It seems that Sea Shepherd captain and renowned anti-seal hunt activist Paul Watson has – much like the harp seal itself – bitten off more than he can chew.
In a challenge offered back in February, Paul Watson offered a $50, 000 reward to anyone who could produce video evidence showing that seals feed wastefully on cod.
Many fishermen believe that seals prefer the nutrient rich livers and belly’s of cod and often target those areas leaving the rest of the fish to waste. Watson claimed this practise was preposterous and laid down a whopping 50K reward to anyone who could prove it!
Yesterday, members of the Seals and Sealing Network (SSN) re-circulated video footage that should be worth a $50,000 reward, if activist Paul Watson is to make good on his challenge.
The video – originally produced in 1999 by Ulf Marquardt Medienproduktion – portrays harp seals herding large cod into a Newfoundland bay. A school of cod is seen swimming in shallow water, forced in shore by seals. Underwater footage reveals an ocean floor littered with discarded cod carcasses.
“More scientific work needs to be done to estimate the ecological significance of Canada’s seal populations,” said Rob Cahill, Fur Institute of Canada Executive Director. “When a seal consumes only a cod’s belly, it destroys more fish than it eats – but Canadian scientists have no clear data on how often this happens.”
The Canadian Government’s scientific literature notes reports of cod belly biting by harp seals and grey seals, but also notes that current methods for estimating seal diets cannot reliably detect the large cod that would be killed through belly biting.
Since 1999, the harp seal population in Canadian waters has increased from an estimated 5.8 to 6.9 million animals.
Paul Watson and the Sea Shepherd Organization have yet to comment. One can only assume they are either scrambling to do damage control, or heading to the bank!
The video in question may be viewed at: http://www.sealsandsealing.net/
Outdoorsguy
I am sure Paul will give the people there money and I have heard when he pays this reward he will announce a new hospital that will Specialize in cod liver transplants to save the cod.WHAT A WACK JOB
“Cod liver transplants”…I love it!
Outdoorsguy
I bet 50K that he declines to pay.
Good one Tom!
Outdoorsguy
knowing a few of these left wing commies, I’ll bet he doesn’t have a pot to piss in oops
It’s so easy to make a wager that you know you’ll never pay because you don’t have the cash
Yes, but keep in mind Iggy, a lot of these groups have very deep pockets..with all those big stars throwing money their way, how can they not?
Look at Bob Barker who just donated 2.5 Million to PETA for their new establishment in California…my guess is that Sir Paul McCartney will soon be stepping-in to cover Paul Watson’s seal gambling debts..
“We all live in a yellow submarine..a yellow submarine…”
Outdoorsguy
Red hot chilli pepers also helps them out too.
Drag, I use to like them!
Outdoorsguy
I’d be inclined to wave the 50 grand if Mr Watson would come trapping with me and see first hand that we are not the animal hating killers that he and his psycho anarchist group portrays us to be followed by prepping at lease one of each species harvested and then wear a fur coat on the corner of Younge and Bay all of which would be captured on video of course…….In lieu of that Mr Watson pay up and shut up.
Do you do research before posting ridiculous articles?!! This bet was first made back in the 1990’s and it was made because this footage was released by the then Department of Fisheries Minister, John Efford. He was a notorious seal hater who was trying to blame the depletion of the cod stock on the seals. The bet is to provide video documentation of seals routinely eating only a cod’s belly and leaving the rest – NOT for footage of a bunch of dead codfish at the bottom of the ocean. If I were Paul Watson, I wouldn’t pay this bet. Someone could just gut a bunch of cod, dump them somewhere and then claim that seals did it. Seals are not to blame for the cod. It is overfishing and mismanagement by HUMANS!!!
This is another feeble and pathetic attempt by the seal “hunters” to draw attention to themselves in a year of low pelt prices and no market for their products. Why don’t you write an article about how the seals are now suffering from habitat loss due to climate change, yet we not only allow the seal hunt to go ahead, but we also increase the quota? Just another example of terrible mismanagement by the DFO.
