Experts gather later this month to discuss the relentless decline in the common seal population in Strangford Lough, down from a 1980s peak of over 700 adults to fewer than 200 today.
The population is at its lowest since monitoring of the common seal (phoca vitulina) in the lough began back in the 1970s, says Ms Caroline Nolan, officer with the Strangford Lough Management Committee. "Strangford Lough is a special area of conservation," she said, so if something is going wrong with the habitat the committee wants to know why.
"This may be part of a natural cycle or it may be linked to changes in food stocks or disturbance from humans," she says. The committee organised the workshop to discuss what factors might be causing the decline. "Then we would be looking to recommend a research project for the lough," she added.
Researchers from the centre for coastal resource management at University College, Cork are attending as well as from the Sea Mammal Research Unit in Scotland, the fisheries division of the Department of Agriculture in Northern Ireland and the UK Environment and Heritage Service.
The fall in numbers has continued since the 1980s, Ms Nolan says. "It is not so much we are worried that all seals are at risk. We are concerned about their decline here." The lough is home to one of the largest common seal populations on Irish coasts.
It could relate to climate change, she suggests. "We have seen changes in water temperature. We are getting different species into Strangford Lough." They had also noted changed seal pup behaviour, she added, with pups leaving the lough's sheltered waters much more quickly than in the past. It may simply mean that the seals are chasing a more favourable food source outside the lough. "Until we have got the findings it is difficult to say what is involved."
Human interference or overuse of the lough's waters might also be a factor. "If tourism and recreational impacts are changing the lough then we want to have a good management strategy in place before it becomes a problem."
Attendance at the workshop is by invitation only. It takes place on February 26th at the Castleward Wildlife Centre in Strangford. Further information is available by writing to the committee at 13 The Strand, Portaferry, Co Down BT22 1PF.
