Seal Conservation Society: 2001 News Digest

Calls for seal cull in Germany are dismissed - In the middle of July, the Chairman of the Regional Fishery Association in Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony), Mr Wilhelm Jacobs, claimed that a growing harbour seal population (Phoca vitulina vitulina) was leading to an insufficient food supply for the seals and that many coastal fishermen also now saw their way of life threatened. Mr Jacobs said that serious consideration should therefore be given to hunting and contraception in order to reduce the seal population. In the middle of August, the Regional Fishery Association in Schleswig-Holstein followed by demanding that the seal population be halved. In response however, the Environment Minister Klaus Müller said "Whoever claims that it is due to the seals that their nets stay empty should instead take a look at themselves. The numbers of plaice and other flatfish which have drastically decreased is a home-made problem in a not particularly sustainable fishery". Commenting that the cause of reduced fish stocks was overfishing of the North Sea, Mr Müller said that "the call for hunting or the use of contraceptive pills for seals is not the answer".

The Schutzstation Wattenmeer, a local non-governmental organisation, rejected the demands with a substantial analysis of the situation, while some fishermen were also quick to defend the seals. "I do not know of one fisherman on the Wadden Sea coast who wants to kill a seal", said Alfred Krippner, Chairman of the Büsum Fishing Society, "Seals have never been rivals to we fishermen and when there are lots of seals about then that is a good sign that the sea is healthy and clean". See also News Digest, 3 September 2001. For more information, contact WWF Germany's Hans-Ulrich Roesner at roesner@wwf.de. (Source: WWF Wattenmeer International - Issue 3 2001) (5 November 2001)

Danish fishermen call for seal cull - Danish fishermen called at the end of June for a cull of 6,000-11,000 harbour seals (Phoca vitulina vitulina) in Danish waters, saying that the seals are competition to their set net fishing activities. The call, made by fishermen for whom fishing is not their main source of income, was for a cull to be divided between the areas of the Baltic Sea, the Kattegat, Skagerrak, Limfjord and the Wadden Sea. It was also reported that the Danish government had previously attempted to get a ban on hunting seals lifted through the framework of the trilateral "Cooperation for the Protection of the Wadden Sea". For more information on seals in Denmark and the calls for a cull there, contact Bo Håkansson of Danmarks Naturfredningsforening (Danish Society for the Conservation of Nature) at boh@dn.dk. (Source: WWF Wattenmeer International - Issue 3 2001) (5 November 2001)

Tasmanian fisherman calls for cull as Council warns of aggressive seals - Bob Gillam, a fisherman from Wynyard was reported on 6 September as having claimed that seals were now in "plague proportions" around Tasmania, Australia, and as having called for a seal cull. Mr Gillam said that the seals were now a safety hazard for fishermen in smaller boats and were costing the Tasmanian fishing industry millions of dollars in lost catches. The Tasmanian Fishing Industry Council was reported the next day as claiming that increasingly aggressive seals may soon cause physical damage to fishermen, the Council's Chief Executive, Bob Lister, adding that survey results on the seals' impacts would shortly be released and that a committee looking into the problem may soon have to seriously consider a seal cull. (Sources: ABC - 6 Sep, 7 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

Leading U.K. scientist warns against seal cull - The Director of the United Kingdom's Sea Mammal Research Unit, Professor Ian Boyd, warned in a speech at the British Association's Festival of Science conference at the beginning of September that research was incomplete but that early results indicated that a cull of seals in United Kingdom waters could cause an irreversible decline in the seal population. "The research definitely suggests that we should not be culling seals. There's too much uncertainty in the population dynamics of seals", Professor Boyd told the conference, adding that "culling would be a shot in the dark and the long-term effects would not be known". Professor Boyd said therefore that "culling seals is not something we should be doing for good biological reasons" and described culling as a "blunt instrument with unpredictable results".

On the subject of the effects of seals on commercial fish catches, Professor Boyd said "By taking seals out of the sea through a cull doesn't mean that more fish will be available to the fishermen, because seals might take non-catch species, or non-commercial age classes, or even species that compete with, or prey on, species caught by fishermen." Fisheries representatives, who have lobbied strongly in recent years for a cull or other means of seal population control, responded by calling yet again for seal numbers to be controlled. For more information, contact Professor Boyd at ilb@st-and.ac.uk. (Sources: Aberdeen Press and Journal - 11 Sep, 17 Sep 2001; FIS - 18 Sep 2001; London Independent - 6 Sep 2001; IntraFish - 7 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

Cooperative asks Québec government to relax rules on polluted seal fat - The Cooperative Les Quatres Mains from Les Escoumins on Québec's North Shore in Canada has asked the provincial government to relax its regulations on the amounts of heavy metals allowed in seal fat, saying that otherwise it will lose a lucrative contract. The Cooperative has signed a contract with the international trading company Epsilon to supply it with the bones and genitals of 3,000 seals, eventually up to 10,000 seals, in order to make natural medicines in China. However the seal fat contains excessive levels of heavy metals according to provincial standards and thus the Cooperative will not be able to dispose of it. If the regulations are not relaxed by December then Epsilon will turn to Newfoundland fishermen to supply it. For more information on the Canadian seal hunt, contact the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) at canadasealhunt@ifaw.org or see http://www.canadasealhunt.ca.(Source: CJBR-AM - 9 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Plans to turn Canadian fish plant into seal tannery - It was revealed on 24 October that there are plans in Newfoundland to convert the Burgeo Fish Plant, which has been virtually idle for nine years, into a seal tannery that could employ up to 100 people. Earle McCurdy of the Fish, Food and Allied Workers' Union has said that the Union will work with the owners to get the new tannery up and running. For more information on the Canadian seal hunt, contact the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) at canadasealhunt@ifaw.org or see http://www.canadasealhunt.ca. (Source: CBN-AM - 24 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

State of Washington seeks to extend licence to kill sea lions - The U.S. state of Washington's Department of Fish and Wildlife wrote a letter to the federal National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) on 12 September requesting a 5-year extension to the state's authorisation to kill predatory California sea lions (Zalophus californianus californianus) at the Ballard Locks and Lake Washington Ship Canal. The Department justified the request by saying that while sea lion numbers and predation rates in the area had declined, the winter run of steelhead remained depressed and therefore the Department wanted the ability to kill sea lions if any significant predation on the fish species should re-occur. Public comments on the application should be submitted to NMFS by 19 November 2001. For more information, including copies of the letter and the related Federal Register entry, see http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/mmamals/Ballard.html. (Source: NMFS - Downloaded from web site on 30 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Scottish seal rescue centre owner receives death threat - Ross Flett, owner of the Orkney Seal Rescue centre in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, discovered a chilling death threat on 25 October when he found that a seal-shaped metal sign at the top of the road leading to the centre had been decapitated and the letters UNXT, standing for "You Next", had been painted onto the sign. Mr Flett commented that it was a "pretty violent threat" and that he was "horrified that someone should attack my property and threaten me in this way". The attack is the fourth on Mr Flett's property that he has suffered since setting up the centre 13 years ago to rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured harbour seal (Phoca vitulina vitulina) and grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) pups, including one incident where a newborn grey seal pup was taken from a beach, clubbed, and left hanging on a fence at the entrance to the centre (see News Digest, 7 October 1999).

The threat came after eight grey seals, including five heavily pregnant females, were found dead on a beach on South Ronaldsay, Orkney, on 20 October, and others were reported as washing up around the coast. Despite the veterinary surgeon used by the police arriving to the conclusion that there was no evidence that the seals had been shot, Mr Flett arranged for the head of one of the seals to be given an x-ray examination by a different veterinary surgeon who found that its skull contained fragments of metal consistent with the seal having been shot. Mr Flett commented that he believed that the seals had all been illegally shot on the nearby Pentland Skerries on separate occasions, possibly by fishermen in a bid to protect fish stocks, and were being washed ashore by the tides. He has asked the police to carry out a full investigation into the incident, and further commented "It sickens me to think that there are individuals in our community who are prepared to carry out this annual slaughter of our wildlife and are more than likely to carry on this slaughter unless they are deprived from having the freedom to use firearms." For more information, contact Ross Flett at SelkieSave@aol.com.

(Sources: Aberdeen Press and Journal - 26 Oct 2001; BBC - 22 Oct 2001; London Daily Mail - 23 Oct 2001; London Times - 26 Oct 2001; Orkney Seal Rescue - 20 Oct, 23 Oct, 24 Oct 2001; PA - 22 Oct 2001 x3; Scotsman - 23 Oct, 25 Oct, 26 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Vagrant leopard seal killed in Chile - A team of wildlife rescue volunteers from the Natural Sciences and Archaeology Museum of San Antonio and other groups rescued an injured subadult 2.4m-long male leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) on 9 October that stranded on the beach to the north of Punta de Tralca, Comuna de El Quisco, Province of San Antonio. Examination of the seal showed that it had a large inflammation on the upper frontal section of its head and approximately ten small wounds on the lower back near its tail which appeared to have been caused by some form of hook. Despite round-the-clock veterinary care the seal died the next morning, a subsequent autopsy revealing severe cranial damage and multiple haematomas. It is thought that the seal's injuries were the result of a brutal attack, possibly by fishermen who may have confused the seal for a South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens), a species known to be killed by some fishermen in a misguided attempt to protect fisheries. The leopard seal is a protected species under Chilean legislation. For more information, contact the Museum's José Luis Brito at museo_imsa@hotmail.com. (Sources: José Luis Brito [pers. comm.] - 11 Oct, 20 Oct, 22 Oct 2001; Natural Sciences and Archaeology Museum of San Antonio - 9 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Greenland says global demand for sealskin growing - An increased global demand for sealskin means that domestic stocks in Greenland are in short supply, according to Greenland's Minister for Hunting, Hans Enoksen as reported on 26 October. Figures from the Greenland Skin Trading Company show that 74,000 tanned skins were sold for export last year, while 19,000 skins were sold to sewing centres in Greenland. Most Greenlandic communities have publicly-funded sewing centres which cost more than US$200,000 to support. (Source: Nunatsiaq News - 26 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Alaskan walrus hunters return empty-handed - It was reported on 29 October that native hunters from Dillingham in the U.S. state of Alaska had returned from their annual walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) hunt on Round Island having killed no walruses. Two boats containing the hunters could not reach the island, being forced to turn back by high seas, winds over 110km/h, blowing snow and blizzard conditions. One other Bristol Bay community, Clarks Point, killed a walrus earlier in the month, part of the 20 walrus per year quota spread between the local communities, while another community went a week later and returned empty-handed, having only found one walrus in the water. It is thought that the walruses could either be elsewhere feeding or that they have perhaps migrated north early this year. Hunters said that economic factors had also had an effect this year and voiced complaints as to the cost of the hunt and the insufficient level of funding, US$9,000, that they had received from the Eskimo Walrus Commission. (Source: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - 29 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Agencies hold walrus ivory sale in Alaska - The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Eskimo Walrus Commission cosponsored a walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) ivory sale on 26 October. An estimated 230kg of walrus tusks, most of which had been salvaged from walrus carcasses washed up along the Bering Sea, the Chukchi Sea or the Arctic Ocean, were sold to Alaskan Natives, mostly for use as artwork, carvings and jewellery. Earnings from the sale will be given to the Walrus Conservation Fund for research and education grants. For more information, contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Office of Marine Mammals Management at fw7_mmm_comment@fws.gov. (Source: Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - 27 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

U.S. Council recommends plan to limit fish catches and protect sea lions - The North Pacific Fishery Management Council recommended conservation measures on 5 October to reduce Alaska pollock, cod and mackerel catches by an estimated 5-10 percent. The restrictions are intended to protect declining populations of endangered Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) that feed on these species, although environmentalists have fought for broader restrictions and bigger cutbacks in the catch. The Council had considered various competing plans, including both those favoured by the fishing industry and environmentalists, one plan having proposed cutting catches by 31-55 percent. The Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs) approved by the Council include gear-type restrictions, area closures, divided fishing seasons, and landing limits specific to fish stock, time of year and area. The RPAs will be forwarded to the federal National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for final approval.

The American Oceans Campaign (AOC), Greenpeace and the Sierra Club Alaska have all been sharply critical of the Council's review process. In a letter dated 4 October, leaders of all three groups wrote "Again and again we have gone before the Council and proposed solutions, only to be rebuffed or ignored ... We urge the Council to recognise the myopic focus on commercial fishery production." The groups are likely to take the final plan back to the courts for review. Earlier on 7 September NMFS' new Director, William Hogarth, said that the proposed new rules for commercial fishing in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska would not halt the decline in the Steller sea lions there. "Even if we remove all the fisheries in the waters", Mr. Hogarth said, "over the next six to eight years the status of the Steller sea lions will still have a negative decline." At the same time, AOC's Phil Kline said that any new fishing plan that didn't reverse the decline in Steller sea lion populations was "unconscionable".

The associated 2002 Biological Opinion and Incidental Take Statement for the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska Groundfish fisheries is now available from http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/protectedresources/stellers/biop2002/final.htm (2.8 MB). For previous news on the issue, see News Digest, 3 September 2001. For more information, contact AOC at info@americanoceans.org. (Sources: AP - 7 Sep 2001; Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - 7 Sep 2001; FIS - 5 Sep, 8 Oct 2001; NMFS - 19 Oct 2001; Seattle Times - 8 Sep, 6 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

"Declaration on Responsible Fisheries" launched with some opposition - A UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)-sponsored fisheries conference in Reykjavik, Iceland, adopted the "Reykjavik Declaration on Responsible Fisheries in the Marine Ecosystem" on 4 October in order to try and reinforce responsible and sustainable fisheries worldwide. There was some controversy at the meeting as several delegates, noticeably Japan which did not adopt the Declaration, argued that the remit of the declaration should be expanded to include the management of "living marine resources", including marine mammals. Australia, the United States and New Zealand successfully opposed this move. A copy of the Conference's Summary Report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) can be obtained from http://www.iisd.ca/linkages/sd/sdice/. (Sources: IISD Report - 7 Oct 2001; Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society - 16 Oct 2001; WorldCatch - 3 Oct, 5 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Group releases photos of sea lion pups born near controversial fish farm site - In a media release on 12 September the organisation Friends of Sceale Bay, which is opposing the proposed siting of a fish farm near an Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) colony in Sceale Bay, South Australia (see News Digest, 3 September 2001), issued photos of newly born sea lion pups at the colony. The photos, taken by marine mammal scientist Peter Shaughnessy, represent the first visuals confirming Sceale Bay's Cape Blanche as a breeding site for the species. The application for the new fish farm site, which would be only 3km away from the colony, is still being considered. For more information, contact Grant Hobson of Friends of Sceale Bay at granthobson@bigpond.com. (Source: Friends of Sceale Bay - 12 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

