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Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why was Canada’s harp seal hunting quota reduced in 2007?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
A mother harp seal and a young “whitecoat.” Adult harp seals are gray with black spots. Young harp seals are called “whitecoats,” “bedlamers,” “beaters,” or “graybacks,” depending on their age.
harp seal A mother harp seal and a young “whitecoat.” Adult harp seals are gray with black spots. Young harp seals are called “whitecoats,” “bedlamers,” “beaters,” or “graybacks,” depending on their age.

Canada’s total allowable catch (TAC) for harp seals was reduced to 270,000 in 2007 primarily due to significant reductions in sea ice coverage in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and off the coasts of Newfoundland and Labrador.1

Because harp seals rely on this seasonal pack ice as a platform for whelping and rearing their young, the loss of ice habitat necessitated an adjustment to the harvest limits to account for these changing environmental conditions.1