Hunting, pollution and tourism in EU threatening some seal species into extinction
Once driven to near extinction, species such as the grey seal, harbour seal and Mediterranean monk seal are meant to enjoy strict legal protection.
Under the EU Habitats Directive, the marine mammals are protected from killing, disturbance and habitat destruction, yet
The Journal Investigates
has found deaths and threats in some regions are rising.
While many places, such as Denmark and Ireland, have seen seal numbers resurge after threatened extinction, hunting, pollution, human disturbance and climate change are still endangering many seals across EU waters.
The situation has become so serious in the Mediterranean, conservationists are battling to save one species from complete extinction.
Mediterranean monk seals pictured resting on the coast in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain. The species is critically endangered.
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
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Support The Journal Investigates
The battle to save seals in Spain and Greece
In Spain and Greece, human disturbance and increased coastal development has led to one of the area's native species falling into dangerously low numbers.
On the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, the current population of the Mediterranean monk seal is estimated to be around 1,000. Half live in Greek waters.
The marine mammals are being edged out of their last strongholds, with tourism invading breeding caves and fishing practices that leave pups drowned in 'ghost nets' on the seabed.
Dimitris Tsiakalos, a communications officer of MOm, the Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal, said while numbers are low, the species is now starting to appear in more locations.
It has even reappeared in areas where it had completely disappeared, including beaches in the Attica region.
Recorded cases of monk seals migrating from Greece to the Adriatic Sea or from Corfu to the coasts of Albania, Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro have also occurred.
This means that the monk seal is getting closer, and more accustomed, to humans, which also increases risks to the animal's safety, according to Tsiakalos.
In older generations of fishermen, the deliberate killing of monk seals was common, as the animals would tear their fishing nets.
However, MOm says younger generations are 'more aware and cooperative' with conservation efforts.
The Mediterranean monk seal, Monk seal, which faces extinction, pictured off Zakynthos island, Greece.
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Rising seal deaths and legal hunting
Elsewhere in Europe, another trend is occurring – more seals are coming ashore dead.
In Belgium, 72 dead seals were recorded on the country's short stretch of coastline in 2024 alone, the highest annual number recorded so far.
Many bore the marks of entanglement in gillnets, fishing gear widely used across the EU.
In Ireland, 430 seal deaths were reported in 2023 – the highest annual number on record.
This dropped marginally in 2024 but overall death numbers compiled by Seal Rescue Ireland (SRI) have climbed in recent years.
The charity says that frequent, extreme storms which have hit the island over the last number of years, have harmed the seal population.
Advertisement
Incidents of human disturbance have also been identified as having a devastating impact on seals, according to SRI.
In Denmark, where official surveys show seal populations still rising overall, experts warn of the same 'anthropogenic impacts' common across the bloc, from bycatch to overfishing, pollution and underwater noise.
This week,
The Journal Investigates
revealed how
there has been a sharp increase in deceased seals
washing up along Irish coasts.
We also exposed how
tourists seeking pictures and 'selfies' are causing harm
to one of the country's biggest seal colonies in Co Kerry.
Some reports document seals found with gunshot wounds, highlighting that deliberate killings, although rare, still persist.
However, the country's rigorous enforcement of EU wildlife directives, combined with local NPWS initiatives, have contributed to the considerable growth of seal colonies along its coasts.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), in charge of protecting both the grey and harbour seals species in Ireland, said the current conservation status of both is 'favourable'.
In a statement, the NPWS said a new report is currently being submitted to the European Commission updating the ongoing conservation efforts within the country.
Seal products still sold in some EU regions
In Greenland, home of the Inuits, a group of culturally and linguistically unique indigenous people, seal hunting is considered a way of life.
Hunting, fishing, and foraging for food and livelihood is a traditional practice deeply intertwined with Greenlandic culture and identity.
The EU seal products regime, adopted in 2009 and amended in 2015, bans the placing of seal products on the EU market except for two major exceptions.
The first is the Inuit and other Indigenous communities' exception, under which seal products from traditional hunts can be sold in the EU with documents confirming their origin.
The second is the personal use exception, under which travellers may import seal products exclusively for their own use.
Most sealskins imported from Greenland into the EU go to Denmark. Over 40,000 sealskins were imported there in the four years from 2019 to 2022, according to a European Commission report.
Greenland is one of the few regions recognised for issuing certificates for seal products, ensuring compliance with EU standards and respecting the welfare of animals hunted in these subsistence hunts.
