“The European Court has made a very good decision” says Andy Lenhart, Chairman of the International Fur Trade Federation. “Whilst we do not know what the final ruling will be, we fully support hunters around the Arctic in their legal efforts to overturn this unjustified trade ban. All along we have said that in our view, the EU trade ban on products from seals is simply bad legislation. It serves no good purpose – it does nothing to enhance the welfare standards of seal hunts and it is damaging to the economies of Arctic communities as well as to trade relationships with Arctic nations such as Canada and Norway.”
IFTF applauds European General Court decision to temporarily suspend the ban on products from seals from Inuit and other groups
EU Ban On Seal Products Suspended
“The European Union’s highest court has partially suspended an EU ban on the import of seal products in order to allow opponents of the ban to present their case in writing” writes the European Voice today. This court decision has been taken last Thursday (August 19, 2010) in response to the petition launched by the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, Canada’s main Inuit organization headed by Mary Simon, says CBC.
“I can only hope that the EU court will determine that the ban and its so-called Inuit exemption are illegal,” stated Mary Simon. Canada’s Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, called the ban a “flagrant discrimination against the Canadian seal industry, against Canadian sealers” and is challenging it by reaching out to the World Trade Organization in order to establish “a dispute settlement panel to assess whether the EU’s import ban breaks WTO rules”.
Even though we do not know what the future will bring, we are very pleased to see that the EU court has decided to take more time to properly review this unjust ban and the devastating consequences it would have for the Inuit community.
PEOPLE IN THE TRADE SERIES: European seal ban pushes Inuit into the cold
As the EU ban on trade in seal products come into force on August 20th – one Inuit woman describes the effect it will have on the livelihood, traditions and environment of Arctic people.
Inuit live in harmony with nature. And you?
Pangnirtung is an Inuit hamlet in the Qikiqtaaluk Region, in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. The village can track its history back over more than 4000 years. 1300 Inuit live here in close harmony with nature. It’s the birthplace of Meeka Mike. She now lives in Iqaluit, the territorial capital of Nunavut.
This is home
“Have you ever been to the Arctic? Ever seen this pristine nature? This is what the Inuit call home” asks Meeka Mike: “We’ve been living on this Arctic Desert for thousands of years. We love its light, its cold, its landscape, its fauna, its flora. We survived all these generations by learning from the land, learning from nature. We survived here because we learned how to live in close harmony with the land, and with the animals.”
We live off this land
“It saddens me, and angers me that way too often Western people condemn us for our traditional lifestyle” Meeka continues: “it’s so easy to judge from one of those concrete and glass buildings in Brussels. Yes we do hunt. Yes we do hunt seals. We always did. We always will. But take the Big Book of Life, and tell me: how many species are now extinct because of the Inuit? How many because of the modern men in their cities? We Inuit we live of this land, we take care of it. We listen to its heartbeat. For as long as man can remember, we have been hunting. We need it. “
We need the seal – our main source of income
“We need the seal. Its fur keeps us way warmer in the arctic cold here than any synthetic clothing can. We make our clothes mostly from the fruit of our hunt. And we need to eat the seal. If I eat non-traditional, western style food, my body is simply not apt to withstand the wind and the cold. I get hungry immediately. I need to eat seal before hunting. Its’ omega fats gives my body what it needs to survive the extreme conditions here, when I go hunting at minus 40 degrees Celsius. It’s our main source of food. It’s our main source of clothing. And it’s our main source of income…”
Our hunt, is our life
“Traditionally, the Inuit did not know or need any money” explains Meeka: “our society was based on mutual trade. We would trade and share what we had. We were self-sustainable. We never needed to buy things. But through trade, we came into contact with modern industry, a modern way of life. To be able to sustain that, to benefit from it, we needed –for the first time in our long history- money. Our main source of income was our hunt. The first seal ban of 1982 hurt many many Inuit families. How to pay for a house? Telephone? All those things that Americans and Europeans take for granted? Our hunting and trading never was a profit maker, but is sustained enough money to buy gas, fuel, and food. The seal ban of 1982 threw whole families and communities into poverty and misery. Did the people in their cities of concrete and glass think of that?”
Imagine if the rest of the world banned French wine
“Our Inuit way of life will now be impacted again by the EU decision to ban the export of seal products to Europe. The people who took this decision, the politicians that are voting in their concrete city… did they think about us? Did they consider for one moment the impact this has for my people? Imagine if the rest of the world would ban the trade in French wine, Dutch cheese, English Ale, European fruit? How would that impact life? Well, seals are our wine. They are the corner stone of our hunter’s community. “
Harmony disrupted
“We always hunted with respect for harmony” Meeka explains: “we helped keeping nature in balance. But the ban pushes people away from the traditional lifestyle. People are moving into other jobs to survive. There are fewer hunters. And now the seals are everywhere, showing up at places where they were never seen before in our history that goes many thousands of years back. The decision makers in Brussels want the world to believe that seals are an endangered species. The truth is: there are too many harp seals. They disturb the fragile ecological equilibrium. They push other species out of their way. They are eating up massive amounts of fish. If those European Parliament members would come here, they would see many happy heavy harp seals; they are very fat and are killing Arctic char. Not to eat them: Just to play with them. “
Trust us, we know what we’re doing
“We’ve been living here for thousands of years. We know what we’re doing. Why do people not trust us? Why do people have no respect for these generations of ecological knowledge we have? Why can we not live of our trade, as we always did? Why would people not listen if we talk about what is most dear to us: our life with nature?”
