Iqaluit (Apr 24/06) - Paul McCartney can't be impressed. Despite his high profile seal hunt bashing earlier this year, seal pelt prices skyrocketed last week.

Beater harp seal pelts, harvested off the coast of Newfoundland, are going for about $105 each right off the dock, said Rob Cahill, executive director of the Fur Institute of Canada.

Seal pelts like this one cleaned during Toonik Tyme in Iqaluit last week could reach about $105, a jump from the $70 or less being paid before. Hunters and trappers said the news is good. - Kent Driscoll/NNSL photo

Nunavut hunters hope those prices will stay until their harvested pelts go on auction.

Nunavut's ringed seal skins fetched an average of $72 last December - record prices.

Nunavut hunters and trappers hope these prices will hold when their harvest goes to auction.

Qikiqtarjuaq's Nattivak Hunters and Trappers manager Harry Alookie hopes Nunavut says he's happy with the new prices.

"Most of the hunters were already expecting that jump last year, but it didn't happen," said Alookie. Instead, hunters were making between $30 and $60 a pelt.

Conservation officers are the only people who can purchase pelts off sealers. Qikiqtarjuaq hunters sell their pelts to a Pangnirtung-based conservation officer. They are then sold at the North Bay auction in Ontario.

"Three weeks ago a conservation officer was here from Pang buying hides for $30 to $60," said Alookie. "Hopefully they will now buy them for $105 and finally catch up on what they said before."

If they do end up getting that price, it's nothing but good news.

"It's pretty cool," said Sam Nuqingaq, secretary treasurer for Nattivak.

Pangnirtung HTA chair Peterisie Qarpik is used to the higher prices.

"If I were to sell a pelt for that price, I would be really happy," said Qarpik through Juvua Maniapik's translations. "That's the way it used to be."

Maniapik, who is the manager of the Pang HTA, doesn't hunt seal, he only eats the meat.

He's still happy at the news.

"I guess it's really good news. The seal hunters must be happy."

Cahill also sees this as great news for hunters.

"If the trend follows, what we see for beater harp will follow for the ringed seals. We are seeing this trend for all fur prices around the world," said Cahill. "It means a lot more money to communities that harvest seal."

Cahill attributes the high prices to increased demand in China, Denmark, Turkey and even Greenland, although that last country still has a ban on Canadian pelts.