Statistics
Harp seals killed and landed in Canada
| 2006 | 336,000 |
| 2005 | 317,672 |
| 2004 | 365,971 |
| 2003 | 289,512 |
| 2002 | 312,367 |
| 2001 | 226,493 |
| 2000 | 91,602 |
| 1999 | 244,552 |
| 1998 | 282,070 |
| 1997 | 264,204 |
| 1996 | 242,717 |
| 1995 | 65,391 |
| 1994 | 61,176 |
| 1993 | 25,175 |
| 1992 | 67,428 |
| 1991 | 52,588 |
| 1990 | 60,162 |
| 1989 | 65,304 |
| 1988 | 94,046 |
| 1987 | 46,796 |
| 1986 | 25,934 |
| 1985 | 19,035 |
| 1984 | 31,544 |
| 1983 | 57,889 |
| 1982 | 166,739 |
| 1981 | 202,169 |
| 1980 | 169,526 |
| 1979 | 160,541 |
| 1978 | 161,723 |
| 1977 | 155,143 |
| 1976 | 165,002 |
| 1975 | 174,363 |
| 1974 | 147,635 |
| 1973 | 123,832 |
| 1972 | 129,883 |
| 1971 | 230,966 |
About The Hunt
In 2003, the Canadian government announced the largest seal quota in history with a 3 year Total Allowable Catch (TAC) of 975,000 harp seals. In addition the hooded seal TAC remained at 10,000 per year.
The last time sealers killed this many seals (in the 1950s and 60s) the harp seal population was reduced by two thirds.
In 2001, an independent panel of veterinary experts performed post mortems on seal carcases at the hunt. In 42% of cases, they concluded that the seal did not show enough evidence of skull damage to guarantee unconsciousness at the time of skinning. That is, they could have literally been skinned alive.
97% of the seals killed in the commercial seal hunt are less than 3 months old; the majority is under one month old. Many pups have not eaten their first solid meal or taken their first swim at the time they are killed.
UK Trade
In 2004, UK trade in seal products was valued at more than £500,000.
British companies accounted for more than 30 percent of the value of all EU imports of Canadian sealskins in 2004.