Seal Alert-SA's
Review of the Scientific Presentation
by
Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources
Blood
soaked sand
is all that remains of the Cape Cross Seal Colony
Seal Alert-SA refers to the Ministry of
Fisheries Press Release dated 14 August 2007. Seal Alert-SA has now
reviewed the scientific presentation.
Seal Alert-SA totally disputes the
statement that we were unable to provide any alternative to seal
harvesting. Two 30-minute presentations to both your Prime Minister
and to the 34 participants present in the meeting on 9 August, will
confirm Seal Alert-SA's presentations were full of alternatives to
seal harvesting (A copy of which has been forwarded to the media).
As we believe that your current method of sealing is cruel and in
fact unlawful, we did not attempt to illustrate a further an
alternative method, in an already unlawful activity. We did however
illustrate why sealing should stop. How sealers have directly
caused a population imbalance, how sealing is not sustainable and
how sealing has cost the fishing industry thousands of jobs and
billions in lost profits.
We put forward the concept of
non-consumptive use of the seal resource as an alternative, and the
undertaking to assist with eco-tourism development.
The extermination by Sealers of Namibia's
largest mainland colony as confirmed by aerial photographs taken
before and after the meeting on the 9 August 2007, confirm. By your
scientists own admittance, awarding two sealers the right to
harvest 46 950 pups at Cape Cross. When your scientists acknowledge
that prior to the start of sealing season on July 1. The Cape Cross
colony of pups 65 073 (recorded in December 2005) would experience
a natural mortality of 44% to 62%. Which would leave 36 440 or 24
727 pups alive by July 1. Clearly for the Ministry to then set a
TAC of 46 950 pups, would be un-sustainable. As it exceeds the
number of pups alive by some, 10 510 - 22 223 pups. Even more so,
to then award a three year rolling TAC.
Not a single issue raised in the Seal
Alert-SA presentations were meaningfully addressed by either of the
Namibian scientists. In fact, not a single shred of proof was
submitted by the scientists to dispute the evidence submitted by
Seal Alert-SA.
It is therefore incorrect for the Permanent
Secretary Frans Tsheehama to allege that the scientists provided
enough evidence to prove beyond doubt that the allegations made by
Seal Alert-SA had no basis. This was clearly a cheap shot by your
Ministry in an attempt to regain somesort of credibility in the
eyes of the media.
The issues presented to the Prime Minister and
at the meeting on 9 August 2007, remain unaddressed. The issues in
the interests of the conservation of the Cape fur seals and the
Namibian people, require serious further deliberation.
Seal Alert-SA is ready and able to attend
the next round of meetings. In light of the extermination by
sealers of the Cape Cross seal colony, we trust the Ministry will
act quickly and set a date soonest, so that Seal Alert-SA can make
the necessary arrangements.
We request that the meeting is chaired by
someone who is unbiased and objective to the proceedings and
therefore propose that perhaps an official from the Public
Protectors Office in South Africa, (who has an intimate knowledge
of the Seal issues) be invited to chair the next meeting or
alternatively the meeting is chaired by the Prime Minister, once
again.
We look forward to your official
invitation.
For the Seals
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA