Cruelty to Continue Under 'New' Canadian Seal Hunt Regulations

CHARLOTTETOWN, Prince Edward Island, March 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --
Today, experts with IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare -
www.ifaw.org) denounced the Canadian government's claims that a new condition
of licence will improve the humaneness of Canada's commercial seal hunt. The
so-called 'new' regulations make no real changes to the way seals can be
killed. They simply call for bleeding to be conducted at some point, "where
possible" or even after the seal is finally brought onto the deck of a sealing
vessel.

"Now that I have seen the actual text of the new condition of licence, I'm
left speechless by its inadequacy," said Sheryl Fink, IFAW senior researcher
and veteran seal hunt observer. "The impaling of live and conscious seals on
steel hooks and hoisting them onto boats is still permitted -- I don't know
anyone who would call that an improvement in humaneness."

"This new requirement in no way reflects the recommendations made by numerous
veterinary panels, who have clearly said that seals should be stunned, checked
for irreversible unconsciousness, and bled out immediately to ensure humane
slaughter," said Fink.

"The so-called 'new' procedure requires sealers only to bleed out animals
'where possible.' For the Canadian government to claim that the new
requirement reflects the recommendations of veterinarians is simply
dishonest," added Fink.

"These 'rule changes' are obviously designed to deceive the world that this
inherently cruel hunt can be made humane, and to forestall a ban on trade in
seal products currently under consideration by the European Commission," said
Robbie Marsland, IFAW's UK Director. "But Europeans won't be so easily
fooled," he concluded.

On the eve of Canada's 2008 commercial seal hunt, IFAW observers are gearing
up to document hunting activity in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This year,
275,000 harp seals are set to be slaughtered. Over 224,000 seals were killed
in last year's hunt, 98.5% of which were under three months old.

For more information on IFAW's campaign to end the largest hunt for marine
mammals in the world, visit www.stopthesealhunt.com.

Note to Editors:
-- IFAW has a team of professional video cameramen and photographers ready to
document the hunt. Images will be fed out via www.thenewsmarket.com/ifaw as
they are obtained.
-- Visit www.thenewsmarket.com/ifaw frequently for updated broadcast quality
video and still images of the 2007 commercial seal hunt.
-- APTN satellite feeds will be available once the hunt begins. Feed times
TBA.

Editors: Fact sheets, still images and broadcast quality video b-roll related
to Canada's commercial seal hunt are available via www.thenewsmarket.com/ifaw.

SOURCE International Fund for Animal Welfare

Katie McConnell of International Fund for Animal Welfare, +1-508-648-3584,
kmcconnell@ifaw.org