The industrial sealing era of the 1800s decimated our native seal populations, pushing them close to extinction in the US, and putting millennia of indigenous seal-hunting culture in jeopardy. Now, as tens of thousands of grey and harbor seals return to New England waters, it’s drawing the attention of fishermen and biologists alike, often for the wrong reasons. Given their rapid comeback, is there now a reason to resume the hunt, despite all the controversy that may come with it?
July 18, 2023