Namibian Ministry blames bad weather for low hake catches - The Namibian Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources was reported on 20 September as stating that recent bad weather along the coast was responsible for poor hake catches. Fishing crews had originally blamed South African fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) for the low quantities of hake caught when the hake season opened in May and hake stocks were relatively good, saying that the seals were taking the fish from the hooks as fast as the lines were pulled out. The recent spate of bad weather was described as the same as that experienced in 1996 when hake catches were also very low. Earlier on 1 August Namibia's new Marine Resources Act of 2000 officially replaced the previous Sea Fisheries Act of 1992. The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources said that one of the objectives of the new Act was to incorporate seals and sea birds into the legislation. For more information on Namibian seals, contact the Wildlife Society of Namibia at wildlife_society@yahoo.com / wildlife@iway.na or visit their web site at http://www.orusovo.com/wildlife/seals.htm. (Sources: FIS - 20 Sep 2001; Namibian - 30 Jul 2001) (5 November 2001)

U.K. MPs vote in favour of Marine Wildlife Conservation Bill - Marine conservation organisations in England and Wales were delighted when the Marine Wildlife Conservation Bill passed its Second Reading in the House of Commons on 26 October, and thus took a step closer to being made law. The Bill, a Private Members Bill proposed by John Randall MP, is intended to create a new designation to protect and manage nationally important wildlife sites in the marine environment. It will also provide greater enforcement powers for marine conservation measures. The text of the Bill, which will cover territorial waters out to 12 nautical miles from the coast around England and Wales, can be found at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmbills/008/2002008.htm and the Bill's Explanatory Notes at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200102/cmbills/008/en/02008x--.htm. For more information, contact the Marine Conservation Society at info@mcsuk.org. (Sources: Ananova - 26 Oct 2001; Marine Conservation Society - 25 Oct 2001; The Marine Connection - 15 Oct 2001; Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society - 29 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

U.S. Government urged to strengthen Marine Mammal Protection Act - Politicians, wildlife officials and non-governmental organisations urged Congress on 11 October to tighten the Marine Mammal Protection Act in order to protect marine mammals from threats such as injuries caused by boaters, commercial fishing nets and Navy sonar equipment. At the hearing held by the House Resources Subcommittee on Fisheries Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans, the Director of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), William Hogarth, also said that more funding was required in order to provide adequate information on marine mammal species. Mr. Hogarth pointed out that the NMFS is currently only able to study 20 of the 144 marine animals under its jurisdiction. (Sources: Humane Society of the United States - 11 Oct 2001; Planet Ark / Reuters - 12 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

WWF maps out Arctic conservation plan - A meeting of leaders from the international conservation organisation WWF's offices in eight Arctic countries met on 6-7 September in Toronto, Canada, to map out a plan to counter the "major accelerating threats" facing the Arctic's fragile ecosystems. The meeting emphasised three major threats: ill-planned development, uncontrolled climate change, and toxic pollutants. Monte Hummel, Head of WWF-Canada who hosted the meeting, commented "Development has already degraded most of the world's pristine habitats; the Arctic is one of our last chances to put conservation first". United Nations Environment Programme scientists have estimated that 40 percent of the region's wildlife and ecosystems, including various pinniped species, will be critically disturbed by 2050 if growth in the region occurs at even half the levels seen since 1990. For more information, contact WWF-Canada at panda@wwfcanada.org. (Source: ENS - 10 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

Additional Scottish seal sites nominated as conservation areas - Under the European Community's Habitats Directive, the Scottish Executive decided on a further list of sites to be forwarded to the European Commission on 10 September as candidate Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), including two sites with harbour seals (Phoca vitulina vitulina) as a feature of special interest. The two sites are Ascrib, Isay and Dunvegan in Highland, and the South East Islay Skerries in Argyll & Bute. It was further revealed in October that the Scottish Executive has decided to propose the Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary as an SAC with the harbour seal as a feature of special interest. Public consultation on the new site is open until 14 January 2002. For more information on the first two sites, contact Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH)'s Sandy MacLennan at sandy.maclennan@snh.gov.uk. For more information on the Firth of Tay and Eden Estuary site, contact SNH at tayside@snh.gov.uk. (Sources: SNH - 19 Sep, 22 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

U.S. Bill rider reverses court decisions on Glacier Bay National Park - A rider attached at the start of October to the 2002 Interior Appropriations Bill by Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens has reversed two court decisions which required an impact study to be carried out before cruise ship traffic could be increased in the Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska (see News Digest, 19 March 2001). The rider immediately boosts the cruise ship limit from 107 to 139 and maintains the limit at that level for a minimum of two years. Kevin Collins, Director of Government Affairs for the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) commented "This is an outrageous disregard for the judicial process, the health of the park, and basic common sense." SCS Note: There are concerns at the possible impacts of cruise ship traffic on the park's resources and wildlife, including Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) and harbour seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi). For more information, contact the NPCA at npca@npca.org. (Source: ENS - 12 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Federal body advises public on seal pup disturbance in northwestern U.S. - The Northwest Regional Office of the federal National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has issued guidelines on "Sharing the shore with Harbor seal Pups in the Pacific Northwest". The guidelines describe the behaviour of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi), the times that pups are born and their vulnerability to disturbance. They then outline ways in which responsible wildlife viewing can be carried out, and what to do and who to inform if a seal pup is found. For more information, see http://www.nwr.noaa.gov/1seals/harbor.htm. (Source: NMFS - downloaded from web site 30 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Scientists analyse disturbance to seals caused by boat traffic - In a study over four consecutive Augusts from 1997-2000, scientists in the U.S. state of Maine observing the harbour seal (Phoca vitulina concolor) population in Gun Point Cove, Casco Bay, southern Gulf of Maine, recorded the numbers of seals hauled out, the levels of boat traffic and environmental conditions. They found that by far the single strongest factor affecting haul-out numbers was the level of boat traffic in the cove, observing 85 incidents where the seals were flushed off their haul-out ledges, of which 93% were caused by boats. Both motor boats and paddled boats caused disturbance, over 55% of paddled boats causing seals to flush into the water. The scientists also observed no enforcement of the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act in Gun Point Cove to minimise such disturbance. The study recommends education of boaters and clear regulations as a first step in reducing the impacts of boaters on harbour seals in the Gulf of Maine. The published study, by Barbara Lelli and David Harris, can be found at http://www.macalester.edu/environmentalstudies/MacEnvReview/harbor_seal.htm. For more information, contact David Harris at deharris@usm.maine.edu. (Source: MARMAM - 25 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Seals disturbed by inconsiderate jet-skiers in England - Passengers aboard a boat making a seal watching trip from Herne Bay, Kent, in August were astonished and angry when three men with children on personal watercraft sped past them, ignoring their signals, and beached on a sandbank where harbour seals (Phoca vitulina vitulina) were hauled out, disturbing the seals into the water. The owner of the seal watching boat, Mike Turner of Wildlife Sailing, commented that such incidents of disturbance by speedboats and jet-skis have been on the increase and that the men "did not seem to know or care what they had done". For more information, contact Mike Turner at info@wildlifesailing.com. (Sources: Herne Bay Gazette - 9 Aug 2001; Mike Turner [pers. comm.] - 17 Aug, 28 Aug 2001) (5 November 2001)

Caspian seal exhibition created - The Azerbaijan non-governmental organisation Gulum has developed a travelling exhibition dedicated to the plight of the vulnerable Caspian seal (Phoca caspica). The exhibition, designed to show youngsters that the sea is filled with beauty and diversity, and to develop love for the nature around them at an early age, is part of Gulum's Khazar Program, a long-term multi-stage environmental education programme for pre-school age children. (Source: Caucasus Environmental News Bulletin #36 [item 6/2 - scroll down]) (5 November 2001)

Wandering hooded seals stranding in large numbers - Marine mammal conservation and rehabilitation organisations have been astounded at the large number of hooded seals (Cystophora cristata) that have so far stranded or been sighted this year down the western and eastern coasts of the North Atlantic. By the end of October a total of 129 individuals, mostly dead or live strandings, had been reported from as far south as the tropical Caribbean island of Antigua in the west and the Canary Islands in the east. Individuals of the species have been reported from the eastern seaboard of the United States, Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands, Puerto Rico, Bermuda, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Guadeloupe, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Denmark, France, Spain and Portugal.

