Animals Count comments on Scottish Marine Bill
Animals Count has provided a response to the consultation paper Sustainable Seas for All: a consultation on Scotland's first marine bill which was issued on 14/07/08. The closing date for responses is 07/10/08. Seal protection is not guaranteed under the new Bill, and the exploitation of fish and other marine animals will continue as profit seems to be valued higher than protection of the marine world. Although 'sustainability' is used throughout the Bill, Animals Count believes more could be done to promote biodiversity.
Download our full response (Word document, 313KB).
6 October, 2008 
EU does not back down against Canada in dispute over seal products
When the Netherlands and Belgium decided to ban seal products in 2007, Canada started talks with the EU, which represented the two countries, as the first step of actions under the World Trade Organisation rules to protest against this 'unfair' trade advantage.
This case is the first test case of one nation against another (in this case against the whole of the EU) which decided to ban animal products on the basis of animal welfare concerns. Canada holds that this would be illegal under WTO rules, but the EU is using a clause within the WTO regulations that could allow for moral objections to be taken into account.
As a result of the mounting opposition by EU citizens, Members of European Parliament (MEP's) and UK MP's, on 23rd July EU Environment Commissioner Mr. Stavros Dimas announced a plan to ban seal products. Although Animals Count shares the optimism with politicians and animal protection groups alike, we are similarly concerned as IFAW is about loopholes that allow exemptions for seal products obtained from hunts which meet certain criteria for killing seals.
IFAW's Director, Robbie Marsland, commented: "Only a complete ban can prevent products from these large-scale and inherently cruel hunts from entering the European markets. Harsh and unpredictable hunting conditions make it impossible to properly monitor or enforce so-called humane killing methods."
CTV Canada AM reported that the European Commission's ambassador to Canada, Dorian Prince had said the goal of the legislation is not to ban legitimate commercial hunts in places such as Newfoundland and Iles-de-la-Madeleine. "All we want to do is agree to proper management, proper methods, proper supervision so that we have the guarantee that no animal suffers unduly," said Prince. This biased piece of news further included a quote from a determined Canadian fisheries ambassador, Loyola Sullivan, who vowed to stand up for Canadian hunters, but it did not echo any of the concerns expressed by millions of people worldwide, including those of Canadians.
The UK Trade Minister Gareth Thomas commented "The UK has pressed hard for a European ban on trade in sealskin products and this proposal is welcome news. Cruel and inhumane seal hunting is unacceptable and an EU measure is the best way we can help to end it around the world."
Animals Count hopes the exemptions will be taken out of the proposed ban, and that the EU will follow examples set by The Netherlands and Belgium.
27 July, 2008
European Commission consultation on trade in seal products and a UK EDM re: sealing
Everyone loves seeing seals in the wild and the majority of people hate the sight of seals being clubbed to death. Fur products made from seal pelts are inherently cruel. Approximately one million seals are deliberately killed each year, the majority commercially hunted for their pelts.
In December 2007 the European Union launched an online consultation asking for your views about killing seals. The deadline for responses is 13 February 2008, so act now!
The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) provides more information on seal hunting and guidance on completing the consultation form.
In addition, there is also a new important Early Day Motion EDM 783 'Commercial Seal Hunting and the Importation of Seal Products into the UK' that 'urges the Government to follow the example of [the ban on seal products in] Belgium and the Netherlands and ban the trade in seal products in the UK.' Please write to your MP and urge him/her to sign this EDM.
27 January, 2008