The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket) has officially determined this year's license and protection hunting quotas for seals, allowing the hunting of 1,350 gray seals, an increase from the 1,000 permitted last year. This decision is part of a broader management strategy aimed at addressing the impact of seals on small-scale commercial and recreational fishing. Specifically, the agency emphasized that the gray seal is deemed responsible for causing the most significant damage to fishing gear and fish stocks, necessitating this increase in hunting permits.

In addition to the gray seals, the authority has sanctioned protection hunting for a total of 400 harbor seals and ringed seals as part of their conservation efforts. The hunting decision is set to take effect from 2026 until the beginning of 2027, segmented into various hunting periods. Jens Andersson from the wildlife analysis unit of the Environmental Protection Agency stated that the measures were carefully considered to mitigate the negative impacts that seals can have on fishing operations and fragile fish populations.

The allowance for gray seal hunting spans all counties along the Baltic Sea, reflecting a comprehensive approach to wildlife management in the region. This increase in allowable hunting highlights ongoing tensions between wildlife conservation efforts and the needs of local fishing communities, as the government seeks to balance ecological health with economic interests in fishing.