For decades the Canadian Fisheries staff (and the respective minister) have claimed to properly set sealing quotas based on conservation principals. Expanding the quota yet again, in spite of catastrophic sea ice scarcity, shows the conservation lie for what it is. The seal hunt is supposed to start in a few days from time of this publishing (March 18), and the quota has increased to 330,000. The sealers can kill an additional 50,000 seals over last year’s quota. Gail Shea (of the Conservative party), the current Minister of Fisheries, continues to claim the quota is based on conservation principals; maybe she means conserving sealer votes for the federal election. 

The government needs to earn their votes by following the wishes of the majority of Canadians (whom polling has consistently shown are against the hunt). There's no market for seal products this year, and with almost no useable sea ice, it's more expensive than ever to hunt seals; with little or no economic value from killing seals this year, the seal hunt is more of a waste in 2010 than any previous year.

The quota this year is outrageously reckless, and an abuse of responsibility; we demand the resignation of the (dis)Hon. Canadian Minister of Fisheries, Gail Shea

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