在3月18日，俄羅斯政府頒佈禁令，禁止捕捉一歲以下豎琴海豹(harp seal)。此項禁令是由俄羅斯聯邦漁業局所頒佈，文件並已送交司法部登記。
早在2008年對於俄羅斯豎琴海豹獵捕的反對聲浪就已升起，國際動物福利基金會(International Fund for Animal Welfare, IFAW)表示，在俄羅斯25個城市及國外都曾舉行反獵捕的抗議活動，以協助人們更加了解關於獵捕海豹的相關訊息。
大眾的抗議導致越來越大的壓力，俄羅斯政府遂停止豎琴海豹獵捕。環保人士對於政府這項決定非常欣慰。
國際動物福利基金會大力讚揚了俄羅斯停止豎琴海豹獵捕的決定。基金會在加拿大及全世界推動停止豎琴海豹商業獵殺行為。環保團體嘗試推動生態旅遊以及小型商業作為蘇俄獵殺海豹以外的另一項選擇。
本週稍晚，世界上最大宗的海豹獵殺活動將於加拿大東岸展開，2008年有超過21萬7千頭海豹被獵殺，其中有99.8%是未超過三個月的小海豹。加拿大並不允許獵殺小海豹，獵人必須等到海豹長出較深的灰色毛才可以獵殺。
但是在世界各地，對加拿大每年海豹獵捕行為的反對聲浪高漲，加拿大與格陵蘭、納米比亞及挪威是世上獵殺海豹最多的國家。
海豹主要是因為它們的毛皮被獵殺，但是肉和脂肪也被取用做為美容產品。加拿大政府辯稱每年的狩獵是必要的海洋經濟活動，且是人道的。
但是國際人道協會指出，曾經研究加拿大商業獵殺海豹行為50年的獸醫發現動物遭受極度的折磨，「專家說，商業獵殺海豹行為本來就是不人道的。在偏遠惡劣的環境執行獵殺，及其獵殺的速度，正是全世界國家令國民採取行動來終結海豹相關產品交易的首要原因。」
A ban on the hunting of all harp seals less than one year old was announced today by the Russian government. The ban was imposed by the Russian Federal Fisheries Agency and the documentation has been sent for state registration with the Ministry of Justice.
Public opposition to the Russian harp seal hunt has grown over the past year. International Fund for Animal Welfare said that anti-hunting demonstrations held in 25 Russian cities and abroad have helped people gain greater understanding of the issues involved in seal hunting.
The public outcry led to mounting pressure on the Russian government to close the harp seal hunt. Environmentalists were happy with the government's decision.
The end of Russia's harp seal hunt was applauded by the International Fund for Animal Welfare, which has been working in Canada and throughout the world to put an end to commercial seal hunts. Environmental groups have been trying to promote ecotourism and small business as alternatives to the Russian seal hunt.
Later this week, the world's largest seal hunt will begin off the east coast of Canada. Last year, more than 217,000 harp seals were killed, 99.8 percent of which were under three months of age. Canada does not allow the clubbing of whitecoats. Sealers must wait until the animals get their darker gray coats at about six weeks of age.
But around the world, opposition is mounting to annual seal hunts in Canada, where most of the world's seal hunting takes place, as well as Greenland, Namibia and Norway. Seals are hunted mainly for their pelts, but also for meat and fat, which is used in beauty products.
The Canadian government maintains that the annual hunt is an essential part of the maritime economy and that it is humane.
But the Humane Society International points out that veterinarians have studied Canada’s commercial seal hunt for five decades and have consistently found high levels of suffering. "Veterinary experts say commercial seal hunting is inherently inhumane because of the remote, extreme environments in which hunts operate and the speed at which they must be conducted," the organization says. "This is a primary reason why nations around the world are taking action on behalf of their citizens to end their trade in seal products."
