Seal licensing records: 2011-present

2014 Seal Licences

Marine Scotland received 56 applications for seal licences and 53 licences have been granted: three licences are pending approval.

Table 1 below provides a full breakdown. (This information is correct as of 31 January 2014).

The 31 licences issued for protection of health and welfare and one issued for prevention of serious damage, cover a total of 214 individual fish farms.

The maximum number of seals involved is 765 Grey and 240 Common. Table 2 below provides details. This maximum represents less than 0.7% of the Grey Seal population of 100,000 and slightly over 1% of the minimum Common Seal population of 20,500. The numbers are significantly lower than previous estimates proposed by non-government organisations at between 2,000 and 5,000. (This information is correct as at 31 January 2014.)

The maximum number of Grey Seals allowed on licences granted in 2014 represents a more than 1% reduction on numbers involved in the previous year's licences, and a 25% reduction since the system was introduced in 2011.

The maximum number of Common Seals allowed on licences granted in 2014 represents a nearly 10% reduction on numbers involved in the previous year's licences, and an over 24% reduction since the system was introduced in 2011.

• The average level of shooting is around 20% for fourth year of operation.
• 51% of all licences have shot no seals at all during 2014.
• Licencees are following the principle that seals should only be shot as a last resort.
• Around 39% of shooting has occurred at fish farms and 61% at fisheries during the fourth year.
• Only 80 seals have been shot across 214 individual fish farms and 125 seals across over 40 river fisheries and netting stations during the third year.
• There was an overall reduction in the level of shooting in 2014: 25% lower compared to 2013 and 56% lower compared to 2011 figures.
• A full list of licences issued in 2014, by region and company, with the number of seals shot each quarter, by site, is available to download.