Outrage at new mass slaughter of baby seals

Guardian ^ | 04/11/04 | Mark Townsend

[Skooz]

Nature already has a superb mechanism for keeping the seal population in check.

Overpopulation is of no concern.

[Long Cut]

No, actually I adressed it, and so did elbucko. See posts # 69-73 or thereabouts. However, I'm happy to boil it down...

1. The seals eat codfish and others because that is their NATURAL PREY. It is what they are MADE to eat. They don't have a choice. We do. That's why we breed animals to eat.

2. Commercial fisherman collect far more fish in their nets than the seals eat, and some have abused the priviledge grossly; thus depleting fish stocks at a rate the seals couldn't hope to match.

3. Rather than admit the problem in 2, which would require actions on their part to conserve the stocks (as New England fisherman have done, to their profit and benefit), they take the easy (and cowardly) way out and blame the seals.

4. By blaming the seals (for eating their natural prey), they have an excuse to brutally slaughter their young (note: they do not kill the ones who ACTUALLY EAT THE FISH, the adults) so they can sell the pelts.

5. They do so allegedly to offset the "loss" of the depleted fishing grounds, completely ignoring their OWN role in it. Cleaning your own house first, anyone?

6. The Canadian government tolerates this because otherwise, they would have to either a) pay the fishermen welfare; or b) admit the problem of overfishing themselves and take steps to limit it.

7. Due to #6, the whole thing, in addition to being completely depraved and sleazy, also has the bonus of constituting welfare.

Blaming a seal for doing what seals are born to do is like blaming a cat for preferring the taste of mice. Seals do not in any way threaten the survival of the human race by their preference in food. Using the animal's natural instincts as an excuse to profit from its inexcusably brutal slaughter is, to put it politely, sleazier than a Harlem crack-whore.

[oldcomputerguy]

"Blaming a seal for doing what seals are born to do is like blaming a cat for preferring the taste of mice"

Exactly.... cats are next! Bwhahahahahahhaha!!

Actually your posting is exactly correct and the logic works. Let the hunt begin, I am not giving up my cod to the seals!

[Little Ray]

So what about the folks that operate the captive bolt stunners that knock out a cow before it slaughtered? Are they less than human?
What do you know about how the meat you buy at restaurants and supermarkets is produced?

Personally, I don't have any problems with what it going on. There is a market for the fur and this is what it takes to harvest it.

Deal with it.

[Skooz]

I am not giving up my cod to the seals!

There is plenty of cod to go around.

[Long Cut]

Once again, cows, pigs, and chickens, among many others, are bred specifically for human use. However, I agree that we have not always treated THEM so gently, either. Of course, that does not mean we do not try to find ways to do so.

Point is, does that excuse the seal slaughter? Or do we as decent, honorable humans find SOMEWHERE to draw the line?

If we cannot draw it at the brutal, torturous killing of baby seals and excusing it by blaming them for the results of our own overfishing, then where, exactly?

Oh, and continually saying, "Deal with it" doesn't count as an argument. Proper men do not ignore or condone brutality.

[Little Ray]

What makes you think you have a right to draw any lines, esp. in regards to another's livelihood?
Worry about humans not critters and weeds.

[oldcomputerguy]

"There is plenty of cod to go around."

Do you dream this stuff up?

[Skooz]

Uh. No.

There is no "cod shortage" and even if there were, this "hunt" is not for the purpose of thinning the seal population so more cod will make onto our dinner plates.

[oldcomputerguy]

"There is no "cod shortage"

At least you are firmly convinced of your own inaccurate information, maybe you should check out the facts first. While this pertains to the North Sea, the principle remains the same. I believe the word "collapse" could be construed to indicate a "shortage".


http://www.growfish.com.au/content.asp?contentid=981

"Dramatic changes in the abundance of the plankton in the North Sea caused by global warming have led to the collapse in cod stocks, research published in the latest edition of the journal Nature shows. "

[oldcomputerguy]

This one does pertain to Canada. They, being much more conservative in their assessment, only use the term "freefall to describe the cod problem.

http://www.fisherycrisis.com/DFO/minister0203.htm

[Little Bill]

Shoot them, I have a lot of relatives in the Maritimes that would starve or be on the dole without the seal harvest. Up in Canukistan in certain PROVANCES, you have to do what you have to do.

[Skooz]

Oh, please. Are you so naive and bereft of critical faculties to believe this "hunt" has anything whatsoever to do with reducing the seal population so cod can be more abundant? Do you really expect anyone to believe that?

[oldcomputerguy]

It is interesting how you change the subject when your assertions are shown to be creations of your imagination.

I don't actually care why they are doing it but I am sure on one thing, seals will be eating one hell of a lot less cod in the final result. I am pretty sure there is no shortage of seals....unlike cod.

[winker]

Wouldn't it be nice if the bleeding hearts got as up set about human babies. !!!!&&&&*****! liberals.

[Thinkin]

"Wouldn't it be nice if the bleeding hearts got as up set about human babies. !!!!&&&&*****! liberals."

My friend, compassion is not for just ONE species.

[TASMANIANRED]

I thought socialist governments were supposed to be all compassionate, all loving, providers of free medical care and protectors of the environment.

Not

tee, hee, hee

[Big Horn]

I would bet the killing of seals will not increase the codfish population. They are taking to many cod now and will just take more. They are hogs.

[Skooz]

It is interesting you accuse me of changing the subject when I did no such thing.

If this had anything to do with the "cod shortage" the targets would be the adult seals. They eat many times more cod than the adults.

This has nothing to do with controlling the seal population for any reason, including the world's supply of cod. Your constant insistence that it is is odd and borders on obsessive.