Hundreds of men will soon climb out of their boats off the northeast coast of Newfoundland and gingerly alight onto the heaving pack ice that drifts southward from Canada’s High Arctic. They will then shoot and kill tens of thousands of seals in the annual hunt that has been part of the province’s economy and culture for more than 200 years.

It is a traditional, small-scale industry that has been facing threats since the early 1980s, when animal welfare organizations began their worldwide campaign against the hunting of seals. It is now, once again, facing another threat to its survival.

When the industry was first targeted, the hunt was conducted by large fishing vessels and sealers focused solely on baby seals — those round-eyed, fluffy white creatures that loll helplessly on the ice.

Although it was easy to kill the “white coats,” it was doubly easy for anti-sealing campaigners to obtain a ban among European nations and the U.S. against the importation and sale of seal products. It was no contest: sealers could not counter TV footage of baby seals barking as large men whacked them with clubs.

With actors such as Brigette Bardot leading the charge, the sealing industry collapsed as markets for seal pelts disappeared. For over a decade, sealing practically ceased.

However, by the mid-1990s, markets began to improve for seal pelts, albeit from older animals that could still be imported into Europe. In Canada, the federal government poured money into finding Asian markets for pelts as well as into developing new products from seal meat and blubber.

There was some embarrassment when sealing opponents gleefully alleged that some Asian nations were importing seal penises as aphrodisiacs. But when a Memorial University researcher discovered the supposed health benefits of seal oil, which is made from blubber, sales of edible capsules soared. In addition, markets for pelts in Europe rebounded and, by 2002, the seal industry had regained its prominence in Newfoundland and Labrador.

By this time, many sealers had realized that they needed to neutralize the animal rights groups. So, in conjunction with the federal government, they introduced hunting regulations aimed at minimizing stress to seals.

Clubs were banned and replaced by shotguns as a new code of practice was developed. For several years, the industry grew and prices for seal products rose to record levels.

Animal rights groups were in retreat. In response, they first harped on the dangers to seal populations because of Ottawa’s decision to increase dramatically the total allowable catch. This failed to garner much interest, however, as Canadians pointed out that seal herds have been growing despite the hunt. The activists then switched their attention to global warming: female seals give birth on pack ice, so any reduction in the extent of sea ice would logically result in higher mortality among newborns. Therefore, they argued, hunting must be eliminated if seals are to survive.

Both Ottawa and sealers have dismissed this line of attack as another desperate bid by anti-sealing activists that is bound to fail. This may prove to be a critical error.

Although sealers are congratulating themselves, their opponents are busy lobbying European governments, aiming to slam shut the world’s largest market for seal products permanently.

Unless Ottawa exerts serious diplomatic efforts, a vote this year on banning seal products from Europe will probably be approved. This will cripple the local sealing industry, as European markets for pelts remain critical to the industry’s economic viability.

Next spring, the only sounds heard off the coast of Newfoundland may be the creaking of pack ice and the barking of seals. IE