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seal cull

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  • 28-02-2011 1:31am
    #1
    rushnaldo
    Registered Users Posts: 235 ✭✭


    Is it going to be left to the angling community to push the authorities into putting a seal cull in place. The salmon netmen used to keep the numbers at bay when they were drifting but now that netting has been banned to protect the salmon stocks the seal numbers have gone through the roof probably killing more salmon now than the driftmen were. The balance of our bays has been upset and Donegal bay fishstocks are seriously depleted even though nobody is trawling in it. Farmers are allowed to kill foxes but the seal is running riot. Its crazy and something must be done and maybe the angling clubs and authorities should be the ones to push the movement before its too late.


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    #2
    yank_in_eire
    Closed Accounts Posts: 437 ✭✭yank_in_eire


    rushnaldo wrote: »
    Is it going to be left to the angling community to push the authorities into putting a seal cull in place. The salmon netmen used to keep the numbers at bay when they were drifting but now that netting has been banned to protect the salmon stocks the seal numbers have gone through the roof probably killing more salmon now than the driftmen were. The balance of our bays has been upset and Donegal bay fishstocks are seriously depleted even though nobody is trawling in it. Farmers are allowed to kill foxes but the seal is running riot. Its crazy and something must be done and maybe the angling clubs and authorities should be the ones to push the movement before its too late.
    As a game angler, spearfisherman, and biologist, I would be in favor of a managed seal cull- but you'll never get the "cute and cuddly" crowd on board. A few killer whales in the area would thin them out but would then eat just as much if not more salmon. Seals have almost no natural predators in Irish waters so it's up to us to step in and fill that role.


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    #3
    premiercad
    Registered Users Posts: 352 ✭✭premiercad


    Was in Dingle lately and a few of the trawler men were saying the same thing, a controlled cull was needed in their view, One man was saying that he had seals attacking the nets and picking off his catch, got the impression they would be taking the law into their own hands if it continued, and that's not good as all it takes is one tourist with a camera and....:rolleyes:


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    #4
    coolwings
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 3,455 Mod ✭✭✭✭coolwings


    You know, when we say an animal has no natural predator we often forget that we are a natural predator ourselves.
    It is the introduction of industrial means of mass killing that allows us to do terrible damage.
    But traditional methods of catch (or cull if you prefer to call it that) are difficult to argue against when this type of reasoning is used.
    After all the argument against it is "natural balance", and mankind (without industrial scale equipment) is undeniably part of the natural balance.


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    #5
    jett
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 193 ✭✭jett


    At the risk of being called a cuddly. ( Only my GF can call me that)
    Remember that seals and salmon proliferated before we came along with our destruction of the planet.
    As for conservation, personally I think the Brown trout is endangered, I put all mine back.
    If I want a fish then I go rainbow bashing.
    People go out on a charter boat and bash the Pollock etc, ah theres plenty of them is the excuse and we take nothing compared to the nets. Wrong! We can get right into the reef or wreck at least the commercial boys lose their nets if they get too close.
    And I know the lost nets make a ghost mark.
    If anyone wants to do something for conservation its easy, don't go fishing at all and don't buy wild fish.


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    #6
    fontanalis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,619 ✭✭✭fontanalis


    I think seals are being used as a diversion for other man made issues. Seals have been preying on salmon long before anglers and commercial fishermen came on the scene. I've heard of people talking about large seal numbers but if slamon stocks are low then won't seal numbers go down accordingly?
    I wonder how many anglers would be willing for full scale Catch and Release, barbless hooks only etc and how many people would welcome laws that would take a tough stance against pollution.
    Personaly I think pollution in rivers and protection of spawning areas ae big issues. it's going to get to the stage where it will have to be decided if the fish or the fishing is more important.


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    #7
    fontanalis
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,619 ✭✭✭fontanalis


    yank_in_eire wrote: »
    As a game angler, spearfisherman, and biologist, I would be in favor of a managed seal cull- but you'll never get the "cute and cuddly" crowd on board. A few killer whales in the area would thin them out but would then eat just as much if not more salmon. Seals have almost no natural predators in Irish waters so it's up to us to step in and fill that role.

    That's eliminating the competition,not being a natural predator.


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    #8
    ironbluedun
    Registered Users Posts: 1,498 ✭✭✭ironbluedun


    jett wrote: »
    If anyone wants to do something for conservation its easy, don't go fishing at all and don't buy wild fish.

    Dont go fishing at all.......:eek::eek::eek::eek: and leave the rivers and lakes to the poachers.........by all means go fishing but practise catch and release.


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    #9
    Boardnashea
    Registered Users Posts: 823 ✭✭✭Boardnashea


    A new version of Donegal Catch?
    Seal burger anyone? If you want to kill it..eat it.


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    #10
    yank_in_eire
    Closed Accounts Posts: 437 ✭✭yank_in_eire


    fontanalis wrote: »
    That's eliminating the competition,not being a natural predator.
    I'm ok with that assessment. Think of the flies- all that seal fur- oh why won't anyone think of the flies? X-)


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    #11
    yank_in_eire
    Closed Accounts Posts: 437 ✭✭yank_in_eire


    fontanalis wrote: »
    I've heard of people talking about large seal numbers but if salmon stocks are low then won't seal numbers go down accordingly?
    Not necessarily- if seals were feeding only on salmon then absolutely, their numbers would decline as salmon numbers did- but they're eating massive amounts of many species of fish and shellfish- hence the success in amassing such numbers.


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    #12
    yank_in_eire
    Closed Accounts Posts: 437 ✭✭yank_in_eire


    premiercad wrote: »
    Was in Dingle lately and a few of the trawler men were saying the same thing, a controlled cull was needed in their view,
    I was out on a boat out of Dingle a few years ago and the majority of the day's catch was young seals. Apparently the juveniles go after the netted fish, get tangled and don't have the experience or body mass to break free. Maybe they should just keep fishing.


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