More than a quarter of the seals killed along the nation's coastline last year were shot by RSPCA-accredited fish farmers.

In Scotland alone, 205 seals are known to have been legally killed to protect stocks of salmon and other fish.

Of those, 52 were shot by the animal welfare charity's Freedom Food initiative, which is dedicated to improving conditions for farm animals. Many Scottish salmon producers work to RSPCA standards. But that doesn't stop them being able to shoot seals. The organisation has just re-written its welfare guidelines - but has resisted growing calls to ban the use of lethal measures to protect fish stocks.

RSPCA, how is killing our native wildlife for the sake of unnatural fish stocks serving your purpose of preventing cruelty to animals?