Predators - Seal damage Predators, Seal damage. Out for a walk on Wednesday evening, Jean spotted a dead Salmon in the Dick pool I managed to get it out to have a look at it. It was at once obvious what had caused its untimely death. It had suffered terrible Seal damage a very deep large gash under its throat which had torn away completely its pectoral fin all other fins were damaged a massive loss of scales around the tail forward to the anal fin, plus various large claw and scratch marks the scale loss alone would have killed it as some patches 1.5inches square had no scales at all left. Fungal growth would soon have set in, particularly as the water temperature heats up some it appeared to have only been in the River about one week and was a fresh Salmon of 10.5lbs it was not unusual to get up to Amat Salmon with long tailed sea lice can be in Amat easily within four hours About three seasons ago I was shown a photo of a Salmon which was caught on the fly on a middle Carron beat the whole side of its face was torn away side of mouth through scissors and its entire gill cover was missing goodness knows what made it even be interested in a fly. Two seasons ago in the early spring a seal was seen in the Bridge pool at Gledfield, this is about 1 mile from the sea no one can remember a seal being seen that far upstream on the Carron. In season 1997 at Amat of the first 165 Salmon caught 16 were seal marked The Grey Seal populations are currently growing at a rate of 7% per year this would indicate no shortage of food! This is photo's of another seal damaged Salmon that I caught in the Steps pool On Friday evening June 8th it weighed 7lbs and was quite lean was obviously losing Condition pretty quickly which is not surprising considering its injury.