Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Seals
What species of seals can be found in Scottish waters?
What is the current status of common and grey seal populations in Scottish waters?
How are these seals protected?
What species of seals can be found around Scottish coasts?
The two species of seal commonly found around Scottish coasts are the grey seal, Halichoerus grypus, and the common (or harbour) seal, Phoca vitulina.
The grey seal is the larger of the two species, with the males weighing up to 350 kg and growing to over 2.3 metres in length. They are generally long-lived animals, with individuals often living for over 30 years. Grey seals come ashore on remote islands and coastlines to give birth to their pups in the autumn, to moult in spring, and at other times of year to haul out between foraging trips at sea.
Common seals are generally more dispersed in nature than grey seals. They come ashore in sheltered waters typically on sandbanks and in estuaries (although in some cases on rocky shores) where they give birth to their pups in June and July and moult in August. At other times of the year common seal's haul out on land regularly in a pattern related to the tidal cycle. Common seals typically weigh about 80 to 100 kg, and, like grey seals, are long-lived, with individuals living up to 20 to 30 years.
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What is the current status of common and grey seal populations in Scottish waters?
Grey Seals
There are around 164,000 grey seals in Scottish waters, with the majority associated with breeding colonies in the Outer Hebrides and Orkney. Scottish grey seal populations represent approximately 90% of the British population.
Common Seals
There are a minimum of 20,000 common seals in Scottish waters with the majority associated with breeding colonies in Shetland and Orkney. The Scottish common seal populations represent approximately 90% of the total British population.
Further information on seals can be found on the Seal Population website.
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How are these seals protected?
The Conservation of Seals Act 1970 protects seals during the breeding/moulting periods ('close' season) when they are at their most vulnerable. The grey seal close season runs from the September 1 to December 31 each year. The common seal close season runs from June 1 to August 31 each year.
Under the EC Habitats Directive both common and grey seals are identified as protected species for which Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) must be designated, and for which the UK has special responsibility. Within SACs, steps must be taken to avoid both deterioration of habitats and significant disturbance of species, in order to maintain the 'favourable conservation status' of grey and common seals. Presently, there are 6 candidate SACs for grey seals (representing 47% of pup production) and 8 candidate SACs for common seals (18% of the Scottish population). A further common seal SAC at Sound of Barra is under consideration.
In response to local reductions in common seal numbers, seal conservation Orders were introduced in 2004 and 2007 to offer additional protection to sensitive and potentially vulnerable common seal populations in specific areas. The Orders effectively extend the 'close season' restrictions on shooting seals to the whole year.
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