Status of harbour seals (<i>Phoca vitulina</i>) in mainland Norway
Harbour seals were counted along the entire Norwegian coast at known moulting haulout sites in the period mid-August to early September 2003-2006. In 2003-2005, almost all known moulting areas from Finnmark to Vestfold counties were covered by aerial photo surveys flown at altitudes of approximately...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Septentrio Academic Publishing
2010-09-01
|
| Series: | NAMMCO Scientific Publications |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/NAMMCOSP/article/view/2672 |
| _version_ | 1819182569124528128 |
|---|---|
| author | Kjell Tormod Nilssen Nils-Erik Skavberg Michael Poltermann Tore Haug Tero Härkönen Gunnar Henriksen |
| author_facet | Kjell Tormod Nilssen Nils-Erik Skavberg Michael Poltermann Tore Haug Tero Härkönen Gunnar Henriksen |
| author_sort | Kjell Tormod Nilssen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Harbour seals were counted along the entire Norwegian coast at known moulting haulout sites in the period mid-August to early September 2003-2006. In 2003-2005, almost all known moulting areas from Finnmark to Vestfold counties were covered by aerial photo surveys flown at altitudes of approximately 800-900 ft (243-274m), and at low tide (± 2 hours). Surveys in the Østfold County were flown in 2003-2006 at 300 ft (91m), and the small tidal amplitudes permitted counts to be carried out irrespective of the tidal cycle. In some sub-areas, two or three independent surveys were conducted. Visual counts using binoculars from smaller boats and islands were carried out in some selected areas. The surveys revealed a total minimum population of 6,705 harbour seals in Norwegian waters. Harbour seals were most abundant in the Nordland and Sør-Trøndelag counties with minimum estimates of approximately 2,500 and 1,500 seals, respectively. The presented minimum estimate is approximately 800 seals lower than an estimate obtained in a comparable study carried out during the moult in 1996-1999. Increased anthropogenic removals, and the phocine distemper virus (PDV) epidemic in the Skagerrak region in 2002, may have contributed to the current lower estimate. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T22:48:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8577f92154fc412da7b8fafb42f772a5 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1560-2206 2309-2491 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T22:48:13Z |
| publishDate | 2010-09-01 |
| publisher | Septentrio Academic Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | NAMMCO Scientific Publications |
| spelling | doaj.art-8577f92154fc412da7b8fafb42f772a52022-12-21T18:10:00ZengSeptentrio Academic PublishingNAMMCO Scientific Publications1560-22062309-24912010-09-0180616910.7557/3.26722472Status of harbour seals (<i>Phoca vitulina</i>) in mainland NorwayKjell Tormod Nilssen0Nils-Erik Skavberg1Michael Poltermann2Tore Haug3Tero Härkönen4Gunnar Henriksen5Institute of Marine Research, PO Box 6404, N-9013 Tromsø, NorwayInstitute of Marine Research, PO Box 6404, N-9013 Tromsø, NorwayInstitute of Marine Research, PO Box 6404, N-9013 Tromsø, NorwayInstitute of Marine Research, PO Box 6404, N-9013 Tromsø, NorwaySwedish Museum of Natural History, Department of Contaminant Research, Box 50007, S-10405 Stockholm, SwedenInternational Research Institute of Stavanger AS, Mekjarvik 12, N-4070 Randaberg, NorwayHarbour seals were counted along the entire Norwegian coast at known moulting haulout sites in the period mid-August to early September 2003-2006. In 2003-2005, almost all known moulting areas from Finnmark to Vestfold counties were covered by aerial photo surveys flown at altitudes of approximately 800-900 ft (243-274m), and at low tide (± 2 hours). Surveys in the Østfold County were flown in 2003-2006 at 300 ft (91m), and the small tidal amplitudes permitted counts to be carried out irrespective of the tidal cycle. In some sub-areas, two or three independent surveys were conducted. Visual counts using binoculars from smaller boats and islands were carried out in some selected areas. The surveys revealed a total minimum population of 6,705 harbour seals in Norwegian waters. Harbour seals were most abundant in the Nordland and Sør-Trøndelag counties with minimum estimates of approximately 2,500 and 1,500 seals, respectively. The presented minimum estimate is approximately 800 seals lower than an estimate obtained in a comparable study carried out during the moult in 1996-1999. Increased anthropogenic removals, and the phocine distemper virus (PDV) epidemic in the Skagerrak region in 2002, may have contributed to the current lower estimate.https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/NAMMCOSP/article/view/2672harbour sealsNorwaysurveysabundance |
| spellingShingle | Kjell Tormod Nilssen Nils-Erik Skavberg Michael Poltermann Tore Haug Tero Härkönen Gunnar Henriksen Status of harbour seals (<i>Phoca vitulina</i>) in mainland Norway NAMMCO Scientific Publications harbour seals Norway surveys abundance |
| title | Status of harbour seals (<i>Phoca vitulina</i>) in mainland Norway |
| title_full | Status of harbour seals (<i>Phoca vitulina</i>) in mainland Norway |
| title_fullStr | Status of harbour seals (<i>Phoca vitulina</i>) in mainland Norway |
| title_full_unstemmed | Status of harbour seals (<i>Phoca vitulina</i>) in mainland Norway |
| title_short | Status of harbour seals (<i>Phoca vitulina</i>) in mainland Norway |
| title_sort | status of harbour seals i phoca vitulina i in mainland norway |
| topic | harbour seals Norway surveys abundance |
| url | https://septentrio.uit.no/index.php/NAMMCOSP/article/view/2672 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT kjelltormodnilssen statusofharboursealsiphocavitulinaiinmainlandnorway AT nilserikskavberg statusofharboursealsiphocavitulinaiinmainlandnorway AT michaelpoltermann statusofharboursealsiphocavitulinaiinmainlandnorway AT torehaug statusofharboursealsiphocavitulinaiinmainlandnorway AT teroharkonen statusofharboursealsiphocavitulinaiinmainlandnorway AT gunnarhenriksen statusofharboursealsiphocavitulinaiinmainlandnorway |