Ringed Seal Research Results 2017 Tagging
Results from the Summer of 2017:
In June 2017, 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, Craig George, Mark Nelson (ADF&G), Anna Bryan (ADF&G), Justin Crawford (ADFG-AMMP) and Ryan Adam (ADFG-AMMP)
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). 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). Also, several seals were tagged by NSB-DWM & ADFG-AMMP in a collaborative project funded by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR). An archive of these maps and information is available here.
This seal research is conducted under NMFS permit #15324 and under an approved Animal Care and Use Committee Protocol #2016-23. Additional information about this project is available here.
September 22, 2017
The attached map shows the most recent location for 1 adult male ringed seal and 3 male spotted seals (1 adult, 2 subadults) tagged near Utqiaġvik in July and August of 2017.
August 29, 2017
The attached map shows the most recent locations of 4 seals (1 ringed seal and 3 spotted seals) tagged in July and August of 2017.
July 14, 2017
The attached map shows the most recent location for a single adult male ringed seal tagged on July 3, 2017. The tagging team consisted of staff from the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management (NSB-DWM), from the Arctic Marine Mammal Program of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG-AMMP), and Alaska Native hunters from Utqiaġvik. Note: A bearded seal and a spotted seal tagged in 2016 in collaboration with the Arctic Marine Mammals Program of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) are both still transmitting. For maps of these seals, as well as all seals tagged in the AMMP of the ADF&G, go to this webpage. You can also view animations of tagged seal movements for 2014-2016.
