What would be the costs to Canada if the hunt for harp seals had to be subsidized along the lines of the cull, as Canada is about to do with grey seals?
Here are some other instances of seal hunt subsidizing: The Norwegian government subsidizes its sealers “to ensure sound regulation of seal stocks and to maintain traditional hunting skills so that seal populations can continue to be appropriately regulated.” However, the government is also engaged in efforts to develop markets for seal products, with the aim of making the industry independent. Greenland’s Home Rule government introduced subsidies for professional sealers after the European whitecoat ban collapsed the market in 1983. In 2006, it paid out 22.5 million kroner to help fund the hunters’ equipment. Between 2001 and 2007, the European Union matched funding from the Governments of Norway, Sweden and Finland for a seal resource development project entitled, “Seals: Our Common Resource”. The aim of the project was to improve the image of seals among fishermen, as an animal to be respected, conserved and used, rather than simply controlled as pests. Total contributions totalled
