Namibia : Gone - From This To This, Within A Year - Sent March 16, 2008
Seal Alert-SA's letter to Namibian Prime Minister - Francois.
----- Original Message -----
From: Seal Alert-SA
To: nangula@opm.gov.na
Sent: Sunday, March 16, 2008 10:57 AM
Subject: Namibia : Gone - From This To This, Within A Year
Dear Rt. Hon. Nahas Angula/Prime Minister of Namibia,
Namibia : Gone - From
This To This, Within A Year
Namibian Sealers Exterminate Namibia's
Largest Seal Colony, Whilst International Tourists Are
Charged To View An Empty Beach
Firstly I
trust you are well.
Namibia's largest seal breeding colony,
with 300 000 seals, remains active throughout the year. As you
know, sealers exterminated this colony in July, 22 days into
the 139 day sealing season in 2007, trying to fill the sustainable
seal pup quota awarded by the Ministry of Fisheries.
Fisheries Ministry states the seal cull is
necessary to protect fish stocks, yet 90% of the cull, is based on
baby seals who are still suckling mothers milk and are not
fish-eaters. Killing these babies will have no impact on fisheries.
Where is the sense in this policy?
Prime Minister, you are on record during
our meeting in July 2007, as stating I can have three days if
necessary to debate the issue. Seal Alert was given no such
opportunity in the Fisheries Ministry meeting in August. There too,
it was minuted that we would re-meet within a few days. It has
since been 7 months. The Ministry's apparent head in the sand
approach hoping Seal Alert will tire and go away, is some what in
poor judgement. We need to resolve this.
The upcoming annual Namibian Seal Cull in
2008. During a African television interview on Friday night on SABC
Africa, of which I was a part of, I was quite shocked to hear Dr
Moses Maurihungirire, Director of Marine Resources at the Namibian
Ministry of Fisheries confirm that seal culling would go ahead. In
addition some participants stated they believed the seal population
should be reduced further by 50%, and thereafter a continued
program of annual seal culls.
If these are the sentiments within the
Ministry, this is of grave concern. Seal Alert is not questioning
Namibia right to utilize the seals, its questioning Namibia right
to exterminate a seal species. The issues are not a better way to
kill seals, but how many you are killing.
With the deepest respect, Namibia's
constitution only allows the sustainable utilization
of a marine resource
consumptively or non-consumptively. To do otherwise would be
illegal. The emphasis is on the word "sustainable". The Oxford
English Dictionary defines "sustainable" as, "involving the use of
natural products in a way that does not harm the environment and
capable of being continued with minimal long-term effect on the
environment".
Largest seal colony extermination, is
surely unacceptable. How exactly did this happen, and who is
responsible?
Namibia's pelagic fisheries have declined
from 1,5 million tons to zero, is this 'sustainable' fishing?
Namibian scientist, Dr BJ van Zyl
stated in an IWMC Symposium on Culling Seals in Namibia : A
Conservation Necessity, that and I quote, "The Marine Mammal
Section of the Directorate of Resource Management has had the task
of advising the Ministry on the management of the seal population,
and of recommending harvesting levels for the different colonies.
The ideal harvest levels for maintaining sustainable yields,
recommend that pup harvests may be as high as 30% of the
pups born on each seal colony".
When Namibia became independent in 1990, the pup
population surveyed in 1989 was 184 537, divided amongst 17 seal
colonies. The three largest colonies, where seal culling takes
place, accounted for 122 018 pups (66% of the population). To which
a "sustainable" pup cull quota of 25 000 was applied by the
Ministry. This is below the 30% high or maximum sustainable yield
(36 000). Records from the Ministry show, Sealers were only able to
harvest, 9 790 pups.
The only explanation for this shortfall of
some 61% in filling the "sustainable" pup quota, was that even
at this low number, sealers found insufficient numbers of pups
to kill.
It further implies, that this "maximum
sustainable yield of 30% of the seal pups born", is in fact, not
sustainable, as the sealers are not even able to harvest 39% of
this.
16 years later, in 2006, when the Namibian
Ministry announced a three year annual rolling seal cull quota
(approved by Cabinet), in which it announced a 30% hike in pup
quota over the previous year (65 000 to 85 000 pups). It stated
that the Ministry relied upon the seal pup population survey
conducted in December 2005. Which found, 205 396 seal pups on 24
colonies. With the three largest seal culling colonies accounting
for 121 462 seal pups (59%). To which the Ministry applied an 85
000 pup quota, for these three colonies.
Which is 70% of the pups born, and not the 30%
recommended.
