There were few more powerful images from that time than the sight of seal hunters bashing baby seals over the head so they could be exploited for their fur.

While the seal trade is still seen by most to be abhorrent, there are apparently more mysterious forces at work that are contributing to an alarming fall in common seal numbers around the British Isles.

Seals are protected in the United Kingdom under the Seal Conservation Act 1970, but there is a clause within the Act that allows fishermen and fish farmers to shoot seals that have damaged nets.

Campaigners are asking for the Act to be overhauled to outlaw this practice.

However, most researchers believe that this practice is only responsible for localised problems and does not explain the significant decreases in populations across the country, believed to be approximately 12 per cent nationally.

The figures hide some significant differences, with crashes in Scottish populations while English populations in East Anglia and Lincolnshire have increased slightly.

One researcher looking at the Argyll population suggested that none of the breeding seals had actually reproduced during the breeding season
Various other factors are being investigated to find out their influence on the plight of the common seal.

It has been suggested that grey seals, a larger and more robust species may simply be out muscling its smaller common seal cousin for the same food stocks.

Common seals are also food for Orca (Killer) Whales, which are thought to have become more prevalent in British waters in recent years.

Other suspected factors include disease and global warming.

It is probable that all of these factors contribute, although overcoming any of them may not be enough to arrest the decline due to the complexity of the issue.

Paul Willis is waste strategy manager for Adur and Worthing councils.

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