Comments on: Plea for Government action as holiday family finds shot seal http://forargyll.com/2009/11/plea-for-government-action-as-holiday-family-finds-shot-seal/ Fri, 25 May 2012 09:51:57 +0100 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dr Sue Wilsonhttp://forargyll.com/2009/11/plea-for-government-action-as-holiday-family-finds-shot-seal/#comment-16631 Dr Sue Wilson Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:12:24 +0000 http://forargyll.com/?p=17146#comment-16631 I would like to support the views expressed in of all of the above comments - I find Tony Gill's response (above) has particular resonance. The Scotsman published an article last week on the new legislation on seal shooting in Scotland. I sent a reply to this, which can be read as a comment to the article on the Scotsman website and also on http://www.bdmlr.org.uk/index.php?page=news We have also reported on a preliminary study of seal/fish farm interactions entitled 'In search of seal-friendly salmon farming'. This can be found online at http://www.lookoutforseals.org/images/stories/documents/seal-fish-farm-study-interim-report-271009. This study is ongoing, and we very much hope that the fish farms quoted in Mark Carter's article above will participate in the next phase of the study. It is essential for the future of Scotland's natural heritage that the present-day slaughtering of seals is replaced by a humane conservation ethic, supported by the new marine bill for Scotland. I would like to support the views expressed in of all of the above comments – I find Tony Gill’s response (above) has particular resonance.

The Scotsman published an article last week on the new legislation on seal shooting in Scotland. I sent a reply to this, which can be read as a comment to the article on the Scotsman website and also on http://www.bdmlr.org.uk/index.php?page=news

We have also reported on a preliminary study of seal/fish farm interactions entitled ‘In search of seal-friendly salmon farming’. This can be found online at
http://www.lookoutforseals.org/images/stories/documents/seal-fish-farm-study-interim-report-271009. This study is ongoing, and we very much hope that the fish farms quoted in Mark Carter’s article above will participate in the next phase of the study.

It is essential for the future of Scotland’s natural heritage that the present-day slaughtering of seals is replaced by a humane conservation ethic, supported by the new marine bill for Scotland.

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]]> By: John F. Robinshttp://forargyll.com/2009/11/plea-for-government-action-as-holiday-family-finds-shot-seal/#comment-16474 John F. Robins Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:57:55 +0000 http://forargyll.com/?p=17146#comment-16474 The Marine (Scotland) Bill is currently going through the Scottish Parliament and it is still possible to get amendments and changes to Part 5 which will replace the Conservation of Seals Act 1970. At present the proposals mean little more than fish farmers having to buy a Government license to allow them to continue killing seals 365 days a year. There is no reason why the new law should not make it illegal for fish farmers to kill seals. At the moment the pro seal killers are trying to make it look as though ignorant townies who do not know what they are talking about are trying to ruin their industry. That is utter nonsense, if a fish farmer has to shoot seals he or she is not running their farm properly. It is important to show that it is not all townies who want to protect seals. I urge fellow residents of A&B to contact their MSPs and make it clear that you want them to use the Marine (Scotland) Bill to remove the right of fish farmers to shoot seals. As usual the Government want to be all things to all people and are tinkering with the law instead of having the guts to radically change it. You can get details of your MSPs here: http://www.writetothem.com/ You should also copy your e-mail to Maureen Watt who is Convener of the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee which will consider amendments to the Bill in the next few weeks before it goes back to the full Parliament. Maureen.Watt.msp@scottish.parliament.uk The Marine (Scotland) Bill is currently going through the Scottish Parliament and it is still possible to get amendments and changes to Part 5 which will replace the Conservation of Seals Act 1970. At present the proposals mean little more than fish farmers having to buy a Government license to allow them to continue killing seals 365 days a year.
There is no reason why the new law should not make it illegal for fish farmers to kill seals. At the moment the pro seal killers are trying to make it look as though ignorant townies who do not know what they are talking about are trying to ruin their industry. That is utter nonsense, if a fish farmer has to shoot seals he or she is not running their farm properly.
It is important to show that it is not all townies who want to protect seals. I urge fellow residents of A&B to contact their MSPs and make it clear that you want them to use the Marine (Scotland) Bill to remove the right of fish farmers to shoot seals.
As usual the Government want to be all things to all people and are tinkering with the law instead of having the guts to radically change it.
You can get details of your MSPs here: http://www.writetothem.com/
You should also copy your e-mail to Maureen Watt who is Convener of the Rural Affairs and Environment Committee which will consider amendments to the Bill in the next few weeks before it goes back to the full Parliament. Maureen.Watt.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

