crofter Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 It is not so many years since I was told that a survey of seal stomach otoliths suggested that seals didn't even eat much sillocks or piltocks, a fact I find hard to believe, but publicised nonetheless. I don't see the study results on that link Njugle? Do you know how many seals they cut open for it? It probably depends on the time of year and what other fish are about at any particular time, but seals eat plenty of sillocks. I have watched them doing it many times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trowie246 Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 As far as I know the guy who clubbed the seals has no connection with salmon farming. But I did hear that salmon farmers do have a licence to shoot rogue seals. I suppose some get carried away. When I was a youngster I remember something about the seal population getting seriously out of hand. Then they got a terrible disease that killed them off in hundreds. I suppose this is natures way. Let nature take its course. We have a mussel farm and dunters are a threat at times. A flock of 200 dunters can do serious damage to rope-grown mussels. We bought a predator scarer from Norway. Basically, it sits on top of the water and sound-waves are passed through the water. When the dunter dives to eat the mussels it is hit by the sound of a sea-eagle or some other bird of prey and is scared off. It will surface immediately and buzz off after a day of two when it gets the hint. It really does work. Don't know if something similar can work with seals and salmon, something a bit more intelligent and a bit less brutal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted December 16, 2008 Report Share Posted December 16, 2008 Save the sillock - re-open the fish factory sewers and save them from their pellet fuelled greed! A'll consider dee a political supporter o da "Save Da Sillock" campaign dan??? Sorry för da aff topic natir o me post, bit a lauch is better dan a faain oot. An a'm geen up arguin förnenst Selkie huggers. Da puir craetirs dat post upö da side o da Selkie canna help da wye dey tink. Dey laekly buy sooth milk as weel an du kens whit dat does ta dit grey maitir.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khitajrah Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 Men in court for 21 seal deaths ...were charged with mutilating, beating and crushing the seals and wilfully killing them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaxFusion Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 apparently there was a bit of a scuffle outside the court house this morning when he was going in.....also heard that the clubbing was over the seals damaging fences???didn't know they could climb fences Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justlookin Posted December 17, 2008 Report Share Posted December 17, 2008 [mod]Post removed[/mod] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crofter Posted December 22, 2008 Report Share Posted December 22, 2008 What is the status of seals in Forvik? Are they protected there as well? If SH is fed up waiting for the Inland Revenue to take him to court, all he needs is a club... confess to SNH and he will be in Court before he knows it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nederlander Posted February 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 http://www.shetland-news.co.uk/news_02_2009/Fisherman%20faces%20jail%20over%20seal%20deaths.htm Latest on the seal case. Pretty graphic photos and descriptions involved! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulb Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 he seems to have done more than just kill the seals. it was definitely cruel to beat them to death. as a white fisherman what impact do they have on him. using a fencing post sounds like he was just on a killing spree. if they have to be controlled then they should be done humanely and even then i have very grave doubts about the need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJ of Hildisvik Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 Maximum fine and sentence, still wouldn't be enough, (** mod edit - content removed - lets avoid the personal insults PJ **) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infiltrator Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 I'd put money on this not being the first time they've done this. As for the co-accused having a not guilty plea accepted - I suspect this was always going to happen as they probably only saw one person doing the clubbing so they had to charge both knowing that the other would probably get off with the charge if one agreed to carry the charge on their own. What is it with folks connected to this boat that makes them think they're above the law? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 We are not back in the 70's and early 80's now, have we not progressed Is that what its called, seems to me we're getting close to the point of wildlife having greater legal protection than humans in some cases, in the much the same way as disabled people's "rights" and "facilities" are often to the significant detriment and added danger of the able bodied vast majority. Positive discrimination is the term I think, and IMHO its equally as destructive as the other kind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infiltrator Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 There's a proper way to eradicate vermin - clubbing to death with a fence post for no good reason (his words) isn't something that should be tolerated in a civilised society. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulb Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 and a pup is not even treated as vermin you have to prove its attacking your fish. but has he is a crofter and pelagic fisherman he has either some very dumb sheep or he was out to be cruel. i do hope humans have protection from being beaten to death by fencing posts if not let me know. and we should get Mr Scott onto it. even a rat has a right not to be tortured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostrider Posted February 25, 2009 Report Share Posted February 25, 2009 If the selkies were hauling up and whelping on the Esplanade or Holmsgarth Road, or any other piece of land heavily used by humans, and causing as much "inconvenience" as the maas nesting on lums and tearing up essy bags are, they'd a very different tune be being sung, and they'd be getting the same treatment as the maas are. At the end of the day, a selkie or a maa, both eat fish is competition to humans, and both can create a damn nusiance on land, in certain places. Its all down to the popular perception a particular species, and "popular perception" is dictated by the majority and their personal experiences and circumstances, which may or may not follow any reasoned logic. Personally, as a country dweller, I have no problems with maas, and while I cannot really understand why such a fuss is made over then in the town, and consider the tearing down of nests and holing eggs acts of cruelty, I respect the right of those who have to live with them to be of the opinion that they are of sufficent "nusiance" to merit such IMHO cruel measures to promote an existence in which both human and bird can both live side by side, if not in harmony, at least in tolerance. By the same token, notwithstanding inaccuracies in the news report, it is stated that the guy in question keeps sheep on the isle concerned, ie. he is then at the very least the legal occupier of the property, and as such his boundary of "occupancy" extends to the point of lowest low water. Those selkies were parked on his property, and in case the penny has not yet dropped, that equates to having a selkie or two lolling round the bottom of your garden if you live in a town setting. Maybe "cute" for the first few years, but I could easily see it becoming very irritating if it became a permanent vacation arrangement, just like the maas and their annual nests on lums. While I don't necessarily condone what the guy did, I don't condemn it either, as I can at least understand where he's coming from. Add to that he's a fisherman, and regardless whether or not his personal fishing activities are potentially directly affected by selkies, a lot of fishermen's activities are, and there's nothing unusual, especially in a fishing community for a person to do something for the "common good" rather than personal benefit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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