02/17/2026
A Letter from our President on Seal Harvest to the Fisheries Minister
Honourable Minister Thompson,
I am writing to speak clearly and directly about the sustainability of a regulated harp and grey seal harvest in Atlantic Canada.
Grey seal populations in Nova Scotia now exceed 400,000 animals. Harp seals continue to migrate through our waters in significant numbers. Their recovery is, in many ways, a conservation success. However, the scale of these populations is having serious consequences for the broader marine ecosystem.
Grey seals are devastating already fragile fish stocks. In Nova Scotia waters, their predation has contributed to the near collapse of key species, including cod, hake, skate, and flounder. A growing body of research has also shown that seal predation has played a role in undermining Atlantic mackerel stocks, contributing to the three-year closure of that fishery.
Further studies indicate that harp and grey seals together consume multiple times more fish biomass annually than all Canadian commercial fisheries harvest combined. When predator populations reach levels that the ecosystem cannot balance, the result is not conservation; it is imbalance.
This is not the seals’ fault. It is ours.
We successfully protected and rebuilt seal populations. That was responsible management. But responsible management does not end with protection. It requires maintaining ecological balance across all species. When one species overwhelms others to the point of collapse, it is our duty to act. If we care about conservation, we must care about balance.
If we care about coastal communities, we must care about the fisheries that sustain them. If we care about seals, we must ensure their populations remain healthy and supported by a functioning ecosystem.
A sustainable, science-based, regulated seal harvest is part of that solution. It is conducted under federal oversight and has been validated as humane by independent veterinarians, consistent with standards recognized by the Government of Canada. This is not a reckless approach; it is a controlled, monitored, and enforceable management tool.
Seals are also a renewable marine resource that can be fully utilized. They provide nutrient-rich protein, omega oils, pharmaceutical applications, pet food ingredients, and other valuable products. Respecting the animal means ensuring it is used responsibly and completely.
Our oceans do not manage themselves. When human decisions alter marine ecosystems, whether through protection measures, fishing limits, or climate pressures. We carry the responsibility to correct imbalances that threaten long-term sustainability.
If we are serious about rebuilding fish stocks, protecting biodiversity, and sustaining coastal livelihoods, then we must be prepared to manage all species, including harp and grey seals, through a responsible, humane, and sustainable harvest. Conservation is not about choosing one species over another. It is about maintaining balance.
Now is the time to act with science, responsibility, and courage to restore that balance in our oceans
Sincerely yours,
Michael Barron
President
Cape Breton Fish Harvesters Association