Wow Kim they really are suffering due to climate change their population only went up just over 1 million more. Usually if there is habitat lost the population will fall not grow so your attempt to put the blame on humans is astronomically ridiculous? Now he is backpedaling I don’t know whether he is slipping on a broken “slippery bomb” or from the crap he spouts off with, but I answered my own question it must be the crap he shovels because he is the coward that never leaves his ships wheel. There is nothing more cowardly then not leading your men If you further look into the bet it does not say “routinely “ eating just the belly of cod . it says any proof of seals doing it and I don’t think fisher men or hunters would do something so stupid as to cut the cod and lay them out on the bottom of the ocean . But I know a organization that would and knowing some people they could never guess who
Kim, how many feeble and pathetic attempts by the “anti” seal hunters to draw attention to themselves can we find out there? Lots of obvious one sided propaganda even my young children can smell it, anti-hunting biased information, made up film footage etc…. Sealers, Sports Men and Women are in a fight with the anti’s and fight we will !!!
Funny….even the DFO admits that the seal population will be in trouble if there are many more years like this. And where are you getting these population numbers you are quoting from, exactly? A computer model done by a DFO scientist or an actual census? Do you seriously believe that human overfishing had nothing to do with the decline of the cod? Hmmm….quite a mystery how there used to 40 million seals and lots of cod and now there are between 5-7 million seals and no cod.
Yet again, your knowledge about Paul Watson is lacking. He has spent over 30 years “leading his men” as you put it. He has been to the ice floes repeatedly and used to put himself between the seals & the hunters until they made that illegal. He has been attacked by mobs of seal hunters. He has been in zodiac boats between whales and harpoon ships. He has risked his life many times for what he believes in. Like I said…perhaps you should do your research.
I don’t see how Paul Watson is “back-pedaling”. You haven’t produced video evidence of seals eating only the bellies of the cod and discarding the rest. You’ve produced video evidence of dead cod that could have been killed by anything or anyone.
if he can’t get between the sealers and the seals, maybe he could find his way to the bottom of the ocean, along with a few of his followers
To bush24:
First off, I take offense to sealers calling themselves “hunters”. There is no “hunting” involved in killing a defenceless seal pup. There is no sportsmanship in it. Most of the hunters I know don’t agree with sealing, so I don’t think they’d appreciate you lumping them into the same category.
Pro-sealers always like to use this “propaganda” line. While I admit that some of the animal rights groups might be slightly guilty of this….so is the Government of Canada and the DFO I don’t like hearing our government make false statements like “the killing of baby seals is illegal”. I think that not many people would agree that a 12 day old “whitecoat” is a baby but a 15 day old “ragged coat” is an aduilt. I also don’t agree with their statements saying they don’t subsidize the industry, which is simply not true. Their statement about it being well managed and humane is the biggest lie of all.
I for one am not against any type of hunting provided it is done in a sustainable and humane manner and every part of the animal is used. Also provided that millions of our tax dollars are not supporting it. So I say, continue with the seal hunt all you want, but without the support of the DFO airplanes, Canadian Coast Guard, overseas trips to promote seal products and everything else. Sealers can be on their own, just like hunters of other species. It’s not like when a hunter goes to kill a deer they are escorted by a dozen RCMP officers and fish & wildlife guides directing them to the location of the deer which they’ve pinpointed on a satellite!
Kim in Canada: The $50,000 challenge set forth by Paul Watson does not date back to the 1990’s..it was from this past winter..and there is proof of his offer out there on various sites and blogs..screens shots are available for viewing on the Sea Sheppard Blog, in fact!
I say screen shots, because as the Blogger below noted..Paul’s story tends to keep changing as it suits him and then his comments are pulled down.
http://seashepherd.blogspot.com/2010/02/paul-watson-wants-to-give-you-50000-but.html
Outdoorsguy
40 million seals HELLO !!WAKE UP if you read the sea Sheppard’s website You get 30 million and if you conceptualize the fact that this ESTAMTE was made when Europeans first came to Canada in the 16th century and you truly believe that number was present then I have some land for sale in Florida … Today with today’s technology we can not even tell how many black bears there are let alone how many seals..
