Licensed Hunting of Grey Seals in Sweden – 350 more Animals this Year
The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has now decided on this year’s hunt for grey seals, harbour seals and ringed seals. Licensed hunting of grey seals will increase by 350 animals this year compared to last year, with a total of 1,350 grey seals allowed to be shot until the beginning of next year.
The protective hunt for harbour seals and harbour porpoises remains at the same level as last year, with 200 ringed seals and 200 harbour porpoises.
Text: Lena Scherman
The purpose of the hunt, according to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s press release, is to prevent and mitigate the damage that seals can cause to small-scale fishing and sensitive fish stocks.
This objective is fully in line with the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s mandate from the government to simplify and facilitate seal hunting.
“These predators, seals and cormorants, consume large quantities of fish. This has significant consequences for both ecosystems and fish stocks. The tasks we have decided on today are therefore important measures to strengthen fish stocks, said Minister for Rural Affairs Peter Kullgren in a press release in connection with the assignment to, among others, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
When it comes to protective hunting of ringed seals, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is more cautious.
‘Even though the damage to commercial fishing remains high, we believe there is reason for some caution regarding the number of seals that may be hunted, pending more knowledge about the development of the populations,’ says Jens Andersson of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.
The Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management is expected to present its management plan for seals on Friday, 27 February.
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