The presence of Sea Shepherd UKs seal defence crew have ensured that no seals were shot on the bank holiday at the small coastal village of Crovie despite attempts by Usan Salmon Fisheries Ltd marksmen to do just that. Three employees from Scottish Wild Salmon Company were dispatched to Crovie on the Moray coast to shoot iconic Scottish seals on Monday 25th May. The company hold licences issued by Marine Scotland to shoot seals despite seals being cited as one of Scotland’s Big 5 for wildlife watchers. From Sea Shepherd UK
USAN nets – Gardenston 27 April 2014. Picture Credit: Suzanne Kelly
Sea Shepherd land crew assigned to watch the small coastal village of Crovie on Gamrie bay intercept and film three employees of USAN Salmon Fisheries Ltd (AKA: Scottish Wild Salmon Company) at Crovie in Aberdeenshire as they look for seals to kill – but the presence of our crew and our cameras ensured no seals were shot.
The gunman and two other SWSC employees who drove down in their company 4×4 vehicle into the small village of Crovie used the residents only car park and walked along to Crovie pier (followed by Sea Shepherd crew from two directions in plain clothes) with a rifle and ammunition while residents, holiday makers and guests of a wedding that took place this weekend were around the village.
Sea Shepherd campaign crew identified themselves and filmed while the gunman and two assistants looked for seals in front the small village to shoot.
Meanwhile Sea Shepherd boat crew took Sea Shepherd UK’s RIB ‘Mermaid of Makaha’ from Gardenstown Harbour to continue monitoring the same company employees at sea. The Scottish Wild Salmon Company has a permit issued by Marine Scotland (Scottish Government) to shoot dead Scotland’s iconic seals if they interfere with the company’s coastal salmon bag nets or catch.
Seals have been shot previously around Scotland under permit from Marine Scotland, sometimes illegally without permits or outside granted permit conditions to protect the profits of many wild salmon netting companies and also fish farm operations.
The entire seal permit system is totally open to abuse with a complete lack of monitoring in place – except by Sea Shepherd where we are now in our second year of our very successful Seal Defence Campaign around Scotland (and also separately by members of the the Hunt Saboteurs Association who are watching over the seals around the coastline South of Montrose, Angus).
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