10/26/2006

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Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is pleased to report that the German Parliament has voted unanimously on a motion to ban the import of all seal products, eliminating 100% of the German market for all seal products.

The German ban comes one month after the European Parliament passed a resolution to support a complete European ban on seal products. The German Parliamentary motion calls for the government of Germany to work towards achieving a complete European ban.

Germany will be presiding over the European Union Presidency in the first half of 2007 and Germany will use its position to push for the European wide ban on all seal products.  

National bans on seal products presently exist in the United States, Mexico, Croatia,and Italy. Belgium, the U.K. and the Netherlands will soon adopt a ban as well.

“This is great news for the seals in Canadian, Norwegian, Russian, and Namibian waters,” said Captain Paul Watson, founder and president of Sea Shepherd. “Europe is sending a strong message to these countries that the inhumane and unnecessary slaughter of these incredible creatures will not and must not be tolerated.”