Review of the operation of the seal licensing system under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010: report

This report considers all aspects of the operation of the seal licensing system during the period from 2011 to 2014.


Annex 1 Seal Licences 2011

Marine Scotland received 74 applications for seal licences and 66 licences were granted. Table 1 below provides a full breakdown.

TABLE 1

Seal Management Area Application Type Licence Type
Protection of Health and Welfare Prevention of Serious Damage Total Protection of Health and Welfare Prevention of Serious Damage Total
East Coast 0 11 11 0 10 10
Moray Firth 0 4 4 0 4 4
Orkney and North Coast 2 10 12 2 10 12
Shetland 8 0 8 8 0 8
South West Scotland 5 2 7 2 2 4
West Scotland 14 6 20 12 6 18
Western Isles 10 2 12 8 2 10
Grand Total 39 35 74 32* 34 66

The maximum number of seals involved is 1025 grey and 314 common. Tables 2a and 2b over provide details. This maximum represents less than 1% of the grey seal population of 108,000 and slightly over 1.5% of the minimum common seal population of 20,400. The numbers are significantly lower than previous estimates proposed by Non-Government Organisations at between 2,000 and 5,000.

TABLE 2a Grey Seals

Seal management area Grey seals applied for PBR Grey seals granted Grey seals shot: 1st quarter Grey seals shot: 2nd quarter Grey seals shot: 3rd quarter Grey seals shot: 4th quarter
East Coast 246 277 132 3 27 16 0
Moray Firth 85 152 75 2 7 4 3
Orkney & North Coast 461 959 349 26 62 44 35
Shetland 384 163 120 18 13 27 11
Western Isles 209 408 148 3 0 15 10
South West Scotland 115 45 31 2 2 0 0
West Scotland 206 297 170 8 6 9 13
Grand Total 1706 2301 1025 62 117 115 72

The 12 month total of 366 grey seals represents only 0.3% of the overall grey seal population of 108,000.

TABLE 2b Common Seals

Seal management area Common seals applied for PBR Common seals granted Common seals shot: 1st quarter Common seals shot: 2nd quarter Common seals shot: 3rd quarter Common seals shot: 4th quarter
East Coast 92 3 0 0 0 0 0
Moray Firth 52 23 20 1 1* 2 2
Orkney & North Coast 53 18 10 0 2 2 0
Shetland 47 18 10 0 0 0 2
Western Isles 101 54 40 4** 0 4* 3
South West Scotland 153 35 31 4 3 1 4
West Scotland 296 442 203 11 11 21 15
Grand Total 794 593 314 20 17 30 26

The 12 month total of 93 common seals represents only 0.4% of the minimum common seal population of 20,400.

Summary

The average level of shooting was 34% for the first year of operation.

32% of all licensees have shot no seals at all during the first year of operation.

52% of shooting has occurred at fish farms.

A total of only 241 seals were shot across 235 individual fish farms and 218 across over 40 river fisheries and netting stations.

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