Table of Contents

1. BACKGROUND
2. OVERVIEW OF THE ATLANTIC SEAL HUNT
3. MARKET OUTLOOK
4. STOCK STATUS
5. MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES
6. CURRENT MANAGEMENT ISSUES
7. MANAGEMENT MEASURES FOR 1999
8. ALLOCATIONS
9. ANNEX 1: MANAGEMENT PLAN EVALUATION CRITERIA
10. ANNEX 2: CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION PLAN EVALUATION CRITERIA
11. ANNEX 3: SEAL LANDINGS BY AREA AND SPECIES - 1989 TO 1998
12. ANNEX 4: 2000 HARP SEAL ALLOCATIONS
13. ANNEX 5: MAPS

1. BACKGROUND

The present Atlantic coast commercial seal hunt took shape in the late 1980s after the collapse of the large vessel hunt for whitecoat pelts and the report of the Royal Commission on Seals and Sealing in Canada. The sealing policy announced by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans at the end of 1987 included prohibitions on:

• the use of vessels over 65 feet (19.8 metres) long;
• the commercial hunt of whitecoats (harp seals that have not begun to moult, which occurs at about 10 to 14 days of age); and
• the commercial hunt of bluebacks (hooded seals that have not begun to moult, which occurs at about 15 to 16 months of age).

The commercial hunt is typically carried out using longliners or small boats. Where there is solid ice and seals are close to shore, sealers may hunt on foot or using snowmobiles.

The commercial seal hunt provides important seasonal income and food to residents of small coastal communities where there have been fisheries closures and employment opportunities are limited.

Since 1995, a policy change allows residents adjacent to sealing areas throughout Newfoundland and Quebec to hunt up to six seals for their own use. The Aboriginal peoples and non-Aboriginal coastal residents who reside north of 53°N latitude can continue to hunt seals for subsistence purposes without a licence.

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2. OVERVIEW OF THE ATLANTIC SEAL HUNT

Species Hunted

In Atlantic Canada, harp and hooded seals are hunted commercially. A number of grey seals are also taken for commercial purposes under licences issued for that purpose. This practice was extended to ringed seals in Labrador beginning in 1997, and will continue in 1999. Apart from the commercial hunt, some harp, hooded, grey, ringed, harbour and bearded seals are taken in subsistence hunts in Labrador and the Canadian Arctic. Some harp and hooded seals are also taken for personal use by residents adjacent to sealing areas. Further details on recent landings are set out in Annex 3.

Participants

Over the last five to ten years, there have been about 9,000 licensed commercial sealers. In 1998, there were 10,851 commercial sealing licences issued. The majority of licences (9,447) were issued to residents of coastal communities in Newfoundland. Residents of the Magdalen Islands (827), the Quebec North Shore (518) and Cape Breton (59) accounted for the remainder. With few exceptions, licensed commercial sealers engage in fishing for other species or have economic ties to the fishing industry. Groundfish fishery closures have increased the relative importance of sealing as a source of livelihood.

As noted earlier, residents of Labrador north of 53°N latitude may hunt seals for subsistence purposes.

Since 1995, personal use sealing licences have been issued to residents adjacent to sealing areas in Newfoundland and Labrador (south of 53°N latitude), the Quebec North Shore, the Gaspé Peninsula and the Magdalen Islands. These are areas hard-hit by the groundfish fishery closures. This licence allows the holder to take up to six seals for personal consumption. There were 1,953 personal use licences issued in 1998, of which 1,516 were issued in Newfoundland, 435 were issued in the Quebec North Shore area and 2 were issued in the Magdalen Islands. No licences were issued in the Gaspé Peninsula in 1998.

Location of the Hunt

Although the movement of ice floes and ice conditions often determines the degree of effort in any given area, the vast majority of the seal hunt occurs on the "Front", off the north and east coasts of Newfoundland and off southern Labrador (see Figure 1 for seal migration patterns). In 1998, 77 per cent of the commercial hunt and almost all of the personal use hunt took place in this area. About 15 per cent of the commercial hunt was taken in the Gulf of St. Lawrence by sealers from western Newfoundland. The hunt in the Gulf of St. Lawrence by sealers from the Magdalen Islands and Cape Breton accounted for 6 to 7 per cent of the commercial hunt. Small numbers of seals were also hunted along the Quebec North Shore, off the coast and in the Lake Melville area of Labrador, by sealers from these areas.

Figure 1 - Seal Migration to Harvest Areas

Timeframe of the Hunt

The season for the largely commercial hunt of harp and hooded seals is from November 15 to May 15 as established in the Marine Mammal Regulations, although this season can be altered by Variation Order to deal with circumstances that may arise.

