Dear All, we the public are not paying MCM to deceive us - Francois. Fence off the Seal Colony ! -
----- Original Message -----
From: Sealalert
Sent: Sunday, January 06, 2008 5:18 PM
Subject: Something Very Wrong in the Management of Cape Fur Seals in Southern Africa
Dear All Cape Fur Seal Supporters,
Something
Very Wrong in the Management of Cape Fur Seals in Southern
Africa
Seal pup strangled to
death amongst 100 plus other seals found dead at
Elands Bay, mainland seal colony
After a
decade (10 years) of trying to conserve and protect this
species of endangered Cape fur seals in two countries. I
can honestly tell you something is seriously wrong with the
current management of the authorities with this species.
Why they continue to do so, eludes me, but it is there in
every aspect of their management? It is bad enough dealing
with overfishing, seal entanglement, mass washing ashore of
seals, clubbing in Namibia, Trophy hunting of seals, mass
starvation, live seal exports, rescue, trawler net seal
drownings, gun carrying murdering fishermen, but all this
pales into insignificance, when dealing with authorities
tasked with our tax-paying money to protect and conserve
this species.
Are they just plain incompetent, could
not care less or is there something always more sinister at
play?
The above article and the incident referred to within,
is just another classic example. There are 5 key
words, "No foul play", "SPCA", "John Spence of Marine
and Coastal Management", "too decomposed" and
"1000 dead seal pups not uncommon".
With Theressa Akkers/Frantz
Director of Offshore Fisheries and tasked with protecting
Cape Fur Seals at the Department of Marine and Coastal
Management, when it comes to seals, there is always "no
foul play" and every seal's death is natural. Never caused
by them or their mismanagement or their permitted
fishermen. And, you know when MCM calls in the SPCA they
are in a tight spot in the public eye, and use the SPCA to
dig themselves out of the tight hole.
This is the truth of the matter. On New Years day a
tourist from Canada came across 100 plus seals all
dead at a colony on our west coast. Whilst this number
is nothing compared to the tens of thousands
slaughtered legally and illegally, it does illustrate
reality of the seal situation. He fell to his knees
crying. He found a new born pup with a rope tied
around its neck in a slip-knot, with the other end
tied to a rock which resulted in the pup being unable
to free itself and therefore strangled itself. A very
sick and cruel way to die for such a few days old new
born pup. Others had trails of flesh blood pouring
out, other seals were decomposing and other carcasses
were freshly killed or dead.
He reported this to the newspaper, the
picture of strangled pup was published and MCM quickly
swung in gear with denial, once it had now gone public.
Straight away MCM made out as if this was new to them and
immediately stated that the seal deaths were natural, even
though the colony is situated over 250 kilometres from
their offices. But, the public persisted and did not accept
this official nonsense.
Seal
Alert-SA unable to go due to our rescue commitments, asked
a film-maker to go instead. Whilst filming, along comes a
conservation official from the Department. He informs the
film-maker he is looking for the black baby seal pups. Why?
Clearly sent with instructions to find only the strangled
baby seal with orders to remove just the rope, and thereby
conceal this very unnatural death and its evidence. Which
he proceeded to do just that, and caught on camera in the
act.
Then to complete the cover-up, even the
very existence of this, the only land based public
access seal colony is discarded - claims are now made that
rough seas washed these seals ashore and that no actual
seal colony exists. Comments to support this are made that
tells of 1000 a day washing ashore at other
places. Even though there was plenty of flesh
carcasses for a post-mortem, officially they were all
suddenly too decomposed. No cracked skulls of seal pups was
suddenly found, all had disappeared or officially never
existed, and naturally no seals had been shot. Case closed,
public uproar quashed! To end the story, lime and a
clean-up operation using the City Council Refuse Department
to cart away these crimes against nature.
The Seal Protection Act dating back to
1973 states it is a criminal offence to disturb, harass,
capture or kill a seal. No police docket is opened, no
enquiry, all just another day in a dead seal life. All
natural, naturally.
Seal Alert-SA's attention was first
drawn to this colony in 2000 (8 years ago) when a lady
reported she had found more than 26 killed seals,
with many shot, and even recovering .22mm bullet shell
casings lying amongst the dead shot seals. She made a sworn
affidavit at the police station (see below copy), and
handed me the shell casings. She reported it to inspector
John Spence of Marine and Coastal Management (remember the
name above), when at the time, he informed her, he knew
that people came and shot and killed seals at this colony,
but that it was very difficult to catch them. He remarked
that the crayfish factory alongside considers the
seals pests. So clearly MCM is well aware of these illegal
shootings and clubbings, so why deny it? Even worse, why go
to such great lengths using our taxpayers money to conceal
it further.