The ban, however, has had negative economic impacts on Greenlandic communities that once relied on broader international trade for their seal products.
Though hunting is illegal in many member states, it still occurs, albeit in just a small number of countries.
Figures collected by the European Commission for the period 2019 to 2022, show over 6,800 seals were hunted in Sweden, while over 3,200 hunts were recorded in Finland.
A seal hunter from the Inuit community, pictured in Greenland.
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Slow enforcement hampering efforts
The EU Habitats Directive also requires any exploitation of seals be tightly managed to ensure long-term population viability. But compliance is uneven across the continent.
In Ireland, where seals were once teetering on the brink of extinction due to overhunting and habitat loss, the estimated population is now around 7,000 to 10,000, according to the NPWS.
Today, grey and common seals are now thriving, with populations considered sustainable and no longer at immediate risk.
Similarly in Denmark, surveys not only show strong seal numbers, but also signs of recolonisation in areas where the marine mammals had been absent for more than a century.
Under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, countries must collaborate through regional conventions such as OSPAR in the North-East Atlantic and HELCOM in the Baltic, setting population thresholds and growth rate targets.
On paper, these mechanisms force national governments to act, report every six years, and risk infringement proceedings from Brussels if they fail.
But in practice, enforcement appears weak. Campaigners point to seabed litter levels in Belgium's marine zone, where there are up to 20,000 items of rubbish per square kilometre, as evidence that preventive measures are failing.
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In Greece, tourist boats continue to approach monk seal caves despite rules against disturbance. And throughout the EU's fishing grounds, bycatch reporting is inconsistent, with many deaths likely never recorded.
In Denmark and Belgium, aerial surveys are conducted multiple times a year. Spain and Greece rely on hybrid approaches, photographic ID, satellite tracking, infrared cameras in breeding caves.
While this monitoring produces enough data to establish trends, some say on-the-ground restrictions have been slow.
Bycatch remains the most immediate killer. In the Belgian part of the North Sea, young grey seals found dead in spring 2021 showed tell-tale signs of net marks having cut into their skin.
Similar reports appear in Danish coastal waters, particularly in areas where professional gillnetting overlaps with seal habitats.
Sea pollution is injuring and killing seals in Europe.
Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Sea pollution causing serious harm
Marine litter has become both a visible and invisible killer. In several member states, injured seals have been found with rope or discarded netting slicing into their flippers, causing infection and starvation.
Microplastics, now widespread throughout EU waters, may also undermine reproductive health.
Noise pollution from shipping lanes, offshore wind farm construction, as well as the detonation of wartime munitions is also causing harm.
In the Mediterranean, conservationists say growing fleets of recreational boats add to the noise chaos, pushing animals away from their few safe habitats.
Climate change compounds all of these pressures. For monk seals in Greece and Spain, rising sea levels and hotter summers are eroding critical breeding sites.
Despite these threats, conservation teams across the EU are mounting bold initiatives.
In Belgium, the volunteer-run NorthSealTeam works alongside the SeaLife Blankenberge centre to rescue and rehabilitate injured seals.
In Denmark, researchers track behavioural changes in tagged animals to adjust tourism guidelines and fishing restrictions.
Greece's MOm organisation runs the only monk seal rehabilitation centre in the Mediterranean.
This year, it celebrated the release and eventual motherhood of a formerly orphaned seal pup, a first for the organisation.
Spain, alongside Portugal, Morocco, and Mauritania, participates in the Action Plan for the Recovery of the Mediterranean Monk Seal, coordinated under the CBD Hábitat programme.
However, experts argue that without stronger cross-border funding, multi-marine area coordination and tougher enforcement, these local efforts risk being erased by the sheer scale of the pressures seals face.
While the EU is considered to have some of the strongest seal protection laws in the world, campaigners say it is undermined by slow-moving enforcement and reliance on member states to self-police.
While some populations, such as those in Denmark and Ireland, remain relatively stable, others, particularly the monk seal, balance on the edge of recovery and collapse.
The EU has until the next six-year reporting deadline under the Habitats Directive to prove it can reverse these trends.
Failure could bring infringement cases, but for the seals themselves, the consequences are more dire.
The Journal Investigates
Reporter:
Patricia Devlin
• Editor:
Maria Delaney
• Social Media:
Cliodhna Travers
• Main Image Design:
Lorcan O'Reilly
This article is part of
PULSE
, a European collaborative journalism project.