“Most of the hunters I know don’t agree with sealing, so I don’t think they’d appreciate you lumping them into the same category. ”
Funny, I had a hunting web site with 250 members, and not one of them ever spoke out about not agreeing with the seal hunt. And these guys and girls aren’t shy. Plus I’ll bet I know more that 100 hunters and not one has ever spoken out against the seal hunt.
You must be special and know special hunters.
This is one of the reasons your radical campaign is failing, you make things up, as you go, when it suits you, thinking everyone around you is stupid and will believe everything you say.
Stick to the truth, people will have an easier time believing what you say
“First off, I take offense to sealers calling themselves “hunters”. To Kim, the Online Dictionary.com defines hunter as; “noun – 1.a person who hunts game or other wild animals for food or in sport.” Seal meat is very good to eat according to our MP’s supporting the Seal “Hunt”. To me, a “hunter” is one who “harvests” an animal, a Seal Hunter is a “Commercial Harvester/Hunter”. We who “harvest” animals whether on a farm, land or ocean are all in the same boat when it comes to the anti’s (PETA) etc… rhetoric and open agenda’s to eliminate the use of animals for food, science, fur etc…
The thing is Kim, we are not on our own when it comes to hunting, it is legal, we have needed the support of law enforcement to protect us from dangerous fanatics who interfere with legal hunting. There is a law in Ontario that prevents interfering with lawful hunting, trapping or fishing, if I needed to Police, I would call.
come on bush24, that’s not fair, your using facts and honest common sense
Just for the record.Kim’s comment about not lumping hunters in with seal hunters was and is a simple case of divide and conquour.First they turn the hunters against the trappers,then gun hunters against bow hunters.Bow hunters and gun hunters against muzzelloaders,bow hunters and gun hunters against crossbow hunters and now all hunters against seal hunters.The more they can cause conflict amongs’t us the easier it is to pick one group off at a time.Love the comment about not against true hunters( as long as every part of the animal is used and that it is humanely killed.) So who is going to establish what is a humane kill and what isn’t.Most hunters i know only want a quick clean kill with no suffering.As for the comment about humans being behind the cod collapse.Yes we are.All humans that consume the fish.But do we just leave it to the ever increasing seal population to now totally destroy whats left.Man has hunted the seals since we came to canada.If we can’t sell seal meat and products in europe then the federal government should purchase the seals from the sealers and send the meat and furs to some of these 3rd world countries instead of sending money that ends up in there governments hands where a portion is skimmed for themselves or for weapons to kill each other.
we all need to stand together
and teach the non hunter but non activist that what they speak is lies
Wow! You pro-sealers are pretty damn generous with everyone else’s tax dollars. Funny how no one addressed my point about continuing the seal hunt without all of the government support. I guess that really says a lot.
To Bush 24:
You are correct. It is legal to hunt. It is also legal for others to protest your hunting. And, as far as I understand the law, it is not legal to allow a seal (or another hunted animal) to suffer. Sealers are supposed to be doing blink reflex tests and bleeding the seals out, are they not? So why is that I can find video after video after video where seals spend several minutes crawling around in agony in a pool of blood? And why can I find video after video where not a single sealer is doing the blink test or bleeding the seals out? Perhaps the sealers should stop making themselves look like barbarians in front of the rest of the world. It really just makes the entire thing seem extraordinarily cruel and really doesn’t help it’s image. I believe that just like in any “hunt”, there are good hunters and bad hunters. Maybe the sealing union should be doing more to punish the bad apples and strip them of their licenses.
To Jeff Morrison:
Sorry…but the bet was made in the 90’s. It was originally for $25,000. Paul Watson raised it to $50,000 recently. I’ve known of the existence of this bet for several years, so it definitely isn’t new and the rules haven’t changed.
Kim:
As I stated before, and I will say it again, the bet for $50, 000 was just made this past winter.
I do realize Watson had a pre-existing bet, and has raised the stakes, but right now his debt stands at 50K!
