The Stralsund District Court has issued penalty orders against two fishermen from the island of Rügen for their role in the deaths of at least five protected grey seals in autumn 2024. The two men, aged 43 and 66, operated a floating fish trap near the "Thiessower Haken" in southeastern Rügen. Despite noticing that grey seals repeatedly became entangled and suffocated in the trap during their regular checks, they failed to take any action to prevent further incidents. The court stated that the fishermen at least tacitly accepted the deaths of at least five grey seals as a result of their inaction. Each fisherman is ordered to pay 90 daily rates, equivalent to three months' salary, though the exact monetary amount was not disclosed. This case follows the discovery of 47 dead grey seals off Rügen in October 2024, which led to the exclusion of natural causes and significant losses for the local population, with Sea Shepherd reporting 20 percent of the local population died.