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Website : www.SealAlert.org
Ref: Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA

August 15, 2007

Dear Right Honourable Nanhas Angula Prime Minister of Namibia,

CC : Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources/Dr Moses Maurihungirire.
Media.

Re : Press Release Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources August 14, 2007

EXTINCTION OF THE LARGEST SEAL COLONY IN NAMIBIA DUE TO UN-SUSTAINABLE SET TAC SEALING QUOTAS BY THE NAMIBIAN MINISTRY OF FISHERIES & MARINE RESOURCES

Namibia is now in violation of every conservation principle of sustainable utilization imaginable.

In violation of;
1. Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries of the United Nations Food and Argricultural Organization.
2. Article 95 of the Namibian Constitution of sustainable utilization of resources.
3. IUCN sustainable utilization of seals from bountiful populations.
4. The Convention In Trade of Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix II criteria.
5. World ban on harvesting nursing baby seals and their imports.
6. Constitution of the Republic of South Africa which promotes the non-consumptive use of Cape fur seals, the promotion of their conservation and protection.

At the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources meeting on the 9th, Chaired by Dr Moses Maurihungirire. Three Namibian scientists gave presentations JP Roux, BJ Van Zyl and C Kirchner.

Ministry lists Cape Cross Seal colony as the largest seal colony in southern Africa and reportedly claims the pup production on this colony surpasses all other 25 colonies in Namibia and whose 2006 pup production of 65 073 exceeded all previous record high levels. Namibian travel websites claims that there are between 200 000 and 340 000 seals present on this colony.

In 2000 during a 2nd Symposium Journal of Sustainable Use, BJ Van Zyl was quoted, “These data are used in a model which predicts the ideal harvest levels for maintaining sustainable yields. Recommended pup harvests may be as high as 30% of the pups born”.

Ministry gives the pup production in 2006 for Cape Cross seal colony as 65073. 30% of this would give a TAC of 19521 pups. Ministry awards two rights holders a TAC for Cape Cross of 46950.

27429 pups more than what is the sustainable yield for this colony.

On June 8, 2006, JP Roux publishes a scientific paper with two other scientists S Mecenero and SP Kirkman. Its research covers the three sealing colonies of Wolf and Atlas Bay and Cape Cross for the period 1994 to 2002. Their research establishes that pup mortality prior to the start of sealing season on July 1 is on average 62%.

Ministry gives the pup production in 2006 for Cape Cross seal colony as 65073. Less 62% natural pup mortality prior to the start of sealing season on July 1. Leaving a possible 24727 pups still alive to harvest.

Ministry awards a pup TAC of 46950.

22223 pups more than what is alive on July 1.

Chairman of the meeting Dr Moses Maurihungirire on October 9, 2006. After setting an increased pup TAC of 30% from 65 000 to 85 000 pups, acknowledges that seals on the sealing colonies are suffering another major mass die-off.

Ministry then recommends to cabinet a 6% reduction in TAC pup quota and awards a TAC of 80 000 pups and 6000 bulls rolling for three years, for the start of the 2007 sealing season.

Supporting this conclusion evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Namibia’s Sealing Policy is non-sustainable. Seal Alert-SA presents two photographs of Cape Cross Seal Colony.

 
Photograph taken on August 20, 2005 at 10.35

Photograph taken (2 years later) on August 10, 2007 at 10.40.

The wall in the fore-ground in the first photograph is clearly visible in the aerial photograph in the second photograph. (high resolution close-up’s are available). The entire seal colony claimed to be largest in southern Africa is no more. It is therefore EXTINCT. Caused directly by un-sustainable TAC sealing quotas issued by the Ministry and harvested by the sealing rights holders.

Less than 30 days in the 139 day 2007 sealing season, Namibia’s largest mainland seal colony is deserted and for all intense purposes EXTINCT.

As reported in the Namibian Newspaper (August 15, 2007). Namibia cannot equally have two Ministry’s awarding permits to harvest bull seals. With the Fisheries Minister setting a TAC of 6000 bull seals to be shot by three sealing rights holders and the Minister of Environment and Tourism awarding permits to Trophy Hunters to shoot an unknown number of bulls between September and November.

As pointed out in our previous meeting, Namibia cannot pursue a policy of harvesting seals and eco-tourism. As visitor numbers to Cape Cross show, visitors of between 53 113 and 70 427 who generate of $2 million Namibian dollars are in fact now being defrauded due to the absence of any seals at Cape Cross.

Seal Alert-SA is therefore duty bound and mandated to insist that we can no longer enter into discussions on a way forward, until Namibia announces;

• An immediate moratorium on its seal harvesting and trophy hunting seal policy, both for pups and bull seals.

Seal Alert-SA therefore urges the Prime Minister of Namibia to act swiftly and announce a change in policy from a consumptive seal policy to one of a non-consumptive seal policy.

Failure to respond with immediate effect would nullify our agreement reached in the meeting on the 9th of August 2007.

Please be advised a copy of this letter is being sent to the media, as well as our worldwide network of over 12 million seal supporters in over 80 countries. The European Commission, Secretariat of CITES, United Nations Environmental Protection Agency, to list a few.

For the Seals, and respectfully yours,
Francois Hugo Seal Alert-SA

• Please give a copy of the leaflet to your friends before they leave on holidays.
• Ask your travel agent to display a copy.
• When you arrive at your holiday accommodation, ask if you may display a copy in the reception area.

Download the leaflet now! 
(pdf, 1.9 Mb)


Have happy holiday memories! This Summer, Boycott Bullfighting
“Shocking, Disgusting, Cruel” 
Many tourists who venture into bullrings out of curiosity leave upset and regret having witnessed animals being mercilessly killed before their eyes
Holidaymakers! This summer, please help end one of the world's cruellest blood sports. If you are holidaying in a bullfighting country, please boycott the bullrings.
Bullfighting leaves thousands of bulls dead every year. Each bullfight involves the slow torture to death of six or more bulls.
Horseback riders firstly weaken the bull by stabbing its body with sharp lances. To force it to drop its head, hooked spears are then driven into its neck muscles. The cruelty culminates with a fatal stabbing through the heart with a sword.
Horses are also victims, often being knocked off their feet and severely gored.
Some tour operators and travel guides may try to lure you into bullrings by presenting them as centres of art and culture. For the sake of the animals and your own peace of mind, please don't listen to them.
Seeing a cut-up bull stumbling weakly around an arena with blood spurting >from its back and spraying from its mouth and nostrils is sure to leave a dark shadow across holiday memories. In fact, many tourists who venture into bullrings out of curiosity leave in disgust as the animals are mercilessly killed before their eyes.
"I was prepared for the worst but still found it shocking, disgusting and cruel," one upset tourist recently reported. "I left after seeing a man horrifically injured and three bulls massacred. It shouldn’t be allowed to take place."
Bullrings in holiday spots depend on ticket sales to tourists. Decide now to boycott these venues and make your holiday cruelty-free. Not only will this help bring bullfighting to an end but it will also ensure that when you arrive home, your holiday memories will all be happy ones!
How can I help?

• Never visit a bullring. Also avoid bullfighting museums and bullfighting-related souvenirs.
• Bullfighting takes place in Spain, Portugal, France, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela. If you wish to avoid the places which host this cruelty, download a location list from banbloodsports.com or view it on your mobile phone at www.banbloodsports.com/bull
• Give a copy of this leaflet to your friends before they leave on holidays. Ask your travel agent to display copies.
• Respond to anti-bullfighting action alerts in our free Animal Voice newsletter. To subscribe, send an email to info@banblooodsports.com with “Animal Voice” as the subject.