ECOSEAL

Title: Baltic seals - balancing between sustainable ecosystem management and fisheries

Summary: At present, seals, the main top predators of the Baltic Sea, are recovering after population declines, but face a changed ecosystem both in terms of human-induced mortality (hunting, by-catch in fishing gear) and changes in available food resources. On the other hand, the increasing seal stocks cause notable damage to small-scale coastal fisheries, especially in the northern Baltic. Lack of updated information on different aspects of the interactions between seals, fish stocks and coastal fishery, aggravates seal-fishery co-existence and the accomplishment of a favourable conservation status.

The project ECOSEAL brings together experts on seal ecology, fish stock management, and mathematical modelling as well as different stakeholders from Finland, Sweden and Estonia in order to produce and utilise new, extensive information and practical tools to be introduced for favourable seal management in the Baltic countries. The project aims at providing practical tools for conservation and management strategies for Baltic seals.

The project also disseminates up-to-date information on different aspects of seal-fishery interactions (by-catch, impact of seals on fish and fishery) to fishermen and other stakeholders, and proposes ways to mitigate the conflict. The project also assesses opportunities for local people, in the coastal archipelageo region, to start utilising seals as a means of nature tourism.

For more information, please visit EurOcean Knowledge Gate.