Although the commercial sealing season starts on November 15, the majority of sealing occurs between early March and May. In some years, early hunts occur in December and January off Labrador, off the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland and along the Quebec North Shore. Depending on ice conditions and the presence of seals, sealing begins in earnest about the second week in March off the Magdalen Islands, and about the second week in April off Newfoundland. The timing of hunt activities in the Gulf of St. Lawrence depends largely on the movement of ice floes on which seals are located. The peak commercial hunt in this area is in March, although sealing does occur along the Quebec North Shore in January and February. Traditionally, commercial sealers also hunt a few hundred grey seals in an area off the Magdalen Islands during January and February. In 1998, sealers from the Magdalen Islands and Cape Breton took 206 and 69 grey seals, respectively.

In 1998, ice conditions were good off northeast Newfoundland, but were extremely poor off the northwest coast and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Sealers in the Gulf of St. Lawrence had to deal with broken ice and the herd drifted more toward Prince Edward Island. Sealing was delayed by about one week by this situation and a Variation Order was issued to allow hunting in areas closer to the Island.

A season from April 25 to November 30 is established in the Regulations for the subsistence hunt of ringed seals in Labrador. The grey seal hunt is set by Variation Order to reflect the presence of seals and the hunt is further controlled by conditions set out in the licences given for this activity.

Landings

Harp Seals

The nature of the present Atlantic coast commercial harp seal hunt took shape in the late 1980s after the collapse of the historic European markets for whitecoat and blueback pelts. As noted in Figure 2, the hunt levels for harp seals prior to this collapse were much higher. The earlier catch levels resulted in a reduction of the population to a level of just under two million in the early 1970s.

After the market collapse in 1983, the harp seal hunt did not approach the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 186,000, which was in effect from 1982 to 1995. In this period (see Figure 3), the hunt ranged from a low of about 20,000 in 1985 to a high of about 94,000 in 1988. Market constraints and ice conditions limited hunting. Based on new scientific advice, the TAC was increased to 250,000 in 1996, and raised to 275,000 in 1997 to meet a growing market demand within the replacement yield of 287,000 (calculated for 1996). The replacement yield is the number of seals that can be taken in a given year while allowing a herd to maintain its population.

In 1998, 282,070 harp seals were landed in Atlantic Canada, including 4,176 taken under the authority of personal use licences. The 1998 hunt was about 7,000 seals over the TAC of 275,000. This was because the season was reopened to allow a limited commercial hunt in the Strait of Belle Isle area and additional personal use hunting. This sealing opportunity was allowed to offset poor ice conditions that had constrained these hunts in recent years.

The harp seal hunts since 1995 have been far above those in the previous 10 years (see Figure 3). In September 1997, the Joint International Council for the Exploration of the Sea/Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (ICES/NAFO) Working Group on Harp and Hooded Seals noted that Canadian and Greenland landings of harp seals were near, or at, the replacement yield level for the Northwest Atlantic stock. In October 1998, however, Greenland catch data provided for 1996 was at higher-than-expected levels for harp seals (74,698). Canada is exploring the extent and management of the recent Greenland hunt with officials from the Greenland Home Rule Government. Fortunately, the harp seal population is abundant and this gives us the opportunity to maintain our level of hunt, pending a new harp seal population survey in 1999, an up-to-date peer-review of population models and estimates in 1999, and the results of our discussions with Greenland.

Hooded Seals

Hooded seals normally make up only a minor part of the commercial and personal use hunts. The TAC for hooded seals in recent years was 8,000, but this was increased to 10,000 for 1998. The TAC is well below the replacement yield, estimated in 1990 at between 24,000 and 34,000, depending on the age of the animals that would be hunted.

In 1996, 22,800 young hooded (blueback) seals were hunted and more than 100 charges were laid. Less than 1 per cent of licensed sealers were involved in this activity, which took place within a period of a few days. In 1998, good conditions off northeast Newfoundland enabled sealers to take 10,148 hooded seals.

The most recent estimate of the Greenland hunt of hooded seals is 9,896 (October 1998). This means that the combined hunts at Canada and Greenland are likely below the replacement yield.

Grey Seals

Only small numbers of grey seals are hunted each year and a TAC has not been established, although there is a population estimate (see Part IV - Stock Status). Sealing is limited to a small traditional commercial hunt in an area off the Magdalen Islands and to commercial hunts of small numbers of grey seals in other Atlantic areas, except Sable Island (where no commercial hunting is permitted). In 1998, there were 206 grey seals hunted by sealers from the Magdalen Islands and 69 hunted by sealers from Cape Breton. There were 72 grey seals landed the previous year. The last time any significant numbers of grey seals were taken was prior to 1984, under a bounty program (1976-83) and a culling program (1967-83). The first program resulted in an average take of about 720 seals per year and the latter removed about 1,000 animals per year from the grey seal population.

Ringed Seals

In 1998, 1,046 ringed seals were taken in the subsistence hunt in Labrador. Most of these were taken in the Lake Melville area. This was less than the 1997 hunt of 1,639. Ringed seals are also taken for subsistence purposes in Arctic Canada.

Other Seals

Small numbers of harbour and bearded seals are taken each year in the subsistence hunt in northern Atlantic areas. In 1998, sealers landed 56 bearded seals and no harbour seals. This compares to 1997, when sealers landed 127 bearded seals and no harbour seals.

