Seal Bycatch in Fishing Nets - Welfare and Solutions

Grey and harbour seals are caught in fishing nets across UK and North Atlantic waters, causing drowning and serious injuries. Understanding bycatch solutions helps drive welfare improvement.

Key Facts

Grey seals and harbour seals are regularly caught as bycatch in gill nets, tangle nets, and set nets
Seals caught in nets drown when they cannot reach the surface to breathe
Injured seals that escape nets carry net entanglements that cause progressive tissue damage
Estimated grey seal bycatch in UK waters is hundreds of animals annually across multiple fisheries
Acoustic deterrent devices (pingers) can reduce seal bycatch but require careful management
Time-area closures in critical seal habitat areas reduce bycatch incident rates
BDMLR rescues seals carrying net entanglements and other fishing gear injuries regularly

Welfare Considerations

Seal bycatch causes acute welfare harm through drowning or serious injury. Seals that drown in nets suffer the physiological distress of oxygen deprivation before death. Those that escape carrying net material face progressive constriction injuries that worsen over weeks. Both outcomes involve significant suffering that is avoidable through bycatch mitigation measures. Acoustic deterrents, modified gear designs, and selective fishing area management can substantially reduce seal bycatch. Consumer choices supporting certified sustainable fisheries that monitor and mitigate seal bycatch create market incentives for better practice.

What You Can Do

Support BDMLR seal rescue and entanglement removal operations through donations
Choose seafood from certified fisheries that monitor and actively mitigate seal bycatch
Advocate for mandatory acoustic deterrent device requirements in high-risk seal bycatch fisheries
Report seals with visible net entanglements to BDMLR for urgent assessment
Support Marine Conservation Society campaigns for bycatch monitoring and reduction standards