Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

Displaying items by tag: seal clubbing

The Canadian Government is challenging the European Union over its ban on seal products.
Canada has reportedly asked the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to arbitrate a formal dispute to assess the EU ban, which Canada alleges is a violation of WTO rules.
The EU ban on seal products was approved by all 27 member states in 2009 and came into force last year. According to Canada it has led to a decline in its seal product market of more than 50%.
Canada's fisheries minister Gail Shea accused the EU of siding with "animal rights lobbyists" over the ban.
The country has strict regulations regarding the hunting of seals, but the most efficient hunting method - commonly referred to as 'seal clubbing' - is highly controversial. Animal rights activists also claim that many seals are skinned alive, which is a prohibited practice.
However, the remote nature of seal hunting grounds makes enforcing regulations difficult.

The Canadian Government is challenging the European Union over its ban on seal products.

Canada has reportedly asked the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to arbitrate a formal dispute to assess the EU ban, which Canada alleges is a violation of WTO rules.

The EU ban on seal products was approved by all 27 member states in 2009 and came into force last year. According to Canada it has led to a decline in its seal product market of more than 50%.

Canada's fisheries minister Gail Shea accused the EU of siding with "animal rights lobbyists" over the ban.

The country has strict regulations regarding the hunting of seals, but the most efficient hunting method - commonly referred to as 'seal clubbing' - is highly controversial. Animal rights activists also claim that many seals are skinned alive, which is a prohibited practice.

However, the remote nature of seal hunting grounds makes enforcing regulations difficult.

Published in Marine Wildlife

About Pamela Lee, Irish Offshore Sailor

Ireland has produced some of the world’s most dedicated offshore sailors, and Pamela Lee of Greystones is one of them. She has made a name for herself in the sailing world, having worked as a mate on a charter Super-yacht for two and a half years. After coming ashore, she has been fully committed to her offshore sailing ambitions since 2019.

Lee has raced in various craft, including Figaro 3s, Class 40, Tp 52s, and multihulls, and has eight transatlantic crossings under her belt. In partnership with Kenny Rumball, Lee supported Rumball’s La Solitaire du Figaro sailing campaign to secure the Irish berth in the proposed Mixed Offshore Keelboat event for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

One of Lee’s stated main aims is to promote female empowerment in sport, and she set out to establish a double-handed Round Ireland speed record with Englishwoman Cat Hunt in the winter of 2020. This campaign gained much publicity, and Lee expressed pride in bringing sailing and offshore sailing, in particular, into the conversation for 2020.

To further her offshore sailing career, Lee moved to France, where she has recently secured a place to skipper a yacht in the Transat Jacques Vabre Challenge in October 2023. Lee’s passion and dedication to offshore sailing are inspiring, and her achievements are a testament to her hard work and perseverance.