The previous protection hunt has been conducted in smaller and delimited areas, but now the hunt is extended to larger areas.
The season for licensed hunting of harbor seals extends from 20 April until 20 May and thereafter it will be allowed again from 1 September 2022 until 19 April 2023.
Damages fishing gear
According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the purpose of license hunting is to regulate seal populations and thus prevent and prevent damage to commercial fishing.
Since harbor seals have already damaged fishing gear and fish farms, some protective hunting of harbor seals has been carried out for several years.
The protection hunt takes place primarily in special places and within a distance of 200 meters from, for example, fish farms and protected areas for fish, where individuals have caused damage.
A total of 730 harbor seals
In Västra Götaland County, it will from today be allowed to hunt a maximum of 500 seals.
In Hallands, a maximum of 200 seals may be shot and 30 in parts of Skåne County.
A total of 730 harbor seals.
- We see it above all as a need because the seals harm commercial fishing.
Therefore, we have already allowed protection hunting before, but now this year, for the first time, protection hunting will also be allowed, says Christine Aminoff at the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency.