----- Original Message -----
From: SealAlert-SA
To: John.Sellar@cites.org
Sent: Friday, August 11, 2006 8:06 AM
Dear Mr Seller,
I refer to my email below. Please consider the following - I need an answer today - please.
The 2006 Seal Pup quota will kill 100% of the pups still alive from July 1 (this is scientific fact). The sealing quota on pups cannot go any higher - it is logically impossible. It is therefore detrimental to the survival of the species.
If Sealing in Namibia has not been "detrimental to the survival of the species" your Appendix II criteria - and yardstick required to issue International Trade permits - when why is the seal population lower than it was in 1982. How low must it go before you understand the mismanagement going on here? How soon before the population dips below the first official survey in 1972 - and then where will we be?
CITES Secretariat knows it cannot issue international trade permits on the 2006 seal pup harvest. So what will these sealers be forced to do, in order to protect their commercial investment? They will be forced to export illegally. As head of CITES Anti-smuggling, Fraud and Organized Crime - you are creating a "breeding ground for this illegal environment" - the longer it goes on - the greater then will be the need to smuggle and export all those skins illegally. Can you not see this?
Can you not see in your position, as "preventor" of illegal smuggling and illegal exports for the United Nations of the world - that you are actually "rubber-stamping" and have done since 1977 - the illegal (trade) killing of nursing seal pups - that the rest of the world between 1972 - 1990 - says is illegal and criminal - but granting these export permits to Namibia?
UN and CITES is supposed to "control" the world in such activities - yet, here we have the world saying its "illegal and criminal" and CITES says it is not?
What do you think the implications of the US seizure in 2002 and the RSA criminal conviction in 2003 - is with regard to CITES allowing these exports from Namibia (It is no excuse considering it was publicly released in the media and on government websites) - it changes nothing that CITES is investigating - it simply proves it should never have been allowed in the first place?
How does CITES come to terms that "legal or illegal CITES permitted seal skin exports" are seized as illegal imports in the US?
How does CITES come to terms that the EU bans all imports or trade in nursing baby seals of Harp and Hooded seals (Appendix III species) - but CITES forces these EU countries to trade in nursing baby Appendix II species - 1.2 million euros worth in a single year?
If this is not (fraud, smuggling and organised crime) supported by CITES themselves in this case - then what is?
Please, Mr Seller - this needs to end today. Think of the ramifications to yourself, and to CITES.
It has to stop today.
Please confirm.
Francois.
----- Original Message -----
From: John SELLAR
To: sasealion@wam.co.za
Sent: Thursday, August 10, 2006 3:11 PM
Subject: Re: Trade in seals
Dear Mr Hugo,
I confirm receipt of your message. I shall provide a copy to the CITES Management Authority of Namibia.
All documents relating to the Animals Committee can be found on our website:
http://www.cites.org/eng/com/AC/index.shtml
Whilst I await further information from Namibia, I have been advised that the CITES authorities were not previously aware of the seizures that you say occurred in South Africa and the United States of America. Now that this has been brought to their attention, they will look into the matter.
Yours sincerely,
----- Original Message -----
From: SealAlert-SA
To: John.Sellar@cites.org
Sent: Friday, August 11, 2006 6:28 AM
Subject: Calling all UK & EU Seal Supporters - Blast CITES & EU !
Last 'Starving' Baby
Seal Slaughter on Earth
starving baby seal pups about to be clubbed
- a mother mourns her deep bonded 'clubbed to
death' baby seal loss
Cape fur Seals became a protected
species in 1973 and in 1977, an Appendix II species with
the United Nations Convention in the Trade of Endangered
Species (CITES).
In 1972 the US Marine Mammal
Protection Act (MMPA) banned the import of Cape fur seals,
as it contravened their regulations, which states that the
"taking of a nursing pup in a birthing and breeding colony"
is illegal and cruel. Over 90% of the Cape fur seal
slaughter since its 'protection' in 1973 - has involved
'millions' nursing baby seals. CITES has been regulating
the international trade in Cape fur seals since 1977 (if
this makes any sense). In 1983, a European Communities
Directive binding on all members states came into force. It
prohibited the import of the skins, raw or processed, of
'nursing' harp seal pups (whitecoats) and 'nursing' hooded
pup seals (bluebacks). In 1987 the Malouf Report
findings in the Royal Commission on Seals and Sealing
states that "nursing baby seals" should not be commercial
harvested or traded in at any stage anywhere. In 1987 the
Canadian DFO introduced regulations that banned the hunting
of 'nursing' harp seal pups (whitecoats) and 'nursing'
hooded seal pups (bluebacks). Marine Mammal
Regulations now prohibit the trade, sale or barter of the
fur of these pups. Furthermore, seals cannot be harvested
when they are in breeding or birthing grounds.
There is a contradiction here. A CITES
contradiction !
Between July 1 and November 15 -
85 000 nursing baby Cape fur seal pups weighing less than
15 kg each will be rounded up with their mother's on two
desert mainland colonies and clubbed to death as they
attempt to flee (with their mother's) back to the safety of
the sea.
