ATLANTIC GREY SEAL (HALICHOERUS GRYPUS)
LOCAL BIODIVERSITY ACTION PLAN

Action Completed! Action Completed! Action Completed! Action Completed! ACTION COMPLETED IN 2005

Hilbre Bird Observatory continued to collect figures on seal population in the Dee Estuary.

Action Completed! Action Completed! Action Completed! Action Completed!

OBJECTIVES

1. To monitor threats to the seals, ensuring that grey seals ability to use the Dee and Mersey estuaries does not seriously decline.
2. To increase understanding about the seals among the local population; particularly people who use the estuary for leisure.
3. To increase understanding between the conservation and fishing communities.

LOCAL TARGETS

1. Maintain and update list of interested parties including recreation users and fishers and circulate with up to date information annually.
2. Annually circulate appropriate leaflets and posters including a code of conduct for wildlife boat trips.

CURRENT STATUS

An baseline study placed the number of grey seal in the UK and Northern Ireland in 1988 at 110,000. (International Fund for Animal Welfare). The current figure is likely to be considerably higher.

On Wirral, grey seal occupy the east side of the West Hoyle sand bank, near to the Hilbre islands. The Hilbre population do not breed in the Dee. They use the Liverpool Bay area to haul out, feed and moult. Small numbers of seals venture into the Mersey Estuary.

It has been generally accepted that they breed on rocky islands on or around Ramsey Island in West Wales, though recently this idea has been challenged. It was noted that the north end of Hilbre was used by a small number of grey seals during the war years. Occasionally 1 or 2 Grey seals still haul out here. The West Hoyle gathering is composed entirely of grey seal, though occasional Common seal are also present in the area. The earliest positive identification of a grey seal in the Hilbre area is that quoted by Coward (1910): '28 October, 1909, - a young (3 feet 3 inches) Grey Seal was stranded on a bank off Hoylake, captured by fishermen ... secured alive for the Liverpool Museums.' The seals were first known to use the West Hoyle bank as a haul out during 1928. Craggs and Ellison reviewed the situation and documented the dramatic increase in numbers using the haul out between 1951 and 1957. The maximum count for August 2000 was 579.

The grey seal is on the Biodiversity UK Steering Group Report long list of globally threatened/declining species. It is currently listed as a protected species under Annex II and Annex V of the European Community's Habitats Directive and several important sites for grey seal have been proposed in EC member countries as Special Areas of Conservation under the Directive. The grey seal is also listed as an Appendix III species under the Bern Convention.
The Dee Estuary SSSI cites seals as a species of regional interest under reasons for notification. Further protection for the seal's habitat is given by SPA, RAMSAR and cSAC designations.

THREATS

Pollution - plastic litter and toxic chemicals including oil spills
Disease - eg. Phocine distemper virus (PDV)
The threat of large scale culls due to interaction with fisheries
Fisheries by-catch
Poaching of baby seals for fur
Licensed shooting of seals by fisheries
Human disturbance from boats, jet skis, seal watching trips and aircraft
Collision with boats and fishing nets.

CURRENT ACTION

Wirral Rangers provide information to schools, colleges, other groups and general public about seals. Information is conveyed in a variety of forms, for example in Hilbre walks, leaflets, slide talks about the coast, and in notice boards. Visitors to Hilbre are encouraged to look at the seals through telescopes.
The Countryside Council for Wales carried out a research project to establish the distribution of grey seal and census of pups in North Wales during 2001. The study is to be repeated for 2002. Guidance and protocols for monitoring are being developed as part of the project. Photo identification is also being tried out as a method of establishing breeding locations and interplay between sites.
Hilbre Bird Observatory also inform the public about the seals. They have conducted counts on a daily basis (when personnel are available) since 1957. Also recorded are weather, disturbance and comments. Maximum monthly figures are published in their annual report and some of the data is available in electronic form from the Records Secretary. The annual report is available for sale direct from the Bird Observatory or via the internet.
An MSc research project was carried out in 2002, on behalf of the Mersey Strategy to investigate the feasibility of using marine mammals (including grey seals) as indicators of the environmental health of estuaries.

