INCIDENTS of seal disturbance are on the increase in Cornwall.

A new report released today entitled ‘Please Do Not Disturb! – issues of seal disturbance in the United Kingdom’, along with shocking and dramatic film footage and photographs, highlights the growing impact that human activity is having on seal populations.

Funded by the Seal Protection Action Group (SPAG) and the Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust (CSGRT) for The Seal Alliance, the report documents case studies around the British coast where our protected seal populations are suffering chronic disturbances from human activities, deliberate or accidental, often causing serious injury and with potentially fatal consequences.

Andy Ottaway, of SPAG, said: "Our seals are under increasing threat from deliberate killing, climate change, over-fishing, toxic pollution, entanglement in nets, ingestion of plastic and serious injury from collisions with vessels.

“We need to give all our precious marine wildlife, including seals, more space. The cumulative impact of all these threats, along with these growing disturbance issues, is placing these wonderful animals at serious risk."

The report catalogues serious incidents in the south-west of England, north west Wales, north east England and north east Scotland at key areas which seals use for resting, socialising, breeding and moulting.

The researchers found compelling evidence that our seal population is suffering chronic disturbance issues from human intrusion, both accidental and deliberate, through recreational activities as well as expanding tourism.

These disturbances come from motorised vessels, divers, jet-skis, kayaks, paddle -boarders, wildlife watching tours on land or sea, anglers, walkers, dogs on and off leashes, drones, light aircraft, helicopters and even commercial wildlife photographers.

People trying to feed seals is also of growing concern.

The report warns that repeated disturbance can do serious harm to individual animals, through stress and even serious injury while fleeing human presence or from attacks by dogs.

Disturbance can also impact at a local and national population level by reducing breeding success, abandonment of dependent pups and even premature death.

The campaigners want to see more protection of essential habitats for seals through the expansion and enforcement of effective voluntary Codes of Conduct at a local level. Changes to national legislation are needed to regulate the growing wildlife watching tourism industry and ensure it is conducted both responsibly and sustainably, following ‘best practice’.

The Seal Alliance has written to Secretary of State for the Environment Michael Gove, asking for a meeting with Defra officials to discuss how this might be best achieved.

Sue Sayer, of Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust, said: "Many communities benefit financially from tourism and the kind of reliable wildlife watching that seals provide.

"However, we need to take care and must reduce already high levels of disturbance, and soon, or those environmental, social and economic benefits could soon disappear along with our seals."