Soapbox
Ken Reid proposes a radical solution to the problem of resident river seals
IKEEP A CLOSE EAR TO THE GROUND, taking an interest in salmon-related news to feed the needs of the 26,000 members of the Facebook Salmon Fishing Club that I administer. Last month’s editorial in this magazine brought to my readership’s attention that Atlantic salmon are now officially an endangered species. Well, what now?
There are ways of helping wild salmon and I was delighted to attend a recent presentation by the Atlantic Salmon Trust and River Dee Trust to hear about novel restocking initiatives that bring numerous organisations together to engineer a programme to help wild salmon. The programme entails capturing up to 80 kelts along with migrating smolts and transporting them to Stirling University. The smolts will be raised to sexual maturity and returned to the river to be released alongside wild salmon to spawn. This is doing something positive and hopefully will help the river’s sub-populations of salmon to avoid extinction.
The Q&A session was informative, and a range of topics were discussed. However, one gentleman commented, “It’s all well and good you raise a couple of million pounds to raise these fish, but what about the resident seals who will feed on them?”
This is an emotive subject that causes anguish and hand-wringing yet needs a solution. It’s contentious and fishery managers have real difficulty providing answers. Yet, bearing in mind that salmon are now endangered, it follows that actions must be taken to ease the pressure on them in their protected sanctuary. Sanctuary —a place where imperilled creatures seek shelter and safety. Funnily enough, there are numerous sanctuaries around the country where storm-damaged seals and pups are relocated safely. Vets tranquillize them and transport them to these venues around the UK.
River managers and fishery board chairmen could write a book about the Government not allowing licences to cull specialist seals that have adapted to the riverine environment. Killing seals is the worst kind of PR imaginable and a workaround currently does not exist or is not allowed.
Yet, there are seal rescue teams located around the UK. The seals are not endangered, unlike Atlantic salmon. I propose
