The rebounding seal population won’t get a gold seal of approval from local fishermen.The population of gray seals around Nantucket Sound is rising 20 percent a year (according to Betty Lentell of the Woods Hole Oceanogr
aphic Institute) to an estimated 15,000 but that’s the wrong direction as far as some fishermen are concerned. “Just the day before yesterday I came around Monomoy Point and counted no less than 4,000 seals hauled out on the beach,” fisherman Bill Amaru said. “They were 15 to 20 deep in one section more than a quarter mile long.”
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But Greg Early of the New England Aquarium is skeptical that culling the seal population with bring back fading fish populations.
“Canada has a culling program on the books. There’s never been demonstrated evidence it has improved the fishery,” Early remarked. “I can’t find such a paper. What if it doesn’t work that way? I’m a skeptic. Before I go pulling the plug on a population I want to know more about it.”
Well, Greg! Tell us something we don’t expect you to say!
Of course you’re skeptical. That’s your job. That’s what you do!