Telling the truth about seal hunting

IN just a few weeks, the largest slaughter of marine mammals is set to begin on the ice off Canada's east coast. Over 300,000 seals, mostly pups, will be bludgeoned or shot to death for their fur.

But the income generated by the commercial seal hunt doesn't go as far as the Canadian government would like you to think: it accounts for less than 1% of Newfoundland's GDP - an average of only $1,000 per sealer.

The seals are slaughtered in the most inhumane fashion during the hunt - routinely clubbed or shot and left to suffer on the ice, then dragged over the side of boats with sharpened metal hooks. Some are even skinned alive.