Perhaps you should remind him of that…I’m sure he’d appreciate it.
Outdoorsguy
Is everyone aware of the fact that seals actually contribue important nutrients to the ocean ecosystem? In a time where scientists are finding fish to be malnourished & starving, to me it would make more sense to increase the numbers of any species that can help “feed the oceans”. If seals can nourish the phytoplankton, which in turn feeds the fish, then isn’t reducing their numbers actually the worst thing to do?
Also, for anyone that thinks seal meat is healthy, think again. It is contaminated with methyl mercury, PCB’s and other toxins…in the same way that shark, whale, dolphin, swordfish, etc are. Seals can also carry common “livestock” type diseases like brucellosis and trichinosis. Seal oil can contain e coli, salmonella or Botulism if it’s not pasteurized (and it’s usually not). Google it.
Ha ! Good one Iggy i think that most of us belong to that special group P.E.T.A. P.eople E.ating T.asty A.nimals i guess that P.E.T.A. group goes both ways . L.O.L.
It has always been unbelievable to me the statements made by PETA and similar organizations about hunting, and how cruel or humane the kills. The farming industry is far worse for cruelty to animals. The cows, pigs, chickens are all bread in confined spaces among their feces, are fead growth hormones and pesticide filled foods (often with animal by-products of their kin), and slaughtered by the hundreds per day, every day. And they worry about how a seal is killed. Yet these same people think only of how red the meat is (which is covered in red food dye), and how lean the cut is when they pick one on the shelves of their grocery stores. How big are the eggs? How fresh is the pasteurized milk? How cheap is the pork chop? Kim, do a quick search about genetically modified pork that has just been approved for use in Canada. The pork is being marketed as environmentally sound by producing a third of the waste that a regular pork produces, making our land, rivers and lakes cleaner. We all know that the environment will see no benefit of this as the farmers will onlt be holding 2/3s more pigs than before. This is more humane than hunting seals though, right? Kim, do you support the meat industry and their inhumane ways more than a seal hunter? If you are against hunting, would you encourage hunters to buy more beef and pork instead of wild game? I suggest you consider your own inhumae habits rather than focus on others’.
Kim, “You are correct. It is legal to hunt. It is also legal for others to protest your hunting”. Protest all they want but;
Under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act 1997 S.O. 1997 Chapter 41 Section 13 The law states; “Obstruction of hunting, trapping or fishing
13. (1) A person shall not interfere with lawful hunting, trapping or fishing by,
(a) tampering with traps, nets, bait, firearms or any other thing used for hunting, trapping or fishing;
(b) placing himself or herself in a position, for the purpose of interfering, that hinders or prevents hunting, trapping or fishing; or
(c) engaging in an activity, for the purpose of interfering, thatdisturbs or is likely to disturb wildlife or fish”
KIM WROTE:Is everyone aware of the fact that seals actually contribue important nutrients to the ocean ecosystem? In a time where scientists are finding fish to be malnourished & starving, to me it would make more sense to increase the numbers of any species that can help “feed the oceans”. If seals can nourish the phytoplankton, which in turn feeds the fish, then isn’t reducing their numbers actually the worst thing to do?
I bet you had a “stretch armstrong when you were younger. if you belive that then we should leave the bodies behind so the fertilize the ocean then ???? YOU need to stop looking up google searches, and if you dont your next search should be FOOLISH and you might just see a picture of paul watson for saying stuff like seal poop helps the ocean
maybe Kim, just maybe, people will stop ignoring your points when you take back so of the stuff you’ve written on here that is not true (by saying not true, I’m being polite
how about you start with this
““Most of the hunters I know don’t agree with sealing, so I don’t think they’d appreciate you lumping them into the same category. ””
Iggy Her statement is correct the use of the word hunter in the dictionary means” a person who searches for or seeks something: a fortune hunter or in her case search out seal hunters. .” This is one type of the meaning. I know this is splitting hairs but this is how they “antis and politicians get us by knowing the meaning of every word and using against us. Some time ago there was a blog on Jeff’s site that said, that we need to be more active in our approach to these people. Today with computers at our fingertips and Google and AltaVista web searches everyone is a expert on everything we no longer need to have the information spoon fed to us we can go out and look for ourselves and make our own decisions on what we want. The only problem is some people don’t know how to separate the BS from reality or what words really mean or how to use them or not use them in there best interest.
