Harp Seals Impact on Newfoundland and Labrador Groundfish Recovery
New research from the Marine Institute reveals that harp seals consume significantly more groundfish than the Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) fishery harvests, raising concerns about the recovery of key commercial species like cod.
Seals vs. Fishery Consumption
Harp seals, the most numerous seal species around NL with an estimated population of 4.4 million, now consume vastly more fish than humans fish from these waters. Before the cod stock collapse in the mid-1980s, seals ate about 1.7 times the amount of fish harvested by the fishery.
However, from 2018 to 2020, harp seals consumed 24 times the volume caught by the industry.
Research Findings on Predator Role
In July 2025, the Marine Institute published a study analyzing harp seals’ ecological influence between 1985 and 2020. It found that following the dramatic decline of Northern cod, harp seals became dominant predators in the region.
“Harp seals had become an increasingly prominent predator since the decline of the cod stocks found in the waters off Newfoundland and Labrador.”
The collapse of Northern cod stocks led to the 1992 moratorium on commercial cod fishing, which was cautiously lifted only recently in 2024.
Summary
The research highlights the significant predation pressure that harp seals exert, complicating efforts to rebuild groundfish populations critical to NL’s fishing industry.
Author’s Summary
Harp seals consume vastly more groundfish than the fishing industry, hindering the recovery of vital fish stocks like cod in Newfoundland and Labrador.