With reporting by Patricia Devlin (The Journal Investigates, Ireland), Annick Hus (Apache, Belgium), Emma Louise Stenholm (Føljeton, Denmark), Dimitris Angelidis (EFSYN, Greece) and Lola García-Ajofrín (El Confidencial, Spain)
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The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Legend of Dublin ship that emerged after years ‘missing' at sea to remarried wives, ‘Ouzeler' babies & wild pirate tale
So the story goes...'Many women are remarried, children are born. So there's a bit of shock when they return. And so it's kind of this big scene when the ship comes in' SAIL TALE Legend of Dublin ship that emerged after years 'missing' at sea to remarried wives, 'Ouzeler' babies & wild pirate tale On an autumn day in 1700, a battered ship sailed up the Liffey after five years at sea. The sailors on board were overjoyed to see their families once again - but wives, and their new husbands, were less excited. Advertisement 6 Images of the legendary ship live on...a medal displaying the Ouzel Galley and her crew Credit: Enda McMahon 6 The Ouzel, according to its sailors, was never lost at sea but instead was attacked by pirates Credit: Enda McMahon 6 The story has become part of Dublin cover art of The Missing Ship by William Henry Giles Kingston Credit: Enda McMahon The tale of the Ouzel galley is one of Dublin's oldest legends and is credited today as the origin of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce, that is, of course, if the tale is true at all. The story starts in 1695, when a merchant galley called the Ouzel is said to have sailed from Ringsend en route to the Ancient Greek city port of Smyrna – now Izmir in Turkey. Advertisement The vessel's owners, a shipping company called Ferris, Twigg and Cash, had intended to trade at the port before returning to Dublin the following year. The Ouzel, however, did not return the following year, nor the year following that. After the third year passed without any sign of the vessel or her crew, many in Dublin, including the Ouzel's owners and the families of the crew, assumed that the ship had been lost at sea. Ferris, Twigg, and Cash would eventually take an insurance payout on the ship, amounting to the value of the boat and its goods. The Ouzel, however, according to its sailors, was not lost at sea but attacked by pirates from North Africa while it was sailing in the Mediterranean. Advertisement The pirates did not kill the crew but commandeered them, using the men and their vessel to hunt down other ships and recover valuable goods. After several years, the crew somehow managed to overpower their captors and fled back to Ireland in possession of vast amounts of treasure. But their return raised a number of issues. For one, many of the wives of the sailors had presumed that their husbands were dead and had remarried and started new families in the intervening period. A PIRATE TALE Children born from these strange circumstances would come to be known as "ouzelers", a term still used in the Ringsend area to describe someone who doesn't particularly resemble their father. Advertisement The larger issue that came from the Ouzel's sudden return was the matter of its ownership, in particular, who would get to keep its precious pirate booty. Dr Lisa Griffith, Historian and Director of the Digital Repository of Ireland explained: "By the time it gets back to Dublin, it's actually full of pirate booty, gold and jewels and all the things that they've been stealing. "And so the story goes that they come in and they presumably think that they own the pirate booty as the ship sails, and that they're returning it, they think, to their families. "But obviously, many women are remarried, children are born. So there's a bit of shock when they return. "And so it's kind of this big scene when the ship comes in. But the bigger issue is who owns the ship and who owns the gold. And so this big legal case starts." Advertisement This legal case supposedly spanned several years and threatened to cost more than the ship and its treasure were actually worth. To resolve the issue, a number of well-known merchants, including those involved directly with the Ouzel, came together and formed an arbitration body. AN UNWELCOME RETURN Lisa explained: "The insurance company claimed that they own it because they paid out on the insurance, and the crew think that they own the contents. "And Ferris Twigg and Cash say, well, we own the contents. So you have these three parties, and it gets quite complicated. "And it looks like it's going to be weighed down. But instead, apparently, a group of Dublin merchants come together and they decide that they're going to look at the case and they're going to make a ruling about who owns it. " Advertisement She added: "And the ruling is that the contents of the ship should be sold, and the ship itself should be sold, and the money should be given to the poor of Dublin." 