Seals and the Marine Ecosystem: Attitudes, Ecological Benefits/Risks and Lethal Management Views

ABSTRACT

Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, seals have recolonized historic ranges along the New England coast after near extirpation from bounty hunting in the 19^th and 20^th centuries. On Cape Cod, Massachusetts, concerns that rebounding seal populations damage fisheries and draw great white sharks have led some to call for a seal cull. Surveys on Cape Cod found strong opposition to lethal management among residents and tourists, and neutrality, on average, among commercial fishers. For all three samples, lethal management support was substantially explained by general attitudes toward seals and partially mediated by specific ecological benefits and risks associated with seals. Positive attitudes toward seals and perceived ecosystem benefits reduced support for lethal management among residents, tourists and commercial fishers. Negative attitudes and perceived ecological risks of seals increased lethal management support. These findings suggest communication of the ecological benefits of species can enhance continued marine mammal conservation.

KEYWORDS:

• Attitudes
• Cape Cod
• ecological benefits and risks
• lethal management
• Marine mammal protection act
• Seals

Acknowledgments

This study was conducted as a partnership among Salem State University, University of Massachusetts-Boston, Center for Animals and Public Policy of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Center for Coastal Studies, Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance, Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, and Northwest Atlantic Seal Research Consortium. We thank Vanessa Bramante, Catherine Cummings, Victoria Kako, Derek Baseman, Nikki Brewster, Emily Hanlon, Brian LeBlanc, Sharon Francis, Elaine Milo and Cape Cod National Seashore staff for their invaluable assistance.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Woods Hole Sea Grant under grant number A101484-NA180AR4170104, Salem State University, and the Elizabeth A. Lawrence Endowed Fund of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.This study was approved by the Salem State University Institutional Review Board, IRB00006274, and conducted under National Park Service Permit CACO-2021-SCI-00101.