Can’t you tell I wrote an exam on Conceptual Analysis last night? See school aint all that bad 🙂
They use various kinds of message to elaborate their point.
Like this one, comparing polluting like people pissing on the ground. To my view, ground earth is a good filtering process to convert pee back into water strata, leaving nutrient and minerals in the soil.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QPnS9Uhx8I&feature=player_embedded
Wonder how much producing these commercial cost?
To Iggy:
Why would I retract something that is the truth? One night I was at my father’s b-day party and was sitting around the campfire with a bunch of his friends talking about the seal hunt. About a dozen people were dedicated hunters that I’ve known for years and about another half dozen were their hunter / sportsmen buddies. I didn’t even want to talk about the seal hunt, because I thought I’d be vastly outnumbered and it would ruin the party, but I ended up being very surprised by them. One of them is a wildlife officer and he said that he didn’t agree with the seal hunt because it focuses on the young in what most consider a “nursery”, during a time when other species are protected from hunting. Another is a hunting / firearm safety trainer and he said that he didn’t think it was very “sporting” to club defenseless pups over the head (I did correct him and explained most of them are shot, but he still didn’t see the sportsmanship in it and compared it to a “canned hunt”). Another guy said that he didn’t think it was fair that sealers got so much government support & assistance when other hunters don’t. Another was against any kind of “trophy” hunting where you kill any animal for it’s pelt / rack / head, etc. All in all, the consensus was that none of them would ever participate in the seal hunt. Only one guy said that while he didn’t like the seal hunt, he didn’t want to mess with anyone’s livelihood. I really doubt that this group of hunters was some kind of bizarre anomaly and that ALL other hunters support the seal hunt. I’ve even found other hunting / fishing / sportsmen blogs were people who claim to be hunters say they don’t support the seal hunt either:
http://buffalosportsman.com/a-country-as-canada-that-allows-a-cruel-seal-hunt-can-be-considered-a-first-world-country/
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/forum/showthread.php?t=179862&page=2
To Chessy,
Unlike you, I read scientfic articles from studies that have been conducted on this topic. It is hard to find any research done in relation to harp seals in Canada. However, many studies have been done in other parts of the world with other types of seals. Logic would dictate that if Weddell Seals’ feces provides nutrients to marine life in Antarctica, Harp Seals would do the same here. I have included links to some of these studies below.
Please see section named “Method”, which says “As Heywood Lake is easily accessible to seals, there are typically several hundred in the catchment area and swimming in the lake in summer. The resulting nutrient enrichment (from seal excrement and moulted skin) causes dense phytoplankton growth in spring and summer”
http://plankt.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/21/12/2393
Please see article introduction, which says “A few of these freshwater lakes receive input of organic material and nutrients as bird & seal feces and are thus relatively productive”.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/w5k3253224p00816/
Please see pages 8-9, which show pictures of marine life (starfish, sponges, worms) feeding on seal feces in Antarctica.
http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/10107/10107.samples.pdf
To GPG,
If you would have read my previous post, I clearly stated that I do NOT oppose hunting in general, as long as it’s conducted in a humane, sustainable manner and every part of the animal is used. But I am opposed to trophy hunting and “canned” hunts. I understand your right to kill a few animals for personal use. But in my mind, the commercial seal hunt does not fall into this category.
To answer your question, I do not eat meat or seafood at all. I also do not wear fur, leather or other animal skins or purchase products from companies that do needless testing on animals. And it’s not because I disagree with the killing of animals for sustenance….it is because I do not agree with the way they are treated. I am also a big advocate for educating people about factory farms and all of the things you’ve mentioned above.