The trade in these 'nursing baby
seal skins or parts' would be illegal anywhere else in the
world - and if one attempted to do so - would be criminally
charged and imprisoned - except in the 'eyes' of the CITES
Secretariat.
As the two sealing concession
holders in Namibia has been getting away with 'Baby Seal
Murder' since Namibia's independence - they together with
their foreign business partner in 1997 decided
to invest N$2.5 million into a 'nursing baby seal
processing plant' at Henties Bay. Prior to this USD $400
000 investment - these sealers made it quite clear they
would be seeking ever increasing 'nursing' baby seal quotas
to ensure success of their private investment.
At the time of this investment their
quota was 30 000. Within less than 10-years - it is now 85
000. Even though in the last decade the Cape fur seals
have experienced no less than five major die-off's from
starvation - where in 2006, the seal population is 27%
lower than in 1993, 13-years ago.
These sealers are clearly determined to
wipe-out this five-million year old species - in their
never ending greed to return the profits on their
investment. Already they have succeeded in reducing the
seal population to 27% below what it was in 1993. Already
the seal population is lower than it was in 1982. How long
before it will be lower than the first 'known' population
survey in 1972.
Do we as responsible citizens simply
just allow this genocide of a species to continue - right
before our eyes !
The Namibian Fisheries Minister has
stated that under the Constitution these Cape fur seals can
endure a 'sustainable harvest of their living natural
resources' of 30% of the pup population born each year. In
2006 - the Sealing quotas is 100% of the pups still alive
by July 1. For the sealers to reach their quota (which they
have never reached) they need to 'swing and club' their way
through 630 nursing baby seals everyday - already 25 830
nursing baby seals have been slaughtered.
Although this was pointed out to CITES
Animals Committee members via email during their Peru
Meeting 7-13 July - CITES states that they cant intervene
and stop it.
Even though the CITES Convention on
Trade of an Appendix II species states - "An export order
may be issued only if the specimen was legally obtained and
if the export will not be detrimental to the survival of
the species" - knowing full well that CITES will not be
able to issue 'export permits' for this 100% exported
Namibian 'nursing baby seal' Sealing industry for 2006
- CITES still says they cant stop it.
Knowing full well - that this "international
trade in an endangered species" - all 91 000 nursing
'living natural resources' of Cape fur seal pups will now
have to be simply discarded, thrown away - dumped or traded
illegally - CITES still will not stop it.
Even though I am in direct communication
with John Seller of the Anti-smuggling, Fraud and
Organised Crime section head of the CITES Secretariat - he
says, he cant stop it.
There is a very real 'mismanagement' problem
here - Just because CITES has been awarding annual export
permits to Namibian to trade in endangered seals, does not
necessarily make it legal - in fact it is not.
Not in the 'economically' driven US or
sealing countries of Canada, Greenland, Norway or Russia or
the entire EU - is the "commercial" taking and slaughter of
'nursing baby seals in birthing and breeding colonies'
considered illegal - except at the United Nations -
Convention in the Trade of Endangered Species (CITES).
CITES must STOP this foolishness and
irresponsible mismanagement right now - demand that they do
so (www.cites.org). The people
in-charge of this travesty is the CITES
Secretariat.
Write to your European Communities Directive -
and ask them why - the EU imported 1.2 million Euros worth
of 'nursing baby Cape fur seal skins' in 2004 of a more
endangered Appendix II species - but bans and considers it
illegal to trade or import 'baby fur skins' from Harp or
Hooded seal pups, an Appendix III species ?
and if you cant do that - do what Save our
Seals (UK) is doing, stage a protest and write to the
media. (see below for further details)
For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA
Namibian
Seal Slaughter Protest
Namibian High Commission
Tuesday 15th August
Over 600
seal pups will be slaughtered today in Namibia - and each
and every day until November.
Please join
this protest outside the Namibian High Commission, 6
Chandos Street, London W1G 9LU
This is the second largest slaughter of seals anywhere in
the world. It has rightfully been called the
cruellest, by the ex-director of IFAW South Africa, due to
the fact that the overwhelming majority of seals killed
are nursing pups. Namibia is the only country in
the world to still allow the slaughter of pups who are
still suckling on their mothers.
Please join this protest, which will include a visual
display of demonstrators (who have already
volunteered), 'stripped and bleeding', in a symbolic
representation of the seal pups and adult males, who
have been needlessly slaughtered.
We need as many people as possible to attend this protest,
to hold placards and hand out leaflets. A press
release is being circulated. Please make every effort to
join this protest.
Placards and leaflets provided.
Contact for the day: 0709 2881 386
Meet:
Bond Street tube (main entrance - Oxford St) @ 11.30 a.m.
We will wait until 11.40. After this time,
please go straight to the High Commission
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=528806&Y=181550&A=Y&Z=1
Save The Seals (UK)
PO
Box 5707
Southend-on-Sea
Essex
SS1
1WW
Tel: 0709
2881 386
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