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Seal populations


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Controversial issue I know, but I was chatting with some fellow from the local yacht club on Garden Island yesterday who told me there are now up to 200 Long-nosed Fur Seals on the end of the Outer Harbour Breakwater. Was surprised to her there is so many, anybody else confirm these kind of numbers in that region.

 

Something to think about......200 seals consuming minimum of 5 kgs of fish/squid per day = 1000kgs per day .....7000 kgs per week.....364,000kgs per year :o

 

He was also telling me the North Haven Boat ramp is to be closed and a new one built on the southern side of the Outer Harbor Breakwater, which sounds like a good idea I think ?

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G'day Col

Don't know about outer harbour but a local fisho at cape jervis told me the population of seals at Rapid Head has gone from a few to "too many to count" over recent years.   I think they have gone south to bread at the moment?

Anecdotal evidence suggests to me that the seals really cleaned out Victor Harbour before they moved on, apart from the tuna sounds like fish stocks will take a while to recover, hopefully 

Cheers

Rod

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 I suggested the population at Outer Harbour may be a seasonal thing, but the fellow I chatted with assured me that the Long-nosed Fur Seal { formerly NZ Fur Seal } were there permanently now. I was not aware until fairly recently just how big the herds are now around our shores, really got to wonder how long the gulf fish stocks can cope with that kind of population increase, and when that gets low do they then move onto the migrating bird populations ?

 

Anyway, I know this subject is the hot topic for many rec and commercial fishers, and am beginning to understand why now. I actually worked full time for 10 years  with Marine Mammals and Seabirds here in S.A. so I have a soft spot for the species. This particular species of Seal had often been seen, but we never used to see these size populations in our regions. I hate to see them come to any harm,  there is obviously an imbalance in the eco system and I do believe something needs to be done before we see huge losses of fish stocks....a cull. The population explosion impacting on resident and migrating seabirds, plus much pressure on the endangered Australian Sealion population could be devastating.

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They had a similar problem in northern Australia years ago with crocodile populations increasing and over culled them, mainly due to the risk of attacks on humans as well as livestock going missing. They made money from the skin and meat so a good living was made by those who were part of the cull.  Perhaps there is a way to cull them to benefit the economic growth in SA, perhaps do a deal with Japan in exchange for stopping whale killing :P

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They already wiped out the fairy penguins at Victor, people have been working for decades to protect them (the penguins), I don't think they even ate them, they just kill for something do when they are not eating.  This what i heard, just google it and can't find a lot about it though?

Cheers

Rod

I worked managing the RSPCA Marine Rescue of S.A. inc for 10 years and as such am pretty knowledgeable regarding marine mammals, handled, nursed and rehabilitated and tagged many Seals, Dolphins Penguins, Seabirds etc.

 

Yes Seals of many species eat Penguins regularly, and yes it is a good chance they are responsible for the demise of the Victor Penguins

 

Trivia ....just for your interest we used to capture a lot of Seals in my employ at the RSPCA and often the stomach contents revealed Penguin pieces, usually the feet and beaks were rejected in vomit. A Seal is very adept at catching and skinning Penguins before consumption, and quite often a walk along the southern beaches, mainly Winter months turn up many Penguin carcasses consisting of just skin and feet.

 

The only  solution in my mind is seen as draconian, the average member of the public will never condone it, and nobody would want responsibility for a cull, particularly vote hungry politicians ...very very tough solution to control the problem

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Surely netting has to be banned from the corong & the mulloway size raised to 75cm before we start culling seals to raise fish stocks, I know the seals are a lot of other areas but I think the corong is the area the media have been focussing on.

 

Even being a fisherman I'd rather the seals be eating the fish then the fish being caught by super trawlers, prawn trawlers or nets being in nurserys like the corong.

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They are not to be treated as only cute that's for sure.....got to the end of the Outer Harbour breakwater a few years ago and as I dropped my stuff at our normal end spot I looked up and was greeted with a rather pissed off snarl and the seal hiking towards me lol....got out of there quick smart I tell ya...this thing wanted blood!

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I read somewhere once I think it was in an SA angler mag but please don't take that as fact.The total catch permitted by the combined pro fishers on Kangaroo Island is around 500 tn per year and it is estimated the seal population accounts for approximately 250 tn a day.Scarry;

Yes it is, particularly in a semi- enclosed region like Gulf of St Vincent

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Surely netting has to be banned from the corong & the mulloway size raised to 75cm before we start culling seals to raise fish stocks, I know the seals are a lot of other areas but I think the corong is the area the media have been focussing on.

 

Even being a fisherman I'd rather the seals be eating the fish then the fish being caught by super trawlers, prawn trawlers or nets being in nurserys like the corong.

 

Agree that netting in the Rong should be abolished.

Also strongly agree on increasing the mulloway minimum to 75cm, makes very good sense.

But we can't delay putting into action a plan to curb the population explosion of these bloody seals.

They eat their fill then injure, maim and kill other fish for fun, not forgetting the impact on other animal life in the area.

The greenies will kick up a stink, but I see culling as the only viable option.

Before we see an increase in the apex predators like Great Whites in SA moving in for an easy feed.

Been enough shark attacks recently.

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