The reasons for the wanderings of this Arctic species are currently unknown. The Seal Conservation Society and the Caribbean Marine Mammal Laboratory at the Universidad Metropolitana in Puerto Rico are coordinating, in participation with government organisations, research establishments and rescue and rehabilitation organisations, the collection and analysis of stranding data and samples in order to attempt to determine the cause of this anomaly. For more information, contact the Society at info@pinnipeds.org or the Laboratory's Antonio Mignucci-Giannoni at mignucci@caribe.net. (Sources: El Pais - 24 Aug 2001 [in Spanish]; Irish Seal Sanctuary - Downloaded from web site 30 Oct 2001; Various pers. comms.; Virginian-Pilot - 8 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

Seal rescued from pontoon in Chile - On 27 August a team of rescuers that included naval personnel and José Luis Brito of the Natural Sciences and Archaeology Museum of San Antonio rescued a 200kg 6-7 year old male South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens) that had been trapped in the hold of a pontoon in the port of San Antonio. The visibly dehydrated and weakened sea lion was first noticed in the 3 metre deep hold on 25 August and it is thought that it had fallen through an open manhole cover on the pontoon several days previously. The sea lion was eventually rescued by sea water being pumped into the pontoon until it could swim out. For more information, contact José Luis Brito at museo_imsa@hotmail.com. (Source: Natural Sciences and Archaeology Museum of San Antonio - 27 Aug 2001) (5 November 2001)

Mediterranean monk seal pup rescued in Mauritania - The Mauritanian Centre National de Recherches Océanographiques et des Pêches (CNROP) took in a female Mediterranean monk seal pup (Monachus monachus) for rehabilitation on 18 September after the pup was found with head wounds. It is thought that the action of the waves may have dashed the pup onto rocks, a problem that has caused serious injuries to pups in the past. The pup was reported to be recovering well two days after its arrival, showing normalised temperature and reflexes, and on 8 October was reported as having started eating fish independently in her pool. [SCS Note - The Mediterranean monk seal is a critically endangered species and it is thought that there are perhaps only less than 400 remaining in the wild]. For more information, contact CNROP's Khallahi Mohamed Fall at medfall_khall@hotmail.com) or Lenie 't Hart of the SRRC Seal Rehabilitation and Research Centre at pieterburen_seals@wxs.nl. (Sources: Khallahi Mohamed Fall [pers. corr.] - 23 Sep 2001; Lenie 't Hart [pers. corr.] - 8 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Two albino seal pups held at U.K. rescue centres - Two albino harbour seal pups (Phoca vitulina vitulina) are currently being held by seal rescue and rehabilitation centres in the United Kingdom. The first is at the Mablethorpe Seal Sanctuary and is described as having pink eyes and fawn markings where its spots should be. For more information, contact the Sanctuary's Paul King at +44-(0)1507-473346. The second is a female pup which was rescued in July 2000 and is still at Save Our Seals (SOS) in Norfolk. For more information, contact SOS' Harry Nicholson at seals@saveourseals.co.uk. Albinism is a rare occurrence in pinnipeds. (Sources: Harry Nicholson [pers. corr.] - 16 Sep 2001; Paul King [pers. corr.] - 16 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

Sea Shepherd provides funding for South African seal rescue - The organisation Sea Shepherd International announced on 18 October that it is to grant ongoing financial assistance to Francois Hugo of the Sea Lion Rescue Centre in Hout Bay, South Africa. Providing the Centre with an initial emergency grant of US$5,000 to overhaul its motorcraft "Foxhound", Sea Shepherd President Paul Watson commented that "what is needed immediately is the support of non-government organisations for the actions of individuals who are trying to save as many seals as they can from the effects of over-fishing and pollution". Sea Shepherd's advisory board member in South Africa, Herbert Heinrich, stated that the organisation is looking for a South African corporation or group to match this funding or to step in to carry the financial burden, and added that there is a need to develop a workable rescue and rehabilitation centre in Hout Bay. For more information, contact Sea Shepherd International at seashepherd@seashepherd.org and Francois Hugo at sasealion@wam.co.za. (Source: Sea Shepherd International - 18 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Marine wildlife rescue volunteers to be trained in Brazil - The organisation Instituto Sea Shepherd Brasil (ISSB) announced on 17 September that it has launched a partnered initiative with the oil company Texaco to train more than 300 volunteers to become qualified marine wildlife rescuers in the event of an oil spill. The "Friends of the Sea" project will involve the creation of a network of coastal marine mammal first-aid centres and training in 10 locations along the entire Brazilian coast that have significant ecological resources considered vulnerable to oil spills. The project will also implement the country's first oiled wildlife rescue plan. For more information, contact the ISSB at seashepherd@terra.com.br. (Source: Sea Shepherd International - 17 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

Scottish strandings organisation puts out appeal for volunteers - The Cetacean Research and Rescue Unit (CRRU) in Gardenstown, Aberdeenshire, issued an appeal in September for volunteers to come forward and assist it in the rescue of seals and cetaceans in Scotland. The CRRU offers a training course in first aid and care for marine mammals as part of the U.K.-wide "Marine Mammal Medic" course run by British Divers Marine Life Rescue. Senior rescue coordinator Kevin Robinson commented that the course is open to all and that the organisation is working to build up a network of people around the Scottish coast trained in marine mammal rescues. For more information, contact Kevin Robinson at kev.robinson@crru.org.uk. (Source: BBC - 17 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

New Zealand advises public to leave stranded fur seal pups alone - The New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) in Kaitaia warned the public in the far north on 31 August that they should leave stranded New Zealand fur seal pups (Arctocephalus forsteri) alone and that weakened or dying pups were just casualties of one of the species' many "survival of the fittest" battles. The pups which are found in fairly large numbers in the far north are mostly pups born the previous season that have weaned from their mothers between July and September. The DOC has a policy of minimal intervention with respect to seals. However it says that it would like to be notified as quickly as possible if a seal has obvious injuries, is entangled in marine debris, or is posing a threat to the public or being harassed by dogs or people. For more information, contact the DOC's Nicky Syddall at +64-(0)9-408-6014. (Source: New Zealand DOC - 31 Aug 2001) (5 November 2001)

Irish Seal Sanctuary holds National Seal Week - The Irish Seal Sanctuary (ISS) announced in October that it was organising a series of country-wide events to take place in a National Seal Week from 28 October to 4 November in order to highlight the plight of the country's seals. Events included seal releases, talks to local schoolchildren, the opening of the Sanctuary to the public and the release of a rehabilitated hooded seal in the Sanctuary's care. The Sanctuary is also currently working to get as many people round the world as possible to assist it with faxes and letters in lobbying the Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) to provide the Sanctuary with funding in the forthcoming budget. For more information, contact ISS' Terry Flanagan at flanagan@indigo.ie or see the ISS web site at http://www.irishsealsanctuary.com. (Source: ISS - Downloaded from web site 30 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