6 Enda McMahon Cover explained how the society would eventually come to an end 6 Antiques, like the one above, carry reminders of the forgotten tale Credit: Pete's antiques This case was so successful that the group would go on to formally establish the Ouzel Galley Society, a permanent arbitration body that was hoped could deal with similar shipping disputes without the need of the courts. This group would not only take its name from the famous vessel, but its membership was also regulated to match the ship's complement of forty men. Advertisement Each member would bear a crew rank, such as captain, coxswain, or boatswain, and was expected to pay an annual subscription for the society's upkeep. Obviously, many women are remarried, children are born. So there's a bit of shock when they return. And so it's kind of this big scene when the ship comes in". Dr Lisa Griffith The society would thrive for decades, boasting affluent members such as Arthur Guinness and John Jameson. In 1783, the society would be partially subsumed to create the new Dublin Chamber of Commerce, an organisation aimed at promoting business in Dublin. After over a century, however, in 1888, the society would eventually end. STORIED HISTORY Enda McMahon, historian and author of A Most Respectful Meeting of Merchants, explained: "Its purpose had gone, it was an arbitration society. Advertisement "The number of arbitrations, initially, there might have been 50 arbitrations a year, but it started winding down to one, two, and then, towards the end, they were having no arbitrations for years on end. So that's why they wound it up." In recent years, however, the society has returned in one form or another. He said: "100 years after the Ouzel Galley Society wound up, the Chamber of Commerce found that they had all these past presidents and they were allowed to be on the board of the Chamber of Commerce. "The board was getting bigger and bigger, so rather than that, they created a new Ouzel Galley Society. So it's mostly for past presidents. "There's some honorary members and they meet once a year. They contribute money to be a member, and that money is given out to charities." Advertisement The story of the Ouzel galley has become a quaint and quirky footnote in Dublin's strange history. The chamber of commerce has certainly been happy to associate itself with the story, installing a plaque by the central on College Green to commemorate the society and at one point having a bar in a commerce building named after the titular galley. A HOAX? However, recently, there has been speculation over the beloved story and ship, particularly whether it happened at all. Lisa explained, she said: "I mean, like the story is fascinating. But you're talking to a bit of a doubting Thomas here. "So from my point of view as a researcher, I went looking for any kind of records around the Ouzel Galley Society to see what they're up to. Advertisement "And so the Royal Arch Academy, which is where I work, has an early log. So it's kind of a record of when the society meets. "And the book is dated to the 15th of February, 1748. So that's the earliest record I could find for the Society." She added: "The reason that I am sceptical about this really great story is that there are no records that I can find from the late 17th or the early 18th century. The story is fascinating. But you're talking to a bit of a doubting Thomas here." Dr Lisa Griffith "There are Dublin newspapers around this time. The records are patchy. But in saying that, you have a really lively pamphlet scene. So they're kind of like when a legal case kicks off, you would have lots of people writing these kind of long pamphlets. "And it's kind of surprising that a case of this magnitude and interest. And it's got so many peculiar angles that there are no pamphlets that survive that kind of discuss the case itself." Advertisement In 1877, a children's adventure book was written on the tale of the Ouzle Galley, both Lisa and Enda agree it likely fed into the already growing mythology surrounding the story. TRUE DUBLIN LEGEND At the moment, no records remain that prove definitively that the Ouzel galley or the story surrounding its legend ever existed. However, while it may never have sailed the banks of the Liffey, the Ouzel Galley has certainly left its mark on the city of Dublin. Whether you're an odd Ouzeler from Ringsend, a retired president of the chamber of commerce turned captain, or just passing by a weather-worn plaque on Dame Street, the strange story of the Ouzel galley certainly lives on in the capital city. 6 Plaque of the Ouzel Galley displayed at the central plaza
The Journal
2 days ago
- The Journal
Hunting, pollution and tourism in EU threatening some seal species into extinction
FROM THE STORMY North Sea in Belgium, to the sun-warmed sea caves of the Greek islands, Europe's seals are facing a growing crisis. Once driven to near extinction, species such as the grey seal, harbour seal and Mediterranean monk seal are meant to enjoy strict legal protection. Under the EU Habitats Directive, the marine mammals are protected from killing, disturbance and habitat destruction, yet The Journal Investigates has found deaths and threats in some regions are rising. While many places, such as Denmark and Ireland, have seen seal numbers resurge after threatened extinction, hunting, pollution, human disturbance and climate change are still endangering many seals across EU waters. The situation has become so serious in the Mediterranean, conservationists are battling to save one species from complete extinction. Mediterranean monk seals pictured resting on the coast in Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain. The species is critically endangered. