Seal alert
SA
PRESS RELEASE
SEAL ALERT-SA 21st July 2006
Help !
Send Photo-Journalists in to Save the
Seals
Latest Namibian Seal Death toll - 13 230 . Sealers have
another 71 770 nursing baby seals to go to reach this
year's 85 000 seal pup genocide quota.
Namibia : Here is why !
• This just in from a reporter in Namibia - "Hi Francois, Just
spoke to the manager of the Cape Cross Lodge - Leon, to get some
low down. He claims you can see and hear nothing of the cull
(slaughter) fromwhere they are positioned. By 10h00 when the gates
are open everything is squeeky clean, and tourists go in as normal.
He claimed that there are masses of seals, and you wouldn't notice
if some have been killed at this stage, because of the huge
numbers. He has not noticed any trucks, lorries or other vehicles
driving off with the carcasses, and assumeably all this is done
'cloak and dagger' very early in the morning to set the scene for
the tourists.I mentioned that I am on my way up there next week to
take photos. I made no bones about it. He said that there is
strict security and police patrollingthe area with guns and
weapons, and that I might be taking a chance.He also said I would
have to climb over the fence early to get in if I wanted to get
pictures, but could get arrested for trespassing. How did you guys
manage your pics without getting butchered by an irate patrol
guard. Also the world needs fresh footage, so I must go up
there".
• "International Fund for Animal Welfare - Got your details from
Christine at Ifaw. I want to do a story on the seal cull and hope
you can help. Need such info on where the culls happen, how they
happen, who actually does it, what happens to the carcasses".
• "Do you perhaps have a nice, clear picture of the Cape fur seal
for us. These pictures have a very limited quality".
• "I saw the guys - scientists and spoke to Prof. Denzil Miller
(Executive Secretary) Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic
Marine Living
Resources. I asked him about the seals. He refused to comment. "I
will not comment and cannot comment on the seals." Yet they are
sitting discussing the scientific facts about the marine
environment and the living species that are affected by
fishing....and are not daring to discusss the seals because Namibia
is hosting this international conference for the first time. They
are at the Pelican Bay Hotel in Walvis Bay (064) 214000 should
anyone
wish to find out more".
• "Dear
Francois, I am getting telephone calls!! I just had a
call from SABC News in Cape Town!! He wanted to know
exactly where in Namibia the culling is taking place and wanted to
know how far from Port Noleth".
•
"A spokesperson asked the Commissioner why Namibia continues to
slaughter Cape Fur Seals and asked for an immediate stop to this
slaughter. The Commissioner, although polite, responded with:
"No comment" to all requests for a response".
• "Albert Mbanga, liaison officer for Namibia's Ministry of
Fisheries. Asked what the seal carcasses were used for, he said
this was left to the companies given the permits, "But seals are
used for quite a lot of things", he added".
Don't know, No
Comment or Cannot Comment - Not good enough
!
Namibia Sealing
Industry
For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA
021-790 8774