Based on Dr BJ van Zyl statement at the
Ministry, 30% (maximum sustainable yield) of 121 462 pups would
allow Namibia to issue a seal pup quota under the constitution
of Namibia, of 36 000 for 2006.
In complete disregard of the Constitution, it
awarded a pup quota, at least double the sustainable recommended
quota, when it awarded a pup quota of 85 000, for three years,
rolling annually starting in 2006.
I trust you will see the seriousness of these
actions and their unlawfulness under the Constitution of
Namibia?
The following year, Minister Abraham Iyambo
signed a letter on the 13 November 2007, to the Netherlands
Minister Gerda Verburg, that stated and I quote, "According to our
surveys 120 000 pups (born December 2006)".
Clearly with the seal population in decline by a
massive 44%
over the previous year (205
396 to 120 000 pups). Under the
Constitution Namibia loses all rights to harvest or cull seals, as
the population is in severe decline.
Instead the Ministry of Fisheries announces only
a 6% reduction in pup quota of 5000 pups, and awards an 80 000 pup
quota for 2007 (85 000 to 80 000).
Ignoring this decline (which is unethical), but
if based purely on this number, with no comparison to population
trends of past. The 30% high sustainable pup quota, would have
consisted of the following. 120 000 pups surveyed in 2006. Of which
about 60% occurs on the three sealing colonies. Which implies that
this number is, 72 000 pups. 30% of this, would have allowed the
Ministry (ignoring the decline), of a pup quota of 21 600, for the
2007 pup sealing season.
Instead it awarded a pup quota of 80 000 pups,
nearly quadruple, the sustainable yield for these seal colonies,
according to your own Ministry and scientists.
The result, largest seal colony
exterminated.
In reality, since
Namibia's independence in 1990, although the seal population is
some 44% lower (205 396 - 120 000). Pup quotas have risen 240% (25
000 to 85 000). On actual pups killed, it has risen over
700%
(9 790 to
77 800).
Clearly this is in gross violation of Namibia's
own Constitution which allows only for the sustainable utilization
of a marine resource.
As Seal Alert-SA is not privy to the
resultants of the December 2007 pup count, we can only surmise that
as fisheries and fish stocks is still depleted, that the seal
population would continue with this downward trend and reveal a pup
population, even lower than the 120 000 pups surveyed in December
2006, according to the Ministry.
Constitutionally it is imperative that Namibia
publicly announces an end to its seal culling policy, economically
it is already directly jeopardizing the N$ 2 million earned via the
70 000 tourists now unable to view the seals (non-consumptively) at
Namibia's once, largest mainland seal colony - Cape Cross.
If you as the Prime Minister of Namibia, are
still in any doubt as to the seriousness or sustainability of
Namibia's seal cull policy, please consider the following. Of the
120 000 seal pups surveyed on all seal colonies in Namibia, born in
December 2006. Namibian Fisheries scientist, Dr Carola Kirchner,
gave a presentation where she had found the average pup natural
mortality since the 1970s (1972 - 2006), to be on average, 44%,
prior to the start of sealing season (January to July). Bearing in
mind latest scientific research by Namibian scientists conducted
over the last 5 years, shows natural pup mortality has increased to
62% over this same period.
Subtract 44% (Dr Kirchner's average since 1970s)
natural mortality from the 120 000 pups (latest survey). This
leaves 67 200 seal pups possibly alive, amongst all 24 seal
colonies in Namibia, by start of the annual sealing season on July
1, 2008. To which Namibia has announced in 2006, a three year
rolling quota of 85 000 pups per year. A quota, that exceeds
the number of pups alive. Bear in mind, this illustration
covers the entire Namibia seal population. When in reality, it is
far worse, as sealing only takes place on the three largest seal
colonies where 60% of the pup production occurs.
If this reality, is taken into account, 120 000
pups (total pup population 2006 in Namibia on 24 seal colonies). Of
which 60% occurs on the 3 sealing colonies, which is 72 000 pups,
born December 2006 (we have no data for 2007). Of these, 44% will
die from natural causes, leaving at best, 40 000 pups alive by
start of sealing on July 1, 2008. To which if the Ministry awards
an 85 000 pup quota (2006) or an 80 000 pup quota (2007). This
quota will not only see the complete extermination of all seal pups
from these three largest mainland seal colonies, representing 60%
of Namibia seal population, but in fact exceed it by double.
Clearly the situation is out of control. I would
appreciate your position on this.
For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA
www.sealalert.org
27-21-790 8774