SIZE:
Up to 2 m and 230 kg for females and 3.3 m and 350 kg for males.
LIFE EXPECTANCY:
30 to 40 years.
LIFE CYCLE:
Sexual maturity is reached around three years of age, but grey seals tend to start breeding around the eighth year of life. Generally, reproduction takes place on land. Gestation lasts eight months. The onset of embryonic growth can be delayed up to four months to ensure that the timing of birth is optimal for the pup’s survival.
Females give birth to their pups, weighing between 15 and 17 kg, between early December and mid-February. The pups are called “blanchons” (whitecoats) because of their white fur and are nursed for 16 to 22 days, after which the females return to the water. Once weaned, the young seal will have almost doubled in size and will weigh around 50 kg.
Social pressure on seals
Grey seal colonies comprise predominantly females. Males use intimidation to create harems of 3 to 10 females, which they will defend fiercely. This behaviour puts pressure on young males. Despite having reached sexual maturity, these young males often have to wait several years before they can mate.
The grey seal can be recognized by the shape of its straight head with vertical nostrils, making it look like a horse’s head. Its body is long, with small flippers and a relatively short tail.
Its coat is short and waterproof. The male’s coat is dark grey with light grey patches, whereas the female’s is silver with black patches. Another difference is that the male is much larger than the female, with a few folds under the neck.
It is a year-round resident of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Somewhat gregarious when on land, rather solitary when swimming and hunting. Dives from 60 to 100 m deep, sometimes as deep as 200 m.
It is not unusual to see groups of grey seals on the rocks near the shores of the St. Lawrence.
Credit : Yves Persoons, photo taken in Gaspésie, in 2021.
PREYS:
Octopuses
Lobsters
Bottom fish
Grey seals can eat from 7.5 to 12.5 kg of food per day.
PREDATORS:
Sharks
Orcas
MACHINES:
Hakapik, club or firearm.
REGULATIONS:
- Hunting permit mandatory; training is required to obtain a permit
- Quotas
- Specified hunting season
Seal hunting is one of the most regulated and sustainable types of hunting.
Fish or meat?
In the distant past, the seal was considered to be a fish. Its meat could therefore be eaten during Lent. Even today, in terms of regulations, seals are considered fish by the federal government, as they live in the water, and as meat by MAPAQ, as they are mammals.
Grey seal is a Smarter seafood-listed species.
BENEFITS:
Seal meat is a natural “superfood” available in our own backyard: high in protein, low in fat and highly nutritious.
Particularly rich in iron, zinc, magnesium and vitamin B12.
Because it is a wild meat, there is no risk of it containing growth hormones or antibiotics.
Seal oil also has its merits, thanks to its omega-3 content. It helps improve mental, cognitive and cardiovascular health and boosts the immune system.
LET’S COOK:
Ferrous taste, similar to deer or moose meat, with a hint of iodine that evokes the sea.
OUR CULINARY ADVICE:
- Preparation
- Remove the fat, which adds a bitter taste.
- Salt the meat to remove all the water. Pat dry rather than rinse before cooking.
- Freeze pieces of meat that are more difficult to cut.
- Cooking
- Sear the meat for one or two minutes on each side, turning only once.
- Season as you start cooking.
- Do not overcook, as it will dry out quickly and lose its tender texture.
- After cooking
- Allow the meat to rest before cutting.
- Seasoning
- Smoked mushroom powder, seaweed and red wine.