Total Landings

More detailed information on seal landings in recent years is found in Annex 3.

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3. MARKET OUTLOOK

Seal Pelts (Fur and Leather)

The markets for pelts were good in 1996 and 1997, but the movement of pelts slowed in 1998 and some remained in inventory at the end of 1998. This is largely due to Asian currency difficulties. Pelt prices for harp seals have been in the order of $25 in recent years. The market for pelts will likely absorb the full TAC of 275,000 seals in 1999, although the effect of Asian currency difficulties on the unit price is not yet known. Most pelts must still be processed into final products outside of Canada with some loss of value-added, which the domestic industry may wish to further explore. In some cases, the market returns for pelts could also be improved with better handling and processing.

Seal Meat

The market for meat is still relatively weak and has also been affected by Asian currency difficulties. Again, some product is still in inventory. Sealers in many areas were not landing carcasses in 1998 due to their low relative value. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is examining this situation as part of regulatory review (see Part VI). Industry is exploring the potential of using meat as a nutritional supplement for humans as well as animals. Protein powder is one such possibility. This could do much to increase the value of seal meat, as its use as animal feed has commanded relatively low prices of $0.15 per pound or less. The industry continued to market cuts of meat in Asia for human consumption. In light of current difficulties in this market, however, further market development is needed.

Seal Oil

There has always been a market for seal oil in Europe as marine or industrial oil, but these products have relatively low prices. Seal oil's market potential as a food additive or in pharmaceuticals continues to develop. The oil is high in Omega 3, which may be useful in the treatment of cholesterol problems and arthritis. In 1997, companies started to make headway after extensive research and development initiatives, and seal oil was being marketed in capsule form for human consumption and pharmaceutical/cosmetic purposes. It will be at least another year before the full potential of this use can be realized.

Seal Flippers

There has always been a local market for a number of seal flippers, but prices were low last year. Markets would have to be found elsewhere, if flipper prices are to go up substantially.

Seal Organs

A market exists for a limited number of various seal organs, but prices have dropped from about $70 to $100 in earlier years to about $15 to $20 per unit in 1998, with a mark-up for processors of less than 20 per cent. As a result of declining prices, seal organs accounted for less than 5 per cent of the total landed and processed values of the 1997 hunt. Values have not been estimated for the 1998 hunt, but it appears that only about 20,000 organs may have been sold to processors.

Value of the Hunt

Based on figures from the Newfoundland Region, where the bulk of the hunt is landed and processed, the total landed value of the 1998 seal hunt is estimated to be about $7.5 million, the same as in 1997. The processed value of seal products from the 1998 hunt has yet to be estimated, as some pelts and meat remain in inventory. The processed value of the 1997 hunt was in the order of $12 million. This does not include economic spin-offs, such as trucking and supplies, which have substantial additional value for coastal communities in Atlantic Canada and Quebec.

Over and above the economic aspects of the hunt, seals are important nutritional, social and cultural resources for Aboriginal peoples, as well as other residents of Atlantic Canada, Quebec and the Far North.

Consultation

To discuss the future of the seal hunt, DFO convened two seal fora in 1995 after the release of an updated harp seal population estimate. Some 90 groups attended, representing sealers, fishers, processors, Aboriginal interests, municipalities and provinces, and a number of animal rights and conservation groups. The vast majority supported a sustainable hunt based on scientifically valid conservation principles and discussed various management strategies to increase the hunt for 1996 and beyond, including methods of hunt, market development and public education on sealing and other related issues.

Consultations on the 1999 seal hunt management plan took place throughout Atlantic Canada and Quebec. In the Newfoundland Region, meetings were held with sealers in St. Anthony, Port aux Choix, Baie Verte, Deer Lake, Grand Falls and Goose Bay. All meetings were well attended and the Goose Bay meeting included representatives from the Labrador Métis and the Labrador Inuit Associations. The Labrador Innu were invited to send a representative, but could not attend because of a prior commitment. The Seal Industry Development Council, representing processors and some sealers, also presented their recommendations.

In the Laurentian Region (Quebec), there were consultations with the Conseil québécois de l'industrie du loup-marin, an umbrella organization representing Aboriginal and commercial sealers, and processors from various parts of Quebec. The Province of Quebec agreed with the position of the Conseil.

In the Maritimes, there were consultations through the North of Smokey Fishermen's Association, which represents the only active group of commercial sealers in this region.

The views of major interested parties, such as the World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace and the International Fund for Animal Welfare were considered on major elements of the plan, such as TACs.

Provincial officials were consulted on major management measures at the regional level. Provincial opinions were also received as a result of exchanges at the ministerial level.

All the above views were considered in the development of the plan and many were adopted. In 1999, further consultations are underway with a wider array of interests to review the regulations respecting sealing. The industry will also be consulted on future seal licensing policies and any in-season re-allocations of seals to different areas or sectors.