Sealers always want to compare the seal hunt to the slaughter of cows. I don’t understand this, as you are comparing domesticated animals raised for food that are killed in a licensed & inspected slaughterhouse to the killing of wild creatures for their pelts on the floes with very little monitoring or enforcement. To me, sealing fits more into the category of “harvesting” other marine mammals like whales & dolphins – which is also very controversial.
KIM now you are really lying I read all forms of studies that are done on all topics. With that said I would look this study up on IEEE. I will now make you aware that most studies are financed by people looking for certain results and if you know what your talking about you would have looked it up for a PEER reviewed paper. (I hope you can digest what peer reviewed means). And in relation with the harp seal in Canada and seals from another part of the world you may as well say that humans in USA use more recourses than Africans. And when was freshwater lakes and salt water oceans even closely related If there are no studies you can find on harp seals then do not bring it up unless you have scientific proof
@ Kim
I call BS
you sitting around a fire with a dozen hunters???? right
BS
and a wildlife officer to boot
maybe you didn’t know this but a lot of them are anti hunters
I’ve called BS now I’ll call you out
go to the web site listed below, they are all hunters
post your crap
see what happens
your so full of —- I’ll bet your eyes are brown
http://ontariohunter.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Porch
As I have here stated before, I’ve never hunted in my life, never shot an animal, have no vested interest in or alliegance to any hunting groups. But here’s the rub. I love dead animal, on the barbq, in the oven, Hamburgers, chicken, fish, Moose if I can get it (starting to get hungry now)
Kim I can understand your feeling on the seal hunt, but at the same time I will not allow any group such as PETA to use the animal for their vile purpose, which is to eliminate my ability to go to Lone Star and east a dozen fajitas.
PETA uses the seal as their poster child, look into their cute and cuddly eyes and call it murder, use outdated diatribles calling the hunters barbarians, when in fact seal hunters have very stringent laws and regulations to follow. These hunters who have had their livelihoods taken aways due to fishery problems are now being told that they can’t support their families because of societies mixed up priorities. The seal population is controlled by fisheries Canada, and in their madate they have quotas established to control and protect the population.
PETA a known milatant group has lied about the seal hunt, much the same way they lie about companies use of animal testing (another story, will answer if pushed but trying to stay focused)
The point is, IF PETA ever was successful in eliminating the Canadian seal hunt, they have legitamized their cause!!! Will PETA stop, no, because they then can move on to Bear hunts, Deer hunts, because all aminals (mammals) are the same. They could go to the courts and say that other animals have the same rights as the seals. Then before you know it, BAM!!! I’m forced to bbq soya burgers which sucks.
Kim I’m sorry if this upsets your sense of right or wrong, but you can chose to stay away from seals, or meat of any kind, and I respect your choice, but respect my right to enjoy dead animals, seals included. They are no higher in rights that a cow (mmmm steak)
By far most people who are hunters (I didn’t say all) that I have met are 1. Very concerned with conservation 2. Laws governing hunting 3. Do not want an animal to suffer ( meaning they strive to be effiecient as possible in limit the suffering of any animal hunted) 4. Very generous in sharing the meat (example – anyone bagging a moose could give me steak anytime they wanted…hint..hint)
Consequently animal activists tend to 1. Not care about the laws that govern them in being activists 2. wish to be confrontational trying to bring a reaction from the hunters who are legally allowed to hunt 3. Bring misinformation to the public (lie) to garner more support to their cause.
So sorry, not falling for the anti-sealing faction, it will only lead to tofu salads.
Tom, I believe you have hit several nails..on several heads.
Outdoorsguy
How did Paul Watson get so fat being a vegetarian? He is going to kill that crew one day, with that ship of his. They have no idea of what they are doing.
Dan
Good post Tom
they have already moved on on the spring bear hunt, it was these activists that got the Harris govt to cancell the hunt and they’ve won that battle and moved on, any new govt is terrified to open it up again, and you can bet your bottom dollar that the same thing will happen if they lose the seal hunt, it’ll never be back. These terrorists will lie, cheat, steal, break laws, they couldn’t care less, the only thing they can’t do it stop us from fighting back.
