From Dean Pitman.
THE photo on page eight of Erin Standard feeding the seal was great (JEP 25 August), but please realise that by publishing a photo like this you are encouraging others to do the same.

I know that this seal has been hand-fed for quite a long time (and fed by some people who should know better). Hand feeding wild animals can cause harm to either the animal concerned or to the person feeding them.

There have been cases in the past where seals have been injured by boats from which the people on board have been feeding the seal only to panic when the seal gets a bit over enthusiastic when there is no more food and starts to climb up onto the boat.

There have also been incidents where small boats have been turned over. Seals and dolphins are beautiful wild creatures and any interaction with them must be treated as special and the experience must be managed by the seal or dolphins, when they have had enough leave them do not pursue them.

Since the States created RAMSAR sites it would be nice if Fisheries could police the behaviour of visitors to our offshore reefs, and enforce the protection of our local marine life.

Further information and guidelines are available from the websites below.
– www.wdcs.org.uk
– www.seawatchfoundation.org.uk
– www.mcsuk.org
– www.europeancetaceansociety.eu