paulb Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 They only started counting the grey seal population in the 1960s. the seal was still hunted/culled then so numbers would have been kept artificially low. The population will increase to the pre hunting stage. once they have reached the maximum sustainable level they will either move to other areas or be controlled by natural events. We need to see an area of similar climatic and food supply that has not been hunted to see what the natural seal population is. Taking out a major predator will impact on the food chain. As can bee seen when a source of food gets abundant something moves in to exploit it as in the killer whales. Lots of the seals seem to be taking advantage of the waste dumped into the sea by the fishing boats. If this feeding stopped then the numbers may reduce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medziotojas Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 The common seal eats sand eels as one of its major food sources so reduce sand eels so reduced seal numbers. As regards sand eels; although they make up a proportion of the common seal's diet, many other species of fish also supplement this diet. If you were to use the decline of sand eel stocks as a link to the decline in common seal numbers then surely the grey seal population would also show a decline. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/Wildlife-Habitats/19887/20877Grey seals feed mostly on fish that live on or close to the seabed. Their diet is largely composed of sandeels, whitefish (cod, haddock, whiting, ling), and flatfish (plaice, sole, flounder, dab), although this varies seasonally and from region to region. Food requirements depend on the size of the seal and oiliness of the prey but an average figure is 7 kg of cod or 4 kg of sandeels per day. ... and ... Common seals normally feed within 40-50 km around haul out sites. They take a wide variety of prey including sandeels, whitefish, herring and sprat, flatfish, octopus and squid. Diet varies seasonally and from region to region. Because of their smaller size, common seals eat less food than grey seals, perhaps 3-5 kg per day depending on the prey species. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EM Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 They only ...Yes, but in all that you speak about "seals" without differentiation. From a conservation point of view it is the common seal which is under threat. Whatever the "original" numbers of both grey and common were at any particular time may be interesting, but is not the main issue. Given that the situation is now so affected by human decisions, opting for a "just leave it to nature" approach is likely to result in the common seals being wiped out. I would prefer to have a more balanced situation. If the specialists are highlighting the grey seals as a major factor in the decline of the common seal, it seems appropriate to make sure that that pressure is not allowed to "naturally" reach a level which tips the common seal over the brink. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nederlander Posted April 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 Thanks for clearing that up Pixie, makes much more sense now! Any one threatening anyone should be done for threats of violence. its odd that someone objects to an act of violence with violence is odd at the least.A very, very good point. A good point perhaps, but, unless I have missed something, what has it got to do with the population of seals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crofter Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 The population will increase to the pre hunting stage. Only if the rest of the marine ecosystem is the same as it was in the pre hunting stage. (When was that by the way? As far as I am aware, seals have been hunted for their skins, oil and other useful parts since pre-historic times?) If the food (grey seals eat sand eels too) is not available they will not increase past the point at which the population can be sustained, regardless of what the numbers were in the "pre-hunting'' times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EM Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 A good point perhaps, but, unless I have missed something, what has it got to do with the population of seals?The thread was established following the specific JS incident. Accordingly it has been covering both the general topic of seal population, as well as the reactions to such events. As can be seen, some people have taken a "12 Monkeys" maniac attitude and spout off decidedly unpleasant opinions. Any highlighting of the illogical irony of such attitudes is surely welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crofter Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 Any highlighting of the illogical irony of such attitudes is surely welcome. Yes. Taken to extremes by groups such as the ALF - sending death threats, digging up corpses etc. A bad road to go down, whatever you happen to believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulb Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 totally agree. but that does not mean that we except the killing of seals unless there is a clear need(not a potential threat) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoogler Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 With regards to the reports that are found on the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) site, the statistics and the statistical methods are mostly giving a view as to the MINIMUM population level of common and grey seals, as well as the trend, i.e. stable, declining or increasing. The fact is that if we are unsure of population numbers the only way to add to the current state of knowledge is through more regular seal counting or other population analysis - not just every 5 years but more regularly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernView Posted May 7, 2009 Report Share Posted May 7, 2009 I never catch no fish from the shore, I blame it on the seals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khitajrah Posted June 16, 2010 Report Share Posted June 16, 2010 Six island seals found 'shot dead' on Shetland Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJ of Hildisvik Posted June 16, 2010 Report Share Posted June 16, 2010 I just heard the news on radio five live. no doubt someone knows who did it just more blatant disregard for our natural enviroment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted June 16, 2010 Report Share Posted June 16, 2010 Why is anyone surprised? After the pantomine the powers that be made of the East Linga case, somebody somewhere was bound to do something to give them the finger. I'm just surprised its taken so long to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmith.780 Posted June 16, 2010 Report Share Posted June 16, 2010 To the lover of nature who thinks he/she has the right wherever you may be,or are from,has decided to be God and shoots seals methinks and wishes the old adage of 'What goes around comes around' comes to fruit Anon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted June 16, 2010 Report Share Posted June 16, 2010 When I here of something like this I automatically wonder just what it is that someone gets out of mindless slaughter. I also wonder why the police do not conduct ballistics tests on all licenced weapons as part of their investigation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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