Sir, - A lot has been written in the recent past on the issue of seal culling, much by people who know little or nothing about seals and who have probably never ever seen one. Seals do eat fish. Studies around the coasts of Britain show that 11 fish species make up over 90 per cent of their diet. Of these species, scientists consider the cod is the only one which is also subject to a large commercial catch.
Estimates of total fish consumption by major predators in the North Sea reveal that fishermen remove 25 times as much fish as seals and that other fish remove 30 times as much as seals. The simplistic argument of "fewer seals, more fish" has been disproved sufficiently by multi-species modelling, the experience of Canadian research, research in the Barents Sea and the oft-quoted Cape Fur seal/hake fisheries. This evidence alone must introduce a note of caution for even the most avid seal-cull advocates.
Scottish fisheries ministers continually say it is unlikely that the fish consumed by seals would be available to either commercial fishermen or anglers and a widespread cull of seals would not be the most appropriate solution to the problem of diminishing salmon stocks in Scottish rivers. Half the world's population of grey seals are found around the coasts of the British Isles with the greatest proportion along the Scottish coast. Scientists at the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) are currently carrying out research into the impact that grey seals are having on stocks of white fish in Scottish waters.
Some fishermen do experience problems with individual animals which remove fish from their nets. Such predators need to be controlled, but there are a range of humane approaches which must be considered before reverting to lethal methods. Finally, I ask all concerned to view the Seal Cull Policy Document from the Irish Seal Sanctuary (www.irishsealsanctuary.com) before making up their minds. Journalists such as Kevin Myers should study all the facts before putting pen to paper. - Yours, etc.,
Terry Flanagan, Chairman, Irish Seal Sanctuary, Garristown, Co Dublin.