How seals have limited impact on fisheries but face threats from fishing practices

Seals are routinely blamed for declining fish stocks in European waters, but science tells a different story.

This briefing, produced by IFAW, Eurogroup for Animals, and Humane World for Animals, sets out what the evidence shows: Seals have a negligible impact on fish populations compared to the real drivers of decline, including overfishing, habitat degradation, and pollution. Far from being the problem, seals are increasingly the victims.

None of the three seal species in the Baltic Sea currently meets the threshold for a healthy population. At the same time, seals face very real dangers from fishing activity itself, for example through by-catch. Climate change, disease, and chemical pollution add further pressure.

The authors also make the case for seals as valuable allies. They support coastal economies through wildlife tourism, help control invasive species, and contribute to carbon storage in marine ecosystems. Where seals do cause localised problems for fishers, practical and non-lethal solutions exist.

Download the full briefing to read the evidence and recommendations for EU action.