Today is the International Seal Day. It was first held on 22. March 1982 to draw attention to the status of the seal that was overhunted and their population was declining. The U.S. Congress saw a reason to intervene by giving the seal this day. It also took various actions to raise awareness to the importance of protecting the seal.
Seal hunting has been banned in Iceland since 2019, but seals can live for a long time, so it takes time for the population to grow. The Icelandic harbour seal is classified as endangered and Icelandic grey seal is classified as at some risk. It is important to be aware of situation and make sure that the seal population in Iceland reaches the targeted minimum number.