Senate committee’s report calls for better understanding of Canada’s seal populations and revival of sealing industry

The Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans of Canada has released a report highlighting the need for improved understanding of the country's seal population and recommendations to revitalize the sealing industry. The report, titled 'Sealing the Future: A Call to Action,' was compiled after a year-long study involving 60 expert witnesses and public hearings in Newfoundland and Labrador. It criticizes the Department of Fisheries and Oceans for lacking evidence-based seal population management and advocates for enhanced marine and fisheries research. The report also underscores the decline in the sealing industry, attributing it to a lack of economic viability and misinformation, and emphasizes the potential economic benefits for remote, coastal, and Indigenous communities if the industry is reinvigorated. Despite concerns about seals' impact on fish stocks, the committee acknowledges data limitations and states that most seal populations can support well-managed commercial harvests. The report calls for market access for seal-based products and urges immediate implementation of its recommendations.