commercial Seal Hunting and Welfare

Commercial seal hunts, most notably in Canada, raise profound animal welfare concerns regarding stunning efficiency and the killing of young animals.

Key Facts

Canada permits the killing of up to 400,000 harp seals annually
Most are killed at 3-12 weeks old while still in white-coat or beater stages
Hakapik clubs and rifles are the primary killing methods
Independent observer studies have found high rates of inadequate stunning
The EU banned commercial seal product imports in 2009

Welfare Considerations

Effective stunning requires a precise blow to the skull. Field conditions - ice, moving boats, stressed animals - make consistent stunning difficult. Peer-reviewed studies documenting inadequate stunning indicate that many seals experience pain during killing. Young seals have not yet developed the behavioural wariness of adult seals and are killed in their hundreds of thousands annually.

What You Can Do

Support organisations campaigning for an end to commercial seal hunting
Avoid Canadian seafood products sold by companies that support the seal hunt
Contact Canadian government officials expressing opposition to the annual hunt
Support the EU seal products ban and advocate for extension to other markets
Donate to Humane Society International and other seal welfare organisations