This article was featured in Eurofish Magazine 3 2025.
Estonia is joining Finland and Sweden in appealing to the European Commission for permission to sell seal products within the European Union, ERR News reports. Under current EU regulations, the trade of seal-derived products is prohibited, except for indigenous communities. Estonia is challenging this rule, arguing it unfairly excludes coastal populations like those on Kihnu Island. Herki Tuus, head of the fisheries department at the Ministry of Regional Development and Agriculture, said grey seal numbers in Estonian waters have grown significantly and are impacting coastal fisheries. The seal population is estimated at around 7,000 and consumes roughly 9,000 tonnes of fish annually—nearly as much as Estonia’s annual fishing catches of 12,000 tonnes.
While stressing that seals must remain part of the marine ecosystem, Tuus said the optimal population could be maintained even at half the current size. A joint letter from the Estonian, Finnish, and Swedish ministers was sent to the Commission this week, calling for a review of the ban, especially as the EU is already reassessing the regulation’s relevance. Esta Tamm, head of the Association of Fisheries of Gulf of Liivi, also sent an appeal. She believes that if seal products could be marketed, interest in seal hunting would rise. According to Tamm, nearly all parts of the seal—meat, fat, and skin—can be utilised, much like in Norway. The Estonian ministry hopes the European Commission will respond before summer.