Management Approach

The seal hunt has been managed on a long-term, sustainable basis, with a view to facilitating the renewal of an industry badly damaged by trade barriers and animal rights activities. Historically, the replacement yield has been used as a benchmark for sustainability.

The Royal Commission on Seals and Sealing in Canada (Malouf Report) provided much of the guidance for our existing management approach. Since 1987, for example, there has been a ban on the commercial hunt of whitecoats (harp seals) and bluebacks (hooded seals) and the use of large vessels (over 65 feet long). The commercial hunt has been carried out largely from inshore boats owned and operated by coastal residents.

With a plentiful and sustainable seal resource hunted well below its TAC for many years, DFO has concentrated on improving and enforcing hunting practices and regulatory and licensing requirements. This has increased the proficiency of sealers in the quick and certain dispatch of seals as well as in the proper handling of the hunt.

The Malouf Report included recommendations that assistance be provided to the industry following the collapse of seal markets in 1983. DFO and other federal and provincial government agencies have provided funding to support sealing associations, as well as market and product development projects. Since 1986, more than $3 million has been provided by DFO for these purposes through the Atlantic Fisheries Adjustment Program and Grants and Contributions. With improving markets and limited government resources, the DFO assistance program is ending in 1999, with $250,000 in funding for the sealing industry. This is the last year of a three-year phase-out of assistance ($750,000 in 1997 and $500,000 in 1998).

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4. STOCK STATUS

Prospects for 1999

Harp Seals

The total harp seal population was estimated at 4.8 million in 1994. The replacement yield was considered to be approximately 287,000 harp seals for 1996. A replacement yield range of between 275,000 and 290,000 was calculated, depending on the age of the seals taken in the hunt.

A harp seal population survey will be undertaken in 1999 to update the population estimate. This survey and findings from a meeting of the National Marine Mammal Peer Review Committee (February 1999) will be used to produce new estimates for the harp seal population and its replacement yield. In addition, Canada will be discussing Greenland catches with the Greenland Home Rule Government, because they are hunting seals from the same herd.

Hooded Seals

Hooded seals are considerably less abundant than harp seals. The 1990 hooded seal population estimate was 400,000 to 450,000. The 1997 TAC for hooded seals (10,000 seals) is considerably below the replacement yield, which is estimated at 24,000 to 34,000 animals, depending on the age composition of any hunt.

A hooded seal population survey is planned for 2000 to update the population estimate. In addition, Canada will be discussing Greenland catches with the Greenland Home Rule Government, as they are hunting seals from the same herd.

Grey Seals

The 1993 grey seal population estimate was 144,000 (82,000 from the Sable Island rookery and 62,000 from the Gulf of St. Lawrence). Since the 1960s, the Sable Island grey seal population has been increasing at a rate of 13 per cent per year. Grey seals in the Gulf are estimated to be increasing at a rate of 7 per cent per year. New population and replacement yield estimates will be produced in 1999.

Ringed Seals

In 1996, the Scientific Committee of the North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission produced a crude population estimate of 1.3 million ringed seals for Baffin Bay, Davis Strait, eastern Hudson Strait, the Labrador Sea and Lancaster Sound, Jones Sound and Smith Sound. The Committee concluded that an overall catch of roughly 100,000 ringed seals by Canada and Greenland would be sustainable. There are no reliable figures for the current levels of catch and the proportion of the herd in the waters of Atlantic Canada is unknown.

Other Seals

There are no reliable population estimates for harbour and bearded seals.

Environment and Habitat

The seal hunt does not impose any environmental or habitat concerns.

Species Interactions

Studies of predation by seals on fish in Atlantic Canada have focussed on two of the most abundant seal species: harp seals and grey seals. The most recent estimates indicated for 1996 that harp seals consumed some 3 million tonnes of food in the Canadian Atlantic, while grey seals consumed some 280,000 tonnes. A high proportion of the diet of both species is fish, with some invertebrate prey as well. The majority of the fish eaten were small forage fish, although some commercial species were taken. The principal species consumed by harp seals in 1996 were capelin (1.1 million tonnes), Arctic cod (600,000 tonnes) and flatfishes (all species combined 340,000 tonnes). Harp seals were estimated to have consumed some 150,000 tonnes of Atlantic cod off the coast of Newfoundland and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in 1996. The main prey species for grey seals was sandlance (110,000 tonnes). Grey seals also consumed an estimated 60,000 tonnes of Atlantic cod.

Many scientists do not believe that seal predation played a significant role in the collapse of groundfish stocks in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Many other factors, such as overfishing and poor environmental conditions, have been implicated in the groundfish collapses. However, recent assessments of cod stock status have concluded that seal predation may be a significant source of mortality in some areas since the moratoria in the groundfish fisheries were imposed.

