Wildlife

Seal Hunt Welfare and International Trade

Commercial seal hunts in Canada and other countries cause significant welfare concern, with debates about killing methods and international trade bans ongoing.

Key Facts

Canada kills approximately 400,000 harp seals annually in its commercial hunt
The primary killing method — hakapik striking — requires a clean blow to the skull to be instantaneous
Studies have found unacceptably high rates of inadequate killing with conscious seals being skinned
The EU banned seal product imports in 2009 significantly reducing commercial hunting profitability

Welfare Considerations

The welfare of killed seals depends entirely on the skill and attention of individual hunters operating at scale on sea ice in difficult conditions. Evidence of conscious animals being processed indicates inadequate killing rates. While the EU trade ban has reduced hunt scale, remaining hunts continue to cause suffering that independent monitoring has documented but not eliminated.

What You Can Do

Support the maintenance and expansion of international bans on seal product trade
Never purchase seal-derived products including fur, oil supplements, or leather
Support independent observer programs monitoring seal hunt welfare compliance
Donate to organizations conducting welfare assessments of remaining hunts
Advocate for non-lethal whale and seal watching tourism as economic alternatives