Sealing Regulations

EnviroLeg cc SEA BIRDS AND SEALS PROTECTION Reg p 1 GN. R. 1933 GG5317 22 October 1976 SEA BIRDS AND SEALS PROTECTION ACT, 1973 (ACT 46 OF 1973) SEALING REGULATIONS [Amended by GN R 1370 of 2000-12-15.] The Minister of Economic Affairs has made the following regulations in terms of section 11 of the Sea Birds and Seals Protection Act, 1973 (Act 46 of 1973): Definitions 1. In these regulations, unless the context otherwise indicates, any expression to which a meaning has been assigned in the Sea Birds and Seals Protection Act, 1973, bears the meaning assigned thereto and the Act means the Sea Birds and Seals Protection Act, 1973; adult seal means a seal bull of at least three and a seal cow of at least two years of age; clubber means a member of a sealing team equipped with a sealing club; Director means the Director, Deputy Director or Assistant Director (Administrative) of Sea Fisheries Branch of the Department of Industries; driver means a member of a sealing team with the sole function of driving or herding seals with a driving stick; driving stick means a straight wooden stick at least 2 metres in length and not thicker than 30 mm; knife means a knife with a straight, sharp blade of at least 30 mm in width and 120 mm in length; officer means an officer as defined in section 1 of the Act; permit area means the area in which a permit holder may hunt seals by virtue of a permit; permit holder means the person to whom a permit to kill seals has been issued in terms of section 4 of the Act; pup means a seal pup not exceeding two years of age in the case of a cow and three years of age in the case of a bull, but old enough to have shed its black pelage; rifle means a fire-arm using cartridges with softnosed or hollow-point bullets of not less than 45 grains with a muzzle velocity of not less than 762 metres per second or which has a calibre of 0,56 cm (0,22 inches) and uses "hornet" type ammunition; seal means a Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillis); EnviroLeg cc SEA BIRDS AND SEALS PROTECTION Reg p 2 sealing club means a reasonably straight wooden or fibre-glass club with a mass of at least 1,25 kg, but not exceeding 2,00 kg and at least 1,30 metres but not exceeding 1,90 metres in length and of which one end is thicker than the other; sealing equipment means a driving stick, rifle, sealing club and knife used for the purpose of sealing in terms of the provisions of the Act and as prescribed in these regulations; sealing team means a team of sealers consisting of drivers, clubbers and stickers; and sticker means a member of a sealing team equipped with a knife. Initiation of members of a sealing team and supervision over sealing equipment 2. A permit holder shall ensure that (a) every person employed by him and acting as a member of his sealing team (i) is informed thoroughly beforehand of the nature of his duties as a member of the team; (ii) is skilled in the use of the prescribed sealing equipment; and (iii) is familiar with the provisions and prescriptions of the Act and these regulations; and (b) that the sealing equipment used by members of his sealing team conforms to the requirements of these regulations at all times. Procedure for the hunting of seals 3.(1) Seals earmarked for sealing shall be driven in a group away from the sea by the drivers and before clubbing commences, adult seals shall where possible be allowed to escape, the remainder being allowed to come to rest and settle down. (2) After the seals have settled down, pups shall be hunted as follows: (a) A clubber shall hit each pup a fatal blow on the top of the head between the ears with a sealing club: Provided that if a clubber is unsure that he can hit a pup a fatal blow on the said spot the pup shall be permitted to escape; (b) immediately after a pup has been dealt a fatal blow, a sticker shall pierce the pup's heart with his knife, which shall be inserted between the pup's flippers and on the line along which the pup is later to be flayed. The knife is to penetrate at least 120 mm and shall be twisted until blood flows strongly from the wound. (3) An adult seal bull (a) shall be shot with a rifle, the bullet entering the head 25 mm above the car, viewed from the side: Provided that no adult bull seal shall be shot whilst swimming; (b) which has been shot, shall be shot a second time in the manner prescribed in paragraph (a) if there is doubt that it is dead or if an officer so instruct. Inspection powers of officers EnviroLeg cc SEA BIRDS AND SEALS PROTECTION Reg p 3 4.(1) An officer may enter a permit. area at any time to determine whether the requirements of these regulations are being complied with by the permit holder as regards the manner in which, the methods by which and the equipment with which sealing may be undertaken. (2) An officer shall have access to any premises, buildings, barrel or other container in which skins are kept, in order to establish the number of seals taken of a specific sex or age and may request that copies of bills of lading, ships' manifests, customs declarations and other documents pertaining, to the sale or export of seal skins be made available to him. (3) Professional officers and technicians of the Sea Fisheries Branch who have been specially designated for the purpose by the Director, may at any time enter upon and be in the permit area for the purpose of the research on seals undertaken by the Branch. Submission of statistics 5. Any permit holder shall render to the Director not later than 31 December of each year, or within 14 days if requested in writing by the Director to do so, a written statement of the number of seals taken, in the form of Annexure A to these regulations. 6. No person shall, except on the authority of a permit, be in possession of any seal or sea bird or any part or product thereof at any time. 7. No person shall, except on the authority of a permit, feed a seal. ANNEXURE A REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRIES SEA BIRDS AND SEALS PROTECTION ACT, 1973 (ACT 46 OF 1973) ANNUAL SEALING STATISTICS 1. Name of permit holder ...................................................................................................... (a) Permit area ........................................................................................................................ (b) Sealing base ....................................................................................................................... 2. Year .................................................................................................................................. WINTER SEALING 3. Date of first take ............................................................................................................... 4. Date of last take ................................................................................................................ Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Total 5. Number of seals taken 6. Number of days on which sealing was undertaken EnviroLeg cc SEA BIRDS AND SEALS PROTECTION Reg p 4 7. Number of sealing team members ....................................................................................... 8. Total number of pelts taken ................................................................................................ 9. Number of damaged and rejected pelts ................................................................................ 10. Total oil production ............................................................................................. *litres/kg 11. Total meat meal production ........................................................................................... kg 12. Total bone meal production ........................................................................................... kg 13. Number of carcasses processed as (a) Pets food ........................................................................................................................... (b) meal .................................................................................................................................. (c) other (specify) ................................................................................................................... 14. Other products .................................................................................................................. SUMMER SEALING 15. Date of first take ............................................................................................................... 16. Date of last take ................................................................................................................ Oct Nov Dec Total 17. Number of bulls taken 18. Number of days on which sealing was undertaken 19. Number of sealing team members .................................................................................... 20. Total number of skins taken ............................................................................................ 21. Number of damaged and rejected skins ............................................................................ 22. Total oil production .......................................................................................... *litres/kg 23. Total meat meal production ......................................................................................... kg 24. Total bone meal production ......................................................................................... kg 25. Number of carcasses processed as (a) Pets food ......................................................................................................................... (b) meal ................................................................................................................................. (c) other (specify) .................................................................................................................. EnviroLeg cc SEA BIRDS AND SEALS PROTECTION Reg p 5 26. Other products ................................................................................................................. 27. Signature ......................................................................................................................... 28. Address ........................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... ......................................................................................................................................... 29. Date ................................................................................................................................. *Delete which is not applicable