The pelt is a big goal of the hunt of course, the price has reached record highs. But, seal meat is also eaten and seal oil capsules are a great source of omega three.
http://www.omega3sealoil.com/

Seal oil in IV drips for parenteral nutrition is also in the works.
http://www.cbc.ca/story/science/national/2005/03/14/oil-iv050314.html

I've eaten seal myself, and personally it's a bit "gamey" for my tastes, but each spring seal flippers ell like mad here, it's considered a delicacy here. The seal flipper pie I had last week was no to bad. Think chicken pot pies and you will see what seal flipper pie is.

That's something else entirely. If you're using the rest of the animal, using the skin is okay (leather, pigskin, etc.). Killing an animal just for its skin, gall bladder, islet of langerhans, whatever, and leaving the rest to rot is just wasteful.

quote:

Killing an animal just for its skin, gall bladder, islet of langerhans, whatever, and leaving the rest to rot is just wasteful.

I don't know of any one who does that. And I know folks who hunt various things for the So called Comercial market the world over. In every place that I have ever procured that type of stuff from the rest of the hunted animal is eaten. Animals for Western Research are different in that they are often Ill treated and much of what is done to them makes their meat poison... but in traditional areas, traditional hunts and traditional medicine the entire animal is used. Often parts you can't and don't want to imagine are used as food, medicine, dyes for weavers, you name it.

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Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus
"Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." E. Wiesel
OKP's Resident B****
Imprudens est draconem vivum de consiliis tuis omittere.
Steet team Leader for NYS, OH and Southern Ontario.

Here in Catalina where I live is the actual plant where the seal pelts that Bill Barry buys are processed and the seal oil made(rendered down is the correct term I guess). A lot of people from the general area, including my brother, father, and some friends of mine work at this plant, and the plant operates most of the year. A number of fishermen in this area also parcipitate in the actual seal hunt. The seals are not only caught for their plets, and a large number of people here in Newfoundland eat the meat, myself included. I also take seal oil capsules every day. If the seal hunt was done away with a lot more people from my area would have to leave the island to look for work, so I am all for the seal hunt.

Joyce

quote:

I don't know of any one who does that.

Depends on where you are. In Japan, they often cut the fins off certain types of sharks and toss the rest of the animal back into the sea. Or they'll toss back the bycatch, injured and dying, when catching tuna... In Africa, they'll kill a gorilla just for its' hands; a rhino just for its' horn, etc. Or a tiger just for SOME part - can't remember what - something the Chinese want for medicine, or an aphrodisiac. Not much different from when they started shooting buffalo from the trains in this country, back in the 1800's, and the Native Americans started starving.... Not very wise conservation practices.

I'm considering starting seal oil supplements instead of cod liver oil (how ironic, huh?).

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...long as the river still runs to the sea, hey lucky you, lucky me...

GBS Concerts: The most fun you can have with your clothes on.

Actually the Chinese use several parts of the tiger...and it's meat. Bones, skin, tendons, even the reproductive organs. Sharks, in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) are valued for sevral different things also. Rhino's too.
I've been Studying TCM for better than 20 years none of the healers I deal with, none of the Suppliers ( all of whom are Buddhist monks) would either.
I don't doubt that what you say is going on, actually is, in some parts of the world...but not in my experiance. and that is all I can speak to.

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Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus
"Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." E. Wiesel
OKP's Resident B****
Imprudens est draconem vivum de consiliis tuis omittere.
Steet team Leader for NYS, OH and Southern Ontario.

Hi Andi -

Oh, no doubt there are definitely people who DO use as much of the animal as possible, and I'm definitely not singling out TCM practitioners. I go to them myself, and they are the ones who told about some of the abuses I mentioned - they were discussing how they are very careful about choosing their sources for supplements because there are some very unscrupulous folks out there.

Guess I should have prefaced my statements with some qualifiers. Sometimes it's so hard to convey tone and meaning in email!

Cheers!
Nancy

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~~~~~

...long as the river still runs to the sea, hey lucky you, lucky me...

GBS Concerts: The most fun you can have with your clothes on.

quote:

how they are very careful about choosing their sources for supplements because there are some very unscrupulous folks out there.

the ones I am training under are more upset at the use of human bodies for, as you put "unscrupulous" deeds....that is why we are so very sure of where EVERYTHING comes from. Interesting to note the differences in experiance with this. Also intersting to note that every part of every animal you mentioned has a use, either, food clothing, medicinal or poison...it can be put to use.Including Sharks and rhinos and elephants for that matter. Would love to chat more about it with you.,,,Pm' me sometime.
Yes, it's hard to convey meaning here...No worries, I know my meaning doesn't always come across either.
ETA: You gotta remember that there are unscrupulous people in EVERY field...but that's not the norm. I can show you western dr's engaged in practices that would make your hair turn grey...and then there is my cousin and folks like Futon, who are amound the most deiciated folks I know in medicine. And I'd say 99% of people will never run across a dr who would use a person in an unethical manner. Scarey to think what's out there, ain't it?
That said, I will repeat, I don't know anyone who does what you discribe and what the poster I was addressing is concerned with...if I did, I'd be in jail,I would be, or they would be and I suspect the same is true for most hunters. It's just the way hunters, healers and herbalists work, at least in my experiance. ( and there are sound reasons for that. PM me if you want to discuss it Nancy. )

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Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus
"Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." E. Wiesel
OKP's Resident B****
Imprudens est draconem vivum de consiliis tuis omittere.
Steet team Leader for NYS, OH and Southern Ontario.

One more clearification, Whne I say

quote:

the ones I am training under are more upset at the use of human bodies

I don't mean to suggest that they would tolerate the abuse of animals for any treatment... they don't work that way...but seriously you will find out much more about the abuse of animals ( and more quickly) than you will about the abuse/misuse,ect of humans for things. Healing in this manner is very dependant on energetics and the energetics of abused creatures just ain't good...which is one reason why they are investigated so throughly but another reason is that these folks, like the hunters I know are generally good folks who are too poor to be able to sustain themselves otherwise. Like the sealers.
THey don't tolerate waste or cruelty with any amount of grace, it's dealt with, swiftly and surely. And I'd hate to be the one caught being wasteful...It would not be pretty.

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Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus
"Take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented." E. Wiesel
OKP's Resident B****
Imprudens est draconem vivum de consiliis tuis omittere.
Steet team Leader for NYS, OH and Southern Ontario.

I'm writing a paper on the seal hunt and was wondering if anyone has any stories, or facts that they could share with me and if I may use anything that was already said in this disccusion.

 

Thanks, Emily

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"There's no other life but to sail the salt sea"

Hi Emmy;

There is so much information on the annual seal hunt available on the internet, however, I would just warn that much of it stems from reports detailing the anti-seal movement which, since it is fueled by the power of celebrity in many cases, is the side most mis-reported. I would simply caution you to research the history and reasoning behind the seal hunt - specifically with reference to population control, humanitarian methods, and actual facts published by responsible and impartial sources. The last few years has seen some high profile debate - NFLD Premier Danny Williams debated the hunt on Larry King Live with Paul and Heather McCartney a couple of years ago, and of course each year brings out a new crop of celebrity to memorize and speak the usual prepared, repetitive lies that portray this hunt. There have been excellent discussions on this board over the years, Alan has made several references to the debate in his From the Road and there are several members on this board who are quite active in the ongoing fight against the lies and stereotypes used to fight the anti-sealing argument (Futon is a great place to start). 

I wish you luck on your project - it is quite a hot topic, especially for this time of year. I do have some very definite thoughts and opinions about this issue - most of them formed as a neutral Ontarian even...and would be happy to discuss them with you via PM if you are interested. I have paid very close attention to this debate over the last several years and think that it is great that people take an interest in learning more about these issues than "what meets the eye". Something that, if one is to truly understand the reasons for the annual seal hunt, one MUST do. The pictures of big eyed, little white furry babies are not even the seals in question...just the ones that have the most power to tug at the heartstrings of the unknowing and gullible.

Be careful to not become one of the gullible.

D.

American Propaganda? I don't recall Paul McCartney being American. Not All Americans are as stupid as you appear to think. Most of these "celebrities" walk around with their heads in their butts because they don't live in the REAL world!! Who's to say they even have a clue on the topic?They should NOT be considered a true representative of the American people.  (sorry, you got my stars and stripes up!)  The ones who are against seal hunting are the same fools who would rather see a dear starve in the winter than let a hunter fill his freezer for his family. They would also prefer forrest burn to the ground than allow for logging. Hey save that owl..screw the kids! I think baby seals are cute but I also think human babies are cuter and definitely need to be fed!   And P.S. to Futon : it is said when someone who is engaged in an arguement resorts to foul language or cheap shots they have obviously run out of legitimate arguement- so therefore YOU WON!!

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"I'm not gonna be a crucifix pincushion" ..oops I already am !




If life was fair Elvis would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead...Johnny Carson

For the record Seaworthy...you have combined two separate comments at two separate times intended to address two separate poiunts. No intention of offending your "stars and stripes" in my response to Emmy. I apologize...however I would thank you to re-look at the comments and accept them in proper context. Perhaps, you will see I have in no way implied Americans are stupid. I am, however, now straight out going to imply that you are a little quick to jump to conclusions.

BTW - Thank you for pointing out that Paul and Heather are not American...those British accents were really starting to confuse me. (Wanders away wondering where I said they were American???)

Oye...

Apology accepted. However I do believe we are on the same side ! Hunt the seals, feed the hunters!

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"I'm not gonna be a crucifix pincushion" ..oops I already am !




If life was fair Elvis would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead...Johnny Carson

andi:

quote:

how they are very careful about choosing their sources for supplements because there are some very unscrupulous folks out there.

...Also intersting to note that every part of every animal you mentioned has a use, either, food clothing, medicinal or poison...it can be put to use.Including Sharks and rhinos and elephants for that matter...

 I understand what you're saying and the point you're making, Andi, but putting animals such as rhinos and elephants into the equation shouldn't even be considered as they are endangered (in fact, the black rhino was reported as being wiped out completely in the wild just last year), as are all species of tiger and many species of shark.

 As to the seal hunt, I think we here in the States don't hear all the facts as to what your seal hunt entails, and I'm sure groups like Sea Shepherd don't help us to understand it any better. I think we also tend to equate it, quite incorrectly, with the arguments some countries are making for allowing commercial whaling to resume (and I don't mean subsistence whaling by indiginous communities, I mean whaling by countries such as Japan and the Netherlands).

 My question would be are you hunting seals that are threatned and/or endangered? If they are, I might be concerned, but if not I would want to know if your hunt is being conducted in a sustainable way? The resources being used to feed, clothe and provide other things for this generation need to be there for future generation as well. Those would be my only concerns, but I also live in a state in which about 2/3 of our citizens are hunters, so the idea isn't as appaling to me as it might be to some others.

 My point is that there are some of us who are concerned for animal rights who aren't juvenile lunatics wishing the wrath of god down on others... just so you know

Cheers

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"In this beautiful life there's always some sorrow... It's a double-edged knife but there's always tomorrow... It's up to you now if you sink or swim... Just keep the faith that your ship will come in..."



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