John George Eunson, aged 44, of Seefeld, Symbister, Whalsay, and 47 year old Jimmy Stewart, of Ellies Knowe, Saltness, Symbister, Whalsay, have been charged with mutilating, beating and crushing and willfully killing 21 grey seals with intent to cause unnecessary suffering under the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act.

Both men have also been charged under the Conservation of Seals Act (1970) for killing seals during the closed breeding season, between 1st September and 31st December, when grey seals are nursing their newborn pups.

The Seal Protection Action Group is campaigning to get the The Conservation of Seals Act (CSA 1970) replaced with effective legislation that actually protects seals from deliberate killing. The CSA provides little more than a licence to kill grey and common seals, except during their respective breeding seasons, because : fishing interests, notably salmon farmers, netsmen and sport anglers can shoot seals perfectly legally to prevent damage to their equipment or stock.
To date there has only ever been one successful prosecution under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, and this related to the use of a shotgun, rather than a rifle, to kill three seals. Over the years there have been numerous illegal seal killing incidents around the Scottish coast, some of which the police have investigated, though no charges have been brought against offenders.

It is estimated that up to 5,000 seals are killed in Scottish waters each year by salmon farm and fisheries interests. Recently scientists have reported that there has been a ‘frightening’ decline in common (harbour) seals in Scotland and England. It is not yet clear if grey seals have been affected.

The two men arrested over the horrific grey seal pup slaughter made no plea when they appeared in the dock. They have also been excused from appearing in court when the case is recalled on 15 January after one of the defendants said he would be sea fishing on that date.
Andy Ottaway of the Seal protection Action Group said:

“This appalling case highlights they need for a fundamental change in attitude, and the law, for our globally important common and grey seal populations. Our seals are disappearing and this culture of killing seals must be stopped. Our seals must be fully protected under law from any deliberate killing before it is too late”

At the Seal protection Action Group we are campaigning to create, effective legislation to provide seals with the full protection they deserve. On Tuesday 16th December, representatives from the Seal Protection Action Group along with a delegation of MP’s visited 10 Downing Street to hand in a letter signed by 27 leading animal welfare and conservation organisations asking for an immediate and comprehensive ban on the deliberate killing of all seals in UK waters, including Scottish waters.

Andy Ottaway of the Seal Protection Action Group has a message for the public:

“Until the governments protect our seals as they surely must, we are calling on the public to avoid Scottish salmon unless they can be assured that no seals have been killed. We know that the public support our view that dead seals is too high a price to pay for Scottish salmon”

PRESS ENQUIRIES:Please click here to download the official Media Release

For further details about our campaign to protect seals in the UK please click here to be redirected to our ‘Saving Scotland’s Seals’ campaign.

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A second man has been charged in connection with the clubbing to death of what appears to be now a slaughter of an even greater number of grey seal pups found on a beach in the Shetland Islands.

Last week (w/c 1st December) a 47 year old fisherman was charged with killing 18 seals on the island of East Linga, about three miles east of Whalsay. The two men were seen to be acting suspiciously on East Linga and Shetland Police officers along with, Scottish Natural Heritage staff and a local SSPCA officer returned to the island and found the carcasses of 18 seal pups. A subsequent visit is understood to have revealed even more dead seals, all of which appeared to have been clubbed to death.

With respect to the second man being charged, Andy Ottaway, Campaign Director at the Seal Protection Action Group has stated:

“The horrific murder of these seal pups demonstrates the negative attitude some members of the fishing industry have towards our globally important seals. We hope that all of the perpetrators will be punished with the full force of the law.”

At the Seal Protection Action Group we are lobbying the government to create, effective legislation to provide seals with full protection. For further details about our campaign please click here to be redirected to our ‘Saving Scotland’s Seals’ campaign.

In order for our campaign to be successful we need your help, please consider:

• Making a donation
• Joining our ‘Seal Savers’ scheme
• Raising money when you search the internet

A man has been charged in connection with the clubbing to death of 18 grey seal pups found on a beach in the Shetland Islands.

Police were alerted by workers from Scottish Natural Heritage while conducting a seal survey on 29th November. When officers attended the beach, in the East Linga area of the island, they found 12 dead pups on one part of the beach and six on another section. A man will appear at Lerwick Sheriff Court in due course.

Andy Ottaway, Campaign Director at the Seal Protection Action Group has stated:

“This shocking event is sadly typical of the kind of cruel abuse inflicted upon our seals. We hope that the perpetrator will be punished with the full force of the law. This horrifying incident can only strengthen our case for greater protection for our globally important seal populations”

The pups killed were grey seals, one of two species in British waters. The Shetland Islands are also home to a globally important population of common (harbour) seals. Recently scientists have reported that there has been a ‘frightening’ decline of common seals in Scotland and England.

In 2007, the Scottish Government introduced a ban on the deliberate killing of common seals in the Shetland Islands, Orkney and an area of the east coast between Stonehaven and Dunbar because of concern over their declining numbers. It is not yet clear if grey seals are at risk.

However, grey and common seals across other parts of Scotland are not protected and campaigners believe an estimated 5,000 seals are shot in Scottish waters each year by salmon farm and fisheries interests.

Last week as reported in the last ‘Saving Scotland’s Seals blog post’ , representatives from the Seal Protection Action Group along with representatives from other animal welfare and conservation organisations protested outside of the Scottish Parliament calling for an immediate ban on the shooting or otherwise killing of seals.

At SPAG we believe that:

“This culture of killing seals must stop! We need a ceasefire for seals with immediate effect and the comprehensive protection of our disappearing seal populations from deliberate killing before it is too late.”

If you would like to take action to protect seals in Scotland please:

• Get involved in the Saving Scotland’s Seals campaign
• Make a donation
• Join our ‘Seal Savers’ scheme

Image above: Hawaiian Monk Seal – Copyright James Watt

Across the world a range of other species are dwindling fast including the Hawaiian and Mediterranean monk seals. In the UK, it has been reported that the common (harbour) seal is also declining at a ‘frightening’ rate.

The Seal Protection Action Group is active in a range of campaigns to protect seals all over the world. Please check out our campaigns section for further information on how you can get involved.