Resource+management1

[|Resource management] is the responsible and [|sustainable] management of resources, or natural capital. As it is practiced today, resource management can be largely traced to the early 20th century from the ideas of [|Gifford Pinchot]. At one time the Chief of the US Forest Service, Pinchot was the first to coin the term "[|conservation ethic]" and apply it to natural resources, resulting in the "wise management" of natural capital. Pinchot's concept of conservation was in drastic contrast to the ideals of his contemporary [|John Muir], who pioneered the school of environmental preservation in America. Natural resource management usually focuses on a scientific and technical (economic) understanding of resources and [|ecology] and the life-supporting capacity of those resources. It is a two-part process:
 * 1) The technical process, which is based on science and undertaken by experts, involving the collection and interpretation of data.
 * 2) The political process, based on societal values ([|worldviews]) and undertaken by politicians, which involves the decision-making process. The concept of resource scarcity - the limited access to environmental services provided by natural capital - underlies resource policy.

The seal hunt in Canada is a very controversial issue. It is the largest marine mammal hunt in the world. Recent population research suggests the population of Harp seals in Canada to be approximately 4.8 million. Due to the staggering numbers of seals hunted in the past the Canadian people protested for stricter regulations over the hunt. Due to this protest, the Canadian government formed the [|"Marine mammals Regulations"] in 1972. This set regulations for the total allowable catch per year, and also banned the hunting of infant harp seals, and infant hooded seals. In addition, banned the large-vessel offshore seal hunt, restricting the hunt to rural and coastal inhabitants. This significantly reduced the amount of seals hunted per year. The Canadian government also requires that seal hunters have a license if they wish to participate in the seal hunt. This resulted in a more responsible management of the seal population in Canada.

The DFOs management of the cod fishery shows their complete inadequacy at managing any resource. The dogmatic view of many of it members proves only economic benefit is of importance. The DFOs study of the impact of the seal hunt are completely inadequate, although they justify them when needed due political pressure from the Nfld government. One should have no faith in the DFOs ability to regulate anything in the idea of sustainable ecological importance. The ecosystem is simply to complex, however, the politics and money are pretty easy.

The seal market is now widely controlled by the Canadian federal government, and regulates the maximum allowable hunt each year. The demand for the seal meat is on an increase, currently it is mostly used as an animal feed but it is being explored for other food uses. The coat of seals was in high demand and often was the main reason for the seal hunt, but in 1987 the “white coats” became protected and removed from the legal market. After the white coats were banned they were still illegally harvested and sold on illegal black markets. The highest economic opportunity from the seal comes from the penis' which are being sold in asian markets as an aphrodesiac. Fred Mifflin the minister of fisheries and oceans had said in a press release “the seal fishery provides much needed employment and income for residents of coastal communities devastated by ground fish moratoria.” He was stating that since the fishing had died down that the only way some of the small fishing villages could survive would be by utilizing the seal hunt for its market value. For example in 1996 the seal harvest created around $11million for the various communities and such.