As in 1999, sealers will still be able to take a few hundred grey seals in the traditional hunt off the Magdalen Islands and in small-scale hunts in areas other than Sable Island. Proposals for an expanded grey seal hunt may be considered in-season based on the merits of the proposal and new population estimates. Any commercial hunt of ringed seals in other areas of the Canadian Arctic is not dealt with in this plan. The subsistence hunt of small numbers of harp, hooded, grey, ringed, bearded and harbour seals will continue. Any subsistence hunt of seals in areas other than Atlantic Canada is not dealt with in this plan, although an allocation of harp seals is made for the hunt in the Canadian Arctic.
Aboriginal persons can also hunt seals throughout the year for food, social and ceremonial purposes.
The season is from November 15 to May 15. A condition of licence will prohibit the taking of whitecoats. The personal use hunt will be off Newfoundland, Labrador south of 53 N latitude and off Quebec's North Shore, the Gasp Peninsula and the Magdalen Islands. The seasons will be the same as the commercial seasons and will be established by the period of validity on licences until seasons can be included in the regulations. Again in 2000, a condition of licence will make it illegal to take whitecoats.