EU drops seal-protection complaint against Finland

The European Commission has dropped a warning to the Finnish government over protection of the critically endangered Saimaa ringed seal,

The European Commission has dropped a warning to the Finnish government over protection of the critically endangered Saimaa ringed seal, Alaska Dispatch News - YLE NEWS reports.

In May 2010, the Commission issued Finland with a written warning for “failing to implement adequate measures to protect the threatened Saimaa Ringed Seal,” which is endemic to the lakes of southeastern Finland.

The commission has now withdrawn the complaint, citing improvements in seal protection. Since 2010, tighter restrictions have been imposed on fishing and snowmobiling in the seal habitat area among other measures.