EU probes Norway's seal hunt (Norwegian Aftenposten in English)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article1620989.ece

EU probes Norway's seal hunt

One of the thorniest conflicts between Norway and several EU countries, the controversial seal hunt, is back on the agenda. The EU Commission isn't banning all seal products yet, but will evaluate whether it thinks the hunt is humane.

Norwegian officials, keen to allow continuation of the seal hunt not least to preserve fishing stocks, won a partial victory late last week when the EU Commission rejected a European Parliament's request that it ban all trade involving seal products.

Such a ban may still come, however, since the EU Commission also decided to probe the nature of Norway's seal hunt. If hunting methods are determined to be inhumane, the commission may block imports into the EU of seal products such as seal oil that's believed to help prevent heart attacks.


Norway's seal hunt is under pressure again.
PHOTO: ARCHIVE PHOTO

The European Parliament already views the seal hunt as inhumane, especially its use of stakes to club the baby seals. Since seals aren't an endangered species, the EU can't use a conservation argument to block imports.

FULL story at link.

[Bjornsdotter]

1. Norway has always

...stood alone when it comes to whale and seal hunting.

Adding to the fact that they aren't part of the EU, it will be interesting to see how this shakes out.

I wonder how much Norway would lose by not selling to the EU?

Cheers

[Kagemusha]

3. Uh, Canada?

And I heard Canada's also affected by the commission's studying this issue rather than implementing an immediate ban. So Norway not standing alone here.

I have indeed heard of the new Atlantic Canada group to oppose seal hunting and will only say, I'll wait and see if they're really serious about seeing that people are provided for as an alternative to the seal hunting. At any rate, more welfare isn't a solution the govt might like.

[Bjornsdotter]

4. Right but,

I was talking about Europe and the EU.

cheers


Edit to add.....I was also very indirectly referring to Norway's other issues with the EU, I should have been more clear.

[IndyOp]

2. Do you think Norway's seal hunting should be banned altogether or

limited and humane?

:shrug:

[yewberry]

5. Is this EU commission

the same one investigating Canada's seal hunt? The one that Ottawa is calling a victory because it didn't outright refuse a ban?

[Coventina]

6. Darn those seals & their need to eat!!

Club 'em all! More fish for us!!

:sarcasm: (if needed)