BTW, wasn’t it PETA that got caught slaughtering animals for the SPCA in the U.S.
@ Kim
Still waiting for you to show up at the hunting web site I gave you a link to, there are thousands of members and I thought you might like to find out just how many hunters agree with your thinking. You did say “most” if I’m not mistaken so it should be very friendly
I know of a couple other forums as well that I can get you the link to if your not comfortable with that one.
I’m excited to see your post, please hurry
LOL @ iggy . i hope the trap you are setting for her is a live trap and not a conibear as she might get upset at the trap you are setting IGGY
she a BSing chicken, comes on here, tells all kinds of lies hoping people believe her, then runs and hides when she is called out…typical left wing BSing anti
Dear Iggy,
My family has a lot of hunters and they have a lot of hunter friends. Like I’ve said repeatedly, I do not have a problem with good, responsible hunters. I have grown up with several of them since I was a child and they are like my “uncles”. We have had a good many debates about hunting….and while I would never participate, I respect their right to hunt. If you’d like, I could also tell you about the time we were over at one of their houses and I walked into the garage to find 3 deer hanging from the rafters being butchered…..or the time that the wildlife officer was trying to save a preganant moose whose leg was caught in a snare…….or how one time one of them gutshot a deer and it got away and he tracked it for hours and felt terrible about the suffering he caused. I have sat around a good many campfires with them….I’ve been camping & trail riding with them several times.
You do not know me and you do not live my life. Stop accusing me of lying. What I said is that “most hunters I know don’t agree with the seal hunt” – and that is the truth. In my experience, game hunters do not agree with the seal hunt for the reasons I’ve listed above, and as evidenced on the other links I posted. No, I do not know thousands of hunters and I don’t really care to. I have complete and total respect for good, responsible hunters….but I also think there are a lot of bad, irresponsible ones out there too.
Sorry boys….I’ve had a busy week and haven’t had time to spend every second checking for your insulting remarks. I am not a chicken and am not running and hiding from any of you or anything you say. I know that you obviously like to try to bully people, but it won’t work on me.
I’ll make you a deal. I will gladly go onto your website provided that all of you first actually read the other information I’ve posted here and comment on it in a logical and respectful manner. You guys called me a liar about seal poop providing nutrients to the ocean and I’ve provided scientific evidence that this is true. You probably don’t want to believe that seals carry diseases, but I’ve also provided evidence that this is also true. None of these studies were done by or paid for by animal rights groups. They are from marine biologists who were studying all types of marine life….not just seals. So, please feel free to provide me with some articles proving that seals do not carry diseases or that seals are not important in the ocean ecosystem.
And I don’t see anyone commenting on points like “he said that he didn’t agree with the seal hunt because it focuses on the young in what most consider a “nursery”, during a time when other species are protected from hunting”. Is this untrue? Are you allowed to hunt the young of other species during breeding season?
Or “he didn’t think it was fair that sealers got so much government support & assistance when other hunters don’t”. Is it fair for sealers to get coast guard icebreakers, DFO airplanes, etc – at the cost to Canadian taxpayers of $7 million a year (as was determined by a University of Guelph Economics Professor). I compare this to getting an RCMP convoy to take you to bag a moose.
Finally, what about my posting saying that it would appear many sealers do not follow the regulations? How do you feel about that and what should be done to punish these people and correct this problem?
Kim, I have read through your last post and the last paragraph has caught my eye, I am confident that this will help.
Fisheries Canada Has many rules and regulation that are required to be followed by the Seal Hunters, regarding location quota, method of harvesting, and requirements needed to be filed for legitamate culling. Does every hunter fulfill this requirement? Abosolutely not!!! However your opened ended question seems unfair to me. It leaves me thinking that you are grouping every hunter in that regard. I would suggest that a small minority less than 2% for example disregard the rules. Those who disregard the rules are punished with removal of license, heavy fines, and depending on the nature of the offense, criminal charges. This is incentive enough to make hunters no do what you suggest happens “many times’
To leave your open ended suggestion of “many” hunters is unfair, and misleading. That is the issue I have a problem with. Look at every example of rules and regulations everywhere, and you will find those who circumvent the law. Bars who let in minors, stores selling smokes to minors, people driving on the highways, people who pay taxes, etc. You will always find a small minority everywhere who break the law, but is it enough to call those situations rampent? I think not.
