Freedom of Information Request - Seals
Date: 24 March 2025
Our ref: SIR179221/A5058869
Information Request – Seals
Your Request
1. Seal Shooting Licences Issued
* How many licences have been granted in Scotland to permit the shooting of seals from January 2015 to February 2025?
* Please provide a breakdown of the number of licences issued each year, including the species of seals (e.g., grey seals or common seals) targeted by these licences.
* Could you also clarify which sectors (e.g., aquaculture, fisheries, or other commercial interests) these licences were granted to?
2. Impact of Seals on Salmon Stocks
* Has NatureScot conducted or commissioned any studies into the effects of seal predation on salmon stocks in major rivers across the South of Scotland (e.g., the Tweed, Annan, or Nith rivers)?
* If so, please provide any findings, data, or reports on whether seal predation has had a measurable impact on wild salmon populations in these rivers.
3. Licensing Process and Criteria
* What is the official process for applying for a licence to shoot seals in Scotland?
* What specific criteria must be met for a licence to be granted, and which government bodies or agencies are involved in the approval process?
* Are there any mandatory conditions attached to the issuance of these licences, such as monitoring or reporting requirements?
Our Response
We have discussed your request with our Licensing, Marine and Freshwater Teams. We have responded to each part of your request as follows:
Q - Seal Shooting Licences Issued
NatureScot does not provide licences for the shooting of seals. This sits within the remit for Scottish Governments Marine Directorate.
Q - Impact of Seals on Salmon Stocks
NatureScot has not carried out any research into the effects of seal predation on salmon stocks in major rivers.
Salmon populations are monitored by the Marine Directorate and the results of adult catches is published annually. Data for other (juvenile) life stages is also collected via the National Electrofishing Programme for Scotland. Routine monitoring is also carried out by District Salmon Fishery Boards and Fishery Trusts.
Work relating to the management of wild Atlantic salmon in Scotland. Predation is identified as a pressure on Atlantic salmon within the Scottish wild Salmon Strategy, and the Wild Salmon Strategy: Implementation Plan 2023-2028 contains three relevant actions, two of which relate to salmon-seal interactions. These are:
1.18 Continue to administer wildlife licencing for specific purposes relating to predator conflicts with wild salmon under the terms of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 [ongoing] (NatureScot, Scottish Government)
1.20 Complete a review of the operation of the seal licensing system under the terms of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 [by 2025] (Scottish Government)
1.21 Support efforts by fisheries managers to protect salmon from seal predation by continuing to investigate, develop and test non-lethal methods of control, thereby improving our understanding of the effectiveness of these measures [By 2024] (Scottish Government)
The seal-specific measures are allocated to Scottish Government.
Q - Licensing Process and Criteria
As indicated in question 1 of your request, NatureScot does not issue licences to shoot seals, these licences are issued by Marine Scotland. The following link takes you to a page on the NatureScot website which can provide you with more information: Seals and licensing.
As we do not hold any information for your request, we must apply the following exemption under the EIRs – 10(4)(a) (Information not held)
How We Handled Your Request
We believe you have asked for environmental information as defined in the Environmental Information (Scotland Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’), so we are dealing with your request under those regulations. To be able to use the EIRs, we must apply an exemption under section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (‘FOISA’). The Scottish Information Commissioner’s guidance recommends that public authorities apply this exemption to environmental information and handle request under the EIRs.
If you would like to find out more about the access to information legislation, there is a guidance booklet available on the Scottish Information Commissioner’s website.
Review and Appeal
I hope this information meets your requirements, but if you are dissatisfied with how we have responded to your information request, please write to us within 40 working days explaining your concerns. You can contact us at Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1 3EW or email us at [email protected]. We will carry out a review of our response and contact you with our findings within 20 working days.
If you are not satisfied following this, you can make an appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner within 6 months. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Yours sincerely
FOI Officer,
NatureScot
