Lorely takes action to help end commercial seal hunt

2.46.14pm GMT Mon 20th Nov 2006

Lorely takes action to help end commercial seal hunt

West Midlands Liberal Democrats MP, Lorely Burt is urging the UK Government to ban the trade in seal products as part of the campaign to end Canada's cruel commercial seal hunt.

Lorely has given her support to a Commons motion on the issue and is encouraging her parliamentary colleagues to do the same.

Canada's commercial seal hunt is the largest marine mammal hunt in the world. Figures obtained by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) showed that more than 354,000 harp seals were killed in this year's hunt, with 97% of those killed pups under three months old.

This significantly exceeded the official catch limit of 335,000 and has spurred MPs into submitting the cross-party motion on the first day of the new parliamentary session.

Lorely said "I am appalled by the brutality involved and the fact that the UK is still importing products from a hunt which is both cruel and unnecessary.

"Motions in previous sessions on this issue have gathered widespread cross-party support, and I am urging my colleagues to support this new motion. It is shocking that official figures show the hunt has exceeded its quota."

The UK Government has stated that it is actively looking at the possibility of introducing a UK ban on the trade in seal products.

Lorely added: "It is time for this cruel hunt to stop. Every year hundreds of thousands of seals are killed so their fur can provide completely unnecessary items for the fashion industry."

"A United Kingdom ban on the import of harp and hooded seal products would send an important message to Canada that the UK wants no part in this hunt."