Scottish Marine Bill Report calls for changes to protect seals

Advocates for Animals have welcomed much of the Marine (Scotland) Bill report1 released today by the Scottish Parliament Rural Affairs Committee, which proposes improvements to protect Scotland’s seals.

The Stage 1 Report addresses a number of the concerns raised by Advocates for Animals and other seal welfare and conservation organisations about the suffering of seals being shot in Scotland. The report recommends:

• Including an offence of intentionally or recklessly harassing seals.
• Licences to kill or take a seal should only be issued if there is “no satisfactory alternative”.
• When a licence is issued to shoot seals, its conditions should include: the skill of the marksman, the type of firearm used, and the marksman’s proximity to the target.
• Fish farms that are not fitted with anti-predator nets but wish to shoot seals should explain on their licence applications why they do not have nets fitted.
• All licensees should report the taking or killing of seals at least quarterly.

Although many of Advocates for Animals’ recommendations have been accepted, the report does not comment on the possibility of banning the killing of seals during their breeding seasons.

Advocates for Animals’ Policy Director, Libby Anderson, said:

“The recommendations in the report reflect many of our aspirations for a more robust seal protection regime than was proposed in the draft Bill. Of course we would prefer to see no killing of seals in Scottish waters and there is still the crucial issue of killing during the breeding seasons that has not yet been addressed. Unless the Bill is amended, licences may still be granted to allow pregnant seals or those with dependent young to be shot – meaning that orphaned pups could be left to starve to death slowly around our coastline. We will be urging the Committee to support a number of amendments to give Scotland’s seals better protection from harm.”

Scottish Green MSP Robin Harper said:

"A prohibition on killing animals during close seasons is a fundamental animal welfare measure and is the case for most terrestrial mammals. At present, pregnant and nursing seals are being shot and dependent pups are starving to death or are being left at the mercy of the elements. It is imperative that we bring this unnecessary suffering to an end.

“Therefore, I will be lodging an amendment to the Marine Bill to ensure that licences to shoot seals are not granted during the breeding and moulting seasons of the grey seal or the common seal."

Scottish Labour MSP Elaine Murray, a member of the Committee, added:

"Scottish Labour would like to see greater protection for seals in the Marine Bill. The killing of any seal should be a last resort and only if all other methods of deterrence have failed, and applicants for a licence to kill seals must be able to demonstrate that all other possible non lethal methods have been tried unsuccessfully or would not work.

"We want the Bill to make it clear that a licence to kill will only be granted to people who can demonstrate a high level of marksmanship, using a suitable weapon and in sufficient proximity to the seal to avoid unnecessary suffering. We also believe that when a seal has been shot all incidents must be recorded and reported."
To read th rest visit:http://www.advocatesforanimals.org/content/view/629/696

BAN THE SHOOTING OF SEALS BY FISH FARMERS-ACTION ALERT!

As many as 5,000 seals are shot in Scotland every year. The reason? Because of consumer’s desire for cheap fish – specifically salmon. Around 1 million meals containing salmon are eaten in Britain each year, and it is this artificial trade in intensively farmed fish which is driving the bloodshed. Seals are killed when they pose a threat to the profits of fisheries by eating eat fish destined for supermarkets. Yet another example of wild animals suffering because of the greed of the livestock industry.
In the past, Viva! has supported calls by The Seal Protection Action Group to ban this practice. Recently, Viva! celebrity supporter Chrissie Hynde added her backing in The Sunday Times. She said: “The livestock industry seems to have immunity to decimate our rich, natural wildlife – not to mention causing untold suffering through intensive farming methods. Now seals are, quite literally, in the firing line to protect the Scottish salmon industry. Here’s a novel idea: why don’t we put Britain’s wildlife in front of profits for once?”
Please add your voice to help end the wholesale slaughter of Scottish seals by using our pre-prepared email to Alex Salmond, First Minister of Scotland:
Email: scottish.ministers@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
“Dear First Minister,
I am writing to you to urge you to ban the shooting of seals by fish farmers in Scotland.
I was shocked to discover that hundreds of seals are killed every year in Scottish waters; even more so that the figure could be as high as 5,000. It is outrageous that indigenous animals are being sacrificed to protect wholly unnatural fishing practices.
Common seal numbers have dramatically declined by a third in Britain over the past seven years. Whilst ecological changes and a shortage of wild fish generally are partly behind this drop, the shooting of seals by fish farmers is also likely another major contributor. Not only are seals being hammered by unsustainable fishing policies, they are now victims of lethal protectionism by the industry.
Most people were horrified by the killing of seals for their fur in Canada – so much so that a ban on importing seal products has been rightly implemented across the EU. It is therefore sadly ironic that so many seals are also losing their lives in British waters.
Please take immediate steps towards banning this cruel and bloody practice now.
Yours faithfully”


Related Pages:
Order an ‘end of the line’ door-dropper pack
End of the Line guide
Order a free go veggie pack
From the Vegetarian & Vegan Foundation:Go Fish-Free
Read the VVF’s report on fish [PDF]
Read the VVF FactsheetViva! Guides:

Your Health In Your Hands
Planet On A Plate Veggie Health for Kids -->
Viva! Vegetarians International Voice for Animals8 York Court, Wilder Street, Bristol BS2 8QH, UKT: 0117 944 1000 F: 0117 924 4646 E: info@viva.org.uk

Take Action to Protect Scotland's Seal!

