Struggling towards co-existence of the Baltic Sea coastal fisheries and the grey seal

Kristina Svels*, Pekka Salmi, Nelson F. Coelho, Viktor Eriksson, Sara Königson, Esa Lehtonen, Sven-Gunnar Lunneryd, Petri Suuronen, Markus Vetemaa, Åsa Waldo

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Commercial small-scale fisheries along the Baltic Sea coasts have declined over the years although these fisheries are viewed as important for coastal development and food security at the local, national, and EU levels. The viability and future of small-scale fisheries are severely challenged by problems caused by grey seals. The conflict, occurring between Baltic Sea coastal fisheries and conservation of the grey seals, has been severe since the mid-1990s and continues despite attempts to find a more balanced situation. Resting on reviews of multiple material, this paper explores the state-of-the-art opportunities for mitigating the seal-fisheries conflict and asks how these are related to social struggles and social justice. Our paper concludes that co-existence of coastal fisheries and the grey seal is possible but necessitates political will and co-designed seal management plans that help implement context-specific measures. Seal deterrents, for instance, give hope as a supplementary conflict mitigation measure – along with seal-proof fishing gear – but provide only partial relief. From the fisheries sector’s position, influencing the size of the seal population is a logical solution. The lifting of the EU trade ban of seal products as a regional derogation would allow sustainable management of seal populations so that they be used as renewable natural resource. Monitoring changes in the seal population is crucial for maintaining a balanced population. Reaching co-existence is timely, because – unlike the seal – the diverse Baltic coastal fishing culture is increasingly endangered.
Original languageEnglish
Article number1
JournalM A S T. Maritime Studies
Volume24
Issue number1
Number of pages15
ISSN1872-7859
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 6 Dec 2024

Keywords

  • Coastal fisheries
  • Grey seal
  • Conflict
  • Governance instruments
  • Baltic Sea
  • Social struggle

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Struggling towards co-existence of the Baltic Sea coastal fisheries and the grey seal'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this