Grey Seal in Atlantic Canada

Grey Seal competitive fleet in Atlantic Canada

Dates of season (subject to change)

The 2013 season start dates for sealing fleets will be determined through consultation with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Science. The commercial juvenile grey seal hunt usually runs from early February until early March, mainly along the Eastern Shore of Nova Scotia and in the Southern Gulf of St Lawrence. For more information, refer to your local DFO Area Office.

Total Allowable Catches and Sharing Arrangements

The grey seal Total Allowable Catch for 2013 will be set at 60,000 animals, which is a rollover from 2012. The Total Allowable Catch specific to Hay Island, Nova Scotia is 1900 animals, which is also a rollover from 2013.

The hunt specially on Hay Island will also be non-competitive, only 20 sealers will be allowed on the island at any time, all seal carcasses and other waste must be removed and no vehicles will be used on the island.

New Management Measures

Mandatory training on the three-step process

In 2009, the Government of Canada strengthened the Marine Mammal Regulations to formalize already well-established humane harvesting practices. Regulatory amendments articulate a prescribed three-step process that is in keeping with international scientific standards and provides for a safe and humane harvest.

All seal harvesters will be required to complete the mandatory training on the three-step process, which includes striking, checking and bleeding, in advance of the 2014 seal harvest.

Please refer to the Marine Mammal Regulations for details on the three-step process and other related management measures.

Vessel identification

Beginning with the 2014 season, all vessels participating in the seal harvest will be required to have an identification number clearly visible on their vessel. This requirement will: 1) improve safety for seal harvesters participating in the harvest; 2) be consistent with all other fisheries in Atlantic Canada that require vessels to display their identification numbers; 3) improve the ability of enforcement officers to identify and monitor the harvesting activities of individuals vessels; and 4) improve the overall management and control of the fishery.

Section 26 (2) of the Fishery General Regulations provides the criteria for the size and colour of how the vessel identification number will be displayed.

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