I also notice that a lot of your examples are more than 20 years old, and yes in those days before people were rifed with laws and regulations, stuff like that happened, but today there are more and more laws and regulations that have to be followed, including driving, alcohol, and smoking. If you notice today how rich lawyers are getting, you’ll see my point.
Now at the risk of having you call me insulting and demeaning, I ask this question. How is it you are so concerned with Sealers breaking the laws, yet are not as concerned with activists whose sole method of protesting the hunt is to go and confront hunters using illegal means and methods? Should they be punished severely when they enter a zone that they have no legal right to be in. What about providing slanderous and false information? How about using entrapment methods, such as planting evidence which has been proven many times in a illegal manner as PETA has done time and time again? Notice I did not put a many on this, but of you lok at the manafesto’s of activist sites, you will see that it actively encouraged and accepted to break the law.
How about the woman who assaulted the minister of fisheries not too far back, and yes by definition of law it was assault.
Kim, I accept your right to dissagree with the seal hunt, but again, why is it not ok to seal hunt but ok to hunt moose, bear, birds, etc. The real reason again is legitamacy, once it’s deemed illegal to hunt seals, how long will it be before activists want the removal of all hunting, then the use of farm animals comes next. A seal has equal rights to a cow, and humans consume both. This is a very slippery slope that we are heading towards, and I for one will not lose this battle of animals having the same rights as humans, if you want to be a member of a true activists club, I am starting the people against the use of TOFU. This is the enemy that all humans should sign up for.
While I appreciate that it is unfair that you are being insulted here, I understand the anger that some people have because of your use of false information and innuendo. I will not insult you, but I will say that you are treating a lot of people unfairly as well, and trying to use propoganda to prop up your side of the arguement.
Long live the BBQ, kill Tofu.
how could I comment on what seal hunters do and do not, I’ve never been to a seal hunt, so unlike some, I’m not an expert on something I’ve never experienced, however, with tight government regulations, I’ve my doubts.
A nursury???? come on, what is it when we legally shoot a fawn, or are given a calf moose tag wich most everyone gets. save the weeping and prove that most every hunter is against the seal hunt. You said it, not me, now I want proof, go to the site and post that and see what happens.
We all need to bear in mind what this post started off as.
It was about Paul Watson’s $50,000 wager (Up from a previous 25K bet) to anyone who could provide video evidence of seals wasteful eating of cod..
Obviously any discussion about Sea Sheppard and their mandate brings out both sides of the proverbial fence, but my opinion when a man (or anyone, for that matter) makes a bet and then loses…they should own-up to their responsibility and pay the piper!
I have not found any proof yet to show that Watson plans to pay-up, or has even admitted that he lost the bet fairly and squarely.
These actions speak volumes of an organization that cannot admit when their wrong. Conservationists, on the other hand, do occasionally make errors in judgment but we have our hearts and minds in the right place. The long-term goal of wildlife management is to manage fish & wildlife, in order to benefit the most people for the longest period of time.
If we can do what’s best for every woman, man and child out there; while maintaining our renewal natural resources on a sustained-yield basis, then all is right with the world, if you ask me!
So Watson, pay up or shut up! But my guess is that he and his group will never really shut up…
Outdoorsguy
I watched whale wars for the first time just to see … how can they throw things at the ships and drag ropes into there propellers.. then they complain when things are done to them ??? where is the law .. they should all be thrown in jail
I’ve been away for the past week cutting new trails at the trap line. I read through this entire thread and am resisting the urge to respond, having said that Tom pretty much sums it up Kim. I’m looking forward to your response to his last post.
Trapper:
Is it Tom Petty’s “Even the losers(get lucky sometime)”…or “I wont back down”
Outdoorsguy