As top predators, the Baltic ringed seal and the endangered Saimaa ringed seal play vital roles in their ecosystems, with the Bothnian Bay serving as a critical habitat for the whole Baltic subspecies in the changing climate. Despite some recovery from historical exploitation, both populations face increasing human pressures, especially from changes in land and marine area use.
The Interreg Aurora funded project SealHabitat aim to strengthen the understanding of ringed seal ecology and to recommend novel monitoring methods and sustainable management practices that carefully balance ecological preservation with local economic growth, thereby fostering biodiversity conservation and community well-being.
The overall objective is to enhance collaboration, piloting novel methods, best practices and utilisation of existing knowledge of ringed seals ecology in relation to the threats the populations face in Lake Saimaa and the Bothnian Bay.
The project will recommend sustainable management practices that reconcile ecological conservation with local economic interests and meet the overall objective (nature protection and preservation of biodiversity) by addressing the following main goals:
1) providing spatially explicit information on ringed seals key habitats related to human activities to ultimately prevent unforeseen changes in seals behaviour and movement patterns caused by alteration in their habitats
2) providing good practices, monitoring guidelines and tools based on the project results to enhance nature protection, biodiversity and sustainable economic development in the target region
3) promoting awareness on ringed seals and their habitats to the general public around the target region.
Contact: Marja Niemi, Project manager, University of Eastern Finland, marja.niemi@uef.fi