U.K. sanctuary shows TV to rescued seal pups - It was reported on 23 October that two rescued harbour seal pups (Phoca vitulina vitulina) are being shown videos of BBC Television's series The Blue Planet in their pen at the Hunstanton Sea Life and Marine Sanctuary in Norfolk, England. Workers at the sanctuary said that the two four-month-old seals, which were rescued two months beforehand suffering from lung worm and are not expected to be released until next year, watch the video quite regularly. The Sanctuary's manager Nigel Croasdale commented "The sights and sounds from sections featuring our coast will help familiarise the pups with the surroundings they'll actually experience when we release them back to the wild." For more information, contact the Sanctuary's Keiran Copeland at +44-(0)1485-533576. (Source: BBC - 23 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Relief as Wally the walrus found alive and well - Worried members of the public in Cook Inlet in the U.S. state of Alaska were relieved on 6 October when Wally, a Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) which has lived in the Inlet for at least 15 years and which has become a popular local character, was seen alive by a biologist. Concerns had been raised several days earlier when a pilot had spotted a walrus corpse washed ashore and then the next day had seen that its head, along with its tusks, had been removed. During the time he has lived in the Inlet, Wally has taken a place in many people's hearts, particularly those of local fishermen and oil workers, and many people who have spent time on the west side of the Inlet have a story about him. One fisherman recounted the time that he took a nap on the beach only to wake up and find Wally happily dozing about 3 metres away from him. (Sources: Anchorage Daily News - 4 Oct, 7 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Charter boat operators in Tasmania adopt accreditation programme - Thirty five charter boat operators in the Australian state of Tasmania announced in September that they have adopted an accreditation programme and voluntary code of conduct which covers environmental protection and responsible fisheries management. Rocky Carosi, President of the Sea Charter Boat Operators of Tasmania, said that the group is also developing guidelines on marine species such as seals, and that the initiative has been taken to demonstrate that the industry is acting in a responsible way. (Source: ABC - 19 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

Irish organisation issues guidelines for open sea swimmers - Following several reports of incidents in which over-friendly seals caused alarm to open sea swimmers and divers, the Irish Seal Sanctuary (ISS) issued a series of guidelines this summer to help minimise the problem. Commenting that, to their knowledge, seal approaches to humans are of a friendly and curious nature, the Sanctuary advised, among other measures, that swimmers do not swim alone, do not panic if approached by a seal, do not encourage physical contact, cease energetic swimming, and warn other swimmers in the water. Members of the public were asked to report any such interactions to the Sanctuary. For more information, contact the ISS at flanagan@indigo.ie or see http://www.wildireland.ie/irishsealsanctuary/html/guidelines.htm. (Source: ISS - downloaded from web site 30 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Public urged not to feed friendly seal - The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) in Cornwall, England, was reported on 4 September as having warned people not to feed a grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) that appears to have become tame and has been seen in Newquay and Padstow. There are fears that the seal, which has been tagged by staff from the National Seal Sanctuary in Cornwall, has become dependent on humans for food handouts and may bite a member of the public. For more information, contact the National Seal Sanctuary at seals@sealsanctuary.co.uk. (Source: This is Cornwall - 4 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

Macquarie Island elephant seal research vetoed in Australia - It was announced on 25 September that the Tasmanian Environment Minister David Llewellyn had overruled his Parks and Wildlife Service and vetoed permits for sampling and tagging research on Southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) on subantarctic Macquarie Island. The move followed requests by the Tasmanian Conservation Trust and Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown that the permits be denied. Scientists will only be allowed to remove electronic data loggers already fitted to some of the seals. Mr Llewellyn said that his decision was in order to uphold his promise that no new research on the species on the island would be carried out until a complete review of practices was undertaken following previous problems with a different research programme (see News Digest, 19 March 2001). The lead research scientist, Corey Bradshaw of the University of Tasmania's Antarctic Wildlife Research Unit, expressed dismay at the decision, arguing that the research had received all appropriate animal ethics clearances and that the multi-year conservation project initiated in 1999 would now lose precious data. For more information, contact Corey Bradshaw at corey.bradshaw@utas.edu.au and the Tasmanian Conservation Trust at tct@southcom.com.au. (Sources: ABC - 22 Sep, 23 Sep, 24 Sep, 25 Sep 2001; Antarctican - 27 Sep 2001; MARMAM - 28 Sep, 3 Oct 2001; Melbourne Age - 26 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

U.K. scientists to use seal cameras to study foraging behaviour - Research scientists from the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) at St. Andrews University in Scotland have revealed a project to tag grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) with £4,500 miniature digital video cameras over the next two years in order to gain a better understanding of the food that they eat and the areas in which they are eating. It is thought that the project may provide crucial evidence regarding fishermen's claims that the seals are depriving them of commercially caught fish. SMRU's Sascha Hooker has already carried out similar research on Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) in South Georgia where cameras were attached to six mothers and useful data was obtained. For more information, contact Sascha Hooker at sh43@st-and.ac.uk. (Sources: Aberdeen Press and Journal - 17 Sep 2001; London Daily Mail - 17 Sep 2001; SMRU - Downloaded from web site 30 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Ringed seal tracked during Arctic migration for first time - Scientists working from Little Diomede Island, Alaska, USA, in the Bering Strait have satellite tracked an Arctic ringed seal (Phoca hispida hispida) during its spring migration northward in open sea ice for the first ever time. The seal travelled over 700km and made dives to depths of over 50m during the seven week tracking period. The new information generated by the study provides valuable data, Marine Mammals Coordinator for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Bob Small, commenting that it is important to learn about the species' migration patterns so that scientists have baseline data in order to evaluate changes in the species' behaviour over the years, particularly if there are environmental changes in the region. The study involved close cooperation with and the assistance of local Alaskan native residents. For more information, contact Bob Small at bob_small@fishgame.state.ak.us. (Sources: ScienceDaily / National Science Foundation - 30 Oct 2001; Seattle Times - 31 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Study reveals deep-diving sea lions on edge of physical limit - A study looking at the diving of Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella), Australian sea lions (Neophoca cinerea) and New Zealand sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri) may help explain why certain species of marine mammals seem particularly vulnerable to changes in their food supply or other environmental stresses. It was found that the two sea lion species, whose populations are declining, stay underwater so long foraging on the ocean floor that they have to use anaerobic metabolism to keep diving, effectively limiting their ability to extend their dive times if food supply is limited. In contrast, individuals of the fur seal species, which is thriving, were found to dive for shallow prey only to the extent of their aerobic capacity, thus leaving greater scope for increased dive times if necessary. The study, by Daniel Costa, Nicholas Gales and Michael Goebel, was published in the July issue of Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology (Part A). For more information, contact Dan Costa at costa@biology.ucsc.edu. (Source: SeaWeb Ocean Update - Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

Fur seal pups recognise mother's call within days of birth - A study of Subantarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis) pups and mothers on remote Amsterdam Island has found that the pups are able to recognise their mother's call within 2-5 days of birth. The study, carried out by scientists from the Université Jean Monnet in France, found that the mother delayed her departure for her first feeding trip to sea until after her pup was able to recognise her. The pup's ability to recognise its mother is crucial for its survival as the pup must be able to locate its mother within a large seal colony on her return from her feeding trip which may last several days or weeks. The study found that pups took less than 11 minutes to locate their mother when she returned from her first feeding trip. The research findings, by Isabelle Charrier, N. Mathevon and P. Jouventin, were published in Nature vol. 412 no. 6850. For more information, contact Isabelle Charrier at isabelle.charrier@wanadoo.fr. (Sources: BBC - 29 Aug 2001, MARMAM - 10 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

