September 27, 2023 (FFAW Press Release)
Earlier this month, the federal government announced funding for several seal and sea lion research projects across Canada, of which FFAW-Unifor was a recipient. The Union is pleased to announce the launch of the online survey associated with that research project, which is aimed at documenting seal distribution, local abundance and impacts of seal species in Newfoundland and Labrador waters.
“Fish harvesters’ on-the-water observations can and will contribute to an improved understanding of seal species’ distribution, behaviour, and impacts to Newfoundland and Labrador marine environments. FFAW-Unifor is happy to launch our project that aims to document harvesters’ current on-the-water observations but will also, importantly, document harvesters’ knowledge of changing seal distributions and abundance over their fishing careers,” explains Dr. Erin Carruthers, FFAW-Unifor Senior Fisheries Scientist who is leading the project.
FFAW-Unifor has long called for the federal government to undertake better research of seal population and impacts on important fish stocks. This research project will also lay the foundation for increased collaboration with DFO-Science in documenting the extent of seal populations and their impacts.
Full FFAW Press Release can be read here
Listen to Erin Caruthers, fishery scientist with the FFAW talk about the launch of the new survey on The Broadcast on CBC NL radio
Seal Observations
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Over the last several years, FFAW has received many reports of increased seal abundance and predation. This form is intended to record your seal observations. When you observe seals on the water, please take photos of the seals, upload them to this website, and report comments here. |