Several kinds of information are used to estimate consumption of fish by seals: estimates of seal abundance, the energy requirements of individual seals, the seasonal distribution of different age groups, and seasonal and temporal variations in the stomach contents. Many factors may affect our interpretation of each of these kinds of information: for example, some prey items are digested faster than others, or are not recognized in the diet samples. If so, the stomach contents may not accurately represent the seal's diet. As well, the amount of food a seal consumes varies with age, reproductive status and level of activity. Accordingly, although estimates of overall food consumption are considered reasonably accurate, they are subject to uncertainty.

Definitive answers about the impact of seal predation on fish stocks may never be possible given the many sources of uncertainty, but research is continuing to improve our knowledge of the role of seals in their ecosystem.

Research

Scientific studies are currently underway to obtain the information necessary to more clearly understand the seal-fisheries interactions, including diet studies and seal distribution studies. To better use existing data, DFO organized a workshop on methods of estimating prey consumption in December 1998. Standard methods were agreed upon for preparing consumption estimates, and areas where additional data are needed were identified. In March 1999, as part of a meeting to review assessments of cod stocks in the northern part of the Canadian Atlantic region, estimates of seal consumption based on the agreed methods will be included as a source of mortality on cod. Subsequently, an overall synthesis of seal predation in the context of other sources of cod mortality (for example, predation by other predators) will be carried out.

The seal consumption workshop in December identified several areas where more data are required, including better information on distribution of seals between inshore and offshore areas and between the northern and southern parts of their range. Also, ways to correct stomach content data for different degrees of digestibility of invertebrate and vertebrate (fish) prey were identified. Studies to obtain the necessary information will be carried out as funding allows.

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5. MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES

Conservation/Sustainability/Hunting Practices

Long-term Sustainable Use

The Plan provides a management framework to support the long-term sustainable commercial and subsistence hunt of seals on the Atlantic coast. This hunt provides sealers, Aboriginal peoples and northern residents of Atlantic Canada with an opportunity to use adult and self-reliant juvenile seals to provide economic benefits and food for their families and communities.

A Market-driven Commercial Hunt within Conservation Parameters

The commercial seal hunt takes place in response to market demands, subject to conservation parameters, to ensure the sustainability of seal stocks. The federal government provides limited assistance, where possible, for market development.

Full Use of Each Animal Hunted

The federal government will continue to encourage the fullest possible use of each hunted seal. To that end, subsidies have been provided to promote the landing of meat, for which markets remain weak. A small amount of assistance (less than $250,000) may be provided this year, but there are no subsidies being considered beyond 1999. The objective of attaining full use is also being explored under regulatory review (see Part VI, Regulatory Review).

Humane Hunting Practices

Section 8 of the Marine Mammal Regulations stipulates that persons can only dispatch marine mammals in a manner designed to do so quickly. Under these Regulations, seals may be killed only by the use of high-powered rifles, shotguns firing slugs, clubs and hakapiks. Further requirements pertaining to the size, weight, muzzle velocity and gauge of weapon are specified in subsection 28(1) of the Regulations.

Regulatory requirements are augmented by licensing policy, which requires a commercial sealer to work under an experienced sealer for two years to obtain a professional licence. Sealers are also encouraged to take a training course on proper hunting techniques, product preparation and handling. Personal use sealers must have a hunter's capability certificate or big game licence and attend mandatory training sessions before a licence can be issued.

The regulatory requirements, including training prerequisites are being examined under regulatory review (see Part VI, Regulatory Review), but this examination will not be completed in time for any changes to be made for the 1999 season.

International Considerations

Greenland Hunt

Canada will be discussing Greenland catches with the Greenland Home Rule Government, as they are hunting seals from the same herds. (See also Part I, Background [Landings] and Part IV, Stock Status).

Trade and Trade Barriers

The international market outlook has been more promising in recent years. Asian markets have been the key to an expanded international market, but the Asian currency problems caused some marketing difficulties in 1998. The extent and ramifications of these problems may become more apparent in 1999.

Aboriginal and sealing industry interests would like the United States to remove the prohibition on the import of seal products under its Marine Mammal Protection Act. This prohibition has been in place since 1972. The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) has the lead in dealing with international trade issues and has met with representatives of Aboriginal groups and the sealing industry to discuss the U.S. prohibition. DFAIT has also been instrumental in seeking to ease or clarify import requirements to get products into Asian markets and to at least maintain existing exports to European markets.

Animal Rights Campaigns

Animal rights groups raise funds based on graphic depictions of the seal hunt. This is done through media and mail-out campaigns. A number of groups have Internet sites that present their views on the hunt.

To respond to the various representations of the facts, the federal government continues to provide factual and up-to-date information on the seal hunt to diplomatic posts and to foreign and domestic media, businesses, government representatives and citizens. Information is provided through DFO's website http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca and in news releases, fact sheets and backgrounders.

The sealing industry has a central responsibility for communicating its interests. Industry groups, such as the Canadian Sealers Association (CSA), have played an important role in explaining their perspective of the seal hunt to the media and other interests. They also maintain a website http://www.sealers.nf.ca that provides an industry perspective on the seal hunt.