Scotland is a global guardian of seals – 40% of the world’s grey seals are found in Scottish waters. But despite this privilege these magnificent creatures receive scant legal protection from the Scottish Government. Scotland permits the barbaric practice of shooting seals (even during the breeding season). These seals may be pregnant or have recently given birth to dependent pups. Helpless, orphaned pups are left to slowly die of starvation, suffering a lingering death over a number of weeks.
That one single bullet has the potential to end two lives. One bullet. Two lives.
However you and I can make a difference NOW. Please give a donation to the LOOK OUT for SEALS campaign and the ongoing work of Advocates for Animals. The Scottish Government is about to introduce a Marine Bill for Scotland and we want to ensure greater protection for seals is included in this Bill. A gift from you will ensure Advocates for Animals can run a public awareness and education campaign highlighting the plight of Scotland’s seals and secure time with MSPs and key decision-makers to ensure they hear the voices of our supporters. With your support, I know we can make a difference in engendering respect and compassion towards animals and ending this senseless slaughter on Scottish shores.

LABOUR MP PADDY TIPPING IS BACKING "SAVING SCOTLAND'S SEALS"CAMPAIGN!

Labour MP Paddy Tipping is backing our ‘Saving Scotland’s Seals’ campaign by tabling a Parliamentary Early Day Motion (EDM) below, co-sponsored by Conservative MP David Amess:

EDM 678: Protection for seals - That this House recognises the UK’s international obligations to maintain its globally important seal populations at a favourable conservation status; notes that seal populations remain depleted and are threatened by further outbreaks of the phocine distemper virus and remain under increasing threat from climate change, depletion of prey species pollution and deliberate killing; notes with extreme concern scientific reports of a frightening decline in the population of common seals in UK waters; further notes that an estimated 5,000 seals are shot in Scottish waters by the salmon industry; believes that the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 is outdated and in urgent need of review or replacement; and calls on the Government to implement an immediate and comprehensive ban on the deliberate killing of all seals, to replace the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 with legislation for the comprehensive protection of seals in the forthcoming Marine Bill and to liaise with the Scottish Executive to this end.

Mr Tipping said:

““It makes no sense to be shooting seals however much of a threat they might occasionally be to fish farms. When you have a population that looks as though it is going through a terminal collapse measures must be taken to stop that.”

SPAG is calling on the public to contact their MP’s asking them to support Paddy Tipping’s EDM.

The easiest way to contact your MP is by visiting www.writetothem.com. Once on the site, search for your MP using your post code and then simply send a message using the box provided.

For information about our campaign to protect seals in the UK and how you can help - please click here.

PRESS ENQUIRIES: Please click here to contact us for further information

You can also help SPAG protect our seals by:

Making a donation
Joining our ‘Seal Savers’ scheme
Raising money when you search the internet
Helping to raise awareness about our campaign through social networking sites and blogging

SAVING SCOTLAND'S SEALS!TAKE ACTION!

Saving Scotland’s Seals!
Aim of Campaign
An estimated 5,000 seals are being killed in Scotland alone each year by salmon farming and angling interests. The Saving Scotland’s Seals Campaign aims to create, effective legislation to provide seals with full protection and to encourage retailers to only stock ‘seal-friendly salmon’ by insisting formal contracts, with their suppliers stating that they will not shoot seals.

Background Information
Seals in Scotland

Scotland is home two seal species, the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) and the common, or harbour, seal (Phoca vitulina). Both species are of international importance with 40% of the world population of grey seals found in Britain and over 90% of British grey seals breeding in Scotland, the majority in the Hebrides and in Orkney.

Scottish seals in decline


Scientific research conducted by The Sea Mammal Research Unit revealed what they described as a ‘frightening’ decline in the number of common seals around the UK coast.

Although the reasons of the decline are unknown, the Seal Protection Action Group (SPAG) believes that indiscriminate shooting by fishing interests has played its part and must be stopped.

Conservation of Seals Act (1970)

At present, both common and grey seals are ‘protected’ by the Conservation of Seals Act (1970), which is little more than a licence to kill them, except during their respective breeding seasons: June 1st to August 31st for common seals and September 1st to December 31st for greys. However, fishing interests, notably salmon netsmen and fish farmers, may still shoot seals to prevent damage to their equipment or catch/stock. In 1988, the Government lifted a temporary ban on the shooting of common seals (which had been hit by a disease epidemic) despite the objections of conservation and animal welfare groups. Coincidence or not, common seals have suffered a major population decline since then.

