§ Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has regarding the seal population in the North sea at present and prior to the epidemic of 1988.
§ Mr. Trippier[holding answer 17 October 1990]: The Natural Environment Research Council's sea mammal 543W research unit prepares an annual update of the status of the British seal population. Its current minimum estimate of the British population is 108,000 for all United Kingdom waters set against 103,000 before the 1988 epidemic. About half of these are resident in North sea waters.
The epidemic principally affected the common seal population with the mortality rate in British waters up to 50 per cent. in the worst affected area. The British grey seal population has generally continued to increase.
In continental waters of the North sea the mortality rate for common seals was apparently much higher at around 60 per cent. and the population is now estimated to be in the region of 7,000 to 10,000. In addition, there are around 3,000 grey seals resident in Norwegian waters.