Ottawa, ON - Seal harvesting is an important and valuable activity for many Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. In Canada, it is managed in a sustainable, well-regulated, and humane way that supports Canada's Indigenous, rural, remote, and coastal communities.
In response to growing interest in participating in the seal harvest, today, the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, announced that personal use seal licences will be available to harvesters in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. The focus of this harvest is harp and grey seals which DFO assesses to be in the healthy zone of the Department's precautionary approach framework.
Previously, DFO's Commercial Fisheries Licensing Policy for Eastern Canada only allowed harvesters in Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador to apply for personal use seal licences. In addition to expanding the personal use seal harvest into new provinces, amendments to the policy have also incorporated the long-standing practice of requiring harvesters to participate in humane harvesting information sessions.
DFO intends to issue a limited number of new personal use licences for 2024, in order to pilot the activity in additional areas. Lessons learned from this pilot will inform next steps on personal use sealing within these jurisdictions. Under the conditions of licence, each personal use harvester will be able to harvest up to six harp and/or grey seals. The precise number of harvesters and harvest limits will be determined following further consultations with potential harvesters and provincial partners.
DFO will work with provinces on options to further expand access to the personal use seal harvest next year.
