News Releases
Government Home Search Sitemap Contact Us  

Fisheries and Aquaculture
July 27, 2009

Newfoundland and Labrador Fully Supports
Taking Trade Action on Seal Product Ban

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is extremely disappointed that the Council of Ministers of the European Union (EU) has voted to ratify the ban of Canadian seal products going into Europe. The Federal Government has announced that it will now initiate trade action through the World Trade Organization (WTO) by commencing 60 days of consultations with the EU before taking the issue before a WTO panel. These are the requirements of the WTO process.

"Our government is fully in support of the trade action being taken by the Federal Government," said the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. "This trade ban is completely unjustified and blatantly disregards international trade agreements, as well as principles of conservation and sustainability that are used across the globe. Our government has advised EU officials of the implications of this decision from both trade and conservation perspectives. The EU is now clearly in violation of international trade agreements and we understand that they have legal opinions to that effect."

On May 5, the European Parliament voted to pass legislation that would ban the importation of Canadian seal products. The ratification by the Council of Ministers is the final step to enacting that legislation, which means that the ban is now official. The legislation approved by the council includes an exemption for Aboriginal groups.

"The legislation enacted by the Council of Ministers has no basis in science and demonstrates no understanding of the regulation of the Canadian sealing industry," said Minister Hedderson. "The Canadian seal harvest is important for reasons of environmental management and conservation as seal populations are at a record high. This will have serious negative consequences for the recovery of groundfish stocks."

Canadian harp seals alone consume 7 million tonnes of fish annually. This is equivalent to almost 10 per cent of the world�s harvest through wild fisheries. As well, the harp seal population sits at 5.6 million animals or approximately three times what it was in the early 1970s.

According to the EU legislation that was just enacted, it is acceptable to cull seals in Canada for population control but not for commercial use.

The EU ban is a serious threat to an industry that employs approximately 6,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians. The province�s sealing industry has been valued at up to $60 million annually, including primary harvesting and secondary processing activities.

"Fortunately the legislation does allow for transshipment of Canadian seal products through Europe," said Minister Hedderson. "The major markets for this industry have been in Russia and China for some years now. Even though those markets have been hard hit by the global financial crisis, our government will continue to work with the sealing industry to build those and other markets. This industry is and must remain an important source of income for people in rural and coastal areas of the province."

- 30 -

Media contact:
Lori Lee Oates
Director of Communications
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture
709-729-3733, 690-8403
oatesll@gov.nl.ca

2009 07 27                                                    3:10 p.m.
 


SearchHomeBack to GovernmentContact Us


All material copyright the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. No unauthorized copying or redeployment permitted. The Government assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any material deployed on an unauthorized server.
Disclaimer/Copyright/Privacy Statement