Steller sea lions "lassoed" in Alaska for study - Between 1997 and 2001, 171 endangered Steller sea lion juveniles (Eumetopias jubatus) have been captured for health studies or satellite tagging using an unusual method. Scientists had previously encountered problems trapping the juveniles until underwater photographer Shane Moore, an old cowboy from Wyoming, suggested that the sea lions could be lassoed underwater. Scuba divers with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game soon confirmed that the young sea lions' curiosity meant that by dangling a herring on a pole, divers could coax them to stick their head through a noose that allowed them to be hauled to the surface without being harmed. Each juvenile sea lion weighs up to about 140kg. A narrated video of the sea lion studies was presented at the 21st Annual Scientific Diving Symposium of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences in Seward in September. For more information, contact Don Calkins, Alaska SeaLife Center's Steller Sea Lion Program Manager, at don_calkins@alaskasealife.org. (Source: Anchorage Daily News - 24 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

Scientists find seals with less closely-related parents have more offspring - A team of scientists at Cambridge University in the U.K. which studied grey seals (Halichoerus grypus), pilot whales and albatrosses found that animals whose parents were more distantly-related genetically produced above-average numbers of offspring. The scientists compared genetic markers in individuals of all three species to determine the similarity of their parents and then tracked the individuals to record the number of offspring that they bore. For more information, contact Cambridge University's Bill Amos at w.amos@zoo.cam.ac.uk. (Source: ENN - 9 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Albino sea lion pup born in Galápagos Islands - Scientists from the Charles Darwin Research Station in the Ecuadorian Galápagos Islands have confirmed that an albino Galápagos sea lion (Zalophus californianus wollebaeki) was born on the island of Floreana, following a report of its sighting on 9 August. Examination of the pup, probably a female, showed it to have a white-yellowish pelage, pink flippers, ears and nose, violet irises, white vibrissae and eyelashes, and white claws. The pup was suffering from severe photophobia, eye infection, a low level of hearing, and lesions in the flippers. It is thought that the pup's life expectancy will be limited and it will be periodically monitored. An albino sea lion was previously photographed on the islands in 1984. For more information, contact Sandie Salazar at ssalazar@fcdarwin.org.ec. (Sources: Charles Darwin Foundation - 11 Sep 2001 [In Spanish - SCS has English translation]; El Comercio de Ecuador - 5 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

Fur seals venturing further north in Australia - Scientists researching the migratory patterns of New Zealand fur seals (Arctocephalus forsteri) in Australia have found that their range is extending a little further north each year, regular sightings now occurring on the mid north coast of New South Wales in the spring. Martin Smith, a ranger with the National Parks and Wildlife Service commented that the wandering individuals are usually weaned yearlings, and that there has been a marked increase in the numbers of calls from members of the public concerned that the seals are injured, these calls nearly always being unfounded. Populations of the species have been increasing since they were protected by national legislation in 1975. (Source: ABC - 22 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Elephant seals arrive early in California - Nearly 400 Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) were reported as having come ashore near San Simeon in the U.S. state of California by 18 October, weeks earlier than usual. Scientists do not know whether some factor such as weather or food supplies led to the early arrival, Susan McDonald of Friends of the Elephant Seal (FES) commenting "It's really hard to say. This year, they started coming in the end of August. By October 2, we had more than 100. Last year, we didn't have 100 on this beach until mid-October." A full survey of the seals by docents and scientists will take place in November, assisted by a US$40,000 grant from the state Department of Resources. For more information, contact FES at fes@thegrid.net. (Source: AP - 19 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Subantarctic fur seal visits Western Australian capital - A young adult female Subantarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis) was found resting on 3 September at the street-front wall of a house in the Perth suburb of Cottesloe after having dragged herself up the beach, over high dunes and across the street. A marine park ranger from the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) managed to encourage the seal back over the road and into the dune vegetation. The seal, which appeared healthy but slightly underweight, was then monitored during the day by a group of residents who took turns to keep an eye on it. The CALM ranger said that the seal was tired and would be allowed to return to the water in her own time. One or two, sometimes three Subantarctic fur seals a year, are found this far north after following cold currents along the coast. (Source: West Australian - 4 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

Northern elephant seal observed in Russian Commander Islands - A 3-4 year-old Northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) was observed hauled out on Cape Ygo-Vostochnyi, Medniy Island, from the beginning of August to the end of September. The seal, reported to be the first observation of the species in the Commander Islands, was found among a breeding colony of fur seals and sea lions. Vladimir Sevostianov of the Commander Islands and B.C. Nature Protection and Conservation Association, who observed the seal, reported that a tag on the seal indicated that it had been tagged near San Francisco in the U.S. state of California. For more information, contact Vladimir Sevostianov at seaotter3@hotmail.com. (Source: Vladimir Sevostianov - 16 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Harbour seal population increasing on Maine coast - Preliminary results from the 2001 state-wide survey of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina concolor) in Maine, USA, indicate that the count may exceed 31,000, more than six times the count recorded in 1976. The abundance of seals in the state's waters is the result of a plentiful food supply, a relatively clean environment, and legal protection since 1972. Professor James Gilbert who is heading the survey commented that "at least back to the turn of the last century, we probably have more now than ever before." Before 1905 the state paid a US$1 bounty on harbour seals in order to reduce their populations to help fish stocks, resulting in the near extermination of seal populations along some parts of the Maine coast but with no noticeable effect on fish catches. The results of the survey, which also included the radio-tracking of 30 seals, will be compiled in December. For more information, contact Professor Gilbert at gilbert@umenfa.maine.edu. (Source: AP - 10 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

Leopard seal visits New Zealand beach - A leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx), an Antarctic pinniped species, was reported on 29 October as having recently paid an unusual visit to the beach at Rapahoe on New Zealand's west coast. Local Department of Conservation (DOC) staff inspected the seal and advised the public that it was dangerous to approach it. It is thought that the leopard seal could be the same one that was sighted at Punakaiki on 11 September. Leopard seals are only occasional visitors to New Zealand's shores and seldom remain around any one site for more than a few days before heading off again. (Source: New Zealand DOC - 29 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

California sea lion and killer whale observed at Steller sea lion haulout - Scientists from the Alaska SeaLife Center, USA, were interested to observe a female California sea lion (Zalophus californianus californianus) hauling out on 2 August on the Chiswell Island Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) rookery 56 km south of Seward. California sea lions are rare in Alaska and the sea lion was only the fourth of its species that researchers have seen on Chiswell since remote cameras were installed there in the summer of 1999. The live feed from these cameras has also allowed the scientists to observe a killer whale (orca) which has been seen patrolling the island off and on since late July. The killer whale is a 30+ year-old transient female that specialises in feeding at sea lion haulouts and rookeries throughout south-central Alaska. The scientists have not yet witnessed the killer whale killing any sea lions over the remote video feed but some of the local tour boat captains have seen her with a sea lion in her mouth. For more information, contact Don Calkins, the Center's Steller Sea Lion Program Manager, at don_calkins@alaskasealife.org. (Source: Alaska SeaLife Center - 28 Aug 2001) (5 November 2001)

Thick Antarctic ice causing problems for seals - It was reported on 31 October that scientists on Antarctica's coast this summer are recording some of the thickest ice ever seen and are warning that this may be affecting seal and penguin populations. Both New Zealand's Scott Base and the U.S.'s McMurdo Base in McMurdo Sound were reported as being blocked in by heavy sea ice, while on the other side of the continent a U.S. research ship is reported to have managed to free itself from extensive ice fields in Marguerite Bay. Scientists said that the ice was affecting penguins and seals which are having to travel further to access the sea. A group of researchers has found less than 150 adult Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) at one study site extending from Scott Base to Cape Evans, less than a third of the number seen by this time last year. (Source: AFP - 31 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Organisation plans to use trained sea lions in the wild - The organisation Waves Consulting has revealed that it proposes to develop a new programme in which it will train sea lions and then release them into the wild for use in the leisure industry. The Sea Lions in Open Seas (SOS) programme, offering the "world's first open ocean sea lion interactions", will be in three phases. Phase I will use a natural bay containing a training pen system to house and train a population of sea lions, while Phase II will introduce beach, swim and dive interactions with the public, either in a captive situation or in "specially selected open ocean sites". Phase III will expand to international markets and involve the opening of new facilities with established vacation resorts. Waves Consulting has also registered the new internet domain name sealions.info, and requested information and assistance for the new site on 2 October. For more information, see http://www.wavesconsulting.com/page551626.htm. (Sources: MARMAM - 2 Oct 2001; Waves Consulting - downloaded from web site 10 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Captivity Briefs ...
Detroit Zoo in Michigan, USA, opened its new "Arctic Ring of Life" exhibit on 20 October. As well as being the world's largest polar bear exhibit with seven polar bears, the 1.7 hectare exhibit also includes four harbour seals (Phoca vitulina), one rescued grey seal (Halichoerus grypus), one rescued harp seal (Phoca groenlandica), four Arctic foxes and two snowy owls. (Source: Excite News - 25 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

News in Brief ...

