History of seal skin sporrans

[slohairt]

I've always wondered if the waterproof nature of the fur had something to do with it's use. After all, the western Highlands receive quite a bit of rain.

[Fit2BKilted]

The question that wasn't answered, however, is are there any other significant uses for sealskin beyond Innuit clothing and sporans?

Seal-flesh remains a dietary staple in the High North of Canada---that's what makes it a 'valuable commodity'; and consequently, I don't expect that the pelts fetch a very high price at source ($80-$100)... However, seal-pelts are also used in the luxury coat industry AFAIK, and I would love to get one for myself someday. There does not appear to be any indication that Sealing will be outlawed in Canada anytime in the foreseeable future... I'm sure the northern territories would secede before submitting to such a "southern" notion (and the southerners, myself included, would be powerless to enforce it upon them, given the incredible area, absolutely sparce population, and the fact that virtually all access to habitation is fly-in only.)

This is getting really off-topic, sorry.

[Fit2BKilted]

Why exactly is seal skin illegal?

To be honest, IMHO there is NO reason, other than some fringe animal rights groups needed a new cause-celebre back in the 1970's, and they jumped at the opportunity to "defend" a very "cute" animal from the "barbarism" that is subsistence-hunting. This was made all-too-easy by the short-sighted and ignorant White hunters who were capitalizing on the fur-market, and took to harvesting seals indiscriminately before there were any hunting regulations on the species (correct me if I'm wrong). Footage of wholesale slaughter of the relatively helpless (out of the water) aquatic creatures for their pelts, with their corpses left to rot in pools of blood on the ice-floes made for "great TV" which culminated in the European Ban this year.

It is my belief that this would not have been an issue if non-subsistence hunters had been banned in the first-place, as the Inuit would then have been handed a monopoly on the production of seal-pelts, and the scarcity of supply would have driven the price up high-enough that they would be in a more advantageous economic position---provided they had the sense to form a seal-pelt co-op that would bargain for the best prices on their behalf---to increase their standard of living (which is nonetheless still higher than that of many "southern" Native Americans AFAIK). I won't get into the other social factors that plague the Northern Peoples (viz., religious evangelism, residential schooling, lack of social infrastructure, etc., etc.) because I've flown too close to the sun already.

[Heming]

I believe seal fur is only marketable from the pups in their first few days of life so the supply was bound to be extremely small from small, widely separated areas.

This is a common misconception. Sealing is still legal in Norway, and sealskins are commonly available as rugs or wall decorations as well as worked into shoes, garments, purses etc. I've never seen a baby-seal skin nor a product made from baby seal. White cubs (very young seals) are illegal to hunt or kill (as are adult seals during mating and birthing season). The grey, black-spotted sealskins used for sporrans are from adult seals.

And as a side note, the seal isn't hunted just for skin, but also for food (the meat is supposedly delicious), and the bones are used for buttons, jewellery etc.

[JSFMACLJR]

I've never seen a baby-seal skin nor a product made from baby seal.

While I pledged to myself to refrain from posting too many photos that might be objectionable to some, I am posting this pic of one of my sporrans to show that even seal cubs were used for sporrans. The fur is longer and finer, with a beautiful colour.

This sporran is OLD, very old. The seal was harvested long before seal hunting was an issue, and has been in my family for at least 80 years. I rarely wear it now, mostly because my brother is "borrowing" it.

[Peter C.]

The seal population around the UK is small and is enjoyed by tourists with trips out to the islands where they live. If seal hunting were legal they could be wiped out in a few seasons, which would be a shame as they are not needed for food or clothing.

Canada and Norway have a good population of seals and most countries with good populations of wild animals usually allow them to be hunted.

I am fairly sure that seal skin for sporrans came from Canada, whether they were hunted by Scottish or Canadian hunters doesn't make much difference.

I don't really understand why they are being banned in the UK if the Canadians are still hunting their seals and making their skins available as a sustainable product.

Peter

[The Guy in the Kilt at UC]

The seal population around the UK is small and is enjoyed by tourists with trips out to the islands where they live. If seal hunting were legal they could be wiped out in a few seasons, which would be a shame as they are not needed for food or clothing.

Canada and Norway have a good population of seals and most countries with good populations of wild animals usually allow them to be hunted.

I am fairly sure that seal skin for sporrans came from Canada, whether they were hunted by Scottish or Canadian hunters doesn't make much difference.

I don't really understand why they are being banned in the UK if the Canadians are still hunting their seals and making their skins available as a sustainable product.

Peter

So it's a sustainability issue then?

[Fit2BKilted]

So it's a sustainability issue then?

As I set out earlier, I don't believe that is why seal products have been banned... Seals are not endangered species, and the hunt has been well managed for over 30 years. IMHO the reason has a LOT more to do with political pandering to lobby groups than any sort of conservation.

[DWFII]

Fit2,

I agree with you but please be careful...I sense a taboo in the offing. This is quicksand.

[Woodsheal]

Fit2,

I agree with you but please be careful...I sense a taboo in the offing. This is quicksand.

Doen't need to be, unless someone from the ranks of the "easily offended" rears their head. Fit2's posts have been very measured and informative, IMHO....