Ostend (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – 7 seals returned to Klein Strand, Ostend, after weeks away due to a new protective fence. Alderman Fabrice Goffin and experts say the fence helps seals rest safely, pleasing visitors.
As VRT News reported, seals have returned to Klein Strand in Ostend after weeks away. On Saturday, Aug 9, 2025, just after noon, 7 seals were resting on the beach while one swam nearby. The seals had stayed away since mid-June 2025, when the city put up a new fence.
The fence was erected for the purpose of keeping seals safe by separating them from dogs and people who walk in the area. Officials were hoping that this way, the seals could rest without being disturbed. They added that the fence is designed to keep seals safe and to allow the public to use the beach safely.
Why did seals stay away from Klein Strand, and what helped them return?
After the fence was installed, the seals stayed away from Klein Strand for some time. This raised concerns that the fence might have disturbed their natural space or made them feel unsafe. City officials and wildlife experts kept a close watch on the situation. Now that the seals have returned.
Inge Debrucker from the North Seal Team said that between mid-April and mid-July, seal sightings usually drop because it is their mating season. To help the seals come back, officials decided in mid-July to move part of the fence closer to the breakwater.
Fabrice Gofffin, the Alderman for Animal Welfare, described the return of the seals to Klein Strand as “a great relief. ” He noted that the seals resting on the beach attracted a large crowd of visitors on the afternoon of Saturday, August 9, 2025. They are expecting others to come and watch the seals.
Before the new wooden fence was built at Klein Strand in Ostend, temporary barriers were used to protect the seals. These fences had gaps at low tide, so people and dogs could still enter where seals rest. This caused problems and stressed the seals.
Volunteers watched the area to keep visitors away, but many people still got too close as more seals came to the beach. Because of this, a permanent wooden fence was put up in June 2025. It runs from the Western to Eastern Breakwater and fully surrounds the seal area, even at low tide.
This is the first permanent seal protection on the Belgian coast. Volunteers now have a cabin to stay in during their work, and swimming is not allowed in the protected zone to avoid disturbing the seals.
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