Saimaa ringed seal pup drowns in illegal, unmarked trap

A Saimaa ringed seal pup has drowned after becoming trapped in an illegal fishing trap in the Pitkä Pihlajavesi area near Muhasaari in Savonlinna, according to a report by Yle.

The pup was caught in a loose-mouthed trap, which is prohibited in Pihlajavesi as it allows the seal to enter. The trap lacked the legally required fishing gear markings and owner information. Metsähallitus, the state-owned enterprise managing Finland’s state-owned land and water areas, intends to file a police report over the incident.

A bystander boater notified Metsähallitus of the dead pup. The male pup, born this year, was in good condition. This is the ninth known case of a Saimaa ringed seal dying in fishing gear this year, according to Metsähallitus.

Pihlajavesi is entirely within a restricted fishing area, where traps with a mouth larger than 150 millimetres are banned to protect the critically endangered Saimaa ringed seal. The species has an estimated population of around 530 individuals.