Hunters from the Îles-de-la-Madeleine will soon lead a commercial hunt for gray seals under “scientific” supervision in a nature reserve located off the archipelago. For the Madelinots, this project could open the door to a rehabilitation of this practice rooted in their culture, but victim of repeated attacks by animal rights activists. For experts, there is also an urgent need to regulate the population of this pinniped, which today threatens other species in the ecosystem.
“Our goal is not to catch large numbers of seals, but to use the seal as much as possible. The fat will be used to make oil rich in omega 3, the meat is recovered, and we want to evaluate projects with furs. We can develop a lot of things. It’s a quality product that deserves to be known,” explains the Duty the president of the Intra-Quebec Seal Hunters Association, Yoanis Menge.
The hunting campaign planned for the next few days could be reduced to a single day, if favorable weather conditions prevail in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It must be said that hunters must go to Brion Island, located about 15 kilometers northeast of the archipelago. This is where they hope to slaughter 500 young gray seals, while the island can accommodate up to 10,000 of these pinnipeds. The beasts will be killed on the beaches, mainly using theagapika traditional hunting tool.
As the hunt takes place in a “nature reserve” recognized by the Quebec government, it will be carried out “under scientific observation”, specifies the Ministry of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change in a written response. The objective is to be able to analyze the “impacts” of hunting on this protected ecosystem. Scientists will also be able to take samples from the animals killed, as part of monitoring this animal population.
One thing is certain, the hunt carried out on Brion Island does not threaten the species in any way, underlines Mike Hammill, researcher at Fisheries and Oceans Canada and seal specialist. According to the most recent estimates, there are no less than 340,000 gray seals in eastern Canada, a region that includes the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In this context, the expert estimates that the species could support a hunting pressure of several thousand individuals each year.
This form of “control” of the abundance of gray seals is all the more important, according to him, since the species has become a formidable predator in the St. Lawrence. According to a study conducted in particular by federal government researchers, this marine mammal, which can weigh more than 600 pounds as an adult, could even eradicate cod in the southern Gulf over the next few years. It is also possible that it represents a threat to other species of interest to commercial fishing, including lobster.
Island culture
The mayor of the Magdalen Islands, Jonathan Lapierre, also evokes the “overpopulation” of gray seals to justify the necessary hunting of the species. But he especially believes that this seasonal activity is at the heart of the culture of the Madelinots. “The seal hunt is part of our way of life and part of our history. It is a hunt which has become more professional over the years and which is now associated with science, to improve practices, with all due respect for the animals. Everything is done according to the rules of the art, ”he argues.
For the economy of the Islands, the exploitation of this “renewable resource” could also be positive, adds Mr. Lapierre. Local companies are already working on ways to extract the oil from the animals, but also to market the meat of the seals that will be brought back from Brion Island. “It is very much in line with the government’s objective of promoting local products. »
The mayor recognizes, however, that there is still a lot of work to be done to restore the taste of seal to consumers. “It’s a meat that’s not well known, mostly because of the bad publicity it’s garnered over the years. Hunting has unfortunately been the victim, in the past, of a propaganda campaign which did not highlight all the facts. »
Animal rights groups, which have campaigned for several years against seal hunting, have indeed contributed to the European Union’s decision to impose an embargo on seal products in 2010. A decision based on hunting methods, considered too “cruel”. This ground had never before been used to block the import of wildlife products. Hunters here have therefore lost access to their main export market. And even if the hunt for very young harp seals, the famous whitecoats, has been banned since 1987, some organizations still use this image to denounce the hunt for pinnipeds.
succession
Himself a seal hunter, Yoanis Menge nevertheless judges that Quebecers are now open to the consumption of seal products. “We feel that they are curious, that they want to taste this meat. There are people who are against hunting, but we don’t try to convince them. For those who love meat or are curious, seal meat is an incredible product, very nutritious and rich in iron. And it’s wild meat that grows in a natural environment. Even chefs are interested in how to prepare it. »
“At one time, on the Islands, lobster was seen as poor people’s food. We even used it to fertilize the gardens. Today, it is a luxury product that has an enormous economic contribution to the Magdalen Islands. The resource is also very abundant, and the fishermen make a good living from their fishing. So, we see that things can evolve, that mentalities can change, and I think it’s the same for the seal,” adds the man who has also led seal hunting photography projects.
The challenge, insists Mr. Menge, is to train a new generation of hunters among the Madelinots. “Many former hunters have aged, and the younger ones haven’t necessarily had the opportunity to learn. There is therefore something fragile, and it is important to me to popularize the seal hunt among Madelinots, and especially young people, to give them a taste for discovering it and keeping the practice alive. It is very valuable. »