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]]> By: David Ainsleyhttp://forargyll.com/2009/11/plea-for-government-action-as-holiday-family-finds-shot-seal/#comment-16456 David Ainsley Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:18:16 +0000 http://forargyll.com/?p=17146#comment-16456 There is no excuse for salmon farmers shooting seals. The problem of the shooting of seals by salmon farmers has a simple solution. A minority of farms responsibly use a double net with the outer net held away from the inner net by the use of tensioning weights. These farms do not have a problem with seal predation and do not "need" to shoot seals. The nets do cost money but the salmon farming industry in Scotland is currently very profitable. All industries have a duty to operate in a way that is responsible to the environment and to other industries operating in the same area. Wildlife tourism is hugely important to the local economy but does rely on people having something to see. Seals are on of the most important species for wildlife operators and support a growing and what should be sustainable industry. There is no excuse for salmon farmers shooting seals.
The problem of the shooting of seals by salmon farmers has a simple solution. A minority of farms responsibly use a double net with the outer net held away from the inner net by the use of tensioning weights. These farms do not have a problem with seal predation and do not “need” to shoot seals. The nets do cost money but the salmon farming industry in Scotland is currently very profitable. All industries have a duty to operate in a way that is responsible to the environment and to other industries operating in the same area. Wildlife tourism is hugely important to the local economy but does rely on people having something to see. Seals are on of the most important species for wildlife operators and support a growing and what should be sustainable industry.

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]]> By: Tony Gillhttp://forargyll.com/2009/11/plea-for-government-action-as-holiday-family-finds-shot-seal/#comment-16389 Tony Gill Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:51:10 +0000 http://forargyll.com/?p=17146#comment-16389 My house overlooks Loch Craignish and for many years I was involved in the 'marine tourist' industry. Lindsay Johnson is quite right, there are far fewer seals in Loch Craignish than in the past and the decline has increased in recent years. Coincidentally, the fish farm that pretty much fills the eastern side of the loch, sheltered from the view of the road and village by Eileans Righ, Gabhar and Macaskin, has increased in size steadily throughout that time until it now severely encroaches into the navigable channel. The small rocks and islets in that channel were perfect seal nurseries and I used to see mothers and pups on a regular basis - even seeing a pup being born on a skerry by Eln. Gabhar. I have seen none there for many years, though these days I don't visit as often as Mr. Johnson. Until last year though, there was a 'sanctuary' on the rocks south of Macaskin, where thirty or more seals could be seen hauled out on a regular basis. Last year a new fish cage was anchored half a mile or so from that rock. Coincidentally, there seem to be fewer seals on the rock these days. Maybe they just weren't there when I passed by, Lindsay Johnson will know more. Most years, outside the tourist/yachting season, shots can be heard echoing around from the southeastern part of the loch - not just one as though a deer has been shot, but volleys, as though there are many targets (or the shooter is a particularly bad marksman). These are rifle shots, not shotguns. To be fair, I don't remember any last year - no need really, no seals. Lakeland 'haven't shot a seal in a long time', so they have done in the past and no doubt will again when their fish grow big - if there's a seal left around. The argument about fish farmers 'rights' to protect their investment is just crass. There are places along our huge coastline where seals are less common, or are not their breeding grounds. Why not put the farms there? But no, instead, they are put right next to their main predator's breeding ground. The situation is analagous to a cattle farmer setting up a farm in the middle of the Masai Mara, moaning about predation and shooting all the big cats he can find. The whole world would come down on the head of anyone so stupid. Well, Mr. Fish Farmer, the seals of our seas are the lions of Africa and they need to be protected from people like you. You have no moral right of protection from them. If it's uneconomical to protect your stock in a benign way, take your cages somewhere else and accept you made a mistake. My house overlooks Loch Craignish and for many years I was involved in the ‘marine tourist’ industry. Lindsay Johnson is quite right, there are far fewer seals in Loch Craignish than in the past and the decline has increased in recent years. Coincidentally, the fish farm that pretty much fills the eastern side of the loch, sheltered from the view of the road and village by Eileans Righ, Gabhar and Macaskin, has increased in size steadily throughout that time until it now severely encroaches into the navigable channel.