ACTION REQUIRED IN 2006+

Consider the usefulness of using buoys to mark a protection zone for the seals by end of 2003. (WMBC).
Monitor any commercial activity that would affect the population. (CCW, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, English Nature, WMBC, Flint, Dee Estuary Forum, Dee Estuary Conservation Group (DECG), Mersey Estuary Conservation Group, Mersey Strategy).
Continue counting seals daily (whenever personnel are available) and log information at Hilbre Bird Observatory. Pass information to 'rECOrd', the biological data base for Cheshire and the Wirral. (Hilbre Bird Observatory).
Develop guidance and protocols for monitoring which can be used throughout the Irish Sea. (CCW).
Encourage research projects about the seals through liaison with local universities. (WMBC, Hilbre Bird Observatory, Dee Estuary Strategy/Mersey Strategy).
Continue providing an information service to schools, other groups and general visitors to Hilbre. (WMBC Rangers, Hilbre Bird Observatory).
Compile a list of all sailing clubs, flying schools and jet ski clubs who use the Dee and Mersey. Use contacts in the Dee Recreation Users Group and the Mersey Estuary Users Forum. Ensure that all these groups are circulated with up to date information. (WMBC, DRUG, MEUF, Dee Estuary and Mersey Strategies).
Contact known fishers of the area.
Compile appropriate leaflets and posters including a code of conduct for wildlife boat trips, to promote the reduction of disturbance to seals. (WMBC)

ACTION COMPLETED PREVIOUSLY

The Countryside Council for Wales carried out a research project to establish the distribution of grey seal and census of pups in North Wales during 2001.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare have produced a recent leaflet: 'Seals and Seal Watching in the UK and Republic of Ireland. They sponsored a baseline study in the UK in 1988.
Hilbre Bird Observatory have collected data on the seals in 2004.
In 2004 Wirral Biodiversity Partnership installed a sculpture of marine mammals on the River Mersey at Eastham Country Park. It was completed with funding from the Big Lottery and engaged school children in its design and creation. The sculpture promotes understanding and appreciation of marine mammals on our coast.

ACTUAL LBAP IMPLEMENTERS

Cheshire Wildlife Trust	Environment Agency	United Utilities
DEFRA	Hilbre Bird Observatory	Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council
English Nature	rECOrd

OTHER POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTERS

Cheshire County Council

Landowners and managers

Local groups and individuals

CONTACT

Adam King, Wirral Ranger Service
Phone: 0151 678 5488

For Rescue -
Malcolm Ingham, WMBC Wildlife Officer (0151 648 4371).
Dave Cavanagh, Hilbre Ranger (0151 632 4455),
Dave Holden, WMBC Dog Warden (0151 647 8799)

REFERENCES

Anderson S., The Grey Seal, 1988, no 26 in the Shire Natural History series. Shire Publications Ltd. ISBN 085263 947 3.
Anderson S., Seals, Whittet Books, London.
Craggs J.D., Hilbre the Cheshire Island, Liverpool University Press, 1982.
Hilbre Bird Observatory Annual Reports.
Westcot Steven, The Distribution of Grey Seals (Halichoerus grypus) and Census of Pup Production on North Wales. Countryside Council for Wales Science Report No.499. 2002.

RELEVANT WEBSITES

Hilbre Bird Observatory - www.hilbrebirdobs.co.uk
International Fund for Animal Welfare - www.ifact.org/Seals
Seal Conservation Society - www.pinnipeds.fsnet.co.uk

Date compiled - 2003
Date reviewed - 2004, 2005

This plan is in the Wirral Biodiversity Action Plan which can be viewed at www.wirral.gov.uk/ed/biodiversity/home.htm