TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 10/23/12 -- The Canadian Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans is set to release a report at 3:45pm EST today on a mass cull of grey seals in Atlantic Canada. The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) calls a cull of grey seals an unethical and risky gamble that is not supported by science.

"Implementing a grey seal cull would use grey seals as a scapegoat to deflect attention from the very serious issues facing fisheries such as bycatch and overfishing" said Sheryl Fink, Director of IFAW's Seal Program, "There has been absolutely no scientific evidence presented to date that would suggest culling seals will help in the recovery of cod or any other fish stock."

IFAW has produced a report (http://www.ifaw.org/canada/resource-centre/grey-seals-atlantic-cull-or not-cull) entitled "Grey Seals in Atlantic Canada: To cull or not to cull" and a short animated video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odRE1UlCyoU&feature=youtu.be) called "Seals and Fisheries: Look below the surface" which gives an overview of the culling issue.

The Director of IFAW's Seal Program, Sheryl Fink, is in Ottawa for the release of the Senate report. She is available for broadcast, print and online media interviews. Dr David Lavigne, IFAW's Science Advisor, gave testimony to the Senate Committee and is also available for telephone interviews.