MONTREAL – The Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International today congratulated the European Parliament for its historic level of support for Written Declaration #38, calling for a ban on the trade in harp and hooded seal products in the European Union. In all, 425 Members of the European Parliament endorsed the Declaration by the September 15th deadline—the highest number of signatories on any Written Declaration in the history of the European Parliament.
"This is the strongest level of support any Written Declaration has ever received in the history of the European Parliament," said Rebecca Aldworth, director of Canadian wildlife issues for The Humane Society of the United States. "It is a clear indication of the European Union's commitment to putting a final end to its trade in harp and hooded seal products." The Resolution is a crucial step in obtaining legislation, and specifically exempts products from traditional aboriginal hunters.
Although the Written Declaration had already achieved the 367 signatures needed for it to be formally adopted as a Resolution by September 7th, Members of the European Parliament continued to sign en masse until the official deadline of September 15th.
With more than one million seals killed in the past three years alone, Canada's commercial seal hunt is the world's largest slaughter of marine mammals. Independent veterinary experts who have studied the seal hunt in recent years have concluded it results in "considerable and unacceptable suffering". Scientists argue current kill levels pose a threat to seal populations, particularly in light of the pending devastating impacts of climate change on these ice dependent animals.
A large number of European journalists, parliamentarians and scientists have observed Canada's commercial seal hunt in recent years, and several European countries, including Belgium, Italy, Croatia, Luxembourg and the Netherlands have taken steps to ban seal products. They join Mexico and the United States, which have banned all trade in marine mammal products. Public opinion polls consistently show high levels of European opposition to commercial seal hunting.
"The Parliament has spoken on behalf of its citizens. It is now incumbent upon the European Commission to enact legislation prohibiting the trade in harp and hooded seal products. The fate of millions of seals is now in the hands of the Commission," said Mark Glover, UK Director of Humane Society International.
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Humane Society International is the international arm of The Humane Society of the United States, the nation's largest animal protection organization, with more than 9.5 million members and constituents. The non-profit organization is based in Washington and has numerous field representatives across the country and throughout the world.
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization with more than 9.5 million members and constituents. The HSUS is a mainstream voice for animals, with active programs in companion animals, disaster preparedness and response, wildlife and habitat protection, marine mammals, animals in research, equine protection and farm animal welfare. The HSUS protects all animals through education, investigation, litigation, legislation, advocacy and field work. The nonprofit organization is based in Washington and has field representatives and offices across the country. On the web at www.hsus.org.
