Seal culling has been banned since 1978 but Scottish fisherman, and chairman of the Anglo Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, David Sheil, believes that seal numbers have increased to such an extent they are now a threat to the livelihoods of the fishermen.
He told the BBC’s Countryfile, “The seals that are here increase all the time. They aren’t sticking to a quota like the rest of the men, they’re just helping themselves and not a thing is being done about it.
“They are pests,” He added. “You can see them in the North sea in places where you’ve never seen them before.”
It is believed that British grey seals, now numbering about 100,000, of which 90% of them reside in Scottish waters, eat more than 15,000 tonnes of cod each year, which is almost half the quota UK fishermen are allowed to catch.
The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation is asking the government to introduce a seal commission to investigate the best method of controlling them. The commission, they say, should have similar powers to the deer commission.
