The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket) has announced a significant increase in seal hunting quotas for Kalmar County, according to a report published on February 23, 2026. The new quota allows for 150 gray seals to be hunted in the county this year, representing a 50 percent increase from the previous year's limit of 100 seals.
Jens Andersson, a wildlife analyst at Naturvårdsverket, stated that seal populations have been steadily increasing since the 1980s. 'So far, the seal population has only increased since the 80s,' Andersson said. He noted that Kalmar is one of Sweden's most seal-dense counties, while also acknowledging the difficulty in accurately calculating seal numbers in each county.
So far, the seal population has only increased since the 80s
Nationally, Sweden's total gray seal hunting quota for 2026 is reportedly 1,350 animals, an increase of 350 from the previous year. The Baltic Sea's total gray seal population is estimated to be between 57,000 and 76,000 animals. The decision reflects ongoing management efforts to balance seal conservation with local fishing interests and ecosystem management.