The Argus and Cape Times reporters were
given this Affidavit and recent photographs, but to date
ignored all this public evidence.
Every
year since 2000, I have visited this seal colony, as
you all know well, Mumkin is one of the baby pups
rescued from this sick situation. Ever year between
November and Christmas time/New Year the exact same
sick carnage confronts anyone who parks his vehicle
and walks the few metres down to this mainland based
seal colony. Hundreds of seal corpses lay
scattered around, heads bashed in, bleeding and
rotting away. No clean-up or removal is ever
undertaken, until the newspaper report. Complete
disregard over the years, is all to evident. There is
clearly illegal activity involved in these seal
death's, anyone who goes there sees it. But, yes
equally some seals have died from natural causes, if
you can call starvation of a supposedly thriving seal
population - natural. But, what is the most common,
and most disturbing is the majority presence of
new-born baby dead seals.
This is what is
truly sickening, for as anybody in seal management knows,
these pups which cannot swim for first few weeks, are
dependent on dry-land and are nursed for up to 12 months.
Are in fact locked onto this tiny piece of coastline for
survival. It becomes their living nightmare. They cannot
swim away and also cannot leave the waters edge. In
addition, due to increased overfishing their mothers are
forced to spend longer and longer periods at sea foraging,
for days away on end, leaving these defenceless seal pups
completely vulnerable (with no protection from mom or even
teeth) to be approached, picked up, kicked, clubbed,
tied-up or harassed and chased in any way. The terror in
these seal pups is clearly evident, accumulated via
constant harassment via any member of the public day or
night, good intention or not, intoxicated or sober. Gun in
hand, club or camera.
Many crawl into small caves in a desperate
attempt to hide away, until mom returns. With many mother's
giving up from the constant harassment, never returning,
leaving the pup to slowly starve to death over agonizing
days. Where seagulls will eventually start pecking away at
its soft eyeballs, as it nears its weak end. This dear Seal
Supporters is not natural death or no foul play.
I have photographed this colony each year
since 2000, with even in December 2004, SABC's 50/50
wildlife program showing extensive footage of this carnage
in that year, again nationally for all to see. What did MCM
do then or any other year - nothing? So why now?
Why is this all so wrong, and why is MCM so
derelict. Because simply, this colony is situated next to a
dirt road leading to the surfing/fishing/holiday town of
Elands Bay. Passing vehicle traffic is constant. What
increases the danger and abuse, is that motorists stop
directly opposite to visit the famous bushman caves,
directly opposite the seal colony, as this cave has some of
the oldest bushman paintings discovered. Equally too,
archaeologists have discovered that the Bushman used
seal-pups for food, with their bones discovered dating back
100 000 years. Making this seal colony the oldest known
seal colony, dating back 100 000 years.
Instead of the authorities fencing this
area off, putting up informative sign-boards and have a
seal viewing platform over the seal colony that is
controlled, and even charging tourists a fee to assist the
local community and undertake seal research and
conservation. To prevent all this carnage. This unique
cultural heritage site, is left open and abandoned in
complete darkness, even at night. Yet, this is the only
public accessible site to view a seal colony in the whole
of South Africa. Which in itself presents are lucrative
opportunity, and significant attraction already, much the
same as has been developed in Hout Bay, earning millions
annually. But, just like Hout Bay developed privately, no
doubt MCM will fail to see the true value in seals, who are
not better off dead. And, once again completely ignore the
issue, choosing instead for seals to rather be abused and
killed, and using our money to cover-up their
mismanagement, year after year, after year. Is their hatred
for seals so intense, they cannot see the light?
But each March, each year, the seal
colony is completely erradicated and is no more. No seal
pups ever survive. No rescue (besides Seal Alert-SA) is
ever attempted.
I must add that I in noway see the SPCA as
being responsible. Linda Bredenkamp has only been with the
SPCA for 3 months and has no seal experience, nor should
she or her organization be expected to deal with clubbed,
shot or reasons why marine mammals (seals) died. This is
the task of MCM or better still Seal Alert-SA, but with
zero co-operation between the two, with MCM preferring to
hide their mismanagement behind the SPCA. So good are these
people at MCM in deceiving the public, that the public
never questions why SPCA is involved at all, if a whale,
dolphin, seabird shark or fish washes ashore MCM does not
call in the SPCA, it sends its own personnel. But, clearly
in the case with seals, the public no longer believes them.
