Groups target Canada seal products
By Lu Feiran |
February 25, 2011, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA'S animal lovers are urging the government not to accept imports of seal products from Canada.
This plea comes as the International Day of the Seal - designed to raise awareness of seal welfare - on March 1 approaches.
In January, Canada's fisheries minister Gail Shea announced that China had agreed to import Canadian seal meat and oil.
Shea came to Beijing to promote seal products last month, saying that the deal would take effect soon, making Canada the only country allowed to export seal meat and oil to the massive Chinese market, reported the Guardian newspaper in Britain.
Shea said she hoped new markets in China will offset a recent ban on the import of seal products into the European Union, according to the Guardian.
The Chinese government has not given an official response.
More than 40 animal welfare organizations in the country have issued a joint open statement saying they "don't welcome Shea coming to the Chinese mainland to promote seal products."
These organizations said Chinese people wouldn't want any products that involve harm to animals and the environment.
They accuse the Canadians of targeting China after losing markets in Europe.
Grace Gabriel, Asia regional director of International Fund for Animal Welfare, said hunting seals in Canada was cruel and unnecessary. "Sometimes more than 150,000 seals are slaughtered within two days, and almost all the seals skinned are young cubs," she said.
Animal lovers said Canada's export drive also insults Chinese people.
Professor Lu Di, director of the CSAPA, China's largest animal welfare group, said that seal products are shunned by most Canadians, but Canada tries to sell seal meat to Chinese people in the belief they would eat anything without concern for animal welfare.
However, there is an ancient tradition of Chinese people being concerned about animals' wellbeing, said Lu.
According to the Guardian, China is the third largest export market of Canadian seafood products, in trade worth US$300 million annually.
The Canadian seal industry employs around 5,000 people, though numbers have declined as export markets have dried up.
This plea comes as the International Day of the Seal - designed to raise awareness of seal welfare - on March 1 approaches.
In January, Canada's fisheries minister Gail Shea announced that China had agreed to import Canadian seal meat and oil.
Shea came to Beijing to promote seal products last month, saying that the deal would take effect soon, making Canada the only country allowed to export seal meat and oil to the massive Chinese market, reported the Guardian newspaper in Britain.
Shea said she hoped new markets in China will offset a recent ban on the import of seal products into the European Union, according to the Guardian.
The Chinese government has not given an official response.
More than 40 animal welfare organizations in the country have issued a joint open statement saying they "don't welcome Shea coming to the Chinese mainland to promote seal products."
These organizations said Chinese people wouldn't want any products that involve harm to animals and the environment.
They accuse the Canadians of targeting China after losing markets in Europe.
Grace Gabriel, Asia regional director of International Fund for Animal Welfare, said hunting seals in Canada was cruel and unnecessary. "Sometimes more than 150,000 seals are slaughtered within two days, and almost all the seals skinned are young cubs," she said.
Animal lovers said Canada's export drive also insults Chinese people.
Professor Lu Di, director of the CSAPA, China's largest animal welfare group, said that seal products are shunned by most Canadians, but Canada tries to sell seal meat to Chinese people in the belief they would eat anything without concern for animal welfare.
However, there is an ancient tradition of Chinese people being concerned about animals' wellbeing, said Lu.
According to the Guardian, China is the third largest export market of Canadian seafood products, in trade worth US$300 million annually.
The Canadian seal industry employs around 5,000 people, though numbers have declined as export markets have dried up.
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