468cc9d3da99c14a4e22a5c4105ee45f English series The Crown Estate Marine Data Advisor +44 020 7851 5000 16 New Burlington Place London W1S 2HX enquiries@thecrownestate.co.uk pointOfContact 2025-02-05 MEDIN Discovery metadata standard 2.3.8 urn:ogc:def:crs:EPSG::4326 2024, Kent Wildlife Trust, Marine Internships, Seal Depredation Characterisation 2024-12-12 publication MDE-TCE-195-4117 This report examines the interactions between seals and inshore fisheries in Kent, focusing on the economic and operational impacts of seal depredation. Seal depredation, defined as the removal or damage of commercially targeted fish species by seals, has emerged as a critical challenge for local fishers. Both grey and harbour seals have recovered significantly in the UK due to conservation efforts, with their populations increasing in the Thames Estuary. However, this success has led to the perceived growth of conflicts with fisheries. The Crown Estate Marine Data Advisor +44 020 7851 5000 16 New Burlington Place London W1S 2HX enquiries@thecrownestate.co.uk originator The Crown Estate +44 020 7851 5000 16 New Burlington Place London W1S 2HX enquiries@thecrownestate.co.uk custodian notPlanned Documents Marine Environmental Data and Information Network Habitats and biotopes Species distribution GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 2008-01-06 revision Fish abundance in water bodies Seal abundance Seal behaviour Fishing by-catch Fishing effort SeaDataNet P021 parameter discovery vocabulary 2009-11-16 revision https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/content/info/terms-of-use otherRestrictions Publicly Available English biota biota International Hydrographic Bureau, Limits of Oceans and Seas 1954-01-01 creation English Channel SeaDataNet vertical extent keywords 2010-01-01 revision water column 0.7781 1.6415 50.7203 51.4875 2024-06-12 2024-12-12 The Crown Estate +44 020 7851 5000 16 New Burlington Place London W1S 2HX enquiries@thecrownestate.co.uk distributor https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk/details/TCE-4117/summary A link to the web service or dataset. https://www.marinedataexchange.co.uk A link to the general host site. series MEDIN data guideline for the recording of oceanographic data while underway 2018-10-08 publication See the referenced specification true To analyse the seal depredation in Kent’s inshore fisheries, several methods were explored. The potential ways of evidencing or quantifying seal depredation via these methods were evaluated. A two-step approach was taken, first aiming to evidence and secondly quantify the interactions. Objectives: 1. Evidence and document seal depredation - determining what animal is damaging the catch was crucial. 2. Following verification of seal depredation, analyse the magnitude and subsequent associated costs of seal-fishery interactions.