 |
|
Also of interest: Francois Hugo says it may not to late to save more than 90,000 Namibian seals from cruel clubbing --contains video of clubbing. Watch with caution as the nature of the cull is violent. |
|
The call to shut down the seal slaughter in Namibia has caught worldwide attention with pledges coming in from around the world. To make a pledge in support of this cause email Seal Alert directly. Seal Alert-SA's international campaign to raise the cash, has seen an overwhelming support for this buy-out at $15 a seal's life |
Francois Hugo of Seal Alert-SA , just in from time working at the seal rescue center, speaks to Examiner.com readers about the Cape fur seals slated to be clubbed to death under policies of the Namibian Government. He shares his plan to stop the cull which is universally seen as inhumane and threatens the viability of the species.
What kind of seals are your trying to save?
Cape fur seals, are different from true seals in a number of ways, one of which is they form permanent year round colonies. Their preferred habitat is offshore islands, it was their historical breeding ground. Sealing exterminated these colonies (23), this involved 98% of the population then, and then govt banned the seals from re-populating the islands, forcing these herds of seals to seek new colonies, which they found on the mainland were culling now takes place or restricted their breeding to small inappropriate awash rocks.
Why would anyone want to club seals?
In 2006, when the current and only fur buyer entered the scene, the Namibian govt announced a sudden increase in the sealing pup quota by 30%. Increasing it from 65 000 to 85 000 pups. Without any sound scientific reason to do so. This was after govt has already doubled it in 2000, from 30 000 to 60 000. I had to address this, as the cull from 2006 onwards, would kill all the surviving pups in the colony. The two sealing colonies produced 121 000, less 44% natural mortality prior to the start of cull, would leave 67 000 surviving pups facing a pup quota of 85 000. Sealers would then exterminate all the surviving pups in the colony, naturally this would lead to the species extinction, as the culling involves over 75% of the breeding population.
Are their other pressures on the seals?
No sooner had the 2006 sealing season begun, and I exposed that large numbers of pups were dying, that govt was forced to publicly state in writing that the seal colonies was suffering its largest mass die-off on record, larger than the 1994 incident, which saw all the pups born starve to death during the year and half the adult population, it further had to acknowledge the pups died from starvation due to a lack of fish, but stopped short from admitting it was their overfishing policies by the Minister, that was the actual cause that had also caused several mass die-off incidents since 1994.
The species really needed help, and yet nobody was coming forward. Many assume the seals are plentiful, but even with its peak in the population, if all the seals in Namibia and South Africa, returned to one former island colony off Namibia, an island called Seal Island, at 44 ha in size. The total Cape fur seal species had effectively been reduced to the size of 500 metres by 800 metres for the entire species. Which can be proven as follows. In SA, our largest offshore colony is Seal Island in False Bay. 16 000 pups born there and 60 000 seals live there. It is 2 ha in size. The total seal population for both SA and Namibia peaked in 1993, at 320 000 pups. Which is 20 times larger than the pups on False Bay colony. The island in Namibia, called Seal Island, extinct and banned to the seals, is 22 times larger than the False Bay island. 44 ha therefore equals 500 metres by 800 metres for the entire species. Geographically over a distribution range of 3000km by 200km out to sea, a pin-prick.
Is the Namibian government responding to the worldwide concerns for the seals?
I campaigned heavily in the media and elsewhere, finally in July 2007. I received an email directly from the Prime Minister of Namibia to come up and discuss the sealing with him. In attendance at the meeting was the Minister of Fisheries. Obviously my concerns for the species was a direct attack on the Minister's management. Nevertheless after a meeting which lasted over an hour, the PM then tasked that I meet which 34 members of industry (tourism, trade, sealing, mining and fisheries) which he had set-up in Namibia in two weeks time.
