The scientific seal hunt within the boundaries of the Brion Island Ecological Reserve this winter will likely result in a substantial commercial kill for the industry.

The observation was made by Gil Thériault, the director of the Association des chasseurs de phoque Intra-Québec (ACPIQ), following last Thursday's working meeting with the levels of government involved.

According to Thériault, at the moment, there is no question of imposing quotas on sealers in order to properly document the ecological impacts of a large-scale hunt on Brion Island. Meanwhile commercial hunting is still technically prohibited.

Gil Thériault, director of the Magdalen Island sealers association. Photo courtesy of CFIM.

The Director of ACPIQ says that he is satisfied with the exchanges with the levels of government to date and confirms that hunters will be cooperative with the scientists at Laval University.

Thériault believes that the impacts of winter hunting on the frozen shoreline are minimal for the flora and fauna ecosystem. He specifies that the carcasses are not left on the beach, but rather brought back on board the boats to be butchered.

He added that, in parallel to the research on Brion Island, the industry is also updating its slaughter techniques with the SeaDNA science project, funded by the federal-provincial Fisheries Fund of Quebec.

This hunt will also allow for better lobster fishing around the Island.  With the over population of seals, they are damaging many lobster traps.

Here is Thériault explaining the association's role in the hunt as well as the importance of it: