'It just disgusts me': Hunting association president bristles at death of bearded seal

The president of the Labrador Hunting and Fishing Association is condemning the apparent shooting of a young bearded seal near the port of Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

"These seals come here every year and they loaf on the dock and generally nobody bothers with them. They're a great attraction and interest to people who like nature and like looking at wildlife,"saidLHFApresident TonyChubbs.

"It just disgusts me that somebody would do that in an area frequented by the public, where there's people actually working."

It just disgusts me that somebody would do that in an area frequented by the public.- LHFApresident Tony Chubbs

Chubbs was told about the dead seal commonly referred to as 'square flippers' due to the shape of its front flippers laying on a small dock adjacent to the town's commercial port early Wednesday morning.

After seeing the animal, he believes the wounds indicate someone tried to kill it with a shotgun.

"When you look at him a little closer you can see several spots of blood all around the nose and around the eyes and the top of the head," he said.

An avid hunter, Chubbs theorized thatbirdshot may have been used, which would have left the seal wounded and seeking refuge out of the water.

"I t just expired right here at the end of the dock," he said.

'Disrespectful to the land'

In addition to the odd visit from square-flipper seals, the dock is a popular area for people to catch a glimpse of other local and migratory wildlife.

They're the ones making it bad for everybody else hunting.- Ernie Gear

Ernie Gear was at the port early Wednesday to check out a recently-spotted gaggle of geese, when he came across the dead seal.

"I think people should really realize theyshould be more responsible and they're the ones making it bad for everybody else hunting, right. I mean, you know they should really look at themselves and say this is really disrespectful to the land and stuff like that,"said Gear.

Department of Fisheries and Oceans officials were on site to remove the seal's carcass Wednesday morning.

In a written statement, a spokesperson from the department said they are "investigating this as a potential violation under the Marine Mammal Regulations and/or the Fisheries Act. We are unable to comment further on this matter as the investigation is ongoing."