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Investigations like this don't happen without your support… Impactful investigative reporting is powered by people like you. Support The Journal Investigates The battle to save seals in Spain and Greece In Spain and Greece, human disturbance and increased coastal development has led to one of the area's native species falling into dangerously low numbers. On the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, the current population of the Mediterranean monk seal is estimated to be around 1,000. Half live in Greek waters. The marine mammals are being edged out of their last strongholds, with tourism invading breeding caves and fishing practices that leave pups drowned in 'ghost nets' on the seabed. Dimitris Tsiakalos, a communications officer of MOm, the Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal, said while numbers are low, the species is now starting to appear in more locations. It has even reappeared in areas where it had completely disappeared, including beaches in the Attica region. Recorded cases of monk seals migrating from Greece to the Adriatic Sea or from Corfu to the coasts of Albania, Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro have also occurred. This means that the monk seal is getting closer, and more accustomed, to humans, which also increases risks to the animal's safety, according to Tsiakalos. In older generations of fishermen, the deliberate killing of monk seals was common, as the animals would tear their fishing nets. However, MOm says younger generations are 'more aware and cooperative' with conservation efforts. The Mediterranean monk seal, Monk seal, which faces extinction, pictured off Zakynthos island, Greece. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Rising seal deaths and legal hunting Elsewhere in Europe, another trend is occurring – more seals are coming ashore dead. In Belgium, 72 dead seals were recorded on the country's short stretch of coastline in 2024 alone, the highest annual number recorded so far. Many bore the marks of entanglement in gillnets, fishing gear widely used across the EU. In Ireland, 430 seal deaths were reported in 2023 – the highest annual number on record. This dropped marginally in 2024 but overall death numbers compiled by Seal Rescue Ireland (SRI) have climbed in recent years. The charity says that frequent, extreme storms which have hit the island over the last number of years, have harmed the seal population. Advertisement Incidents of human disturbance have also been identified as having a devastating impact on seals, according to SRI. In Denmark, where official surveys show seal populations still rising overall, experts warn of the same 'anthropogenic impacts' common across the bloc, from bycatch to overfishing, pollution and underwater noise. This week, The Journal Investigates revealed how there has been a sharp increase in deceased seals washing up along Irish coasts. We also exposed how tourists seeking pictures and 'selfies' are causing harm to one of the country's biggest seal colonies in Co Kerry. Some reports document seals found with gunshot wounds, highlighting that deliberate killings, although rare, still persist. However, the country's rigorous enforcement of EU wildlife directives, combined with local NPWS initiatives, have contributed to the considerable growth of seal colonies along its coasts. The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), in charge of protecting both the grey and harbour seals species in Ireland, said the current conservation status of both is 'favourable'. In a statement, the NPWS said a new report is currently being submitted to the European Commission updating the ongoing conservation efforts within the country. Seal products still sold in some EU regions In Greenland, home of the Inuits, a group of culturally and linguistically unique indigenous people, seal hunting is considered a way of life. Hunting, fishing, and foraging for food and livelihood is a traditional practice deeply intertwined with Greenlandic culture and identity. The EU seal products regime, adopted in 2009 and amended in 2015, bans the placing of seal products on the EU market except for two major exceptions. The first is the Inuit and other Indigenous communities' exception, under which seal products from traditional hunts can be sold in the EU with documents confirming their origin. The second is the personal use exception, under which travellers may import seal products exclusively for their own use. Most sealskins imported from Greenland into the EU go to Denmark. Over 40,000 sealskins were imported there in the four years from 2019 to 2022, according to a European Commission report. Greenland is one of the few regions recognised for issuing certificates for seal products, ensuring compliance with EU standards and respecting the welfare of animals hunted in these subsistence hunts. The ban, however, has had negative economic impacts on Greenlandic communities that once relied on broader international trade for their seal products. Though hunting is illegal in many member states, it still occurs, albeit in just a small number of countries. Figures collected by the European Commission for the period 2019 to 2022, show over 6,800 seals were hunted in Sweden, while over 3,200 hunts were recorded in Finland. A seal hunter from the Inuit community, pictured in Greenland. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Slow enforcement hampering efforts The EU Habitats Directive also requires any exploitation of seals be tightly managed to ensure long-term population viability. But compliance is uneven across the continent. In Ireland, where seals were once teetering on the brink of extinction due to overhunting and habitat loss, the estimated population is now around 7,000 to 10,000, according to the NPWS. Today, grey and common seals are now thriving, with populations considered sustainable and no longer at immediate risk. Similarly in Denmark, surveys not only show strong seal numbers, but also signs of recolonisation in areas where the marine mammals had been absent for more than a century. Under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, countries must collaborate through regional conventions such as OSPAR in the North-East Atlantic and HELCOM in the Baltic, setting population thresholds and growth rate targets. On paper, these mechanisms force national governments to act, report every six years, and risk infringement proceedings from Brussels if they fail. But in practice, enforcement appears weak. Campaigners point to seabed litter levels in Belgium's marine zone, where there are up to 20,000 items of rubbish per square kilometre, as evidence that preventive measures are failing. Sign up The Journal Investigates is dedicated to lifting the lid on how Ireland works. Our newsletter gives you an inside look at how we do this. Sign up here... Sign up .spinner{transform-origin:center;animation:spinner .75s infinite linear}@keyframes spinner{100%{transform:rotate(360deg)}} You are now signed up In Greece, tourist boats continue to approach monk seal caves despite rules against disturbance. And throughout the EU's fishing grounds, bycatch reporting is inconsistent, with many deaths likely never recorded. In Denmark and Belgium, aerial surveys are conducted multiple times a year. Spain and Greece rely on hybrid approaches, photographic ID, satellite tracking, infrared cameras in breeding caves. While this monitoring produces enough data to establish trends, some say on-the-ground restrictions have been slow. Bycatch remains the most immediate killer. In the Belgian part of the North Sea, young grey seals found dead in spring 2021 showed tell-tale signs of net marks having cut into their skin. Similar reports appear in Danish coastal waters, particularly in areas where professional gillnetting overlaps with seal habitats. Sea pollution is injuring and killing seals in Europe. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Sea pollution causing serious harm Marine litter has become both a visible and invisible killer. In several member states, injured seals have been found with rope or discarded netting slicing into their flippers, causing infection and starvation. Microplastics, now widespread throughout EU waters, may also undermine reproductive health. Noise pollution from shipping lanes, offshore wind farm construction, as well as the detonation of wartime munitions is also causing harm. In the Mediterranean, conservationists say growing fleets of recreational boats add to the noise chaos, pushing animals away from their few safe habitats. Climate change compounds all of these pressures. For monk seals in Greece and Spain, rising sea levels and hotter summers are eroding critical breeding sites. Despite these threats, conservation teams across the EU are mounting bold initiatives. In Belgium, the volunteer-run NorthSealTeam works alongside the SeaLife Blankenberge centre to rescue and rehabilitate injured seals. In Denmark, researchers track behavioural changes in tagged animals to adjust tourism guidelines and fishing restrictions. Greece's MOm organisation runs the only monk seal rehabilitation centre in the Mediterranean. This year, it celebrated the release and eventual motherhood of a formerly orphaned seal pup, a first for the organisation. Spain, alongside Portugal, Morocco, and Mauritania, participates in the Action Plan for the Recovery of the Mediterranean Monk Seal, coordinated under the CBD Hábitat programme. However, experts argue that without stronger cross-border funding, multi-marine area coordination and tougher enforcement, these local efforts risk being erased by the sheer scale of the pressures seals face. While the EU is considered to have some of the strongest seal protection laws in the world, campaigners say it is undermined by slow-moving enforcement and reliance on member states to self-police. While some populations, such as those in Denmark and Ireland, remain relatively stable, others, particularly the monk seal, balance on the edge of recovery and collapse. The EU has until the next six-year reporting deadline under the Habitats Directive to prove it can reverse these trends. Failure could bring infringement cases, but for the seals themselves, the consequences are more dire. The Journal Investigates Reporter: Patricia Devlin • Editor: Maria Delaney • Social Media: Cliodhna Travers • Main Image Design: Lorcan O'Reilly This article is part of PULSE , a European collaborative journalism project. With reporting by Patricia Devlin (The Journal Investigates, Ireland), Annick Hus (Apache, Belgium), Emma Louise Stenholm (Føljeton, Denmark), Dimitris Angelidis (EFSYN, Greece) and Lola García-Ajofrín (El Confidencial, Spain) Investigations like this don't happen without your support... Impactful investigative reporting is powered by people like you. Over 5,000 readers have already supported our mission with a monthly or one-off payment. Join them here: Support The Journal
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
A-level results day 2025 LIVE: Thousands of students eagerly await their exam results today
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