Ottawa  - Canada allows hunters in this year's seal hunt to kill 338,200 animals that is 55,000 seals more than in 2008, the fisheries minister said late Friday.

Federal Fisheries Minister Gail Shea said the quota was fixed after scientists' advice "to ensure the seal population is maintained," Canada's CTV channel said.

Animal rights organizations were dismayed over the Canadian government's decision to raise the quota for the annual hunt, which draws international criticism.

The increase comes only shortly after the European Union's parliament supported a bill imposing tight regulations on the import of seal products because of the cruel hunting methods.

Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin this week banned the hunt of the most coveted baby seals in his country. While the initial ban only included the coveted "whitecoats," who shed their white fur about two weeks after birth, the government later said it intended to included all seals less than one year old in the ban.

Environment Minister Yuri Trutnev said the "bloody sight of the seal hunting ... that you cannot even call a real hunt, is banned in our country just as in most developed countries."

Shea said ministry officials were to supervise the hunt to ensure "compliance with the regulations and licence conditions and they will take enforcement action when necessary.

About 70 per cent of this year's cull are to be hunted in the region north-east of Newfoundland and Labrador. Authorities estimate the number of harp, hooded and grey seals on Canada's east coast around 6.4 million. (dpa)