Concerned about one of the world’s most threatened seal populations, the EU Commission has sent a formal notice to the Finnish government calling for better protection of the waning Lake Saimaa seals.
The Saimaa seal is a fresh water subspecies of the Ringed Seal, its occurrence restricted to the mythical Lake Saimaa in Eastern Finland, where they were isolated when the land rose in the wake of the receding ice sheet 9,000 years ago . There are only 260 individuals left, and the population is declining, fishing being the main threat to the species. Between 20-30 Saimaa seals perish each year in fishermen’s nets, most of them inexperienced young seals caught in the spring.
The warning from the Commission, termed “first formal notice”, criticizes the Finnish government for “failing to implement adequate measures” to protect the seals.
Recognising the Finnish government’s “hard work”, and welcoming “the progress that has been made”. Environment Commissioner Janez Potoènik still stresses that “urgent action is necessary to safeguard this important species and to preserve another example of Europe’s rich and precious biodiversity.”
The Commission reminds Finland that the Saimaa Ringed Seal is listed as a priority for conservation action under the Habitats Directive, which requires the designation of special areas of conservation and strict protection.
In that context, the notice brings up gill nets, used in leisure fishing, as a particular danger to the seals, and that current restrictions have not been enough to prevent that “numerous young and adult seals are caught and drown in these nets every year”. “The seals are also significantly disturbed, particularly during the breeding season, and breeding sites are not adequately protected”, it adds.
The Saimaa Ringed Seal has been protected since 1955. Due to the conservation, the seal population reached around 280 a few years ago, but as a result of two unfavourable breeding seasons in 2006 and 2007, the number has decreased. Only 60 of the seals are mature females able to raise pups.
The target is to raise seals´ number to 400 by the year 2020, which could be just enough to save the seal from the immediate threat of extinction, according the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation (FANC), which features the Saimaa Seal in its official logo.
FANC filed a formal complaint about the gaps in the Saimen Ringed Seal conservation plans in June 2009, urging the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to ban fish nets for the most critical time from mid-April to the end of June.
The ministry chose making voluntary agreements with water area owners, the results of which have not been seen sufficient by the EU Commission.