Domestic Considerations

Equitable Allocation

DFO ensures that sealers are allocated a minimum share of the TAC of harp seals, based on their traditional commercial reliance on seals and recognizing the importance of this industry to residents of coastal communities adjacent to the major sealing areas. The land-based, small vessel hunt undertaken by these sealers has been the cornerstone of the industry for the last decade.

DFO will maintain the present sealing opportunities for Aboriginal peoples, residents of the Far North and residents adjacent to traditional sealing areas. DFO will also be supportive of Aboriginal efforts to hunt seals commercially. There will continue to be a relatively large allocation for Labrador to allow for greater Aboriginal involvement in commercial sealing. There is a small allocation of 2,000 harp seals for the Canadian Arctic, as sealing for this species has been limited in recent years. DFO will seek improved landings information in 1999 to revise this allocation in future years. As well, DFO is mindful that there may be commercial harp seal hunt opportunities for the Canadian Arctic and will discuss allocations and re-allocations as opportunities become apparent. The Canadian Arctic hunt may have accounted for up to 5,000 harp seals prior to the market collapse in the early 1980s.

For 1999, DFO will be seeking greater participation in re-allocation decisions among commercial sectors and areas through in-season consultations with stakeholder representatives.

Good Sealing Practices

To ensure that seals are handled and processed to provide high-quality products, as well as dispatched quickly and certainly, licensing policy requires a form of apprenticeship before a commercial sealer can obtain a professional licence. As well, personal use sealing licences will not be issued to any persons who did not have a licence in 1997 or a valid hunter's capability certificate or big game licence, and have not attended a mandatory training session.

DFO works closely with the sealing industry to help develop and provide information sessions on methods of hunting, handling and processing to attain and maintain high standards for Canadian seal products. To this end, DFO has been supportive of the establishment of industry councils in Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec.

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6. CURRENT MANAGEMENT ISSUES

Regulatory Review

DFO is conducting a review of the existing Marine Mammal Regulations, to update and improve the regulations that relate to seals and sealing. To initiate discussion, 13 initial proposals were sent to more than 80 groups last October to seek their views on prospective changes. The mail-out went to representatives of Aboriginal groups, conservation and animal rights groups, special interest groups, academia, fishing and sealing industry groups, and provincial governments. Responses were still being received early in 1999. The results will be used to determine the best means to proceed with future consultations. The proposals include:

• a prohibition on the hunt of any whitecoats instead of a prohibition on the sale of whitecoat harp seals;
• a revocation of the prohibition on the sale of bluebacks (hooded seals) and the provision of protection for younger bluebacks by means of season closures;
• a requirement to make a training program a prerequisite for all sealing licences;
• the replacement of an unclear prohibition on discards with a requirement to land either the pelt, the carcass, or both;
• a change to allow the landing of seal by-catches in the lumpfish fishery;
• a clearer requirement to test that a seal is dead before it is bled or skinned;
• a licensing regime to allow the killing of seals where deterrence has failed and they are a danger to property, or are inflicting great damage on migrating fish stocks by feeding in river areas or fishways.

Calls for a Cull of Seal Populations

There are concerns about the impacts of harp and grey seals on the depleted stocks of groundfish. Many persons have called for a cull, i.e., the killing of seals for the express purpose of reducing the populations. A cull is not being considered at this time. More research is needed to determine the nature and extent of the impact of seal predation on the population dynamics of prey species (see Part IV, Stock Status [Species Interactions]).

Use of Large Vessels (Over 65 feet in length)

There has been some interest in the possible use of large vessels as platforms to assist the existing small vessel hunt. Although current government policy does not permit sealing from large vessels, there is no policy against the use of a large vessel to collect, transport and process seals hunted by small vessels and as a possible safe haven during bad weather. Industry proposals for large vessels may be given serious consideration, on a case-by-case basis, if additional sealing activity is required to meet market demands, or if environmental conditions require assistance of this nature.

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7. MANAGEMENT MEASURES FOR 1999

Total Allowable Catches (TACs)

Harp Seals

The TAC for harp seals remains at 275,000 in 1999.

Hooded Seals

The TAC for hooded seals remains at 10,000 in 1999.

Grey Seals

As in 1998, sealers will still be able to take a few hundred grey seals in the traditional hunt off the Magdalen Islands and in small-scale hunts in areas other than Sable Island. Proposals for an expanded grey seal hunt may be considered in-season based on the merits of the proposal and new population estimates that are to be produced in 1999.

Ringed Seals

A limited commercial hunt of ringed seals (2,000) will be authorized again in 1999, through the issuance of sealing licences to Labrador residents for that purpose. Any commercial hunt of ringed seals in other areas of the Canadian Arctic is not dealt with in this plan.

Subsistence Catches

The subsistence hunt of small numbers of harp, hooded, grey, ringed, bearded and harbour seals will continue. Any subsistence hunt of seals in areas other than Atlantic Canada is not dealt with in this plan, although an allocation of harp seals is made for the hunt in the Canadian Arctic.