Environmental stewards
“Honestly, I think we’re better off than the European people” says Meeka. Contrary to them, we never pushed an animal species into extinction. We’re still living in harmony with nature. They have lost their link with mother earth long ago. We will always keep in mind environment and nature and each species. We pay nature respect. We are the environmental stewards of this magnificent land. “
PEOPLE IN THE TRADE SERIES: A LIFE IN THE FUR TRADE – AN INSIDER’S PERSPECTIVE
“A life in the fur trade – an insider’s perspective” is the first in a PEOPLE IN THE TRADE series introduced by the International Fur Trade Federation to give you an insightful look on extraordinary individuals in our industry. In the piece below, you can read about Andreas Lenhart’s, Chairman of the IFTF, his fascinating story, and his views and hopes after half a century of being in the business.
Andreas Lenhart, Chairman of the International Fur Trade Federation, joined IFTF thirty-eight years ago -in 1972- representing Germany. He was elected chairman a decade ago, and balances his dedication and focus between his family business and IFTF.
“I was literally dropped in the fur business in 1961, when my father passed away suddenly and way too soon” remembers Andreas Lenhart,“It seemed natural at that time to take up my responsibilities, and follow in my father’s, great grandfather’s, and great-great grandfather’s footsteps. I took my place at the helm of our respected and long-established family business Rosenberg & Lenhart together with my brother. I was 19 years old.”
Half a century in a rocky sea
50 active years in a business, gives someone a unique perspective on a trade’s history, journey, and future. The fur trade is one of the most discussed and scrutinised trades in the world. The opinions on its products, behaviour and place in society are highly polarized, which makes holding a constructive debate difficult. “The biggest challenges I have experienced are without a shadow of a doubt the actions of animal rights organizations” says Lenhart: “it shocked me deeply to see how they attacked our trade, in a very disrespectful and non-negotiable way. The violent attacks on people as well as businesses were an absolute downside of my life in the fur trade. It still saddens me that the attacks had no ethics, no dignity, no room for conversation or respect. Despite the hard work and love for their industry, the reputation of countless family businesses was contaminated. Feeling that you almost had to apologize to belong to your trade was hard to bear and is fundamentally unjust.”
“On the upside, it is heart-warming to see that lots of people, in and around the industry stayed loyal. Family driven businesses, great retailers, distributors, dynamic and refreshing designers, editors of countless magazines, and –let’s not forget- loyal clients have kept this industry thriving. The passion, skill, and dedication of these people have made the fur trade a better, responsible industry that has a firm place in today’s society. The loyalty of all people concerned, and the support we got even in the most difficult times kept me going, especially when times were rough”.
I never had the impression I was working…
“Even on the roughest seas, I never had the impression I was working” Lenhart continues. “The fur trade is truly my life. That and my family are my most prized possessions. It really means a big deal to me. That’s why I still do it: it’s what keeps me ticking. As long as my health supports it, and as long as I can make a valuable contribution, I will continue my involvement in the fur trade. There is still much to do. We see geographic shifts, new markets, new implementations and new trends. But evolving makes us stronger, better.”
The next generation
“What makes me very proud is that we can hand over the fur trade to the next generation. There is a next generation. And the fur business is here to stay, also for the future generations. Oh, I’m sure it will have to continue to change, adapt, evolve…. But it always has. And always will. The ability to pass on the passion for fur, that delicate soft gorgeous natural fibre, to the next generation proves me that over all, this industry will be all right. People of my generation have been working hard, and invested means and energy to guarantee the freedom of choice for the next generation. That is how the wheel of time turns… “
“It is so refreshing to see the next generation at work, with their ideas, their passion. It’s a good generation. They have not been so much exposed to all the negatives, and are still fresh enough to inject their creativity and bubbling ideas into innovation. New thinking will come out of these people; they’ll be innovative without being told what to do. They will adapt. And they will communicate and interact even better than the generations before them.”
I hope tomorrow’s society will be based on respect and dialogue
“I see also the same refreshed thinking in the media, on the markets. People can talk about fur, use fur, and integrate fur. The new generation does not let itself be steered by the animal rights groups’ crying wolf, but is mature enough to make up its mind on its own. And that is all I’m asking. I have nothing against an open debate culture, on the contrary. We need to exchange views, opinions and current and future trends together. Based on arguments, respect and dialogue: that’s how tomorrow’s society is going to be, I hope.”
