Seal Populations

[Sweetwater]

In the most recent “On The Water,” there was a comment by Pops (Ask Pops) that the increased presence of “worms” in cod (and I found quite a few this season) is due in part to the greater presence of seals. Evidently, this parasite’s lifecycle includes some stage of its life in seals (many parasites require multiple hosts to complete their lifecycles).

Seals have become an increasing problem in the north Cape Cod area. Recently, beaches in Chatham had to be closed due to high levels of fecal chloroform from gray and harbor seals. This is a dangerous bacterium that affects the intestines. While normally associated with human waste and untreated sewerage, the seal population has grown so large that they are posing real risks to humans and other animals.

I, and several others I know, have had many bass taken off my line (both from beach and boat) this year, by seals who wait for a fish to be hooked, then take the struggling fish. I’ve even had them follow behind my boat between my trolled lines.

NMFS has determined the minimum population to be 91,546 individual animals. Gray seals on Muskeget Island (off Nantucket) and Monomoy Island (off Chatham) grew by an estimated 20.5 percent annually between 1994 and 1999. My guess is that between 1999 and 2005 the rate of population increase has been at least as much again, if not greater.

My personal feeling is that it is time that the gray seal population be better managed for health reasons, quality of the fishery, and potential damage to (occupation of) key seabird breeding grounds (used by piping plovers and others).

Anyone have any ideas as to how we recreational fisherman (and concerned conservationists) can provide input about concerns about this growing problem?