Namibian Seal Cull Sponsor's Excuses

[Guest guest]

http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=5038

 

The Noises of Seal Fur Protestors - by Hatem Yavuz

 

19 June 2009

 

I have been dealing with skins, tanning them and producing high fashion

materials for the world market for almost 15 years. However, our company

established by my late father has been in this business for more than 35 years.

 

We come from a fishing town south of Turkey in the name of Karatas (Black Rock),

and emigrated to Sydney, Australia in 1970. Why do I mention where I am coming

from? – A fishing town with many seamen we have greater knowledge on how the

marine life works. This is where my knowledge on seal harvesting comes into

place.

 

Our company produces one of the best leather and fur garments and materials in

the world. Unique, quality - not quantity.

 

In 2001, I decided to take a trip to Canada and the Barent Sea. I witnessed many

seals being harvested.

 

The scenery was in some way disturbing as the method of harvesting was not

totally ethical. Non-ethical in a sense that many seals were culled, skinned and

the carcass thrown or left on the ice, making the harvest turned into culling.

Since only the skin was the main issue not the meat or even in some cases the

oil.

 

However, it was legal and still is.

 

My trip to Namibia showed a different picture. The Ministry of Fisheries has

imposed strict rules and methods and usage of the harvesting of seals in

Namibia, which respects the fact the WHOLE animal is used, in some ways like a

sheep or cattle, in addition properly controlled (if I had to compare it to the

Canadians or others, whereby control was not in existence).

 

Since your last article on my company profile, I have been receiving many emails

by seal protestors, saying, " I was the bad man on the planet. " I have nothing to

hide. Yet ignorant approaches by the protestors have led me to write this

article.

 

I spoke to a man from South Africa in the name I just heard of Mr Francois Hugo,

who by all respect spoke to me appropriately.

 

My comments were very factual and in some way political.

 

FACTS: If I don't buy these skins and oils etc., the monster economy CHINA will.

Due to the respect by the Namibian harvesters, they have not bent down to the

Chinese. Even in the event that I don't buy the skins, then the fishing industry

will do what is necessary for their business. The difference is between the

Chinese and I, is that I make a very nice value added product which does not

require mass quantities.

 

The Chinese manufacturers will have to purchase the full quota and maybe ask for

an increase on the quota to make up the same value that I have done in the past

years. Eventually they will learn, and eventually they will approach our company

and pay us top dollars to teach them, since the seal protestors will eventually

play the so-called productive role in stopping my company doing this business. I

would have to sell this section of my company to the Chinese. What happens then?

 

The Chinese are in negotiations with the Canadian harvesters to cull the full

quota of harp seals. This is an example when you BAN.

 

The middle class Chinese are seen almost everywhere, elite shopping centres

popping up like mushrooms throughout the country. The Chinese dominate the Mink,

Beaver, Fox, Racoon and now the Seals?

 

Mink culling increased by 120%, Beavers by 65%, Fox by 72%.

 

I cannot wait to hear about the seals. They will sell masses for a fraction of

its cost, while western manufacturers value add for a prime value which don't

require masses of skins. This is the catch 22 I am talking about.

 

It was also said that the pressure and lobbying by the seal protestors led to

the EU ban this year.

 

Let's face facts, the consumers of the EU (coming from a country that produces

the world's best leather garments - Turkey) are not even purchasing lambskins,

let alone to purchase furs.

 

The EU is almost dead in the fur and leather trade. Look east, the new world.

The new riches. The world which the west has downgraded for many decades. They

will lead, not the west.

 

We are talking about Russia, China, India and the Turkic nations from Turkey

which run to the border of China.

Like the west a century ago was in the same position as today's east, thriving

and thirsty for luxury and prime identity was it not the EU nations that

prompted the mass killings of all types of species?

 

Walking down the streets in Beijing, Dalian, Vladivostok, Kalinangrad, Delhi,

Istanbul, Madras, Moscow you will see what the west once thrived on a century

ago – luxury demand.

 

Do you think the East is going to listen to the double standards led by the

West? A new world order is definitely taking place, but by trying to push

professional people like ourselves aside and seeing us as an obstacle, will only

create unprofessional, hungry and uncontrollable moguls to take over.

 

NOTE: I also played a role in the reduction of culling American Beavers by

having fur seals on the market.

 

Similar in texture, and being more diverse, the consumer has more to choose

from.

 

The Namibian government has its problems with masses of fur seals on its coast,

this is similar to the problems Australia has with the kangaroos of which some

1.1 million of them are shot every year.

 

Every country has its ecological problems, and their state has to do something

about it. I do respect protestors, as long as the protestors themselves look in

the mirror and calculate the outcome first before making noise.

 

The facts given by Francois on the number of fur seals, contradict the numbers

seen across the Atlantic ocean from South Africa to Angola. Facts have to be

taken up again.

 

Hatem Yavuz

Yavuz Group