Seal hunters appealed to the Senate Fisheries committee on Thursday to promote the consumption of seal meat among Canadians..“It’s super good,” testified one sealer.. Seal huntCourtesy CBC .“It’s not going to replace beef.”.“It is a very tough go to foreign markets,” said Gil Theriault, director of the Intra-Québec Sealers Association..“I think the first thing we need to do is clean up our house and do the maximum we can in Canada. There is demand for pelts, there is demand for seal oil, there is demand for meat within Canada, so let’s do some effort there first.”.The seal export industry, valued at $34.3 million as recently as 2006, suffered a significant blow when the European Union imposed an export ban in 2009, according to Blacklock’s Reporter..In response, Theriault proposed that Canadian consumers increase their consumption of seal meat as a unique and high-quality culinary option..“We need to focus on high-end markets,” said Theriault..“That’s what we should be focusing on. There are plenty of them.”.“We have 30 products,” said Theriault..“The local butcher has 30 products out of seal meat: sausages, pâté, terrine, you name it and it is flying off the shelves.”.In a 2013 report The Sustainable Management of Grey Seal Populations, the Senate Fisheries committee expressed that there “never has been a well-developed and viable market for grey seals.”.The report recommended that the government explore the development of Asian markets for seal meat as pet food and promote seal oil as a dietary supplement in the Canada Food Guide..In a separate report published in 2014, the Grey Seal Management: Commercial Use Opportunities and Challenges report by the department of Fisheries stated that seal meat has a strong taste and “should be mixed with other meats in order to soften the flavour.”.According to the report, seal intestines could be sold as sausage casings, while seal meat could be processed into powdered protein supplements for individuals who are dieting or lifting weights..Seal was proposed for use as “battlefield rations for military applications,” “specialized products for adventure sports enthusiasts” and “products that can be included in hunger relief packages” in refugee camps overseas, said the Challenges report..However, these product lines were not pursued..“I’ve enjoyed seal pâté in the Magdalen Islands,” Sen. Marty Deacon (ON) said. .“I am absolutely a fan.”.Sen. Mohamed-Iqbal Ravalia (NL) said the supply of seals outweighed the demand..“I want to talk about markets for seal products,” said Ravalia..“In my own province, seal quotas are not being met simply because we have a lack of marketability of seals and seal products.”
