The UK grey seal population is the largest in the world; welfare challenges include entanglement in fishing gear, net damage, and salmon farm interactions that lead to shooting under licenses.
UK grey seals face a complex set of welfare challenges arising from their interactions with human marine industries. Entanglement injuries cause prolonged suffering before death or injury resolution. The lethal management of seals under fish farm licenses — designed to protect salmon stocks — causes welfare harm and public controversy that drives demand for non-lethal alternatives. Investment in acoustic deterrents, modified cage designs, and predictive management significantly reduces the need for lethal intervention.