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The Scottish Government has launched a consultation on seal 'haul-out' sites to consider the number of sites, their designation and levels of protection.
Haul-out sites are the areas where seal populations rest between foraging, so they can avoid predators, socialise and maintain general health and wellbeing. Some are also used for rearing pups. Marine Scotland has identified 146 sites around Scotland that it proposes to designate, in order to give common seal and grey seal populations additional protection.
Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, said: "Scotland's seals form a unique part of our marine habitats and the Scottish Government has a responsibility to give them appropriate protection. That's why we intend to designate haul-out sites, the essential areas where seal populations need to be safeguarded from harassment.
"A large number of the haul-out sites already sit within the existing Seal Conservation Areas and we intend to provide additional protection to these specific areas, so that seal colonies are not harassed.
"The sites for consultation covers at least 50 per cent of the common and grey seal populations in most areas. Fewer sites are proposed for grey seals since they tend to form larger groups than common seals.
"This consultation continues the work of Scotland’s first Marine Act, which we have put in place to protect and sustain Scotland’s varied, unique and irreplaceable marine environment."
The consultation will run from March 22 until June 21. The consultation, including a map of potential sites, can be accessed online at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/03/22093944/0
The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 specifies that seal haul-out sites considered suitable to protect seals from harassment should be designated through an order in the Scottish Parliament.
The Sea Mammal Research Unit at St Andrews University has compiled a list of the most significant and important grey and common seal haul-out sites for consideration as potential designated haul-out sites.
Seal Conservation Areas aim to reduce human pressures on the seal population and are in place in Orkney, Shetland, the Moray Firth, Firth of Tay and the Western Isles.
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