Grey seal management measures in Lithuania Vaida Survilienė Lithuanian Fund for Nature

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1 Grey seal management measures in Lithuania Vaida Survilienė Lithuanian Fund for Nature

2 2 institutions coordinate grey seal management measures directly: Lithuanian Sea museum: Monitoring of living and dead Baltic seals on Lithuanian coast Rehabilitation of seals (mainly grey seals) Spreading information and raising public awareness towards Baltic sea mammals

3 2 institutions coordinate grey seal management actions directly: Lithuanian Fund for Nature: Working as a cooperation platform between fisheries and various governmental institutions for resolving conflicts between grey seals and local small scale fishery Participate in the assessment of grey seal damage to fishing gear Cooperation with fishermen for modernisation of passive gear Delivery of the best practice dealing with grey seals to small-scale fishermen and other stakeholders involved in utilization of coastal resources

4 Lithuanian Sea museum: Monitoring of Grey seals on Lithuanian coast

5 2016: 9 dead grey seals reported on Lithuanian coast. 2017: 34 dead grey seals reported on Lithuanian coast. Most cases in May-June. Sex, age, cause of death not determined.

6 2016: 12 reported sightings of living grey seals 6 rehabilitated pups 4 released grey seal juveniles (all from 2016) 2017: 11 reported sightings of living grey seals 2 rehabilitated pups 4 released grey seal juveniles (2 from 2016, 2 from 2017)

7 Ministry of Environment supports rehabilitation of grey seals. ~ Eur were paid during Project of Rehabilitation center of Baltic sea animals approved by Lithuanian Ministry of Environment

8 Rehabilitation center Ministry of Environment allocated mln. Eur from EU funds. Project duration (II quarter). Future rehabilitation center tasks: Rehabilitation and monitoring of health status of Baltic seals and marine birds Raising public awareness Collaboration with Lithuanian and international universities and research centers for research, education and data exchange

9 Present view of the location Project visualization Bottom floor First floor

10 Expected outcome: Considerably higher quality animal care Investigation of post-mortem seal carcasses Data exchange between national and international institutions Possibility to attract more volunteers and researchers Higher quality research and health monitoring

11 Lithuanian Fund for Nature: Management of Grey seal vs. Fisheries conflict

12 Conflict between grey seals and fishermen in Lithuania problem evaluation, understanding and possibilities for cooperation LFN

13 Main tasks: Survey to evaluate the loss of coastal fishermen due to grey seal activity: Estimate the frequency and nature of fishermen and grey seal encounters; Find out how big is the loss of Lithuanian coastal fisheries due to grey seal activities; Find out, what solution to present situation is seen by fishermen.

14 No. of respondents Seal chasing boats, close to nets/traps Damaged fish/nets/traps are found 0 Alive or dead seals are found entangled in nets/traps Seals are seen passing buy or resting V. Survilienė

15 V. Survilienė The number of seals that fishermen see most often >5 group of seals seals seals 14 1 seal No. of respondents

16 No. of respondents The time of the year when fishermen suffer the largest damage by grey seals: V. Survilienė Winter Spring Summer Autumn

17 Major seal targets (lost amount of fish per year) Species of fish No. of respondents From to (%) Average (%) From to (kg) Average (kg) Baltic herring Cod Plaice * - Bream , * - Salmon Vendace Vimba * - Other comercialy valuable (turbot) Other comercialy less valuable , * - * - one respondent.

18 Fishermen loss due to grey seal activity: Lost annual fish catches tones. Financial losses per year ~ Euro. It makes % of total gain of coastal fisheries per year. M. Survila K. Kaniauskas

19 Outcome Based on LFN project results and fishermen complaints Ministry of Agriculture: 2014 compensations approved for local smallscale fishermen that use passive gear for the loss of catch due to grey seal activity. ~ 1 mln. Eur were allocated for compensations (75% from EMFF, 25% National budget). Duration fishing companies received Eur for

20 Compensations for damage by seals and birds Requirements for fishing companies: Highest limit Q3 (75% of the reporting year's income of all companies) Declared location Lithuania; Paying taxes; >30 days at sea Lowest limit Q1 (25% of the reporting year's income of all companies) Use passive gear Fishing journal register grey seal sightings, location, damage Q1-Q3 30% of the company`s yearly income >Q3 30% of Q3 + 10% if they use seal/bird saferesistant gear

21 Any seal saferesistant gear used Location Number of seals observed Species of fish and its weight Damaged gear

22 Seal safe gear Lack of information! 75 % of fishermen did not know anything about seal resistant material (Dyneema ) and seal safe gear in Interest is growing, especially for adopted gear for Baltic herring.

23 LFN is preparing a project for Collaboration with fishermen to adapt best practices for wildlife safe and resistant gear Goals: Collaboration with local fishermen on estimating the damage to passive fishing gear, comparing the damage between most vulnerable traditional fishing gear (gillnets) and seal/bird safe-resistant fish traps Wildlife safe fishing gears will be chosen according to local fishing conditions and target species Investigation of the behavior of seals, identification of seals and their effect on fish near fishing gear Exchange of best practices around Baltic sea region and with local fishermen

24 Summarizing 1. Lithuanian sea museum continues to work on rehabilitation and monitoring of grey seals. 2. Ministry of Environment continues supporting rehabilitation of grey seals. EU funds allocated for Rehabilitation center of Baltic sea animals 3. Ministry of Agriculture provides compensations to fishermen for grey seal damage to gear 4. LFN continues working for synergy of all interested stakeholders to ensure a favourable state of grey seal conservation

25 Thank you!