End the Canadian commercial seal hunt

To Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,

It's time for the Government of Canada to change course, stop funding the commercial seal hunt and instead invest in sustainable economic alternatives for those few remaining fishermen who still participate.

The commercial seal hunt is cruel, unnecessary, and wasteful. 

Cruel: Independent veterinary review has consistently shown that the commercial seal hunt is inhumane. 

Unnecessary: Products from the Canadian commercial seal hunt are not needed. Seal fur coats, purses, and sneakers are luxury goods whose consumption is encouraged as a status symbol.  Seal and fishery scientists have unanimously agreed that killing large numbers of harp seals will not help cod stocks recover, and could have unexpected, negative consequences for the ocean ecosystem. .

Wasteful: Since the collapse of global markets for seal products in 2009, the Canadian government has wasted millions of dollars on trying to find justifications for killing seals. Decades-long efforts by the industry and government to sell seal meat to China have failed, and most of the meat continues to be wasted. Despite spending hundreds of millions of dollars to try and revive the commercial seal hunt, it is currently at its lowest level since the 1980s, with no future prospects in sight.  It's time to change course.  

It's time to create an alternative. I urge the Government of Canada to end government support for the commercial sealing industry, and instead create economic opportunities in Atlantic Canada such as supporting efforts to remove, recycle, fishing gear and plastic marine debris. 

It is time to stop subsidising the largest slaughter of marine mammals on earth. Canada can do better.

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Sincerely,

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