The seal must go

NOW a visitor attraction, named Keith, the seal that has made its home in the Severn, feeding on its fish, has anglers up in arms, wanting it gone.

Many anglers have contacted the Angling Trust as they feel Keith is decimating the fish stock in the river, so want it shot. (Anglers want to shoot seal.)

Aggressive

The Trust are even stating that the seal is being aggressive towards anglers and eating salmon, and want it gone as it has a potential influence against fish stocks.  It is even bringing in nature, telling that Keith 'could do long-term damage to the balance of nature in an area acknowledged by Natural England to ‘support plants and animals that find it more difficult to survive in the wider countryside'.

It has asked British Divers Marine Life Rescue to capture the seal, but they have told the Trust that locating the seal for capture may prove difficult.

Backlash

Sightings started last November around Worcester, then as there were no more is was was thought she—it has been discovered it is female—had returned to sea. But she reappeared again at the start of June. During her first appearance, there was a huge backlash against The Angling Trust that wanted to shoot her.

Meetings are taking place with the Environment Agency and Natural England to discuss the situation, with the Angling Trust willing to pay to get rid of the seal.

However there is now a 'Save Keith the Seal' Facebook page, that is getting a great deal of support, with the general opinion being that how could a single seal in the whole of the Severn cause such a threat to fish stocks, and the misnamed Keith—who is female—should be left alone.