The member states of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) agreed in London, United Kingdom, on 5 October to ban ship paints containing organotin compounds that are harmful to marine wildlife. Use of the compounds will be restricted as of 1 January 2003 and banned outright by 1 January 2008. (Sources: ENS - 9 Oct 2001; New Scientist - 5 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

After more than ten years of stop-start discussions, Alaska (USA) and Chukotka (Russia) are now seriously looking at the establishment of an international park across the Bering Strait that would include and protect lands in both countries. (Source: Nunatsiaq News - 26 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Meetings...
As part of the 2001 Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals in Vancouver, Canada, the National Marine Fisheries Service's Office of Protected Resources will be hosting the workshop Viewing Marine Mammals in the Wild: A Workshop to Discuss Responsible Guidelines and Regulations for Minimizing Disturbance on 28 November 2001. For more information, contact Trevor Spradlin at Trevor.Spradlin@noaa.gov or see http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/MMWatch/Biennial_wkshp01.html. (5 November 2001)

The 16th Annual Conference of the European Cetacean Society will take place from 7-11 April 2002 in Liège, Belgium, with the theme Marine Mammal Health from Individuals to Populations. Presentations will include: The impacts of global changes on marine mammals; Multidisciplinary approaches of emerging diseases; and Effects of chemical pollution. Papers on the subject of pinnipeds will be presented at the meeting. For more information, see http://web.inter.NL.net/users/J.W.Broekema/ecs/ecs-2002.htm. (5 November 2001)

The 139th American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)'s Annual Convention in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, on 13-17 July 2002 will include a 2-3 day Aquatic Animal / Aquaculture Medicine Program. For more information, contact Skip Jack at jack@cvm.msstate.edu. (5 November 2001)

Resources...
The Uruguayan marine mammal conservation and rescue/rehabilitation organisation Protección de Fauna Marina (PROFAUMA - Marine Life Protection) has launched its new web site at http://www.interdia.com/profauma. The site is currently only in Spanish but there are plans to launch an English-language version in the near future. (5 November 2001)

The Environmental Research Bureau (ERB), which works to conserve marine wildlife and their habitats in Greece, including the critically endangered Mediterranean monk seal, has launched its new web site in English and Spanish at http://www.calypso-erb.cjb.net. (5 November 2001)

Features ... - The following pinniped-related feature articles have recently appeared in the media:

Glacier Bay provides new birthing ground for Steller sea lions ... - [The thriving population of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in Glacier Bay, Alaska, USA] (Source: National Parks Conservation Association Magazine - Sep/Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Panel taking stock of Alaska's ocean health - [The visit of the Pew Oceans Commission to the U.S. state of Alaska] (Source: ENN / Reuters - 28 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

Seal stories: The tides and times of living in a changing world - [A speech on the changing levels of pinniped populations by Professor Ian Boyd of the U.K.'s Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU)] (Source: SMRU - 5 Sep 2001) (5 November 2001)

The harbinger seals of San Francisco Bay [Effects of disturbance, pollution etc. on harbour seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi) in San Francisco Bay, California, USA] (Source: East Bay Express - 3 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

The West's most isolated community [A look at a remote Arctic community in Greenland] (Source: BBC - 27 Oct 2001) (5 November 2001)

Too close for comfort: Concern about the growing trend in public interactions with wild marine mammals [A discussion of some of the issues] - (Source: Society for Marine Mammalogy Newsletter - Fall 2001 [scroll down]) (5 November 2001)

Galápagos sea lions killed and mutilated - Widespread condemnation followed the discovery of 15 dead Galápagos sea lions (Zalophus californianus wollebaeki), 11 male and 4 female, at the tourist site of "La Loberia" on the island of San Cristóbal on 14 July. Inspection of the sea lions revealed that they had been killed by blows to the head, possibly caused by metallic objects, and that the genital organs of the males had been removed by knife. It is thought that the attack, carried out at night by more than one person, was probably in order to obtain the male genitals for the aphrodisiac trade, and that the females were possibly accidental victims because of the poor light at the time of the attack.

Communities on the Galápagos Islands reacted to the killings with shock. The Association of Naturalist Guides of Galápagos led a march in Puerto Ayora, joined by more than 200 people, expressing their outrage at the act, while another march also took place on San Cristóbal. On 20 July, the Charles Darwin Foundation announced that a reward of US$4,000 had been raised from various donors across the islands for those who could provide information leading to the arrest and conviction of the perpetrators of the killing. On 25 July the organisation Sea Shepherd Conservation Society also offered a US$1,000 reward. It was reported that an investigative committee led by the Governor of the Province had been formed and that an investigation was being conducted by the National Police with support from the National Park Service and Ecuadorian Navy. For more information, contact Paola Díaz, Charles Darwin Research Station, at infocdrs@fcdarwin.org.ec or visit http://www.darwinfoundation.org. (Sources: BBC - 19 Jul 2001 [N.B. - number of fatalities incorrect]; Charles Darwin Foundation - 17 Jul, 18 Jul, 20 Jul, 24 Jul 2001; London Sunday Express - 22 Jul 2001; Nando Times - 18 Jul 2001; Sea Shepherd Conservation Society - 25 Jul 2001) (3 September 2001)

Harp seal hunt a "year-round slaughter" says welfare organisation - The organisation International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) issued a press release on 16 July pointing out that although the Canadian commercial harp seal (Phoca groenlandica) hunt had just ended two days beforehand, the hunt was continuing in Greenland. It is estimated that about 210,000 harp seals were killed in the Canadian hunt, which lasts between 15 November and 15 May, or until the quota can be reached. An estimated 100,000 harp seals were killed last year in Greenland, where the essentially unregulated hunt lasts between June and November. IFAW's Rebecca Aldworth said "This has become a year-round slaughter. The population is under constant threat of hunting, except for a few short weeks when the pups are first born". For more information, contact IFAW at canadasealhunt@ifaw.org or visit http://www.canadasealhunt.ca. (Sources: IFAW - 16 Jul 2001) (3 September 2001)

Finnish hunters begin killing increased number of grey seals - It was reported that hunters in Finland began their officially-sanctioned hunt for Baltic grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) on 1 August. A total of 60 seal-hunting licences were issued for the Gulf of Bothnia region, allowing for the killing of 180 seals. The total number of seals to be killed is an increase on last year's figure of 100 (see News Digest, 25 June 2000). SCS Note - The Baltic grey seal population is now only just recovering from years of exploitation and pollution-related illness, and there are serious concerns as to the effects that hunting will have on the population. It was revealed in June that an additional 180 seals are also to be killed on the Swedish side of the Gulf this year. For more information on seal hunting in Finland, contact Antti Halkka, Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, at antti.halkka@sll.fi and WWF Finland's Anita Mäkinen at anita.makinen@wwf.fi. (Source: AFP - 1 Aug 2001) (3 September 2001)

Australian fishermen illegally killing fur seals - It was reported on 9 July that commercial and recreational fishermen in the state of Victoria are illegally killing hundreds of Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) in Bass Strait. Frustrated police and wildlife authorities admit that many fishermen carry guns on their boats to kill seals, and that they have little or no chance to catch the culprits as most shootings happen away from the public gaze. The fishermen say that the killing is in order to stop predation of fish by the seals and to protect their fishing gear. One fishermen said "I've seen 60 seals shot in one night. I know trawlers shoot them.". Another source also stated that in recent years some fishermen have been involved in cruel killings at seal colonies, using semi-automatic guns to "pepper them with bullets". A representative of the federal government office Environment Australia said "We do have problems with sections of the (fishing) community and people tip us off, but they're too scared to go to court."