Clearly, one’s lifework is never done….
Janet Jackson for Blackglama
Musician and actress Janet Jackson has been chosen as the newest star to front Blackglama’s campaign “What Becomes a Legend Most?”. As well as looking stunning, being an icon in the history of entertainment Janet Jackson represents the true essence of legend that Blackglama is aiming to put across through their campaign.
Janet joins an elite group of legendary Hollywood icons who have starred in the Blackglama’s campaigns in the past four decades – the rosta includes Sophia Loren, Diana Ross, Audrey Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich and Liza Minelli. All Blackglama mink comes from the Origin Assured (OA™) farms which strictly follow governmental and agricultural guidelines and regulations that govern mink production – www.originassured.com.
“FUR HAS BECOME THE TEXTURE OF THE MOMENT”
“Fur has become the texture of the moment”, says Christy Ferer in her recent article <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christy-ferer/paris-fall-fashion-2010_b_656325.html> for the Huffington Post on the Paris Fall Fashion 2010.
In the article, she talks about how the masters of designer fur-craft including Fendi, J. Mendel, Dennis Basso as well as other ready-to-wear designers are currently “sculpting in fur”. Shaved, sheared, flattened, in purses, cuffs, collars, boots, hoods and leggings – it seems that designers are expressing their vision with fur for next season. “Designers just refuse to be limited…” says Christy.
Check out the video below:
“Fur has become the texture of the moment”, says Christy Ferer in her recent article for the Huffington Post on the Paris Fall Fashion 2010.
In the article, she talks about how the masters of designer fur-craft including Fendi, J. Mendel, Dennis Basso as well as other ready-to-wear designers are currently “sculpting in fur”. Shaved, sheared, flattened, in purses, cuffs, collars, boots, hoods and leggings – it seems that designers are expressing their vision with fur for next season. “Designers just refuse to be limited…” says Christy.
Namibian Sealing Considered Not Cruel by SPCA
Following a request to the Namibian government to monitor the seal harvest in Namibia, representatives from the Namibian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), Dr Debbie Gibson and Dr Simone Herzog, accompanied the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Bernard Esau, last week to observe the first culling of the season. According to New Era, Newspaper for a New Namibia, “they concluded that the sealers were fully capable of carrying out the harvest efficiently and humanely”. SPCA also made it clear that they accept the principles of sustainable harvesting of wild animals, as long as humane methods are used. They have asked to make further observations during the current harvest.
TV DEBATE ON FUR IN ARGENTINA
The Argentine member of IFTF, FACIF (Federación Argentina de Comercialización e Industrialización de la Fauna), has recently participated in a debate around fur and fashion on the Argentine TV Show – Mañaneras. At the show, FACIF was represented by Fabián Medina Bello, well known for being in charge of the image of celebrities such as the Argentine fashion supermodel Valeria Mazza. We were very pleased to see such a mature level of debate in Argentina – a major exporter of fur in Latin America, and hope that the appearance on TV has contributed to the positive factual image of fur and the fur industry there.
EXPLODING BEAVER NUMBERS CAUSE DAMAGE ACROSS NORTH AMERICA WHILE UK CONSIDERS ITS REINTRODUCTION
The population of beaver, the largest rodent in North America, is exploding and consequently causing serious damage to that region. Montreal Gazette has recently affirmed that the damage caused by that rodent runs into millions of dollars each year and is a financial burden on municipalities, private landowners, farmers, timber harvesting operations, transportation networks and mining industries.
Two main reasons for the boom of the beaver population is the replacement of the conifer forests by deciduous forests, populated by aspen trees, which are said to be beavers preferred food and the recent downturn of hunting and trapping.
Surprisingly, on the other side of the globe, Britain’s ecologists have identified beaver as one of the species for the reintroduction into British countryside, says The Telegraph. In the report compiled for Britain’s largest national park, beaver is suggested as one of the strongest candidates for reintroduction … to dissatisfaction of, among others, the landowners, who claim beavers could destroy crops and damage woodland. Hopefully, Britain will try to learn from the current situation in Canada and take a deeper look at the possible consequences of the beaver reintroduction.
Danish Fur Industry Is Open For Public
»Du er velkommen til at hade os bagefter« or in English: “You’re welcome to hate us afterwards” is a new campaign launched by the Danish fur sector designed to show the transparency and open culture of the Danish fur farmers. Several Danish mink farmers are inviting critical consumers to visit their farms and see for themselves how mink is bred and raised.
Although nearly 5.5 million invitations have been distributed, the farms have barely received any visitors so far. Three of the farms have not been visited at all while the others have only had a few visits. Despite the low number of visitors, the Danes do not think that the campaign has been unsuccessful. The invitation is still out there and Knud Vest, Chairman of the European Fur Breeders’ Association (EFBA) and the initiator of the campaign, has been publicly praised for a great campaign.
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