Dr. ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information is held by his Department on the link between phocine distemper and the recent increase in seal deaths in the North sea and off the north and west coast of the United Kingdom.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe term phocine distemper and seal plague have been used by scientists to describe the726W virus which has seriously affected seal populations in the North Sea this summer. As far as United Kingdom waters are concerned, the latest information provided by the sea mammal research unit shows that a total of 2,705 dead seals in the United Kingdom had been reported to the unit since 1 August this year. Of these 189 were grey seals. This compares with total United Kingdom population estimates of 25,000 common seals and 100,000 grey seals. It is likely that a very high proportion, but not all, of the seal deaths reported are due to the virus, which has been identified as a member of the morbilli family, of a similar type to rinderpest and canine distemper. Reported seal deaths have declined in recent weeks but the virus seems likely to continue to affect seal populations into 1989. Present evidence is that grey seals appear able to resist the virus.