NR-HQ-95-07E

TOBIN LOOKS AT WAYS OF EXPANDING THE SEAL HARVEST

January 26, 1995

OTTAWA -- Brian Tobin, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, said today he is exploring ways both to expand the existing commercial seal harvest and to introduce a new seal harvest for food.

Mr. Tobin, whose department is sponsoring a forum on seals on February 21, in St. John's, Newfoundland, says Fisheries and Oceans has been exploring the possibility of an increased seal harvest with both Atlantic provincial governments and with fishing industry stakeholders during the last month.

"The current Total Allowable Catch for harp seals stands at 186,000. The fact is we haven't harvested more than 57,000 seals, on average, during the last few years. There is room for expansion, both on a commercial basis, and on the basis of a harvest for personal food consumption."

The current seal policy remains in effect: a land-based harvest by small inshore vessels, which prohibits the harvest of whitecoat harp and blueback hooded seal pups.

Mr. Tobin said, that while his department still hasn't finished the analysis of a recent photo survey to update the population numbers on an estimated 3-4 million harp seals, a recent study on grey seals in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and on the Scotian Shelf "leads to very disturbing conclusions".

A study completed by the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Dartmouth last year concludes that the 144,000 population of grey seals is growing by an alarming 13 per cent annually. Scientists have concluded that the population is consuming some 40,000 tonnes of cod annually on the Scotian Shelf and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

"With fishing moratoria on both northern cod and on Gulf cod, the only ones still fishing for cod in these areas are seals," Mr. Tobin said. "These seal populations are healthy and growing rapidly. There is nothing to lose and everything to gain in permitting a responsible increase in the seal harvest."