Common seals face welfare threats from entanglement, human disturbance at haul-out sites, and disease outbreaks that affect their northern populations.
Common seal welfare is primarily affected by disturbance at haul-out sites and the welfare harms caused by entanglement in fishing gear. Seals hauled out for rest, thermoregulation, and pup nursing are disrupted by approaching boats, jet skis, paddleboarders, and walkers with dogs. Disturbance causes unnecessary energy expenditure from repeated flushing responses and risk of pup injury or abandonment during nursing. Entanglement in abandoned or lost fishing gear causes progressive constriction injuries. Disease events including phocine distemper have demonstrated the vulnerability of concentrated seal populations to emerging infectious disease, with welfare implications for affected individuals that die from respiratory and neurological disease.