it has always indicated that it would support subsistence sealing by Inuit. Unfortunately, the impacts of collapsing markets also hurt Inuit communities, resulting in
Greenpeace being considered an adversary of the Inuit. While other organisations
have continued their campaigns against sealing, in 2014 Greenpeace issued a formal
apology to the Inuit, aiming for more cooperation especially in light of the environmental challenges at hand.
15
What is often ignored in this context are the impacts of anti-sealing campaigns
and market collapses on commercial sealers and their families. When I did my
fieldwork in 2013 in Newfoundland, I participated in both the seal hunt and the
seal processing industry. I was the first European outsider to gain insight into the
industry and the effects collapsing markets had and have on community cohesion
and social wellbeing. Apart from financial issues, many Newfoundlanders can still
closely relate to the seal hunt since it has been an integral part of Newfoundland
society and economy for several hundred years. The pride of working in an industry
that is vilified by outsiders is met with a complete lack of understanding since, for
example, ‘the Europeans’ obviously don’t know what sealing means in practice, the
dangers that are associated with it and the food it brings to the table.
Having participated in a sealing trip myself I was able to witness these dangers
first hand: cold, darkness, ice, sharp knives and gaffs, waves, wind, slippery decks
and extreme exhaustion after long days of hunting seals. The bonds that are forged in
these situations last for a lifetime and are crucial to understand social dynamics in
sealing communities. In the processing sector, the pride of working in an industry,
which is driven by (mostly) men and which has such an important history in
Newfoundland society is an important part of the workers’ identity. With market
collapse and associated industry decline, this deeply-rooted cultural feeling is lost.
While on the surface the contemporary seal hunt in Newfoundland is commercial—it
aims at the skin and blubber of seals for national and international markets—
Newfoundland sealers interpreted it as a subsistence hunt since many products
such as flippers or hearts are bartered or given. The motivator to hunt seals as a
food source (either through monetary income or through meat on the table) steers
this interpretation. Be that as it may, also with declining markets, seals are hunted in
Newfoundland. While their number may go down, these so-called ‘landman hunts’
are carried out to obtain food without a market dimension.
As a last comment on this issue: in the twentieth century, Newfoundland sealing
was carried out by large vessels carrying hundreds of sealers, operated by large
commercial companies. This seal hunt was indeed commercial in nature. Nowadays,
the seal hunts are carried out by small boats (up to 10 people), all operated by small
businesses. The seal hunt is therefore not carried out to make profit, but rather to
make a living.
16
Commercial and subsistence whaling are also two seemingly confrontational
concepts. An interesting case in point in this regard is the dolphin and whale drive
15 Kerr (2014).
16 Sellheim (2015).
3.3 The Commercial and Non-commercial Use of Marine Mammals
53
Greenpeace being considered an adversary of the Inuit. While other organisations
have continued their campaigns against sealing, in 2014 Greenpeace issued a formal
apology to the Inuit, aiming for more cooperation especially in light of the environmental challenges at hand.
15
What is often ignored in this context are the impacts of anti-sealing campaigns
and market collapses on commercial sealers and their families. When I did my
fieldwork in 2013 in Newfoundland, I participated in both the seal hunt and the
seal processing industry. I was the first European outsider to gain insight into the
industry and the effects collapsing markets had and have on community cohesion
and social wellbeing. Apart from financial issues, many Newfoundlanders can still
closely relate to the seal hunt since it has been an integral part of Newfoundland
society and economy for several hundred years. The pride of working in an industry
that is vilified by outsiders is met with a complete lack of understanding since, for
example, ‘the Europeans’ obviously don’t know what sealing means in practice, the
dangers that are associated with it and the food it brings to the table.
Having participated in a sealing trip myself I was able to witness these dangers
first hand: cold, darkness, ice, sharp knives and gaffs, waves, wind, slippery decks
and extreme exhaustion after long days of hunting seals. The bonds that are forged in
these situations last for a lifetime and are crucial to understand social dynamics in
sealing communities. In the processing sector, the pride of working in an industry,
which is driven by (mostly) men and which has such an important history in
Newfoundland society is an important part of the workers’ identity. With market
collapse and associated industry decline, this deeply-rooted cultural feeling is lost.
While on the surface the contemporary seal hunt in Newfoundland is commercial—it
aims at the skin and blubber of seals for national and international markets—
Newfoundland sealers interpreted it as a subsistence hunt since many products
such as flippers or hearts are bartered or given. The motivator to hunt seals as a
food source (either through monetary income or through meat on the table) steers
this interpretation. Be that as it may, also with declining markets, seals are hunted in
Newfoundland. While their number may go down, these so-called ‘landman hunts’
are carried out to obtain food without a market dimension.
As a last comment on this issue: in the twentieth century, Newfoundland sealing
was carried out by large vessels carrying hundreds of sealers, operated by large
commercial companies. This seal hunt was indeed commercial in nature. Nowadays,
the seal hunts are carried out by small boats (up to 10 people), all operated by small
businesses. The seal hunt is therefore not carried out to make profit, but rather to
make a living.
16
Commercial and subsistence whaling are also two seemingly confrontational
concepts. An interesting case in point in this regard is the dolphin and whale drive
15 Kerr (2014).
16 Sellheim (2015).
3.3 The Commercial and Non-commercial Use of Marine Mammals
53