Terms of Reference

National Marine Mammal Peer Review Committee (NMMPRC): November 2021 Biannual Meeting

National Advisory Meeting – National Capital Region

November 15-19, 2021
Virtual Meeting

Chairpersons: Garry Stenson, Véronique Lesage

Context

The National Marine Mammal Peer Review Committee (NMMPRC) holds at least one annual meeting to conduct scientific peer-review of marine mammal research and provide scientific advice. Meetings provide the opportunity for collaborative review of scientific results by DFO and external marine mammal experts. Following NMMPRC peer-review and approval, scientific results are used to provide sound scientific advice for the management and conservation of marine mammals in Canada.

Topics

Specific Terms of Reference for each topic are as follows:

Alternative bleeding method for the hunt for young seals (Halichoerus grypus): common carotid arteries versus axillary arteries

Context

Young of the year grey and harp seals are hunted off Newfoundland and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The current regulations for the humane killing of seals require that animals be bled by severance of their axillary arteries prior to skinning. This usually consists of opening the animal, cutting the arteries and then turning it over to bleed out. However, the hunt for grey seals in the Gulf of St. Lawrence usually occurs on land and targets mainly young seals for commercialization of their meat for human consumption. As such the requirement to bleed via the axillary arteries may lead to contamination of the meat by debris from the ground. To minimize contamination and still meet the highest animal welfare standards, an alternative bleeding method involving severance of the common carotid (neck) arteries and the two jugular veins has been proposed. The objective is to reduce the likelihood of meat contamination and be at least as efficient from the perspective of animal welfare as the current approach identified in the regulations.

Objectives

The following specific questions are to be addressed:

1. Is there a difference in bleeding time between severance of the axillary arteries and the proposed alternative method in young seals? If there is, what recommended minimum bleeding time is required to  ensure the animal is dead. 
2. Is there an influence of sex or weight of grey seals on this bleeding time?
3. Since bleeding time for young grey seals has not been reported previously but has been documented for young harp seals, does it differ between these two species when animals of the same approximate age are bled using the same method (e.g., severance of both axillary arteries)?

Expected Publications

• Research Document
• Science Advisory Report
• Proceedings

Expected Participation

• DFO (Ecosystems and Oceans Science, Species at Risk, Fisheries and Harbour Management sectors)
• Academia or Academics
• Stakeholders
• Other invited experts