Pup Production of Harp Seals, Phoca groenlandica, in the Northwest Atlantic

1993 ◽  
Vol 50 (11) ◽  
pp. 2429-2439 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. B. Stenson ◽  
R. A. Myers ◽  
M. O. Hammill ◽  
I- H. Ni ◽  
W. G. Warren ◽  
...  

Northwest Atlantic harp seal, Phoca groenlandica, pup production was estimated from aerial surveys flown off eastern Newfoundland ("Front") and in the Gulf of St. Lawrence ("Gulf") during March 1990. One visual and two independent photographic estimates were obtained at the Front; a single photographic estimate was obtained in the Gulf. Photographic estimates were corrected for misidentified pups by comparing black-and-white photographs with ultraviolet imagery. Estimates were also corrected for pups absent from the ice at the time of the survey using distinct age-related developmental stages. Stage durations in the Gulf appeared consistent with previous studies but were increased by 30% to improve the fit to staging data collected at the Front. The best estimate of pup production at the Front was obtained from the visual surveys. A total of 467 000 (SE = 31 000) pups were born in three whelping concentrations. The photographic estimates were comparable. Pup production estimates for the southern (Magdalen Island) and northern (Mecatina) Gulf whelping patches were 106 000 (SE = 23 000) and 4 400 (SE = 1300), respectively. Thus, total pup production was estimated to be 578 000 (SE = 39 000).

1983 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 728-742 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. D. Bowen ◽  
D. E. Sergeant

Pup production of the northwest Atlantic harp seal population (Phoca groenlandica) was estimated using a modified Petersen model corrected for tag loss and nonreporting of recovered tags. Variance estimates were corrected for the additional sources of variation due to tag loss, reporting rate, and the estimation of the number of seals examined for tags. Experiments were conducted in March of 1978, 1979, and 1980 with 9154, 4939, and 6246 pups being tagged in each year, respectively. Estimates from short-term recoveries (within the same year) were unreliable because of failure to satisfy the assumption of uniform mixing of marked and unmarked seals. Pooled estimates from long-term recoveries (1–3 yr) were considered more reliable, with the 1978 estimate of 506 000 ± 77 000 (1 SE) and the 1979 estimate of 489 000 ± 71 000 being most reliable. Based on the results of this study and on the trend in catches of pups and immatures in West Greenland, we conclude that harp seal pup production and hence population size has probably increased since the imposition of catch quotas in 1971.


1985 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 468-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin G. Cooke

A simple numerical example shows that previously used procedures such as the "survival index" method for estimating the pup production in populations of harp seals (Phoca groenlandica) from samples of aged adults are unreliable because of their poor mathematical formulation. A corrected formulation, based on a maximum likelihood criterion, performed well in simulations tests. This was applied to age data from the Northwest Atlantic harp seal stock to obtain revised pup production estimates. A method to correct for the effects of errors in ageing also performed favourably in simulation trials.


1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 769-771 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. E. A. Stewart ◽  
B. E. Stewart

We examined 2267 harp seal mandibles to determine the frequency of extra, missing, and malformed teeth; to examine the effect of these anomalies on longevity; and to assess the usefulness of anomalies in identifying stocks of seals. Supernumerary teeth occurred in 1.7% of the seals, 0.5% of the seals were missing teeth (none because of trauma), and 0.6% had morphologically deviant teeth. Only 0.2% of the seals had more than one type of anomaly and none had all three. Average age and age–frequency distributions for anomalous and normal seals were not different. Anomalies were probably too rare and combined too much genetic variation to be useful in stock delineation.


1986 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 553-564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek Roff ◽  
W. Don Bowen

We examined changes in the age structure of the northwest Atlantic harp seal (Phoca groenlandica) population from 1967 to 1983. Through this period there has been a statistically significant population increase in the proportion of seals aged 2–6 yr. Precise estimation of the rate of increase is hindered by a tendency for immature seals to be overrepresented in samples of molting males. Two methods were developed to correct for this bias; these provide a minimum estimate of the proportion of seals aged 2–6 yr present in 1967. Utilizing a simulation model, we showed that the unadjusted and adjusted age distributions are both extremes and that the correct distribution probably lies between them. In both cases the data are more consistent with an increasing than a decreasing population, given the level of catch experienced by this population up to 1982. Recent total catches of 75 000 or less in 1983 and 1984 are substantially below the most conservative estimates of replacement yield in 1985 and will result in a further, more rapid population increase.


2021 ◽  
pp. 105291
Author(s):  
Agus Surachman ◽  
Alexis R. Santos ◽  
Jonathan K. Daw ◽  
Lacy Alexander ◽  
David M. Almeida ◽  
...  

1999 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Wolkers ◽  
I.C Burkow ◽  
M Monshouwer ◽  
C Lydersen ◽  
S Dahle ◽  
...  

1995 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 335-338
Author(s):  
Erling Sverre Nordøy
Keyword(s):  

2000 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tore Haug ◽  
Kjell T Nilssen ◽  
Lotta Lindblom

Data were collected from harp seal (Phoca groenlandica) and hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) pups belonging to the Greenland Sea (or "West Ice") stocks in 1995-1997. Pups of both species were observed to feed independently shortly after weaning, and their first food was almost exclusively crustaceans. Parathemisto sp., particularly P. libellula, dominated the diet of both the harp and the hooded seal pups, but the diet also contained sympagic amphipods of the genus Gammarus. Krill (Thysanoessa sp.) was of minor importance as food for seal pups in 1995, but occurred more frequentlyin the diet of both species in 1996 and 1997. Considerable niche overlap may suggest some interspecific competition between harp and hooded seal pups in the West Ice.


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