Common (harbour) seals face multiple welfare threats in UK waters including entanglement, disease, disturbance at haul-out sites, and persecution near fish farms and fishing operations.
Common seal welfare in UK waters is threatened by multiple interacting human activities. Disease outbreaks cause mass mortality and individual suffering at epidemic scale. Entanglement in fishing gear and plastic causes slow, painful death. Disturbance at haul-out sites causes acute stress responses and separation of dependent pups, which can be fatal. Legal persecution near fish farms removes individuals that are legally sanctioned to be shot. The welfare challenge is to address these threats through better marine protected area management, entanglement monitoring, haul-out site protection, and reform of the legal frameworks that permit seal shooting. Seal sanctuaries and rescue organisations provide critical care for injured individuals.