The conditions have become necessary because of a ruling by the Newfoundland Court of Appeal that struck down as unconstitutional section 27 of the Marine Mammal Regulations , which prohibits the buying or selling of blueback and whitecoat seal pelts. As a result of this decision, section 27 cannot be enforced in Newfoundland. The federal government is appealing the decision in the Supreme Court of Canada. A prohibition against hunting bluebacks and whitecoats has always been in place for personal use sealing licences. Adult harp and hooded seals cannot be harvested when they are in whelping patches or breeding grounds.
Seals mature very quickly.
For example, young harp seals are independent and completely self-reliant two or three weeks after birth.