The Australian office of the Humane Society International (HSI) immediately condemned the situation. HSI's Rebecca Brand said that the organisation "has been calling for a ban on fishermen carrying firearms and greater observer coverage in these fisheries for years. These latest reports of trigger-happy fishermen show why such a ban is now even more of a necessity". It is an offence under Australia's Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to take, injure, move or kill pinnipeds without a permit, and offences are punishable by fines of up to AUS$110,000 or up to 2 years imprisonment for an individual, AUS$550,000 for a corporation. HSI called on the federal government to investigate fully the recent reports of illegal shooting and to prosecute any breaches of the Act. For more information, contact Rebecca Brand at rebecca@hsi.org.au. (Sources: HSI Australia - 9 Jul 2001; Melbourne Herald Sun - 9 Jul 2001) (3 September 2001)

Guards on Chilean fish farms shooting large numbers of sea lions - Guards on salmon farms, called "salmon watchers", armed with high-calibre weapons are shooting large numbers of South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) and other native wildlife in southern Chile, it was reported on 10 July. Environmentalists, artisan fishermen, tourism enterprises and people living beside fish farms in the coastal communities of Chiloe and Aysen are complaining at the killing, and Chilean writer Pablo Huneeus, who lives in and navigates the area regularly, said that "you can find dead, wounded and bleeding sea lions all over the place" and that "during the night this place looks like an aquatic Far West, but without a sheriff".

Despite regulations forbidding the shooting of sea lions, several Chilean magazines specialising in fishing and aquaculture are encouraging businessmen to "protect their fish from the bandits", using graphics to portray the sea lions as bandits. Organisations such as Terram, Terra Australis, and Ecoceanos say that during the 1980s and 1990s some 5,000 - 6,000 sea lions were killed. The "salmon watchers" usually use 8mm diameter ammunition or "expansive bullets", while the use of carbide to poison the sea lions is also employed. Butchered sea lions are tied near the raft cages as a sign of warning to other sea lions. Ecoceanos has informed the authorities of the situation and has warned them that several salmon farming operations are currently seeking permits to legalise the killing of the sea lions. For more information, contact Ecoceanos at ecoceano@entelchile.net. (Source: Ecoceanos News - 10 Jul 2001) (3 September 2001)

Fishermen in Germany seek permission to cull seals - Fishermen in Germany have called for permission to carry out a cull of seals in the country's waters, claiming that the population of seals is fast-growing and affecting the amount of fish that they catch. Lothar Fischer of the German Fisheries Association was quoted as saying "There used to be seal-hunters who dealt with this. We need them again. These animals are threatening our very existence". Environmentalists are opposing any move back to seal hunting, Ingo Bokermann of Greenpeace Germany replying that "To blame seals for the over-fishing of the sea is like blaming woodpeckers for chopping down the rainforest". Seals are currently protected under German law. [SCS Note - Grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) and harbour seals (Phoca vitulina vitulina) are found in German waters]. (Source: Ananova - 8 Aug 2001) (3 September 2001)

Subsidised sealing industry is costly for Norway - A newspaper article on 31 May revealed that over the last 18 years the Norwegian government has spent 720 million NOK to keep the country's sealing and whaling industries going, a considerably greater amount than the income actually generated from these activities. One of the reasons for this large subsidy is the government's belief that killing marine mammals will benefit the country's fishing industry by making more fish available. Almost 40 million NOK has been allocated for the 2001 season, while the income from seal and whale hunting accounts for about 1/2000 of the 30-40 billion NOK generated each year from the sale and export of Norwegian sea food.

Meanwhile, on 29 June it was reported that good weather conditions this year had allowed the two Norwegian boats sealing on the West Ice to return with 6,800 harp seals (Phoca groenlandica) and hooded seals (Cystophora cristata). The total Norwegian quota of 5,000 adult seals on the East Ice was also taken. [SCS Note - 2.5 harp seal pups are deemed equivalent to one adult on the East Ice. The West Ice conversion factors for harp and hooded seal pups are 2 and 1.5 respectively]. For more information on Norwegian sealing, contact Anton Krag, NOAH, at anton@noahonline.org. (Sources: High North Alliance - 29 Jun 2001; InterSeafood.com - 31 May 2001 [in Norwegian - contact SCS for translation]) (3 September 2001)

Namibian organisation distances itself from seal hunt - In an open letter dated 24 July, the organisation Wildlife Society of Namibia said that in no way should it be linked to the country's annual hunt of South African fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus). The letter follows the Namibian Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources' use of the Society's name in an attempt to back up the Ministry's claims that the seal hunt is humane. Despite frequent approaches to the Ministry, the Society has been unable to gain access to observe the hunt for several years, and is in fact concerned at welfare problems associated with the hunt. The Society also announced in the letter that it has secured the services of a consultant to undertake a scientific assessment of seals and sealing in Namibia, as well as to review the seal census and the determination of seal quotas. This year's hunt began at Cape Cross and Luderitz in July. For more information on the Namibian seal hunt, contact the Society at wildlife@iway.na or visit the Society's seals page at http://www.orusovo.com/wildlife/seals.htm. (Source: Wildlife Society of Namibia - 24 Jul 2001) (3 September 2001)

Government in Québec discusses investment in seal product enterprise - Government representatives were due to meet on 15 August to discuss the revival of a seal skin processing enterprise in Québec's Gaspé Peninsula, Canada. An initial meeting took place the week before with Gaspé's deputy Guy Lelièvre in order to discuss putting together a financial package. A new shareholder is reportedly ready to invest CAN$115,000 in the enterprise if the contribution from the government in Québec reaches CAN$300,000. (Source: CJRG-FM - 13 Aug 2001) (3 September 2001)

Calls for seal cull in Scotland rebuffed by government and conservationists - The Scottish Executive denied that it had any plans to carry out a seal cull following comments in support of a cull by the Highlands and Islands Minister Alistair Morrison which were reported on 15 July. The Executive said that according to the latest scientific evidence, little would be achieved from a cull of grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) and harbour seals (Phoca vitulina vitulina) in Scottish waters. Mr Morrison's comments were however supported by a number of Members of the Scottish Parliament amid fishing industry claims that seals are consuming more fish than fishermen are allowed to catch. The Scottish Parliament's Rural Affairs Committee has already recommended that powers be granted to shoot seals where there is evidence to show that they are responsible for a decline in salmon stocks at sea.

It was also reported on 17 July that Scottish Member of the European Parliament Struan Stevenson had met with international marine wildlife experts in Brussels and that he would be putting a case to the European