Common Seals   Information on Dead Seals  Status Reports No. 21 - 28 (August 2002) Common Wadden Sea Secretariat, Wilhelmshaven   Recent Status Reports   Reports August 2002 Status Report No. 28 (27.08.02) Status Report No. 27 (23.08.02) Status Report No. 26 (21.08.02) Status Report No. 25 (15.08.02) Status Report No. 24 (14.08.02) Status Report No. 23 (13.08.02) Status Report No. 22 (09.08.02) Status Report No. 21 (07.08.02) Previous Reports: No. 1 - 12 (May-June 2002) No. 13 - 20 (July 2002) Trilateral Seal Expert Meeting (Hamburg, 6 June 2002) Status Report No. 28 (27.08.2002): Wadden Sea and North Sea Dutch North Sea and Wadden Sea Until 26 August, there had been about 680 dead registered seals in the Netherlands. Additionally, 33 ill animals have been transported to seal rehabilitation centers. The number of 713 dead and sick animals contains two dead grey seals, and at least seventeen animals, which washed ashore outside the Dutch Wadden Sea area, i.e. on the North Sea coast of the provinces of Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland and Zeeland. Two of the investigated seals from the coast of Noord-Holland outside the Wadden Sea were tested pdv positive. A dead seal found in the Delta area of the province of Zeeland is being investigated with priority. Lower Saxon Wadden Sea In the last days, high numbers of dead seals washed ashore along the entire Lower Saxon coast. On 26 August, there were about 483 dead common seals registered in Lower Saxony in total. Additionally, five grey seals have been registered, however the carcasses were too decomposed for sampling. Hamburg part of the Wadden Sea There have been no more additional dead seals registered in the Hamburg part of the Wadden Sea besides the three dead seals on the Scharhörn plate and the two in the harbour of the City of Hamburg, which were found on 22 August. The results of the virological investigations are anticipated next week. Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea Dead seals are continuously being checked for pdv. So far, no positive pdv result has been registered.   According to a survey in the Wadden Sea part of South Dithmarschen on 26 August, no dead seals were registered, the behavior of the seals hauling out on sandbanks was normal and drifting carcasses in the water were not observed. Also in the Wadden Sea part of Nordfriesland, there is no sign of pdv suspected dead, moribund or ill seals. However, on the outer-sandbanks in total nine already decomposed seal carcasses were registered today. According to the condition of the carcasses, the dead animals have been drifted for a longer time in the water. In case the wind will change from Northeast to West, more carcasses will be expected on the sandbanks. Danish North Sea coast and Wadden Sea Until now, no unusual numbers of dead seals have been reported from the Danish Wadden Sea and North Sea coast and from the Limfjord area. Island of Helgoland On 27 August, the total number of dead common seals registered on Helgoland was 85. Some of the carcasses on the partly rocky coast cannot be recovered because of logistical reasons. At the moment, only 10% of the normal stock of 400 animals is resting at the Helgoländer Düne. There has been reports on drifting seal carcasses in the surrounding waters of Helgoland and also from other sea areas off the Wadden Sea islands in Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony. Belgian/French North Sea No changes to the situation since the Seal Report no. 26.   Southeast coast of England There has been no updated information available since the Seal Report no. 26. See also: http://www.smru.st-and.ac.uk   Skagerrak/Kattegat Denmark According to information of the National Forest and Nature Agency, the number of found dead seals in the Kattegat area is decreasing. A summary of numbers for the different districts is anticipated within the next days. Sweden Updated numbers regarding found dead seals cannot be given for the Swedish Skagerrak-Kattegat area since it was stated on 08.08.02 that more than 1500 dead seals had been registered in the entire Swedish area. The Swedish institutes are primarily busy with sampling the seals and a summary of numbers for the different districts is anticipated within the next days. Norway There has been no updated information on numbers available since the Seal Report no. 27. Kjell Handeland from the National Veterinary Institute in Oslo reported that the pdv has now been identified in three seals submitted for post mortem at the National Veterinary Institute in Oslo by PCR. All of the pdv-positive seals originated from the Oslofjord-area. Seven other seals examined have been negative so far, however, further examination will be conducted on this material.   Compiled by Bettina Reineking Common Wadden Sea Secretariat Virchowstr. 