See the reply from the SPCA, to my
constructive offer, and once again within MCM it will fall
on deaf ears, with not even the decency of a reply.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Linda Bredenkamp" <</span>bredenkamp@tiscali.co.za>
To: "'Sealalert'" <</span>sasealion@wam.co.za>;
Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2008 1:27 PM
Subject: RE: Elands Bay Statement
Dear Francois
Thanks for your phone call this morning - it was very
interesting and useful to get more background on the
history aound this seal colony. Thanks also for putting
your constructive suggestions on a way forward in writing
as suggested. In my personal view this seems to be a
sensible way forward and would be something worth pursuing.
Let's talk further after we have feedback from other
roleplayers.
Thanks and best wishes
Linda Bredenkamp
-----Original Message-----
From: Sealalert
Sent: Saturday, January 05, 2008 10:43 AM
To spca@polka.co.za
Cc: Theressa Akkers; spca@polka.co.za;
Beryl Batties; Mike Meyer; Herman Oosthuizen; Risha
Sewmangal Persad; Radia Razack; mmayekiso@deat.gov.za;
ceo@spca-ct.co.za;
liaison@nspca.co.za;
bredenkamp@tiscali.co.za
Subject: Re: Elands Bay Statement
Dear All, and especially Theressa Akkers,
Seal Alert-SA's attention was first drawn to this colony in
2000. When a member of the public reported over 26 dead
seals, some shot and even recovered .22 shell casings. MCM
inspectors are well aware illegal seal shooting and killing
takes place (see attached sworn affidavit). To deny same is
foolhardy. Since I have visited this colony annually, where
each year approximately 200 plus seals die and are killed
(November - December).
Its a grave-yard of seals. Their carcasses lying rotting
for weeks and months, each year. Many seals have been shot
and clubbed with broken skulls.
A program in December 2004 on 50/50 showed extensive
footage of the deaths in 2004. By each March this small
colony is completely deserted or eradicated.
Clearly all this is illegal under the Seal Protection Act,
and MCM is derelict in its duty for ignoring it, year after
year.
So what is going on at Elands Bay? Numerous
yearling/weanling pups are found clearly starving and many
die from starvation. Large seals are well, are also found
dead in good condition. Females or nursing seals are also
clearly starving. A number of pups are born there. Without
doubt there is a constant element of illegal abuse and
disturbance. The rope around the pup's neck and the shot
seals are all examples. Ultimately due to its un-protected
location and isolation on a dirt road, the ability for any
passing motorist on the way to Elands Bay can stop and
proceed to walk amongst the seals, causing massive
disturbance of the whole colony, if not physical abuse.
Cows to separate from pups, pups becoming abandoned and
then starving to death.
Which increases the overall mortality at this colony.
These wild seals are completely vulnerable to disturbance
and abuse, as the pups are dependent on nursing for up to
12 months (completely unprotected at times with the cows at
sea foraging)
Solution. What is suggested is this. Stop having a media
tug of war about whether the deaths were natural or not.
Both answers are correct, and yes some may even be dying
from disease or the like. MCM has a duty to
protect the species. The bushman cave above is significant
culturally for its paintings as well as the archaeological
findings has dated the seal bones used to nearly 100
000 years old. This therefore presents a unique
opportunity. The west coast fishing community is clearly
suffering declining fish stocks. This colony is therefore
the oldest known seal colony in southern Africa, Culturally
significant once again, and importantly it is the only
land-based colony in South Africa that tourists can view
seal on a land-based colony to which a thriving eco-tourism
activity can be created.
It is further suggested that this small colony, is fenced
off around its perimeter, with signage, a viewing area
built, to which a fee could be charged to tourists. Income
generated could then be used for further seal conservation
research and protection, whilst creating income for the
community.
Hout Bay has a thriving eco-tourism seal viewing industry
worth millions, catering for seal island viewing, informal
traders and the like, a similar concept is suggested.
Could I have all's commitment to attempt to put this in
reality before the start of next year's pupping season.
Alternative Seal Alert-SA will continue to document and
expose, year after year, the illegal seal abuse and killing
at Elands Bay.
For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA
