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FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
- Why does Canada continue the barbaric seal hunt? The annual Canadian seal hunt is no more barbaric than any other animal hunt. The seal hunt is a centuries-old tradition practiced by many First Nations peoples in Canada. Many families on Canada’s east coast have also thrived on sealing for generations. In addition, the hunt provides significant, much needed finances to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Why are whitecoat seals being hunted? Whitecoat seals are NOT hunted in Canada and have not been for 20 years.
- Is the seal population facing extinction? No. It is in the best interest of sealers to abide by government-issued quotas to ensure the seal population does not face extinction. If seal populations were facing extinction, sealers would lose a significant amount of their income. The estimated population of harp seals is 5.5 million. In 2006, roughly 325 000 harp seals were hunted in Canada. Over 5 million harp seals remain.
- Are baby seals being hunted? Baby seals have whitecoats, which have not been hunted for 20 years. The average age of most seals hunted is under 3 months. These seals are able to swim on their own and have left or been abandoned by their mothers.
- Does Omega-3 seal oil taste “fishy”? No. Most, if not all, seal oils are devoid of any “fishy” taste or odour.
- Omega-3: Why not flax / flax seed oils? Flax and flax seed oil do not contain long-chain Omega-3 fatty acids. Flax contains alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which, our bodies must convert to become long-chain DHA and EPA. Seal oil is a natural source of DHA, EPA and DPA (DPA is derived only from marine sources) and does not have to be converted by our bodies. Flax and flax seed oils are agriculturally based products that are high in Omega-6, a fatty acid already abundant in modern Western diets. Conversely, seal has negligible amounts of Omega-6.
- Can people with fish allergies take seal oil supplements? Most seal oil supplements should not cause any kind of reaction because they do not contain seal or fish protein – the cause of fish allergies. As always, consult a doctor before making any dietary changes.