The small rocks and islets in that channel were perfect seal nurseries and I used to see mothers and pups on a regular basis – even seeing a pup being born on a skerry by Eln. Gabhar. I have seen none there for many years, though these days I don’t visit as often as Mr. Johnson.

Until last year though, there was a ‘sanctuary’ on the rocks south of Macaskin, where thirty or more seals could be seen hauled out on a regular basis. Last year a new fish cage was anchored half a mile or so from that rock. Coincidentally, there seem to be fewer seals on the rock these days. Maybe they just weren’t there when I passed by, Lindsay Johnson will know more.

Most years, outside the tourist/yachting season, shots can be heard echoing around from the southeastern part of the loch – not just one as though a deer has been shot, but volleys, as though there are many targets (or the shooter is a particularly bad marksman). These are rifle shots, not shotguns. To be fair, I don’t remember any last year – no need really, no seals. Lakeland ‘haven’t shot a seal in a long time’, so they have done in the past and no doubt will again when their fish grow big – if there’s a seal left around.

The argument about fish farmers ‘rights’ to protect their investment is just crass. There are places along our huge coastline where seals are less common, or are not their breeding grounds. Why not put the farms there? But no, instead, they are put right next to their main predator’s breeding ground.

The situation is analagous to a cattle farmer setting up a farm in the middle of the Masai Mara, moaning about predation and shooting all the big cats he can find. The whole world would come down on the head of anyone so stupid.

Well, Mr. Fish Farmer, the seals of our seas are the lions of Africa and they need to be protected from people like you. You have no moral right of protection from them. If it’s uneconomical to protect your stock in a benign way, take your cages somewhere else and accept you made a mistake.

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]]> By: John F. Robinshttp://forargyll.com/2009/11/plea-for-government-action-as-holiday-family-finds-shot-seal/#comment-16384 John F. Robins Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:07:57 +0000 http://forargyll.com/?p=17146#comment-16384 It would be interesting to know how many people in Argyll are legally permitted to shoot seals. The total figure for the rest of Scotland is 279 but Strathclyde Police do not keep their firearms records on computer and cannot retrieve this information. Salmon farmers do not have to shoot seals. Adopting certain farming protocols and installing and maintaining high strength tensioned anti-predator nets not only removes the need to shoot seals it protects the farmers from being prosecuted for breaching the Animal Health and Welfare Scotland Act 2006 which legally obliges fish farmers to eliminate predator attacks on their stock. It would be interesting to know how many people in Argyll are legally permitted to shoot seals. The total figure for the rest of Scotland is 279 but Strathclyde Police do not keep their firearms records on computer and cannot retrieve this information.
Salmon farmers do not have to shoot seals. Adopting certain farming protocols and installing and maintaining high strength tensioned anti-predator nets not only removes the need to shoot seals it protects the farmers from being prosecuted for breaching the Animal Health and Welfare Scotland Act 2006 which legally obliges fish farmers to eliminate predator attacks on their stock.

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]]> By: David Woodhousehttp://forargyll.com/2009/11/plea-for-government-action-as-holiday-family-finds-shot-seal/#comment-16364 David Woodhouse Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:20:13 +0000 http://forargyll.com/?p=17146#comment-16364 I have also found the occasional shot seal but have to admit to not checking every corpse I find, which means the situation is probably underecorded. I have also noticed a decline in the common seal species generally. Bearing in mind that tourism and its related industries accounts for something like 85% of cash coming into Argyll and with those visitors icreasingly inrerested in nature and wildlife, the practise of shooting seals is to say the least worrying for the species and actually the economy and image of the area. I have also found the occasional shot seal but have to admit to not checking every corpse I find, which means the situation is probably underecorded. I have also noticed a decline in the common seal species generally. Bearing in mind that tourism and its related industries accounts for something like 85% of cash coming into Argyll and with those visitors icreasingly inrerested in nature and wildlife, the practise of shooting seals is to say the least worrying for the species and actually the economy and image of the area.

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