tell me something I don't know - seals & the cape

[Swimmer]

Yah, but seal tastes like chicken.

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

Yah, but seal tastes like chicken.

If they opened the cull again, I know a lot of fishing friend that'd be getting seal gloves and jackets for christmas next year.

[numbskull]

The harbor seals at the WH Aquarium eat 10-15 lbs of fish per day. The grey seals are much larger and obviously eat a lot more.
It doesn't take much of a scientist to figure 10,000 grey seals are eating 50-100,000 lbs of fish a day. That translates into 2-4 million lbs of fish per year. That is a lot and it is not very likely they are making do on sand eels and sand dabs.

[2na]

"I have heard the same things," said Owen Nichols, director of marine fisheries research

"It's very difficult to quantify without direct observation of how much seals are capturing or the more complicated issue of them driving fish offshore," Nichols said. "Fishermen at this point are the best source of the information we do have; however, we need more quantitative evidence."


Translation: Fisherman can't be believed and only truly unbiased researchers will be able to determine the truth. So George, your common sense math, my getting sealed over 200 times and fishermen fleeing the cape are mere anecdotes and without more objective empirical evidence are biased and baseless. We are just irrationally anti-seal.

[BluesHarp]

Originally Posted by 2na

"I have heard the same things," said Owen Nichols, director of marine fisheries research

"It's very difficult to quantify without direct observation of how much seals are capturing or the more complicated issue of them driving fish offshore," Nichols said. "Fishermen at this point are the best source of the information we do have; however, we need more quantitative evidence."


Translation: Fisherman can't be believed and only truly unbiased researchers will be able to determine the truth. So George, your common sense math, my getting sealed over 200 times and fishermen fleeing the cape are mere anecdotes and without more objective empirical evidence are biased and baseless. We are just irrationally anti-seal.

Another translation: I NEED research MONEY to keep my government funded job.

[Mr. Sandman]

I would love a custom pair of seal skin waders

And maybe a sealskin catsuit for my wife

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by Mr. Sandman

And maybe a sealskin catsuit for my wife

Best. Idea. Ever.

[Nebe]

Originally Posted by Swimmer

Yah, but seal tastes like chicken.

It actually tastes like pot roast. I've eaten it before.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[piemma]

But maybe something will happen to the seals the way it did to the Gypsy Moths. I remember when they were so thick they covered every surface. One day we woke up and they were ALL dead. Seems there was some kind of Gypsy Moth virus once the population gets too large and it kills all of them. Maybe all the seals will get sick and die.

[Guppy]

Originally Posted by piemma

. Maybe all the seals will get sick and die.

Hmmmmm,, got me thinking about my wife's pot roast and leaving it out on monomoy.

Burn this email, Gup
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[smac]

Im no biologist, but could part of the reason be the the shark population is also down? Well that, and people dont hunt seals anymore.

[BigFish]

Mass and the Cape does not "traditionally" harbor a high Great White population. Though it might help.....and it might change given the availability of seal meat?? Does seem to be more GW over the past few seasons.

[Rappin Mikey]

My wife has a bunch of friends out there in the camp grounds. So I still get a sticker every year. People I used to love to see, but aren't there any more stinks! Dangles, Slipnot, Bassmaster, Bassballface, Ballsbassface, to name a few. I think the seals have depleated the strand of fish that would feed inshore. So, I got a kayak. Worked great for about 5 years. I got chased by a JAWS this Summer about a mile out. I hate SEALS!!!