New research out of the Marine Institute has found that harp seals consume a greater amount of fish species than are caught in commercial fisheries – but the story doesn’t end there.

Seal populations are dropping as well.

The study was conducted by Marine Institute scientist Tyler Eddy along with student Hanna West.

Eddy says they found that harp seals are consuming more fish than harvesters have caught. In data from the mid-80s, seals were consuming more than 1.5 times what the fishery was taking, but by 2018-2022 harp seals were consuming 24 times the amount of
fish harvested.

Harp seal population also dropping

Eddy says they also found that the harp seal population, which is currently estimated at about 4.4 million, has been dropping steadily over the last few decades.

“So while this consumption level of fish is quite high, it’s lower now than it would have been in the 1980s due to the fact that the population has declined from about 7.5 million to 4.4 million.”

That, says Eddy, is indicative of greater changes in the marine environment, not the least of which is a decline in caplin stocks as well.

“Harp seals are declining, northern cod hasn’t recovered to its historical levels, caplin hasn’t recovered, so it’s a bigger picture than just harp
seals and cod, it’s a picture of what’s happening with the productivity of the system more broadly.”

FFAW applauds research

The FFAW says the research confirms what Newfoundland and Labrador fish harvesters have been saying for decades.

FFAW Secretary-Treasurer Jamie Baker says they have been calling on DFO to acknowledge the “obvious” for decades – that seal predation is a major barrier to rebuilding fish stocks.

Baker says the study “validates what’s been seen on the water, and reinforces the need for seal population management.”