Northern Fur Seal Pup Production and Adult Male Counts on the Pribilof Islands, Alaska 2007-2016

Adult male northern fur seals on St. Paul and St. George Islands were counted over the period July 8-15, 2007. Results showed a 5% decline in total counts of adult male fur seals between 2006 and 2007.  

2008 Northern Fur Seal Pup Production and Adult Male Counts on the Pribilof Islands, Alaska 

In August 2008, numbers of northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) pups on the Pribilof Islands were estimated using shear-sampling, a mark-recapture method. We estimated 102,674  pups were born on St. Paul Island and 18,160 on St. George Island. The observed pup mortality rates of 5.3% on St. Paul Island and 5.4% on St. George Island were relatively low, yet higher than estimates obtained in 2004 and 2006. Pup production was estimated on Sea Lion Rock, a small island approximately 500 m from St. Paul Island, for the first time since 2002. The estimated number of pups born on Sea Lion Rock was 6,741. Pup production on Sea Lion Rock decreased by 22.8% since the last estimate in 2002. The overall decrease in pup production for St. Paul and St. George Islands combined from 2006 to 2008 is approximately 4.9%. Since 1998, pup production on the Pribilof Islands (St. Paul and St. George Islands) has declined at an annual rate of 5.2%.

Adult male northern fur seals on St. Paul, and St. George Islands were counted over the period July 8 to 15, 2008. Overall, the total number of adult males counted on the Pribilof Islands in 2008 increased by 4.6% from 2007 to 10,612.

2009 Northern Fur Seal Adult Male Counts on the Pribilof Islands, Alaska

Adult male northern fur seals on St. Paul, and St. George Islands were counted during the period July 8 to 14, 2009. Overall, the total number of adult males counted on the Pribilof Islands in 2009 increased by 4.1% from 2008 to 11,044.

The rate of entanglement among adult females on St. Paul was estimated during the counting of adult males. The results produced an estimated entanglement of 0.0%. A sample of females was also counted on St. George Island. No females seen in the sample were entangled or scarred.

2010 Northern Fur Seal Pup Production and Adult Male counts on the Pribilof Islands, Alaska

In August 2010, numbers of northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) pups on the Pribilof Islands were estimated using shear-sampling, a mark-recapture method. We estimated 94,502 pups were born on St. Paul Island and 17,973 on St. George Island. The observed pup mortality rates were 5.6% on St. Paul Island and 5.3% on St. George Island. The overall decrease in pup production for St. Paul and St. George Islands combined from 2008 to 2010 is approximately 6.9%. 

Adult male northern fur seals on St. Paul, and St. George Islands were counted over the period July 9 to 17, 2010. Overall, the total number of adult males counted on the Pribilof Islands in 2010 decreased by 3.3% from 2009 to 10,674.

2011 Northern Fur Seal Adult Male Counts on the Pribilof Islands, Alaska

Adult male northern fur seals on St. Paul, and St. George Islands were counted during the period July 9 to 14, 2011. Overall, the total number of adult males counted on the Pribilof Islands in 2011 increased by 2.3% from 2010 to 10,922.

The rate of entanglement among adult females on St. Paul was estimated during the counting of adult males. The results produced an estimated entanglement rate of 0.04%

2012 Northern Fur Seal Pup Production and Adult Male Counts on the Pribilof Islands, Alaska

During August 2012, numbers of northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) pups on the Pribilof Islands were estimated using shear-sampling, a mark-recapture method. We estimated 96,828 pups were born on St. Paul Island and 16,184 on St. George Island. The observed pup mortality rates were 3.7% on St. Paul Island and 3.1% on St. George Island. Overall pup production for the Pribilof Islands increased approximately 0.5% from 2010 to 2012, marking the first year since 1998 that estimated pup production did not decline (overall or on St. Paul Island). During this time, however, pup production on St. Paul Island declined 46.0%.

Adult male northern fur seals on St. Paul and St. George Islands were counted over the period July 9 - 15, 2012. Overall, the total number of adult males counted on the Pribilof Islands in 2012 decreased by 18.5% from 2011 to 8,900.

2013 Northern Fur Seal Adult Male Counts on the Pribilof Islands, Alaska

Adult male northern fur seals on St. Paul and St. George Islands were counted over the period July 10 to 17, 2013. Overall, the total number of adult males counted on the Pribilof Islands in 2013 increased by 9.0% from 2012 to 9,704.

2014 Northern Fur Seal Pup Production and Adult Male Counts on the Pribilof Islands, Alaska

During August 2014, numbers of northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) pups on the Pribilof Islands were estimated using shear-sampling, a mark-recapture method. We estimated 91,737 pups were born on St. Paul Island and 18,937 on St. George Island. The observed pup mortality rates were 3.0% on St. Paul Island and 2.7% on St. George Island. Pup production was estimated on Sea Lion Rock, a small island approximately 500 m from St. Paul Island, in 2014 resulting in an estimate of 5,250 pups born. The 2014 Sea Lion Rock estimate was 22.1% lower than the previous estimate in 2008. Overall pup production for the Pribilof Islands decreased approximately 2.1% from 2012 to 2014. Since 1998 pup production on the Pribilof Islands (St. Paul and St. George Islands combined) declined 45.0%, or at an annual rate of 3.7%.

Adult male northern fur seals on St. Paul and St. George Islands were counted over the period July 7 to 15, 2014. Overall, the total number of adult males counted on the Pribilof Islands in 2014 decreased by 8.8% from 2013 to 8,850.

2015 Northern Fur Seal Adult Male Counts on the Pribilof Islands, Alaska

Adult male northern fur seals on St. Paul and St. George Islands were counted over the period July 9 to 15, 2015. Overall, the total number of adult males counted on the Pribilof Islands in 2015 decreased by 1.6% from 2014 to 8,707.

2016 Northern Fur Seal Pup Production and Adult Male Counts on the Pribilof Islands, Alaska

During August 2016, numbers of northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) pups on the Pribilof Islands were estimated using shear-sampling, a mark-recapture method. We estimated 80,641 pups were born on St. Paul Island and 20,490 on St. George Island. The observed pup mortality rates were 2.7% on St. Paul Island and 1.1% on St. George Island. Overall pup production for the Pribilof Islands decreased by approximately 8.6% from 2014 to 2016. Since 1998 pup production on the Pribilof Islands (St. Paul and St. George Islands combined) declined 49.7%, or at an annual rate of 3.5%. Estimated pup production on St. Paul has not been this low since before 1915.  At that time the population was recovering from pelagic sealing at approximately 8% annually.

Adult male northern fur seals on St. Paul and St. George Islands were counted over the period July 10 -19, 2016. Overall, the total number of adult males counted on the Pribilof Islands in 2016 decreased by 13.7% from 2015 to 7,515.