Nine sadistic Nova Scotia residents have been arrested for illegally slaughtering 220 gray seals in a protected Canadian wilderness area.

The nine were arrested and their 5.4 meter fishing boat was confiscated along with an all-terrain vehicle.

They were given summonses to appear in Sydney Provincial Court in Cape Breton on May 8 to answer to charges of hunting seals in a protected area under the Wildlife Act, the Wilderness Area Protection Act, and the Environment Act.

Gray seals are being slaughtered between January 2 and March 1st with a quota of 10,000 seals. There is no conservation reason for this kill and the animals are being slaughtered to appease the demands of fishermen who have depleted fish populations through overfishing. The seals are being killed to be rendered into oil to be used in the manufacturing of omega-3 capsules to be sold in health food stores.

The bodies of the seals were left scattered in the protected area. Reports describe signs which point to inhumane killing and indicate that the sealers tormented some of the seals prior to killing them.

It is noteworthy that these criminals were apprehended by Nova Scotian authorities and not by Canadian Fisheries Officers.

"This is the kind of enforcement action we would like to see from DFO officers," said Captain Paul Watson, Founder and President of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. "These sealers made the mistake of killing seals in a Provincial jurisdiction. The Feds would have turned a blind eye as they always have, preferring to arrest people who photograph or film the seals being killed instead."

Sea Shepherd will be following this case closely to see how Nova Scotian authorities deal with blatant poaching activities like this.