Hunt Location and Timing

Residents of northern Labrador and the Arctic (north of 53°N latitude) (Sealing Areas 1 to 4 - see map in Annex 4) can hunt seals of any species at any time of the year for subsistence purposes, except as specified for ringed seals below. Aboriginal persons can also hunt seals throughout the year for social and ceremonial purposes.

Harp Seals

The commercial hunt will continue in traditional sealing areas on the Front (sealing areas 5 to 8) and in the Gulf (sealing areas 9 to 16 to 20, 22, 26 and 27). The season is from November 15 to May 15. Regional Directors General may alter the seasons (close times) by publicly issuing Variation Orders.

The personal use hunt will be off Newfoundland, Labrador south of 53°N latitude and off Quebec's North Shore, the Gaspé Peninsula and the Magdalen Islands. The seasons will be the same as the commercial seasons and will be established by the period of validity on licences until seasons can be included in the Regulations.

Hooded Seals

The commercial season will remain from November 15 to May 15 in sealing areas 4 to 7 and 12. Regional Directors General may alter the seasons (close times) by publicly issuing Variation Orders. Sealing areas 8 to 11 and 13 to 33 are areas where hooded seals have not been hunted and they will remain closed. Personal use licences may allow hooded seals to be taken in areas where the commercial season is open. As noted above, the personal use season will be established by period of validity until seasons are included in the Regulations.

Grey Seals

As in 1998, the timing of the grey seal hunt will be controlled by condition of licence. The small commercial hunt near the Magdalen Islands will probably occur in January and February and other grey seal hunts will be approved on a case-by-case basis. There is no personal use hunt for grey seals.

Ringed and Other Seals

The season from April 25 to November 30 will continue for the subsistence hunt of ringed seals in Labrador. The numbers of bearded and harbour seals taken for subsistence purposes are small and no season is necessary. An experimental commercial hunt of ringed seals may take place in Labrador in 1999 and the season will be established as a condition of licence. There is no personal use hunt for ringed and other species of seals.

Allocations

Harp Seals

The overall TAC of harp seals is subdivided into commercial sealing allocations applicable to different areas (see Annex 4 and attached maps), a personal use allocation for all areas and a subsistence allocation for northern communities.

Seals hunted by sealers licensed in an area or sub-area will be counted against the allocation for that area or sub-area regardless of the area in which they are taken.

There are commercial allocations of 271,000 harp seals. In some areas, they are further allocated on the basis of the length overall (LOA) of the vessels used. There are allocations of 2,000 seals each for personal use and the northern subsistence hunt.

Affected stakeholder groups will be consulted on any in-season re-allocations or sub-allocations among sectors or areas. Committees may be established for either or both of these purposes.

Hooded Seals

The TAC of 10,000 hooded seals is for sealing in the Front, is not allocated among the various hunters, and applies to commercial and subsistence sealers in the aggregate.

Other Seals

There are no TACs or allocations of other species of seals. Conditions of licence are used to limit the commercial hunt of grey seals to a small number. Licences will also be used to control any commercial hunt of ringed seals. There are no allocations for ringed, harbour or bearded seals taken in the subsistence hunt.

Other Plan Elements

As well as the TACs, seasons and allocations noted above, the 1999 Plan includes the elements noted below. The Marine Mammal Regulations and the Seal Licensing Policy for Eastern Canada are used carry out many of these elements.

Major Elements

Whitecoats (harp seals) and bluebacks (hooded seals) may not be hunted commercially or under the authority of a personal use licence.

Persons may not hunt adult seals in breeding or whelping patches.

Land-based sealers with or without small vessels (65 feet and less in length) will do the hunting, although vessels beyond that length may be considered for use to collect, transport and prepare hunted seals from small vessels and as safe havens for sealers in bad weather.

DFO will continue to encourage the maximum utilization of each seal hunted commercially through a meat subsidy program, which is being phased out and will terminate after the 1999 season.

DFO will continue to enforce regulatory requirements for the firearms, ammunition, clubs and hakapiks used in sealing to ensure the right tools are used properly for the quick and certain dispatch of animals.

Specific Licensing Elements

Licences are not required by Labrador residents north of 53°N latitude who are hunting seals in sealing areas 1 to 4 for food purposes. They are also not required by Aboriginal people who are hunting for food, social or ceremonial purposes and who are not the beneficiaries of a claims agreement.

Professional commercial sealing licences may be issued only to full-time or bona fide fishers registered with DFO who:

• a)     held a professional sealing licence the previous year; or
• b)     have participated in the seal hunt during the previous two years as the holder of an assistant sealing licence.

Assistant sealing licences may be issued only to registered fishers who are in possession of written confirmation, from a professional sealer, to the effect that the assistant sealer will be hunting seals under the supervision of this professional sealer during the sealing season.

