where did all the seals come from?

[likwid]

Originally Posted by ejk002

and a big plump seal showed his head near the boat and stared at us for awhile and then went back down to take all the days catch.

Yes, they're nasty vindictive creatures that drive around in steel trawlers and midwater drag every last fish into oblivion.

Oh wait, thats not seals....

[quick decision]

I saw one 15 feet from shore last night in Hull.

[Slipknot]

Likwid, are you trolling, joking or what?

[Clammer]

Likwid there were no seals around 25 30 years ago I was full time commercial fishing up until a couple of years ago [[shelling fishing]] which means I was on the water 12 months a year // back then in RI or Mt Hope bay /if someone saw a seal //it made the front page of the local paper // about 15- 20 years ago they started to increase steadly /at first when we were digging / ya would stop & watch them ..//the last ten years they have just mulipied [sp] >. We now have boats taking customers seal watching //// the problem besides eating Stripers //is Flat Out / what do you THINK they eat from November thru April // eels & Winter Flounder // every time I see one feeding its on them // The winter flounder population is a joke// I haven,t caught one in the bay in ten years / I,ve heard of a few caught but never seen them // eels we use to pull [[[just 3]] eel pots & have enough eels to fish 2 guys for a full weekend /& still put back the market size// now === I didn,t catch 5 bait size all last year //////
Oh yea / by the way the // they eat them tooooooooo .....

[likwid]

Originally Posted by Slipknot

Likwid, are you trolling, joking or what?

Partially, there's no point in complaining about it, they're not going to reinstitute hunting seals for a reward, ever.

If anything the DMF will handle their populations, but that even is a pipe dream.

WE/our past relatives screwed up the population of everything, and now we pay.

Just like the photos of giant mounds of striped bass being taken commercially, what? You think they were just gonna magically learn how to reproduce faster? I think not.

Honestly the division of marine fisheries along with the rest of the groups need to take a long hard look at all fisheries and start over again. Something really needs to be done soon especially with certain fish that don't have as much value as others having their populations explode and offsetting the stocks. At this rate, dogfish will replace striped bass in New England as the primary target.

[Mr. Sandman]

We host the southernmost body of seals on the east coast and they don't leave in the summer now. (so much for global warming). Seals never spent the entire year here. They would leave for cooler waters when spring came. The reason they are three fold IMO...they are protected now (ie, no season for harvest) and there is food for them here and it is too crowded further north. GP, monomy and a couple other islands are overrun with them. The feed heavy and now raise their young here all summer. It is time to take them OFF the protected list, and start to thin the heard.

IMO That GW shark came inshore to feed on these critters. I bet we see a few more in the next couple years.. When the cape and islands experiences a real life Jaws in the next few years....they will determine it is because of the seal population and THEN they will act because it is effecting their wallets. I don't think the folks that act to "protect" some species have a total feel for the entire big picture and what reactions it may have on the local species. I think they mean well, and they like patting each other on the their backs because they think they are saving mankind but most of them are really disconnected from reality.

Seals should not be here in the summer....I only hope is they develop a taste for plover.

[Bronko]

Karl I couldn't agree more. Apex predators are already on the rise in our waters. More and more reports from Chatham by Charterboat Captains who have seen massive sharks crusing close into the beach. Some have even witnessed attacks and some people are finding mangled half eaten seal bodies on the beach. Throw in (I think at least 2) killer whale sightings and it may make for a memorable next few years. IMO surfers and fishermen on the back beaches BEWARE. These seals are such a perfect food source for these apex predators. It has taken a few years, but with the increase of the seal population and the spanwning and birthing on Monomoy and Tuckernuck.....the dinner bell is ringing loud and clear up and down the east coast.

[likwid]

Originally Posted by Mr. Sandman

IMO That GW shark came inshore to feed on these critters. I bet we see a few more in the next couple years.. When the cape and islands experiences a real life Jaws in the next few years....they will determine it is because of the seal population and THEN they will act because it is effecting their wallets. I don't think the folks that act to "protect" some species have a total feel for the entire big picture and what reactions it may have on the local species. I think they mean well, and they like patting each other on the their backs because they think they are saving mankind but most of them are really disconnected from reality.

Seals should not be here in the summer....I only hope is they develop a taste for plover.

Open season on the cuddly widdle seals will happen right around the same time they allow skeet-plover shooting.

Not only do the people who are trying to protect have no vision, neither do the people trying to allow open season on other critters.

[macojoe]

#%^( Seals!!

Chatam in August!! They are here all year long now!!