Canada is about to begin its controversial annual commercial seal hunt with a quota of 275,000 harp seals.

The Canadian government permits the culling, saying it must be done in order to maintain a healthy seal population and high fish stocks.

However, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) indicates that given the recent history of unsustainable catches, poor ice conditions and increased pup mortality, this number is much higher than what the population can sustain.

In 2007, IFAW conservationists reported hundreds of thousands of newborn pups in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence died due to lack of ice before the hunt even began.

While Belgium and The Netherlands have already instated national bans on seal pelts, other countries including Germany, Italy and Austria are currently considering similar action.

In addition, conservationists report that the global market for these pelts has declined and prices have dropped by almost half.

During this year's hunt, IFAW indicates it plans to set up an observation station in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada, to document how these animals are killed.

In 2007, more than 224,000 seals, 98.5 per cent of which were pups under three months old, were killed in Canada's commercial seal hunt.

"The blatant disregard for precautionary principles demonstrates to the world that the Canadian government does not value science or conservation," said Sheryl Fink, a senior researcher with IFAW.