Appeal to 'give seals space' amid fresh reports of disturbance in Cornwall
The Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust has shared a warning on social media
Last updated 31st Jul 2022
There is a fresh plea to give marine animals space this summer, amid reports of swimmers spooking seals in Cornwall.
The Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust has shared a warning on social media this weekend.
It comes after a man was pictured on rocks close to where the creatures were resting.
On Saturday the group said: "Sadly, as seen in the photo, after swimming across treacherous currents, this man ended up on this seal haul out causing a major risk of spooking all the resting seals.
"If spooked seals on land are at risk of serious injury, from grazes as they rush along rocks to falls from a height causing broken bones or worse.
"Please remember to keep your distance and to #givesealsspace.
"Thank you for protecting out marine environment".
It comes amid continued calls for MPs across the UK to protect seals in oceans from harmful disturbance from swimmers, paddleboarders and boats as the spring season approaches.
The Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust's Annual Report for 2021 identified 134 different entangled seals with up to 18 being sighted on a single survey.
It noted that disturbances happen all year round but Cornwall has seen a significant increase over time, particularly in the summer and across most user groups involving walkers, boat trips and kayakers.
It also saw a serious level 3 disturbance affecting a shocking 1487 seals – with up to 79 seals stampeding into the sea in a single incident.
Andy Ottaway, founder of the Seal Protection Action Group said "We are literally scaring seals to death. Given the serious impact of seal disturbance, voluntary protection alone is not enough and we need legislation to make deliberate disturbance an offence”.
In the past year, the Seal Alliance also sent an open letter to Boris Johnson calling for 'urgent action', following a new report showing seal disturbance is a chronic issue of conservation concern.
It has since had a response from the Government with plans to publish a Green Paper which will look at how they can drive the delivery of the target to halt the decline in the abundance of species by 2030.
Sue Sayer, director of the Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust, said: "Disturbance is always a waste of a seal's energy reserves and in the wild every calorie counts. Seals need the same level of protection from disturbance as whales and dolphins currently enjoy, which would make it easier, simpler and clearer for the public to understand and watch our precious wildlife well.
"Seals go to other places as well, seals in Cornwall have been linked with the Isle of Man, Wales, France, Belgium and Holland so they need protection everywhere they go which is why we need a national law to back up all the awareness raising work which needs to be done beside it".
Sue told us the charity campaign aims to to raise awareness: "We do need that legal offence to help us really and it feels like the last bit of the legislative jigsaw. The point of the letter is to ask for a meeting with Government reps to make sure that the law is comprehensive, consistent with no loopholes".
The report showed on average 1106 seals in Cornwall were seriously disturbed each year between 2013-2021, which compromised their survival chances.
The letter asks for a number of changes including: a comprehensive law change to protect seals from deliberate disturbance and consistency with existing legislation, an amendment to the Conservation of Seals Act (1970), and including seals in the Wildlife Legislative Review for the government’s Green Paper.
Sue continued: "We're actually pleased with what the Government has done already. The joint Nature Conservation committee have already recommended that seals are added to the Wildlife and Countryside act so we're hoping that will happen.
"It's about supporting awareness raising and getting messages out there.
"This is in addition to bycatch, entanglement, climate change, pollution, plastics and seals are having to live with all of that. We need seals in our environment. Most people when they see a seal have a big smile on their face and it's really good for our health and well-being. Health, economy, environment all together is what we're trying to protect".