Non lethal seal deterents MMO

Stakeholder report on non-lethal seal deterrents

MMO stakeholder report published on non-lethal deterrents suitable for control of seals from fishing vessels (MMO1131).  Interactions between seals and fishing gear include depredation of fish catches by seals and bycatch of seals in fishing gear. Throughout England, depredation is an issue for static net fisheries in particular. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) has to provide advice on interactions between seals and fishing gears. In order to improve the specificity of advice, MMO would like to understand the interactions between seals and fishing gear and non-lethal deterrent options better, to be able to offer advice. This may also have positive side effects on fishing by reducing seal by-catch and net-based feeding. Click here to read more

New Seal disturbance Report – The Seal Alliance report Executive Summary

• The tourism sector contributes to an estimated 10.2% of global gross domestic product (GDP), as well as providing 10% of employment worldwide. This sector is continually expanding with the growing popularity of Ecotourism, including interest in the coastal environment, wildlife and recreational activities.

• Recreational water sports and ecotourism expansion have resulted in increasing numbers of interactions between wildlife and human (anthropogenic) activities, which have been observed to have potentially harmful consequences, such as disturbance to many species. This results in negative impacts on individual animals and populations in both the short and long term.

• Seals are vulnerable to disturbance as a result of their need to haul out on land for vital rest and to breed. If scared or disturbed by human activity, stressed seals may be flushed into the sea before they have replaced their oxygen supplies, heat and energy. This can affect their ability to successfully breed and seriously compromise their life expectancy.

• Seals have behavioural and physiological responses to human disturbance. They may become more alert and prematurely flush, stampede or tombstone into the sea resulting in site abandonment. At the same time each seal’s heart, breathing rate and stress levels will have been increased.

• Case studies from around the UK have highlighted high levels of seal disturbance at sensitive haul-out sites that overlap with popular recreation and tourist destinations. These were located in Southwest England, Northwest Wales, Northeast England and Northeast Scotland.

• Causes of this disturbance include land, sea and air-based activities. For example, motorised Click here to read more