1 D 26382 Wilhelmshaven reineking@waddensea-secretariat.org Further Links The Netherlands: Dutch Ministy for Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries Germany Nationalparkamt Schleswig-Holstein / Nationalparkverwaltung Niedersachen  Denmark Danish Forest and Nature Agency Others Seal Mammal Research Unit (Scotland, UK) Tjärnö Marine Biological Laboratory (Sweden)       Status Report No. 27 (23.08.2002): Wadden Sea and North Sea   Dutch North Sea and Wadden Sea Until 22 August, there have been about 513 dead registered seals in the Netherlands. Additionally, 27 ill animals have been transported to seal rehabilitation centers. The number of 540 dead and sick animals contains two grey seals, and at least sixteen animals, which washed ashore outside the Dutch Wadden Sea area, i.e. on the North Sea coast of the provinces of Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland and Zeeland. Several of these seals from outside the Wadden Sea were also tested pdv positive. Lower Saxon Wadden Sea On 22 August, the total number of dead seals washed ashore along the entire Lower Saxon coast was 331. Hamburg part of the Wadden Sea On 22 August three dead seals were found on the Scharhörn plate. It cannot be excluded that the seals died because of pdv. On 21 and 22 August, two dead seals were found in the harbour of the City of Hamburg. They died about two weeks ago and virological investigations to test pdv are being initiated. Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea Dead seals are continuously being checked for pdv. So far, no positive pdv result has been registered. Danish North Sea coast and Wadden Sea No unusual dead seals have been reported from the Danish Wadden Sea and North Sea coast and from the Limfjord area. Island of Helgoland On 22 August, the total number of dead common seals registered on Helgoland was 55. On 16 August, the first five dead seals found were tested pdv positive. Belgian/French North Sea No changes to the situation since the last Seal Report no. 26. Southeast coast of England There has been no updated information available since the last Seal Report no. 26. See also: http://www.smru.st-and.ac.uk Skagerrak/Kattegat The total number of registered dead seals in the Skagerrak-Kattegat area is more than 3970. A specification of the data is given below: Sweden Updated numbers regarding found dead seals cannot be given for the Swedish Skagerrak-Kattegat area since it was stated on 08.08.02 that more than 1500 dead seals have been registered in the entire Swedish area. The Swedish institutes are primarily busy with sampling the seals and a summary of numbers for the different districts is anticipated within the next weeks. Norway The Norwegian Pollution Control Authority reported that by 21.08.2002  444 dead common seals had been registered in Norwegian waters in the area from Hvaler (near Fredrikstad/Swedish border) to Kristiansand in the south. The total number of dead seals is estimated to about 600. The greatest numbers of dead seals are reported in the area of the outer Oslofjord (290 dead animals). The number of reported carcasses has increased the last two weeks/weekends, and the impression of the county of Aust-Agder (around Arendal on the south coast) is that the number of dead animals is increasing in that area. Denmark The status of registered dead seals in the Danish Skagerrak-Kattegat area, according to information of the National Forest and Nature Agency, is as follows: Figure: Danish State Forest Districts     Danish State Forest District Dead seals since 03.05.02 until 21.08.2002 North Kattegat area (incl. Fussingø)   Nordjylland (incl. Læsø) 333 Buderupholm (east coast of Jutland north of the Mariager Fjord) 27 Fussingø (Djursland incl. Anholt) 290   South Kattegat area   Silkeborg (east coast of Jutland south of Aarhus, incl. Samsø, Bosserne) 330 Randbøl (incl. Møllegrunden and Endelave) 118 Fyn 122 Kronborg (north east coast of Sealand) 24 Tisvilde (north coast of Sealand incl. Hesselø) 392 Odsherred (north west coast of Sealand) 206   Øresund area   Jægersborg 6 København 19 TOTAL 1867 Compiled by Bettina Reineking Common Wadden Sea Secretariat Virchowstr. 1 D 26382 Wilhelmshaven reineking@waddensea-secretariat.org   Status Report No. 26 (21.08.2002): Wadden Sea and North Sea Dutch North Sea and Wadden Sea Until today, about 482 dead seals have been registered in the Netherlands. Additionally, 27 ill animals have been transported to seal rehabilitation centers. The number of 509 dead and sick animals contains at least two grey seals, and fifteen animals, which washed ashore outside the Dutch Wadden Sea area, i.e. on the North Sea coast of the provinces of Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland and Zeeland. Several of these seals from outside the Wadden Sea were also tested pdv positive. Lower Saxon Wadden Sea On 20 August, the total number of dead seals washed ashore along the entire Lower Saxon coast was 309. Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea Dead seals are continuously being checked for pdv. So far, no positive pdv result has been registered. Danish North Sea coast and Wadden Sea No unusual dead seals have been reported from the Danish Wadden Sea, North Sea coast and Limfjord area. Island of Helgoland On 16 August, five common seals on Helgoland were tested pdv positive by the ‘Landeslabor’ in Neumünster. The results have to be furthermore confirmed by antigene investigations at the Veterinary School of Hannover (Tierärztliche Hochschule). The results are expected within a week. Since 11 August, 47 dead seals have been registered on Helgoland. Belgian/French North Sea So far only one seal pup of 31 July/1 August was tested pdv positive, the seal stranded in the north of France. No extra mortality or strandings of unusual numbers of dead seals has been registered in Belgium. In Belgium, there is no common seal colony and only a few animals are observed in Belgian waters. Each year between 5 and 20 pups of common seals, and a lesser number of grey seal pups strand here. Southeast coast of England Since 12 August 2002 until today, there have been 145 reports of dead seals around the UK (excluding Northern Ireland). Approximately 25-30 of these have been sent for post-mortem and six cases have been confirmed as positive for PDV. The confirmed cases were from the Wash on the southeast coast of England (see map on page 2). The number of reported dead seals is higher than would normally be reported at this time of year but how much of this increase is real and how much relates to increased observer effort is unknown. See  also: http://www.smru.st-and.ac.uk Kattegat / Skagerrak Denmark There has been no updated information available since the last Seal Report No 25. Updated numbers of dead seals in the Danish Kattegat area are expected at the end of this week. Sweden There has been no updated information available since the last Seal Report No 25. There have been more than 1500 dead seals in the entire Swedish area, and a summary of numbers for the different districts is anticipated within the next two weeks. Norway On 20 August, the updated number of dead common seals is 300 in total.  This number is unconfirmed and may contain duplicate reportings. The number covers the areas from the Swedish border to the county of Telemark on the west side of the outer Oslofjord.   Compiled by Bettina Reineking Common Wadden Sea Secretariat Virchowstr. 1 D 26382 Wilhelmshaven reineking@waddensea-secretariat.org Status Report No. 25 (15.08.2002): Wadden Sea and North Sea Dutch North Sea and Wadden Sea Until today, there are about 395 dead registered in the Netherlands. Additionally, there are 23 ill animals, which have been transported to seal rehabilitation centers. The number of 418 dead and sick animals contains at least fifteen animals, which washed ashore outside the Dutch Wadden Sea area, i.e. on the North Sea coast of the provinces of Noord-Holland, Zuid-Holland and Zeeland. Several of these seals from outside the Wadden Sea were also tested pdv positive. Lower Saxon Wadden Sea On 14 August, the total number of dead seals washed ashore along the entire Lower Saxon coast was 197. Until now, virological investigations have confirmed the pdv virus in 14 seals. Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea Dead seals are continuously being checked for pdv. So far, no positive pdv result has been registered. Danish North Sea coast and Wadden Sea No unusual dead seals have been reported from the Danish Wadden Sea, North Sea coast and Limfjord area. Island of Helgoland At the moment, about 400 common seals are resting around Helgoland-Düne, Germany. Because of a higher mortality than usual over the last days, samples of dead seals have been taken for virological investigations. Belgian/French North Sea No changes to the situation as on 7 August 2002. Southeast coast of England On 13 August the phocine distemper virus was confirmed in the Wash on the southeast coast of England. Five dead common seals from that area were tested pdv positive. Skagerrak/Kattegat The total number of registered dead seals in the Skagerrak-Kattegat area is more than 3300. A specification of the data is given below: Sweden At present the mortality and spreading of the epidemic in the Swedish Skagerrak-Kattegat area is continuing as to the earlier prediction. It seems that the disease has reached the seals in Bohuslän, the area between Gothenburg and the Swedish-Norwegian border. There are more than 1500 dead seals in the entire Swedish area, and a summary of numbers for the different districts is anticipated within the next two weeks. Norway At present there is no topical number of registered dead animals in the outer parts of the Oslofjord in Norway near the border to Sweden. The number of dead seals as at 8 August was roughly estimated at 40. Denmark In total, the registered numbers of dead seals are decreasing now in the Danish Kattegat-Skagerrak area. Fresh dead seals are still only found in the Øresund area. The status of registered dead seals in the Danish Skagerrak-Kattegat area, according to information from the National Forest and Nature Agency, is as follows: Danish State Forest District Dead seals until 14.08.2002 North Kattegat area (incl. Fussingø):   Nordjylland (incl. Læsø) 297 Buderupholm (east coast of Jutland north of the Mariager Fjord) 27 Fussingø (Djursland incl. Anholt) 290 South Kattegat area:   Silkeborg (east coast of Jutland south of Aarhus, incl. Samsø, Bosserne) 321 Randbøl (incl. Møllegrunden and Endelave) 118 Fyn 86 Kronborg (north east coast of Sealand) 13 Tisvilde (north coast of Sealand incl. Hesselø) 388 Odsherred (north west coast of Sealand) 206 Øresund area:   Jægersborg 2 København 9 TOTAL 1757   Compiled by Bettina Reineking Common Wadden Sea Secretariat Virchowstr. 