He told me I can have two or three days to sort this issue out with them. Had I been allowed to I believe I could have convinced the govt to stop sealing. Instead the meeting was chaired and opened by the Deputy Minister of Fisheries, which is biased, and the Namibian scientists presented data that was false and can be proven so, using their own data. Instead of arguing back and forth, I asked if like they had done, taken my presentation to the PM, and produced a counter-presentation, in this meeting with false data. If I can have a similar opportunity to receive their presentation, and return in two weeks to continue with the discussion. The meeting was minuted and agreed to re-meet in two weeks.
Were you able to convince leaders to consider a policy change or to see the seals'value in terms of eco tourism?
Since that meeting in August 2007, govt has refused all further communication with me. I then went to Netherlands and Germany to have those countries ban seal product imports, and then convinced the EU to include Cape fur seals in their EU ban successfully in May this year. Still the govt would not talk to me or announce any plans to stop the cull.
You have helped to remove a significant portion of the demand for seal skins, and still the Government still has not called off the cull. What now?
To save the seals, I saw an opportunity for a backdoor approach, which I am currently pursuing to raise 14 million US dollars in a buyout of the industry. But equally I believe govt is open to a possible much smaller offer of 2 million being presented to them. The problem is that the govt will have no further dealings with me, after the PM asked that I don't record the meeting, which I did, and as they broke all further communications, released our meeting on youtube. So in simple terms I have angered the highest office in the state, and the deciding Minister all in one go.
How can you stop the slaughter if the government leaders who sanction the cull won't talk to you?
An organization therefore with no contact with the issue publicly or in the very least not in negative terms with govt, would be an ideal, to make the offer or approach. This offer covers govt full sealing levies, and then positively re-employs seal-pup-clubbers into seal-protectors, further uplifting the clubbers, community and country. Naturally behind the scenes I would be responsible for raising the funding for project, implementing it, managing it, and ensuring addition funds are raised to cover the annual costs.
Thank you Francois
|
|
Although the government had called for the slaughter to begin on July 1st, Hatem Yavuz who represents the Namibia sealing industry has agreed to not begin killing seals for 7 days while funds are raised for the buyout. In a desperate attempt to save the baby seals Hugo has successfully negotiated that beginning on the 8th day, a daily deposit of $15,000 will keep the sealers at bay for another week while enough pledges are collected to for the $14 million buyout of the industry. . A concept or solution never before attempted to end seal hunts. "The problem, is that I am a tiny, one-man organization, who has no big mass emailing lists or infrastructure to reach millions of anti-seal hunt supporters overnight around the world. It will take time to reach out, time the seal pups in Namibia don't have," says Francois Hugo, Seal Alert SA. Job redevelopment plans for the otherwise indigent & migrant workers who club the seals are included in the proposal.
|
| Thousands of cute baby seal cubs are born on the skeleton coast of Africa. Although one of the most desolate places on Earth and notorious for killing stranded sailors, this desert coast still manages to be home to Cape seals. |
Comments
Thank you for keeping the Namibian seal slaughter in the news and trying to prevent it.
I sincerely hope he succeeds in his mission and then receives a knighthood for his selfless efforts!
Thanks a lot for spreading this very important topic!
These killings have to end!
Thank you for keeping this important topic up! Please everyone take action to protect this lovely innocent seals and help Francois Hugo!
Thank you, Amy for spreading this important issue. And thank you, François Hugo for your inconditional love and tireless fight for the beautiful seals!
I still cannot believe that the conservation authorities and world diplomats have not come to Francois' aid, expecially to do the PR while Francois works in the background.
Are there too many egos involved here? I believe so. As for those conservation organisations who are actively trying to scupper this buyout - you know who you are - SHAME ON YOU!!
Not enough real men and women in this world willing to risk it all for the animals, this world stinks, ty Amy for the article, you are assisting Francois Hugo in his efforts, keep us posted, please!
When will people understand that we really do not have to cull, the lord has been taking care of this for years, without our help. I think you a noble and compassionate gentlemen, and I wish you much success, but after the fight with the canadians over the baby seals, I do not have a lot of trust in some people, who are selfish, and greedy and will make money off of an innocent blood. No one wants or wears fur anymore. Thank you Mr. Hugo
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!