For decades, Irish fishermen have called for Irish seals to be culled. The call for a seal cull has been made especially vociferously in the west of the country, and has been brought into the national discussion when backed by politicians and highlighted by illegal acts of violence against seals. Just weeks ago, Michael Healy-Rae, Independent TD for Kerry, was in the media demanding a cull. Though many people perceive seals to compete with fishermen, any impact on fisheries is not well supported by the research. Studies have found that seals do not generally compete for the same fish resources as fishermen, and modelling has indicated that the presence or absence of seals has little impact on fisheries catches.
Continue reading “Is a seal cull needed to protect fish stocks?”Is a seal cull needed to protect fish stocks?