Personal use sealing licences, allowing the hunt of up to six seals a year for personal consumption, may be issued only to residents who:

• a)     live adjacent to established sealing areas throughout Newfoundland, in Labrador south of 53°N latitude, on Quebec's North Shore, the Gaspé Peninsula and the Magdalen Islands; and

• b)     held a personal use sealing licence in the previous year; or

• c)     hold a valid provincial hunting licence for big game or a hunter's capability certificate to demonstrate their proficiency with firearms* and have attended a mandatory information session on regulations, safety and the proper handling of hunted seals.

* Applicants from the Magdalen Islands need not meet the requirements for firearms proficiency if they are using a club in accordance with the traditional hunting practices in that area.

Special sealing licences may be issued for small-scale projects to hunt seals in 1999.

The use of firearms to hunt seals near communities or areas of fishing activity may be controlled by condition of licence to ensure public safety and an orderly hunt.

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8. CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION ISSUES AND STRATEGIES FOR 1999

The major emphases of DFO's Conservation and Protection strategies will be on monitoring catches and ensuring humane hunting practices.

Organization

The following DFO staff will be responsible for the operational coordination of the hunt:

Mandate

Their mandate is to coordinate enforcement operations in the various areas of Atlantic Canada.

Objectives

DFO will seek the effective application of legislation, policies and directives related to:

• quotas;
• licensing;
• the hunt/sale of whitecoats and bluebacks;
• hunting methods (humane hunting and instruments);
• observation permits; and
• communications.

Quotas/Quota Monitoring

Sealers will be required to maintain logbooks and hail (report orally) seal hunts daily for vessels greater than 35 feet in overall length. These reports and hunt estimates made by fishery officers will be compiled, by species, zone and vessel class, in weekly quota reports. For vessels less than 35 feet in overall length and land-based sealers, fishery officers will provide hunt estimates based on community reports, plant statistics, weekly reports and/or checks of landings. In Newfoundland, weekly reports will be compiled based on species, area and vessel class.

Enforcement/Regulations

The enforcement objectives for 1999 will be to seek overall compliance with regulations and to ensure the maintenance of effective quota monitoring. Priority will be given to enforcing regulations pertaining to proper hunting techniques, the accurate reporting of landings and quota compliance, monitoring by-catches of seals in other fisheries, ensuring that whitecoats and bluebacks are not hunted for commercial purposes, and promoting the policy objective of full utilization.

Enforcement Strategy

The enforcement program will be based on the utilization of air/surface platforms, as well as the deployment of fishery officers and observers.

Air Surveillance

Commencing in mid-February, fixed-wing aerial patrols will be conducted to determine the location of seals and sealing vessels. If necessary, the frequency of patrols will be increased during the season. Helicopter patrols will be conducted in both the Gulf and Front areas. An additional helicopter may be added for that purpose in the Gulf area.

At-sea Surveillance

Commencing in late February, one patrol vessel, with four to six fishery officers, will be dedicated to at-sea surveillance in the Newfoundland Region. Fishery officers will conduct at-sea boardings to ensure compliance with the Marine Mammal Regulations, with particular emphasis on hunting methods. Fishery officers may also be deployed directly on sealing vessels and randomly moved to various vessels throughout the fleet.

In the Magdalen Islands area, a Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker could be called upon for assistance if required to transport fishery officers.

Observers

Commencing in late February, 100 observer-days will be allocated to the seal hunt in the Newfoundland Region.

Other Patrol/Surveillance Activity

Fishery officers will conduct coastal patrols, dockside checks and quota monitoring.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police/Other Assistance

The RCMP will be available, upon request, should situations arise where assistance is required in both the Front and Gulf areas. DFO will participate in joint patrols with the RCMP and the Quebec Surêté to ensure an orderly hunt. This could be important as there may be more anti-sealing groups at the hunt this year and confrontations could result.

Monitoring of Enforcement Operational Plan

Weekly conference calls will be conducted to monitor the implementation and effectiveness of the operational plan. If required, in-season adjustments will be made to the plan.

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ANNEX 1 - MANAGEMENT PLAN EVALUATION CRITERIA

• Sustainable hunt within the TAC
• Adherence to regulations
• Fullest possible use - product sales
• Number of participants throughout season
• Economic benefits
• Consultations with stakeholders

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ANNEX 2 - CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION PLAN EVALUATION CRITERIA

• Compliance with overall TAC
• Compliance with quota and allocations
• Number of incidents

• warnings
• charges

• Number of charges prosecuted
• Penalties
• Feedback from sealing industry
• Feedback from fishery officers
• Feedback from public

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ANNEX 3 - SEAL LANDINGS BY AREA AND SPECIES - 1989 TO 1998

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ANNEX 4 - 1999 HARP SEAL ALLOCATIONS

NOTE:   For the purpose of the allocations set out in this table, sealers that obtain access to the seals without the use of a vessel shall be considered as sealers on vessels less than 35 feet.

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ANNEX 5 - MAPS

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Last updated : 2005-03-18

Important Notices