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Could a seal cull help cod recover? It's not so simple, scientist says

Less than a fifth of the Canadian harp seal quota was harvested last year, due largely to an ongoing global slump in demand and restrictions on sales in European markets. (Paul Darrow/Reuters)

The equation seems simple: seals eat fish, fish are declining, kill the seals, fish recover. But experts warn that many factors need to be considered before drastic measures are taken.

With talk revived about ending the recreational fishery, some believe a seal cull would be a more effective way to help cod stocks recover. 

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But is a cull the answer to our fish stock problem?

Overharvested to threatening levels in the 1970s, the harp seal population is back to 7.4 million. According to some estimates,

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This story was originally published on CBC News. To read the rest of this news worthy story, please visit http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/seal-cull-science-1.4651183?cmp=rss.

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