Originally Posted by
Phil
I believe seal fur is only marketable from the pups in their first few days of life so the supply was bound to be extremely small from small, widely separated areas.
I'm afraid I must pipe in and inform all that this is a popular fiction (politically charged). Seal hides, and indeed the entire seal, is a valuable commodity, especially in the High North of Canada. Most traditional Inuit cold-weather clothing was made from the skins of adult grey seals. Harvesting seal pups (the 'cute' white ones) has been illegal in Canada since the early 1970's---although that has not deterred a vocal minority from using ancient footage to further their agenda in the 21st century. AFAIK, seal pups would normally only have been harvested, by Inuit, when they had already taken said pup's parent... mercifully sustainable IMHO. It was the White guys who got into sealing for commercial reasons only that gave the whole industry a bad name (back in the '60's).
Given that this is principally factual information, I pray that it will not ignite a political firestorm in this thread.
The spirit of the Declaration of Arbroath (6 April 1320) abides today, defiantly resisting any tyranny that would disarm, disperse and despoil proud people of just morals, determined to keep the means of protecting their families and way of life close at hand.
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