2/1/21
Hans has been in contact with us direct from Sweden.
There is a situation now where seals (3 species) can be shot and killed – and this ‘service’ is being snapped up by organisations who are trying to get trophy hunters to pay and kill.
We are repeating the info from Hans below; complete with the links which have some graphic photos on them. Note there is also a petition site link if you want to sign against this.
Thanks go to Hans for drawing this issue to our attention, which we are putting out for the world to know about.
Un edited info from Hans:
Here in Sweden, they are now letting people shoot and kill thousands of seals of 3 different species, information here:
https://www.thepetitionsite.com/sv/253/746/017/stoppa-s%C3%A4ljakten-nu-demand-and-end-to-the-seal-hunt-now/
Precisely, the killing quota is 3300, and they are also inviting trophy hunters, Swedes as well as foreigners, to pay for hunts. Here is an example of seal trophy hunting in Sweden for sale, containing many grisly images of satisfied customers:
https://www.sealhunt.se/viner/
The price is, 5500 Swedish kroner for a hunt without training, and 3500 Swedish kroner for a hunt with training, it can be done from rocks, islands and even boats. The images contains both male and female customers who paid to shoot these seals in Sweden in 2020. Its everything from baby seals to fully grown adult seals. This is perfectly legal in Sweden and the EU because the products are not commercially sold. Its legal to kill, but not to sell the byproducts of the kill. However on this website you can pay 500 Swedish kroner for someone to preserve the skin so you can bring it home as a trophy.
More images from the same website where the hunts are sold:
https://www.sealhunt.se/var-berattelse/
Thanks for highlighting it!
The ban is on seal products, what many don’t know is that there is not a ban on killing seals as such, for any reason including sport! The authorities justify it with the exact same argument as Canada and Namibia, that the seals eat the fish.
Out of the 3300 quota, there is a quota of 2000 grey seals, and here you can follow the hunt updates live by the Swedih EPA (Environmental “Protection” Agency)
So far for the 2020/21 season, the quota has been half filled. The regions reporting most kills are Gävleborg (154), Kalmar (141), and Stockholm, yes, Stockholm the Swedish capital (104).
Furthermore, Sweden is trying to repeal the EU seal products ban, possibly to remove it entirely, or to at least have an opt-out from it. Here you can see an official document from Swedish authorities to the EU. They claim that seal hunt is a long lasting Swedish tradition since well, the last ice age. This is NOT something Sweden proudly boast about very often in international relations. Without the UK being in the EU, it could be considerably easier to repeal the EU seal products ban now.
https://ec.europa.eu/environment/biodiversity/animal_welfare/seals/pdf/factsheet/Annex%20to%20Sweden%20report%20-%20Comments_from_Sweden_on_the_EU_seal_regime.pdf
Quote from first part of the document, you can follow the link and read the rest:
“Seal hunt has been a part of Swedish culture and history since the repopulation of the region after the latest ice age. Hunting for seal was a way of getting meat, skin and bones for tools, jewelry and weapons. For the more modern day small scale coastal fisheries the seal has been an important source of meat and skin and a way to get an extra income. The ban on trading with seal products implies large problems for the coastal fishery in Sweden. With the ban fewer people hunt for seal while an increasing population has caused fishstocks with parasites, competition for the fish and the destruction of fishing gear. Aspects raised by national agencies
A key concern highlighted by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is the effect of the current seal regime through its trade ban which prevents the use of the seal as a resource. The Agency moreover stresses that seal hunting is an integrated part of the Swedish game management and that the way the EU Seal regime works could prevent the effective management of the game population with decreased interest in seal hunting as a result. In particular, this could have a damaging effect on small-scale coastal fishing which depends on hunting and where a proper manegement of the population is key in order to prevent serious damages to catch and equipment.
The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management welcomes a revision of the ban on trade with seal products as this could help to increase the general public acceptance of an increased seal population.”
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Serbian Animals Voice (SAV) 
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