Seals were stealing mackerel off our lines in Dingle harbour in September.

 

They are becoming a pain in the behind.

 

They are also entering the nets of the trawlers as well.

There has to be a fune balance.

 

They are also entering the nets of the trawlers as well.

There has to be a fune balance.

They are getting bad on the nets here. Out wrecking last year watched a seal make a beeline for the flag marking the end of a net. Know someone who had 19 out of 20 monkfish munched by the seal/seals.

 

This is just another example of the arrogance of man, trying to solve complex natural balance issues, that have been interfered with by man. Remove the main food item, and an animal will adapt, in this case small prey fish like Mackerel or Herring. The nett result is that the seals will seek alternative prey species rather than die - and what easier solution than some nets that have already trapped those tasty treats!!!!!

We have seen the same problem down here, where man displaced the desert Lions, and allowed the Cape Fur Seals to use just about any beach to breed on, and raise their young, as well as infinite protection from the 'Greens'. Rather than the former situation where the seals were restricted to rocky outcrops and small islands for breeding. The population exploded 10 fold or more, with a rough estimate of 1.5 million seals on this coast. Add in a little over- exploitation of their main food source - Sardines/Pilchards, and seals now become a serious problem feasting on other prey species, and causing stock problems.

Then the ultimate problem comes, when with all this huge stock of seals, starts breeding with a vengeance, but they is too little food for the stock of seals, and now nature makes another turn in its survival strategy - the young on the beach are abandoned, and inevitable starve to death and the coast for hundreds of miles is littered with dead seal pup corpses. Next round of 'Green Screaming', happens, the young seals need feeding and saving!!!!

Man is really not intelligent enough to interfere with natural balance schemes...…………..

See what happens if the Irish seals are subject to a cull, the 'Greens' will go absolutely mad, and Ireland will be subject to the full level of their wrath!!!!

For those that remember the actual start of the huge Cormorant problem - a sea bird feasting in inland lakes, brought about by overfishing Herring and Sandeel. Still not resolved!!!! And yet, we see huge flocks - in their thousands along our coast, feeding and surviving naturally - feeding on small sea fish species.

 

Do what needs to be done...cull them , far too many being rescued by the do gooders...let nature take its course.

 

They rescued and released the same seal 4 times in one week down here recently,i said to them whats the matter with it and they said nothing it had just come up on the beach for a rest, considering how rough the sea was i dont blame it.It wouldn't of been able to hunt anyway.

 

watched a programme on Irish tv about how the massive boom is because of people moving off of previously inhabited islands around Ireland and the seals now have massive areas of beach to mate now whereas before far less ...??
havnt seen this mentioned anywhere else though ? admit I havnt researched it any further so maybe common knowledge

 

Let's face it, Man is an apex predator and so are seals. If there were no humans on the planet, fish and seals would strike a natural balance. But fishermen and seals are rivals for the same food, and on land rival predators which threaten human food (eg wolves killing sheep) are not tolerated.
Add in the fact that seals are intelligent animals which have learned that fish caught in nets make easy prey, and you have a recipe for conflict.
When you add in the public perception of seals as cute, cuddly creatures with big soulful eyes, you have another recipe for conflict.
My personal view is that some humane culling to reduce excessive numbers and discourage seals from raiding nets would be reasonable.
But I have no doubt it would be completely unacceptable to the general public. PH

 

Do what needs to be done...cull them , far too many being rescued by the do gooders...let nature take its course.

"Rescued seals" being released in to Portsmouth and Langstone harbours, no natural predators like big sharks so the numbers increase. It won't be long before the last flounder and eel is eaten and they then feed on the bass and mullet, they won't catch all of them but it's a lesson in conservation, it needs to be done in the right place with the other factors considered.

 

http://www.bdmlr.org.uk/uploads/documents/reports/seal-fisheries-interactions.pdf