1 D 26382 Wilhelmshaven reineking@waddensea-secretariat.org Status Report No. 24 (14.08.2002): The following information has arrived from the United Kingdom  on 14th August 2002. Phocine Distemper Virus in the UK         On 13th August 5 cases of PDV were confirmed among harbour seals in the UK.  The animals were from the Wash on the southeast coast of England and cause of death was confirmed by Dr Seamus Kennedy of the Veterinary Sciences Division at the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland by immunoperoxidase test. The response to the epidemic in the UK is being coordinated by the Institute of Zoology in London.  The Sea Mammal Research Unit will be sending out weekly status reports on the progress of the outbreak in British waters. Details and information will also be posted on our website. Compiled by Ailsa Hall Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) Gatty Marine Lab, St Andrews University St Andrews, Scotland http://www.smru.st-and.ac.uk Next Status Report The next Status Report is anticipated for Thursday 15 August 2002. In case of further spreading of the virus or other relevant information a report will be compiled immediately. Bettina Reineking Common Wadden Sea Secretariat Virchowstr. 1 D 26382 Wilhelmshaven reineking@waddensea-secretariat.org Status Report No. 23 (13.08.2002): Status Since the last Seal Report No. 22 of August 9, 2002, there have been no remarkable changes in numbers of dead seals, respectively topical summarized data are expected within the next days at the earliest. Next Status Report The next Status Report is anticipated for Thursday 15 August 2002. In case of further spreading of the virus or other relevant information a report will be compiled immediately. Compiled by Bettina Reineking Common Wadden Sea Secretariat Virchowstr. 1 D 26382 Wilhelmshaven reineking@waddensea-secretariat.org   Status Report No. 22 (09.08.2002): Status:   Wadden Sea and North Sea Dutch North Sea and Wadden Sea There are now 249 registered dead and 23 ill seals in The Netherlands (status as at 9 August 12.00 hours).  All 23 ill animals have been transported to seal rehabilitation centres. The number of 272 dead and sick animals contains fifteen animals which have washed ashore outside the Dutch Wadden Sea area, i.e. on the North Sea coast of the provinces of Noord-Holland and Zuid-Holland. Lower Saxonian Wadden Sea On 8 August the total number of dead seals washed ashore along the Lower Saxonian coast was 107. According to a press release of 9 August 2002 of the Lower Saxonian Office for Consumer Protection (LAVES) virological investigations have confirmed the presence of the pdv virus in seals washed ashore in the eastern part of the Lower Saxonian Wadden Sea (Bezirk Lüneburg). Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea Dead seals are continuously being checked for the pdv disease. So far, no positive pdv result has been registered. Danish North Sea coast No unusual dead seals have been reported from the Danish Wadden Sea, North Sea coast and Limfjord area. Belgian/French North Sea Situation as on 7 August. Skagerrak/Kattegat The total number of registered dead seals in the Skagerrak-Kattegat area as at 7 August 2002 is approximately 3150. A specification and motivation of the data is given below: Denmark The status of registered dead seals in the Danish Skagerrak-Kattegat area as at 7 August is as follows: State forest district 07/08/2002 Fussingø 290 Nordjylland 297 Tisvilde 388 Odsherred 206 Silkeborg 186 Randbøl 118 Fyn 85 Buderupholm 26 Kronborg 13 Total 1609   Map of the Kattegat/Skagerrak Area Sweden At present there is no precise number of registered dead animals for the Swedish Skagerrak-Kattegat area, but, according to Martin Larsvik of the Tjärnö Marine Biological Laboratory, the estimated number from one week ago is about 1500. Yesterday a press release was issued by the Tjärnö Marine Biological Laboratory which is presented in full below (a map of the Swedish west coast can be found in Status Report Nr. 15). Press release (8 August 2002): Mink could have infected the harbour seals In the northern part of Skåne and south part of Halland the number of dead animals per day has decreased. Still most harbour seals die in the colonies of Varberg and Onsala, but the number of sick and dead animals in the colonies of Marstrand, Lysekil, Väderöarna and Koster is increasing.  