Sealery and seal processing have been a part of Icelandic culture since the first settlers came to the island around 870. In the early years the meat was eaten, the fat was used as illuminant and the skin for various clothing. Today the seal is mostly hunted for their skin, but almost all the meat is buried. The skins are used for clothing, fashion design and various artefacts. In Iceland sealery has reduced dramatically in the last decades. The seals’ value as a tourist attraction is abundant for they are amazing animals to examine up close in their natural habitats.

Some people consider the seal to be an unwelcome guest in Icelandic waters, mainly because it encroaches on fish stocks along the shore, and can be a danger to salmon fishing. It also passes ringworms called seal worms on to fish, which can lead to an increase in cost for the fish processing.