Subject: Cape Fur Seals, Finally Get Their New National Legislated Act - 2008
Date: March 28, 2008
Dear All Cape Fur Seal Supporters,
Cape Fur
Seals, Finally Get Their New National Legislated Act -
2008
Nine years ago. I was officially told in writing by the
South African government that it is a criminal offence to
rescue seals under the Seal Protection Act of 1973 and
government was not prepared to consider seal rescue at this
time. To continue to do so daily, of every minute of every
hour in the will to save over 5000 seals their lives, would
lead to police arrest, criminal convictions, fines and
eventually incarceration for up to two years.
For over 26 years no-one had
tried or succeeded in trying to save their dying seal
lives.
I was told if you rock the
boat, South Africa will resume commercial sealing, killing
tens of thousands of baby seal lives.
Standing very alone, knowing
that for thousands of seals, their life or death, stood
before me. I decided to hell with them. If I can't rescue
seals under the Seal Protection Act of 1973, well then, I
will just force them to write a new one, in which it will
not be a criminal offence to rescue seals or protect them.
So I started Seal Alert-SA,
whose first act of defiance was to paint the side of my
boat into a large school room black-board. Upon which every
day I would write public seal messages to the government
about the seals I was rescuing, for all to see.
To confront the issue, to
force change, I set up seal rescue in the busiest
government controlled commercial fishing harbour in South
Africa. Illegally and criminally, of course. That really
pissed them off. Not in a once-off media campaign with a
whole bunch of international volunteers, but daily single
handed, I proceeded to rescue, save, disentangle and
protect these amazing sea-creatures, right in their face.
They threw the book at me. Discrediting me publicly,
ruining me financially, intimidating me, arresting me,
threatening me and making life hard, and succeeding in
turning an entire very rough fishing community against me.
Those were the days. Great
days, great seal days.
Eventually every fish that
got stolen from a fisherman by a seal, became my seals.
Every fisherman bitten, was bitten by my seals. Every seal
that got shot, became my seal. Every poor catch fishermen
had, become because of my seals. Slowly these seals became
my seals and I became their saviour and their protector.
Until a fisherman one day
complained, "Seals now have more rights than I do".
One reporter once wrote, "At
the going out of the tide, he will save them".
Well after thousands of
letters, reports and emails. Hundreds of newspaper, radio
and television interviews spanning across the globe, backed
by a pioneering and loyal group of seal supporters from
around the world in over 80 countries - you.
13 lever-arch files with the Public Protectors 5 year
investigation. Two State Presidents, Two Environmental
Ministers, Two Deputy Director-Generals and Two Public
Protectors. It finally happened.
Some have stated that
this is the most progressive legislation to protect seals
in the world. I seriously have my doubts on this. Until
seals are back on their rightful extinct islands, the
battle for their survival, their freedom, is far from over,
but at least it begins with solid national legislated
foundations within which to work to address specific
issues.
On the 7 December
2007, the Cape fur seals of South Africa, finally got their
new Act.
With any luck, and
continued support, this Act will serve the foundations for
decades to come, to increase these seals protection.
Namibia is now in my
seal sights now.
For all you have done,
my biggest Thank You.
For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA
link to
sealmancam
CLICK
HERE :
EnvAffPolicy
SealsSeabirds
