Zach LarkinsSEAL HUNT II
The federal government is considering changes to rules governing the annual seal hunt to keep sealers and observers further apart. Phil Jenkins, of the Federal Fisheries Department, said the department has received over 2,000 responses to its request for public comment on a proposal to extend the exclusion zone around seal hunters from 10 to 20 metres. "It's all about safety for both the sealers and the observers," Jenkins said in an interview. "The idea is to bring down the emotional temperature out on the ice and allow sealers to go about their business without disruption." About time I would say. I would love to see this change made.
Last year, you will recall Paul McCartney and Heather Mills took a photo op session to show the world how they are opposed to the hunt. With what's happened to this pair in the past year, I doubt Sir Paul will be back. As for Heather, she got nipped by a seal when she got too close to it, trying to make a cutesy picture. I doubt if she'll be back either. Bridget Bardot chimed up and said she was against the hunt, and you've got to hand it to her, at least she's consistent. But since losing her sex appeal, she's got nothing better to do than fight for ‘animal rights' anyway. I wonder when she will do a photo op with the African warthog?
The safety aspect of this rule change should not be lightly overlooked. Last year some protesters got too close to a sealing boat and were rewarded for their efforts by the hunters throwing pails full of seal guts upon them. Tempers can run hot out there on the ice. None of the hunters were charged. The protesters were for getting within the 10 metre limit they are not supposed to enter. It will be up to Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn to make a decision about the rule change and hopefully it will be made sometime before the hunt starts in late March.
Enter Rebecca Aldworth of the Humane Society of the United States. Aldworth and several other observers from last year's hunt are facing charges of breaking the 10-metre rule and coming too close to sealers and she says she does not know if she will get an observer's permit this year, but she said she will try. I say deny her the permit. She says a wider zone would make observing the hunt much more difficult, not only for animal protection groups but also for politicians and journalists attempting to scrutinize the annual slaughter. Just what scrutiny do they use? PETA has already been shown to have doctored photos of the hunt to make it look as barbaric as possible. The photos, some of them anyway, were real. However it was PETA members doing the slaughtering, not the licenced hunters. And after this debacle, we are supposed to believe what Aldworth and her tribe are trying to shove down our throats? I don't think so.
These animal rights groups said last year that their protests have led to wide spread bans of seal products all along the east coast of America. They went so far as to print a list of restaurants that would no longer handle seal products due to the rights groups vigilant efforts. Funny thing happened though. When restaurant owners were shown their name on that list, they all denied they removed seal products from their menus and said they weren't even consulted beforehand.
"It can be a challenge, even at 10 metres, to be able to document what sealers are doing. At 20 metres it will be very difficult and at times impossible," Aldworth said. "I think this is a very clear move on the part of the federal government to stop the images of the hunt that are closing markets for seal products around the world." I don't think the fed's really care what images go out to the world. The hunt has been going on for hundreds of years and there are plenty of photos to go around. The pictures of a hunter spiking a seal with a hakapik are giving way to more and more images of hunters using rifles to kill the seals. As humane as a hakapik might be, shooting a seal would seem even more so. The rule change might instead keep Alworth from getting her keister blown off.
The request for a change to the exclusion zone was made by the sealing industry, which believes its activities are being disrupted by the growing number of hunt observers. That is only fair. If you interfere with my work, I have the right to have you removed. And that is all the hunters are asking. To be left alone to do their jobs and not have to worry about some rights nut getting in their way.
Sources: Chris Morris - New Rules - Canadian Press
The safety aspect of this rule change should not be lightly overlooked. Last year some protesters got too close to a sealing boat and were rewarded for their efforts by the hunters throwing pails full of seal guts upon them. Tempers can run hot out there on the ice. None of the hunters were charged. The protesters were for getting within the 10 metre limit they are not supposed to enter. It will be up to Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn to make a decision about the rule change and hopefully it will be made sometime before the hunt starts in late March.
These animal rights groups said last year that their protests have led to wide spread bans of seal products all along the east coast of America. They went so far as to print a list of restaurants that would no longer handle seal products due to the rights groups vigilant efforts. Funny thing happened though. When restaurant owners were shown their name on that list, they all denied they removed seal products from their menus and said they weren't even consulted beforehand.
"It can be a challenge, even at 10 metres, to be able to document what sealers are doing. At 20 metres it will be very difficult and at times impossible," Aldworth said. "I think this is a very clear move on the part of the federal government to stop the images of the hunt that are closing markets for seal products around the world." I don't think the fed's really care what images go out to the world. The hunt has been going on for hundreds of years and there are plenty of photos to go around. The pictures of a hunter spiking a seal with a hakapik are giving way to more and more images of hunters using rifles to kill the seals. As humane as a hakapik might be, shooting a seal would seem even more so. The rule change might instead keep Alworth from getting her keister blown off.
The request for a change to the exclusion zone was made by the sealing industry, which believes its activities are being disrupted by the growing number of hunt observers. That is only fair. If you interfere with my work, I have the right to have you removed. And that is all the hunters are asking. To be left alone to do their jobs and not have to worry about some rights nut getting in their way.
Sources: Chris Morris - New Rules - Canadian Press
youranter
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opinionatedranter
Tales From The Green Lantern
I think that fact of the matter is, humanity makes the world go round, and clubbing animals is anything but humane. Who ever says it is, really needs to get their psychological well being examined.
Furthermore, PETA creeps? what aniamls are they killing?
PETA is an amazing organization that speaks out for living creatures that cannot defend themselves from heartless individuals.
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opinionatedranter
Tales From The Green Lantern