IFAW: Germany forwards a draft bill for trade ban on seal products to the EU

(Berlin, Germany – February 13, 2008) Another step towards ending cruel commercial seal hunts came out of Germany today (Wed) with the government’s decision to forward the draft bill for a national trade ban on all seal products to the EU Commission. The Commission will clarify that the bill is in accordance with European legislation and with global commercial law.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), which campaigns for an end to Canada’s cruel commercial seal hunt, is calling for seal trade bans to be introduced across Europe, and welcomed the decision by Germany. Bans are already in place in Belgium, the Netherlands, Croatia and Slovenia, as well as Mexico and the US. Similar legislation is expected to follow in Austria and Italy.

“Working towards a trade ban is a clear statement that Germany wants no part of Canada’s commercial seal hunt this March,” remarked Dr. Ralf Sonntag, Director of IFAW Germany. “It is very important that this law is enacted as soon as the EU reviews it. We are delighted with the government’s efforts to protect seals at the national level and we also expect the government to stand up consistently for the passage of an EU-wide trade ban.”

Robbie Marsland, Director of IFAW UK, said: “Canada’s commercial seal hunt is the world’s largest marine mammal hunt, with around 300,000 seals a year killed in an unacceptably cruel way, so their skins can provide luxury items for the fashion industry.

“We applaud the decision of the German government and encourage other EU countries, particularly the UK, to introduce a similar ban and show Canada we want no part in this cruel and unnecessary hunt. Public opinion in the UK and Europe is overwhelmingly against the seal hunt and it is time it was ended once and for all.”

An IFAW-commissioned poll by Ipsos-Mori in 2007 found almost three quarters (73%) of British people who have heard of Canada’s commercial seal hunt would support a ban on the import of seal fur and other products.

IFAW sends monitors to Canada every year to witness the cruelty of the commercial hunt, where seals are either clubbed or shot and often suffer a slow and painful death.

More than one million seals were killed over a three-year period from 2004 to 2006, with fears that this high level of hunting could seriously deplete the harp seal population, by as much as 70% over the next 15 years. This is of particular concern when combined with the added threat of climate change which is causing increasingly poor ice conditions and a high level of mortality in seal pups.

Germany’s national ban on seal products comes just one month before Canada’s commercial seal hunt is set to begin off the east coast of Canada. Last year, more than 224,000 harp seals were killed, 98.5% of which were under 3 months of age.

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For more information contact:

Rosa Argent (IFAW UK) on 07801 613 530or rargent@ifaw.org

Alternatively visit www.ifaw.org