Evidence of seal shooting

In May 2008 two decapitated seals were found in the Kyle of Lochalsh. They were common seals, one a pregnant female the other a juvenile animal, both had been shot. Marine Harvest, a Norwegian owned company that operates over 25 fish farms in Scotland, admitted to the shootings.

A range of other eye witness accounts have been recorded and reported, click on the links for further information.

Marine Harvest slaughter Scotland’s seals: an eye-witness account
The illegal killing of Scotland’s seals: further eyewitness accounts

Scottish salmon Farms

In Scotland there are 454 registered active finfish sites and Scotland is the second-biggest producer of farmed Atlantic salmon in Europe, producing about 135,000 tonnes annually, with an estimated value of almost £380 million. (Source: Scottish Executive, ‘Scottish Aquaculture A Fresh Start A Consultation on a Renewed Strategic Framework for Scottish Aquaculture’ August 2008)

Seals worth more alive than dead

Nature tourism is a rapidly growing industry in Scotland providing a valuable and sustainable income for many coastal communities.

There is growing evidence that the shooting of seals is causing damage to the tourism industry with tour operators reporting the displacement of seals from some areas, while some tourists are being confronted with dead or dying seals that have been shot by fish farmers.

Take Action
Listed below are actions you can take to help our campaign:

1) Write to Ministers

Please write to the relevant UK and Scottish Ministers calling for the protection of our globally important seals. Their addresses are:

Rt Hon Jane Kennedy MP, Minister of State (Farming and the Environment), Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, Nobel House, London SW1P 3JR

Richard Lochhead MSP, Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh EH99 1SP

2) Contact your MP

Contact your MP, MEP and if you are in Scotland your MSP and ask them to support the replacement of the Conservation of Seas Act 1970 with a Protection of Seals Act.

3) Contact retailers

If you buy Scottish salmon products please contact your retailer and ask them if seals are shot by the producers of that salmon.

If your retailer cannot guarantee that the salmon is seal-friendly, you could refuse to buy it and inform the company that shot seals are too high a price to pay. A letter from you to the supermarket, fishmonger, deli or restaurant where you buy your salmon could make all the difference.

If you do not eat salmon but wish to still contact salmon retailers informing them that seals are too high a price to pay for Scottish salmon then please do so.

Please click here for contact details of the major retailer.

4) Contact your MSP asking them to support Motion number S3M-3167

Scottish Green Party MSP Robin Harper has tabled the Motion below with the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday 7th January 2009.

*S3M-3167 Robin Harper: Protection for Seals — That the Parliament calls on the Scottish Government to recognise the threat to the seal population in Scottish waters from disease, climate change and shooting; particularly notes the recent dramatic and unexplained reduction in the population of common seals; also notes that processes for reporting and recording of seal deaths by shooting are not consistent or accurate, and therefore calls for an immediate ban on the shooting of common seals and a commitment from government to replace the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 with a much firmer commitment to seal protection in the forthcoming Marine Bill.

Take Action: Please contact your MSP asking them to support this Motion.

The easiest way to contact your MSP is by visiting www.writetothem.com. Once on the site, search for your MSP using your post code and then simply send a message using the box provided.

5) Contact your MP asking them to support Early Day Motion number 678

Labour MP Paddy Tipping and Conservative MP David Amess, have tabled the Parliamentary Early Day Motion (EDM) below:

EDM 678: Protection for seals - That this House recognises the UK’s international obligations to maintain its globally important seal populations at a favourable conservation status; notes that seal populations remain depleted and are threatened by further outbreaks of the phocine distemper virus and remain under increasing threat from climate change, depletion of prey species pollution and deliberate killing; notes with extreme concern scientific reports of a frightening decline in the population of common seals in UK waters; further notes that an estimated 5,000 seals are shot in Scottish waters by the salmon industry; believes that the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 is outdated and in urgent need of review or replacement; and calls on the Government to implement an immediate and comprehensive ban on the deliberate killing of all seals, to replace the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 with legislation for the comprehensive protection of seals in the forthcoming Marine Bill and to liaise with the Scottish Executive to this end.

Take Action: Please contact your MP asking them to support this EDM

The easiest way to contact your MP is by visiting www.writetothem.com. Once on the site, search for your MP using your post code and then simply send a message using the box provided.

People living in Scotland can also contact their MSP asking them to support Scottish Green Party Leader Robin Harper’s Motion which is detailed in Action 4 on this page.

6) Please also help our campaign by supporting SPAG by;

Making a donation
Joining our ‘Seal Savers’ scheme
Raising money when you search the internet
Helping to raise awareness about our campaign through social networking sites and blogging
Campaign Update
To read the latest campaign updates please click here to visit the SPAG Blog and News section on this website or alternatively click on the hyperlinks below.

Campaign update 05-02-09