Harbor seals eat a lot of different things, over 60 different prey species in fact. This includes salmon, which here in the Pacific Northwest puts seals in competition with humans and other species that rely on salmon as well. Salmon runs are greatly in decline, with many of them threatened or endangered. Seals are often seen as a major impediment to salmon recovery, even though they are not the reason the salmon are in decline in the first place. So researchers are looking for ways to lower their impact on salmon populations in non-lethal ways (vs. widespread culling which has been brought to the table). Acoustic deterrent devices have been used for many years as a way to scare seals away, but come with costs including hearing damage, impact to other species and habitat displacement. This paper talks about a new technology that is species specific and limits possible hearing damage and habitat displacment. It is an exciting example of how we can find ways to protect both the salmon and the seals at the same time. Learn about how this new technology works and the possible impacts it could have for both these species.

Paper is open access, access it HERE.