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Veterinarians' Views on the Seal Harvest 



U.S. Department of Commerce, 

 Washington, D.C., Septetnber 8, 1911. 



Secretary of Commerce Maurice H. Stans announced today that a panel of six 

 distinguished veterinarians selected by the American Veterinary Medcal Associ- 

 ation has found that the annual Pribilof Islands fur seal harvest is humanely 

 and efficiently conducted. 



The Secretary early this year invited the team of nationally known veteri- 

 narians, headed by L.. C. Roger Smith, Ohio State University research professor, 

 to review sealing practices conducted by the National Marine Fisheries Service 

 of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and to make recom- 

 mendations, if possible, for improvement. 

 Highlights of the report, released today, are : 



In the present operation, good management and supervision have provided 

 humaneness. 



The Aleut sealers are continuously supervised, performing their strenuous, 

 dangerous jobs "in a serious manner and without evidence of malice toward 

 the animals." 



Animals were not forced to travel at a fast pace from the beach to the har- 

 vest field, and were rested en route where it api>eared desirable. 



The harvest was confined entirely to male seals, generally in the 3-4 year 

 age class. Baby seals were not taken. 



Clubbing is a rapid, highly eflicient and humane method of rendering the 

 animal unconscious when properly performed . . . Clubbing, followed by 

 exsanguination, constitutes painless, humane euthanasia. 



Quick, deep unconsciousness followed stunning, with no recovery of con- 

 sciousness in the 30-60 elapsed seconds between the stunning and bleeding 

 of the animals viewed by the panel. 



In all instances observed, the seals were dead when the pelts were taken. 

 Rumors have been circulated that they are skinned alive. 

 "I am pleased indeed that the panel found unanimously that the methods of 

 harvesting seals cannot be criticized from the standpoint of humaneness and 

 efficiency," the Secretary said. 



"This confirms my own observations at the scene during the harvest in July. 

 I hope it will put to rest once and for all false rumors of brutality and poor con- 

 servation practices being circulated by a few vocal critics. We now have the truth 

 from a highly qualified and impartial source." 



The panel, which was on St. Paul Island from July 7 through July 14, offered 

 several recommendations, which the Secretary said would be carried out, notably 

 that despite the humaneness of the operation, the search should continue for 

 more aesthetically acceptable methods of euthanasia. 



NMFS official observers confirmed that the Pribliof seal population now 

 appears stable at about 1.3 million animals. Early in this century, open-ocean 

 sealing had reduced the population to about 200,000. An international treaty was 

 initiated in 1911 and the Pribilof Islands herd placed under the control of the 

 U.S. Government. 



Under present international agreements, the NMFS supervises the yearly har- 

 vest of Pribilof seals. The harvest, restricted largely to 3 to 4 year old bachelor 

 males, is conducted by native Aleuts under the supervision of NMFS managers. 

 Thirty percent of the pelts collected are divided between Canada and Japan in 

 return for their abstinence from sealing in the oceans. 



After preliminary processing on the Islands, the sealskins are sent to a private 

 company for final processing. Subsequently the furs are auctioned off to buyers 

 from many countries. Over a period of years the profits from the sale of the 

 skins have paid for the extensive research, administration of the Islands, the 

 harvesting, various social benefits to the Aleut inhabitants such as education 

 and housing, and still provided a net profit. Since statehood, the State of Alaska, 

 by law, receives 70 percent of the net profits after all costs to the Federal Gov 

 ernment have been deducted. 



A list of other panel members follows. 



♦Bernard S. Portner, V.M.D., Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, 

 New Jersey College of Medicine and Dentistry, 100 Pergen Street, Newark, N.J. 

 ♦William V. Lumb, D.V.M., Ph. D., Director and Professor, Surgical Labora- 

 tory, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State 

 University, Ft. Collins, Colo. 



•Member, A.V.M.A. Council on Research's Panel on Euthanasia. 



