Nigel Barker and Chefs for Seals Call for Canadian Seafood Boycott

One of the most stunning photo shoots by fashion photographer and America's Next Top Model judge, Nigel Barker, took place in 2008, when Barker took his camera to Canada to document the annual seal hunt. This wasn't a one-time publicity stunt — Nigel Barker is passionate about ending the brutal slaughter.

The photos and Barker's documentary about the hunt, A Sealed Fate?, were turned into an exhibition that's been shown across the U.S. His recently released book, Nigel Barker's Beauty Equation, includes a two-page spread about the campaign. He's also a spokesperson for the Humane Society of the United States and Humane Society International's ProtectSeals campaign.

In addition, Nigel Barker is the face of Chefs for Seals, an organization of chefs and restaurateurs committed to ending the seal hunt. Yesterday, a Chefs for Seals event in Los Angeles, co-hosted by Barker and chef Cat Cora, brought out celebs and chefs to promote the growing boycott of Canadian seafood.

It's not as if seal steaks are a hot menu item in the U.S. (or anywhere, for that matter; hunters are primarily after the baby seal pelts). So, what does Canadian seafood have to do with the seal hunt?

The seal clubbing industry is a part of Canada's fisheries industry. For example, the Barry Group, which supplies seafood to restaurants like Red Lobster, also owns Atlantic Marine Products, which is one of the largest seal processors.

A boycott of Canadian seafood sends the message to the industry, and their government supporters, that consumers and suppliers refuse to support the cruelty of the seal hunt. This is the world's largest commercial slaughter of marine mammals, and fully 95 percent of the harp seals shot or clubbed to death are less than three months old.

The Humane Society of the United States and the ProtectSeals network believe that "the Canadian government will quickly realize the economic impact of a fisheries boycott is too high a price to pay for the seal hunt." According to HSUS, the money seal killers make off clubbing baby seals accounts for only about one-twentieth of their annual fishing income. Hard to believe the cruelty is worth it.

On the other side of the equation, the U.S. is responsible for about two-thirds of the Canadian seafood industry, so a widespread boycott would hit their wallets hard.

More than 650,000 individuals have pledged to boycott Canadian seafood in the name of saving seals.

More than 5,500 restaurants and grocery stores have joined the Canadian seafood boycott, some refusing to serve or sell seafood from sealing provinces, others staying away from any seafood products coming from north of the border . HSUS has a handy tool to help you find seal-friendly establishments.

Events like last night's affair are part of the Chefs for Seals tour honoring (and recruiting) chefs who are part of the boycott. Nigel Barker and crew were also in Washington, DC and Miami last year, and the tour will continue to other cities like Las Vegas, Chicago and New York City.

Red Lobster remains notably absent from the campaign. While their cuisine may not be on the same level as the list of gourmet chefs who have signed on, the chain is the world's largest purchaser of Canadian seafood. Tell Red Lobster to take a stand against animal cruelty by joining the Canadian seafood boycott.

Photo credit: Fibonacci Blue