Atlantic cod study renews debate over grey seal cull
The failure of the cod to rebound even without an active fishery has only bolstered that theory. Yet, all official research seemed to disprove it, with field studies pointing to other unexplained causes of cod mortality, and the limited influence of seals.
But now, a study has found that grey seals — top predators that can weigh as much as a bear — do in fact eat a lot of cod, and are largely responsible for the fish’s decline. The finding, published in the journal Fisheries Research, is sure to stoke the controversy over a proposed government cull of a quarter million grey seals for the benefit of cod.
Keep in mind, though: these were the good old days. This was a time when politicians were merely indifferent to science, not actively hostile to it.
(post draft from five years ago? blah)
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