The offshore wind during the last days brings the carcasses away from coast, but this will change when the wind shifts. During the coming weeks a lot of harbour seals will die in Bohuslän. Thus the epizootic is spreading according to earlier forecast. We lack updated figures of the number of reported dead seals. Five dead harbour seals from Måkläppen were reported and sampled during the last weeks. The opinion of Anders Bergman, veterinarian at the Swedish Museum of Natural History, of the case is that they have died from PDV. During the years 1991-2001, i.e. between the epizootics 1988 and 2002, samples of 12 harbour seals and grey seals in the Baltic and along the Swedish west coast were taken. At the time of sampling these were suspected to have died from PDV. Yesterday the analysis of these samples was finished, showing that all of them were negative. The result of this limited study weakens the hypotheses that PDV has existed in the populations of grey seal and harbours seal around Swedish coasts. The virus is thus unlikely to have circulated among harbour seal and grey seals, forming a source of infection to the harbour seals on Anholt this year. In all probability, the seal epizootic in 1988 started since PDV-carrying harp seals had swum southwards, infecting harbour seals in Kattegatt. This year there are no reports of harp seals as far south as the North Sea area. The hypothesis that harp seals have spred the virus to harbour seals this time is therefore very weak. The main hypothesis is now that mink or other animals have spread the virus to harbour seals. If sick or dead minks are drifting in the water, the playful harbour seals can swim up to them and get infected. Minks are now being collected from the areas of Måkläppen, Varberg, Göteborg and Koster. Samples from these will be examined later during summer. General information (in Swedish) of harbour seals and about epizootics can be found on the web page http://www.tmbl.gu.se/news/Saldod2002/Saldod2002_1.html Norway Yesterday a survey team of the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research has investigated the situation in the outer parts of the Oslofjord in Norway near the border to Sweden. According to Arne Bjørge 13-15% of the 310 observed hauling out animals showed signs of illness, most of which were males. Because of registration problems only a rough estimate of the number of dead animals can be given. The number as at 8 August was estimated at 40. Next Status Report The next Status Report is anticipated for Tuesday 13 August 2002. Compiled by Folkert de Jong Common Wadden Sea Secretariat Virchowstr. 1 D 26382 Wilhelmshaven dejong@waddensea-secretariat.org Further Links Dutch Ministy for Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries:  Background Information and Press Releases (in Dutch and English) Danish Forest and Nature Agency / Nationalparkamt Schleswig-Holstein /  Status Report No. 21 (07.08.2002): Status:   Wadden Sea and North Sea Dutch North Sea and Wadden Sea The total number of washed ashore dead and ill seals in the Netherlands was 230 on 6 August. Of this number 198 animals washed ashore dead, 11 have been euthanized and 21 transported to seal rehabilitation centres. Seven of the 230 animals have washed ashore outside the Dutch Wadden Sea, i.e. on the Dutch North Sea coast. Lower Saxonian Wadden Sea According to a press release of 2 August 2002 of the Lower Saxonian Office for Consumer Protection (LAVES) virological investigations have confirmed the presence of the pdv virus in seals washed ashore on the East Frisian Wadden Sea coast 2 weeks ago (see Status Report Nr. 20). On 6 August the total number of dead seals washed ashore along the Lower Saxonian coast since 17 July 2002 was 95. Interestingly all bodies were found on the east Frisian island and mainland shores and none in the eastern part of the Lower Saxonian Wadden Sea. Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea Dead seals are continuously being checked for the pdv disease. So far, no positive pdv result has been registered. Danish North Sea coast No unusual dead seals have been reported from the Danish Wadden Sea, North Sea coast and Limfjord area. Belgian/French North Sea Yesterday the University of Luik (Belgium) confirmed the presence of the pdv virus in a seal which had washed ashore on 31 July 2002 in Boulogne, near the French-Belgian border. Skagerrak/Kattegat In total about 2200 dead seals have been registered in the Danish and Swedish Skagerrak and Kattegat (status as at 31 July 2002, see Status Reports 19 and 20). Updated numbers will probably be available coming Friday. According to Arne Bjørge of the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research in Bergen, about 25 dead and /or sick seals have been reported in the outer parts of the Oslofjord in Norway near the border to Sweden. A survey team will investigate the situation today. Data from this survey will be available coming Thursday or Friday. Next Status Report The next Status Report is anticipated for Friday 9 August 2002. Compiled by Folkert de Jong Common Wadden Sea Secretariat Virchowstr. 1 D 26382 Wilhelmshaven dejong@waddensea-secretariat.org Further Links Dutch Ministy for Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries:  Background Information and Press Releases (in Dutch and English) Danish Forest and Nature Agency / Nationalparkamt Schleswig-Holstein /     Top of Page