Seal rescues at Namibia

[Anonymouse]

I often watch Ocean Conservation Network videos, showing them catching seals entangled with fishing line (despite their natural panic response of making for the water) and getting it off. It's always great to see a freed seal heading to the water.

But I have a bit of constructive criticism: the whole thing is a hit-and-miss affair, and the seals are initially frightened by the approaching OCN team - even though they're helping the seals. I wish there was a way of telling them that. Plus there's too high a risk of an entangled seal making it to the water and swimming out of reach. There should be a way of tranquilising all of them at once, so they can help more seals at the same time without having to scare them.

We also need fishing line and nets that are as strong and durable as at present, but biodegradable, so even if a seal does get entangled the problem will solve itself. Maybe even something the seals can eat.

There will always be fishing, and thus there will always be detritus. Even the OCN gets that. But the seals need more help than they're getting.