Saimaa Ringed Seal Pup Found Dead in Fishing Net Outside Protected Zone
A Saimaa ringed seal pup was found drowned in a fishing net on Wednesday in Liperi’s Lake Orivesi, an area without established fishing restrictions for the species’ protection. The male pup, born this year, weighed 22.5 kilograms and was discovered in a whitefish net measuring 5 metres high and 60 metres long, with a total set length of 180 metres. The net was located at a depth of 10–15 metres, and the incident was reported by the fishing gear’s owner (Yle, MTV Uutiset).
This marks the twelfth recorded death of a Saimaa ringed seal in fishing gear this year, with eight fatalities occurring in nets, three in loose-throated fish traps or weirs, and one in a bottom seine equipped with a seal exclusion grate. The number of deaths in 2026 significantly exceeds the annual average of six over the past decade, raising concerns about the species’ recovery (Yle).
Seals Venture Beyond Protected Zones
Miina Auttila, Senior Specialist in Nature Conservation at Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife Finland, emphasised that while most fishing-related seal deaths occur within designated restriction zones, this case highlights the seals’ movement beyond these areas. "Nowadays, the Saimaa ringed seal can be encountered practically anywhere in Lake Saimaa," Auttila stated in a press release (MTV Uutiset).
Metsähallitus estimates that only about one-third of fishing-related seal deaths are reported, suggesting the actual mortality rate may be far higher. The critically endangered Saimaa ringed seal population is estimated at around 530 individuals, and the current level of fishing-related deaths threatens its long-term survival (Yle).
Auttila warned that the observed deaths already exceed the threshold the population can withstand without jeopardising its recovery. The incident underscores the need for broader protective measures, even in areas currently outside fishing restriction zones.
