Ringed Seal Research Results 2016 Tagging
Results from the Summer of 2016:
In June 2016, the NSB DWM commenced seal capture work. We deploy monofilament drift nets along the ice edge during breakup to capture ringed seals, and near sandy spits to capture spotted seals that are hauled out. Length, girth and weight measurements are taken, as well as blood samples for health assessment. Satellite tags are attached to record movements and habitat use and CTD tags include information on water chemistry. We will continue to send maps throughout the season until the satellite tags stop transmitting. The maps are separated by species and show the movements and latest location of each seal. Males are indicated by triangles and females are indicated by circles. Seal IDs with an asterisk (*) indicate that the seal was tagged with a CTD transmitter provided by the ADFG-AMMP as part of a collaborative partnership with the NSB-DWM. Seal IDs with an ‘x‘ indicate that the tag has most likely stopped transmitting. Please feel free to contact Andy Von Duyke if you have any questions or comments.
Capture Team: Andy Von Duyke, Bobby Sarren, Billy Adams, Joe Skin, Isaac Leavitt, Aaron Morris, Craig George, Chan Charoonsophonsak, Mark Nelson (ADF&G), Anna Bryan (ADF&G)
Satellite Tag Data: David Douglas (USGS)
The tagging team consists of staff from the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management (NSB-DWM) and from the Marine Mammal Program at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG-MMP). Two ringed seals (#16-02 and #16-07) were tagged with CTD transmitters provided by ADFG as part of a collaborative project. As such, their locations will be reported on maps from both NSB-DWM and ADFG-MMP.
Funding for this work is provided by the Collaborative Alaskan Arctic Studies Program (CAASP; formerly the Shell Baseline Studies Program) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR). An archive of all maps, as well as additional information about this project, is available here. This seal research is conducted under NMFS permit #15324 and under an approved Animal Care and Use Committee Protocol #2016-23.
May 2, 2017
The attached maps show the most recent locations for all seals tagged in 2016 organized by species.
April 5, 2017
The attached maps show the most recent locations for all seals tagged in 2016 organized by species.
February 24, 2017
The attached maps show the most recent locations for all seals tagged in 2016 organized by species. Seal IDs with an ‘x’ indicate that the tag has most likely stopped transmitting.
January 3, 2017
See the attached maps showing the most recent locations of all seals tagged since 28 November 2016 organized by species. Note that page 4 of this map set shows one spotted seal (SS_15-03) that was tagged in 2015 and has transmitted its location within the past month. This seal returned to the vicinity of Utqiaġvik where it was captured in the summer of 2016. We will continue to provide information on this seal along with the 2016 seals.
November 28, 2016
See the attached maps showing the most recent locations of all seals tagged since 28 November 2016 organized by species. Note that page 4 of this map set shows 3 spotted seals that were tagged in 2015 that returned to the vicinity of Barrow where they were captured. We will continue to provide information on these seals along with the 2016 seals. One of these seals (SS_15-03) continues to transmit data. The other two may send more locations if they haul out.
October 12, 2016
See the attached maps showing the most recent locations of all seals tagged since 12 October 2016 organized by species. Note that page 4 of this map set shows 3 spotted seals that were tagged in 2015 that returned to the vicinity of Barrow where they were captured. We will continue to provide information on these seals along with the 2016 seals.
September 9, 2016
See the attached maps showing the most recent locations of all seals tagged since 9 September 2016. Note that page 4 of this map set shows 3 spotted seals that were tagged in 2015 that returned to the vicinity of Barrow where they were captured. We will continue to provide information on these seals along with the 2016 seals.
August 22, 2016
See the attached maps showing the most recent locations of all seals tagged since 22 August 2016. Within the last several weeks, we have captured and tagged 7 spotted seals (Phoca largha) and one bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus).
August 8, 2016
See the attached maps showing the most recent locations of all seals tagged since 8 August 2016. Within the last two weeks, we caught and tagged four spotted seals (Phoca largha) in Dease Inlet. Four seals (2 ringed and 2 spotted) were tagged with CTD transmitters provided by ADFG-AMMP as part of a collaboration with the NSB-DWM. Those 4 seals are indicted with an asterisk (*).
July 28, 2016
See the attached map showing the most recent locations of all seals tagged since 28 July 2016.
July 11, 2016
See the attached maps showing the most recent locations of all seals tagged in 2016. On July 1st and 2nd, 2016, we captured and tagged a total of 12 ringed seals (Pusa hispida, also cited as Phoca hispida) in the vicinity of Barrow, AK. Each seal was fit with two satellite transmitters. The maps show the movements of each seal tagged. Map points show the daily location of each seal. Males are indicated by triangles and females are indicated by circles.
