Thank you for the question.
In all cases, when we produce scientific advice, we assess the causes that explain the trajectory of fish stocks, whether it is due to fishing or other causes. We often find that natural mortality, for all sorts of reasons, including predation, is a predominant factor compared to mortality caused by fishing.
In many cases, despite the increase in the population of some pinniped species to almost historic levels, we see that this is not a predominant factor in predicting the trajectory of fish stocks. There are also logistical constraints when considering management approaches for pinniped populations.