What about the seals?

Went to Race point the last two weekends – used to be my favorite place to fish. But but the closing of beach areas to protect those Piping Effin Plovers, and seaweed have really made it more more difficult to enjoy going there. Now the last two years I've seen a new problem; nothing seems to be done about the increased seal population. They absolutely seem to be everywhere, where I used to see one or two seals a season, every time I go there I'm seeing up to 10, or even more.

When I talk about this to others, it seems like nothing can be done about them. Perhaps because they're cute and cuddly and everybody's kid has a stuffed animal that looks like them.

But other cute and cuddly creatures had their growth controlled when they get out of hand,whether it be bears, deer etc.

Where there are seals, there are zero or fewer fish.  And from what I understand seals are the top of the meal chain for great whites, so doesn't this constitute a danger to public health never mind how they are affecting fishing?  Why can't their population be controlled?

Darren Saletta of the Massachusetts Commercial Striped Bass Association was on a podcast and he said that the seals really love the liver of fish, so all they will eat is the bellies of the fish to get at the liver and intestines.  Then they leave the rest of the fish to rot in the ocean.

Trust me, I am not suggesting that everybody be allowed to go get spear guns and rifles to destroy the population, but shouldn't it be controlled to some extent? 

If they continue to get out of control, people may get frustrated and  - as we know - bad things will end up happening.  Remember last year, where a bunch seals were shot and left on the beach to rot on the Cape?

Love to know if anything is being done about them - what do you guys know? 

My understanding is they are protected by Federal law (Marine Mammal Protection Act), subject to a few limited exceptions, like scientific research. So the state is essentially powerless to control their numbers unless the Protection act is amended allowing them to do so.

-bd

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdowning 

My understanding is they are protected by Federal law (Marine Mammal Protection Act), subject to a few limited exceptions, like scientific research. So the state is essentially powerless to control their numbers unless the Protection act is amended allowing them to do so.

-bd

Yup, it's gonna take either an act of Congress or an act of Mother Nature (some kind of disease epidemic). My money would be on the latter happening before the former.

Starting to see why people throw up their arms when this is brought up. . . . frustrating.

 

Great white sharks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikey99 

Great white sharks.

Cool to see, but won't make a dent in the seal population.

Cool to see, but won't make a dent in the seal population.

Agreed. it may not make a dent in the population, but they will eat some seals, and may only reduce their numbers slightly, but Great Whites also eat Stripers! A charter captain that fishes out of Chatham posted pictures on f-b of one of his clients that had caught a Striper of about 38" and fought it for a few minutes and then came back with just the head! Yikes!

^ was it def a great white, seals will do the same thing

^ was it def a great white, seals will do the same thing

Capt. said Great White. He is a well respected knowledgeable charter captain. It was off shore at the rips. I am sure he can tell the difference between a seal and a GW. You be the judge.

  Remember last year, where a bunch seals were shot and left on the beach to rot on the Cape?

 

IIRC there were a bunch of dead seals from natural causes too....initially blamed on fishermen but no gunshot wounds and autopsies revealed some sort of natural cause.

Too bad nothing can be done. Maybe after a few vacationing swimmers get eaten by great whites (not that I'm hoping anyone does, just saying for conversation sake), then maybe the seals will be managed.

Hooper: [lifts up the severed arm] This is what happens. It indicates the non-frenzied feeding of a large squalus - possibly Longimanus or Isurus glauca. Now... the enormous amount of tissue loss prevents any detailed analysis; however the attacking squalus must be considerably larger than any normal squalus found in these waters. Didn't you get on a boat and check out these waters?

Brody: No.

Hooper: Well, this is not a boat accident! And it wasn't any propeller; and it wasn't any coral reef; and it wasn't Jack the Ripper! It was a shark.

not saying it wasn't a shark, but a gray seal could rather easily do that to a large bass i presume.. the latter being far more likely..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ditch Dog 

Capt. said Great White. He is a well respected knowledgeable charter captain. It was off shore at the rips. I am sure he can tell the difference between a seal and a GW. You be the judge.

not saying it wasn't a shark, but a gray seal could rather easily do that to a large bass i presume.. the latter being far more likely..

 

 

Well at least he got some head while he fished:p

Seals have teeth like a dog meaning they could probably chew though a striper that size but it is nithing but a tasty morsel for a great white......

just sayin

Seals are filthy........its ridiculous that nothing can be done to control them.

nothing more annoying than fighting a fish from the beach and having those lazy scavengers bob around waiting to grab your fish.

They are ruining the beaches.