Principal Buyer of Canadian Seal Skins Subsidized by Government

Full story: http://www.hsus.org/press_and_publications/press_releases/canadian_government_subsidizes_burning_seal_pelts.html

Principal Buyer of Canadian Seal Skins Subsidized by Government To Burn Pelts

June 7, 2006

WASHINGTON – The Humane Society of the United States today reacted to news that a Norwegian company has destroyed 10,000 harp seal skins, commenting that the revelation contradicts claims of strong markets for seal products.

Norwegian media outlets reported last week that the top buyer of Canadian seal pelts, Norwegian based GC Rieber, was paid by the Norwegian government to destroy 10,000 harp seal skins. GC Rieber is considered the economic backbone of the Canadian sealing industry, each year buying 50 to 80 percent of the skins from seals killed during the annual seal hunt in Canada. Slain Canadian seals account for more than 90 percent of Rieber’s seal skin business.

“For years we’ve suspected some form of price rigging through hidden government subsidies – now we have proof,” said Rebecca Aldworth, director of Canadian wildlife issues for The Humane Society of the United States. “These revelations demonstrate that the Canadian seal hunt, in addition to being cruel and inhumane, is also economically unjustified.”

Never saw any of this stuff for sale. Kind of kills the reason that the animal has to hit with a club to save value of the skin. They just burn them. This is just bad in so many ways.

I will never buy a seal skin.

The fur is sold in some other countries and seal oil is sold in Canada as an alternative to fish oil for those who want an EFA supplement. The penises are sold in China and parts of Asia as an aphrodesiac and male performance enhancer, though that market seems to be collapsing post-viagra.

*Except for subsistance use for some native communities in Alaska and the PNW. Same for whales.

Like... huh??

I've seen some eye-popping claims about the seal pelt industry but this one takes the cake and then some. Someone explain to me with a straight face how the Norwegian government is price rigging the buying of Canadian pelts to the benefit of foreigners. I've never, ever heard of such a thing in my life before. Governments subsidize their own, not outsiders.

Keeping the price of the processed fur high maintains it's status as a luxury item. If it's cheap it loses it's cachet with the Italian fashion houses that use the stuff. Creating a glut threatens the market in future years as well, since processed fur stores well.

But I don't know how people are spinning it so that it's the Canadian government's fault. Canada looks after Canadians and Norway looks after Norwegians. I don't see how people can read more into it than that.

Norweigeian pelts high. Any increase in the price of Canadian pelts appears to be a side effect.

It does lead me to question why the Canadian government is increasing the seal quota so much when the pelt market is weak, though. That doesn't appear to make much sense.

I mean what business is it of Canada's? It's clear that higher prices were paid for pelts this year so, someone along the line must've thought that the market was not so weak. It's entirely possible that the market was stronger but buying overshot the market. That's not something that businessmen are in a hurry to advertise to foreign governments. Let's say Canada reciprocated and reduced the pelt quota. Then the buyers would be stuck buying at similarly high prices instead of being able to talk the price down next year.

People seem to think Canada would have cause to know that these pelts were going to be burned before this year's seal hunt ever took place. Fantasy, I say. They're probably just as or nearly as surprised as us reading about this here on DU.

and Norway, faced with a similar decline of fish and related industries who still have political clout, is more than happy to help out a 'friend' aggressively battling the 'tree huggers'--Canada's environmental record is shameful on all accounts.

I admit I'm not an old man, but in all my few years I've never heard of a government subsidizing (edit) the citizens of another government like this.

Ever.

Greed is too universal for it to take place. For that matter, fear of voter wrath for misuse of funds.

and yeah I don't accept 'free market' rationales for human nature either...and you've never heard of subsidies...ever...you've never once considered that politicians might protect industries with subsidies for political reasons?

You've never heard that Norway is in a similar 'pariah' status because of it's 'whale-killing for greed' racket and might provide subsidies to the buyer for the overall protection of the fish-food industry? Did you honestly believe there is a vast vast market for baby seal skins anywhere? How did you get this idea? Free Market observations? Obviously people in the industry must have known for the fact that X units went in, but only a small amount came out the other side?

So the Canadian seller was lying or just mistaken that they missed that the buyer who accounts for upwards of 80% of it's sales, is not using the product?

Really...everything is keep in check by 'greed'? O-kay...

I'll explain to you very simply... I can believe the Norwegian government paying for 10,000 seal pelts to be burned to prevent a collapse in the SELLING price (and to relieve the buying company of the burden of storing 10k pelts). I can in NO way, shape or form at all go along with a hare-brained notion that the Norwegian government would pay for 10,000 seal pelts to be burned to prevent a collapse in the BUYING price, in direct contradiction to the financial well-being of Norwegians employed at this company which buys seal pelts.

To say nothing of the fact this year's pelts have been bought already, making the theory even more preposterous. I'm not blaming you. You didn't invent the story. But it's not sensible.

I absolutely never said greed keeps everything in check and I would never say such a simplistic, boneheaded thing.

It's on page 7.
http://www.nammco.no/webcronize/images/Nammco/735.pdf

May the greedy bludgeoners of the innocent have no mercy shown to them.

No surprise here, though. It's less about the pelts and more about eliminating competition to the greedy bastard commercial fisherman. Big "fuck you" to them...cowards.