To encourage safe and responsible harvesting, commercial licences are limited to registered professional fishermen. East coast Aboriginal peoples and northern residents who harvest seals on a non-commercial basis, using skins for clothing and meat for food, are exempt from the licensing requirement. Canada's Marine Mammal Regulations spell out how the fishery must be conducted and how the animals must be handled. These regulations are being reviewed to ensure that they meet the current circumstances in the seal fishery and to bring them in line with possible amendments to the Fisheries Act. Humane practices are supported by industry and strictly enforced by the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Penalties are among the toughest in the world.
In 1996, more than 100 charges were laid for violations of the Marine Mammal Regulations. Although a large number of individuals were charged, this represents less than 1 per cent of licensed sealers and the vast majority continue to harvest in a humane and responsible manner. Personal Use Licences were introduced to provide food for residents in sealing areas hard hit by fisheries closures. During a specified season each year, Personal Use Licence holders are allowed to take up to six seals for their own use. Everyone who applies for a Personal Use Licence must take part in training seminars that focus on understanding regulations, humane methods of harvesting, personal safety, and environmental concerns.