Sampling location for harbor seal genetics in Washington and British Columbia from 1993-08-25 to 2009-09-23 (NCEI Accession 0148458)

• Main Author: Harriet Huber
• Format: Dataset
• Language: unknown
• Published: NOAA NCEI Environmental Data Archive 2016
• Subjects: DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NODC > National Oceanographic Data Center, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce; DOC/NOAA/NESDIS/NCEI > National Centers for Environmental Information, NESDIS, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce; 0148458; ANIMALS - INDIVIDUAL - AGE; US DOC; NOAA; NESDIS; National Centers for Environmental Information; oceanography; San Juan; Boundary Bay; harbor seal
• Online Access: https://search.dataone.org/view/{9747ACB5-F69D-473E-BFB6-82CB28B43003}

Using skin samples from 777 unweaned pups collected in 9 different regions in WA state and British Columbia (WA Coastal Estuaries, WA North Coast, British Columbia, Boundary Bay, San Juan Islands, Smith/Minor Islands, Dungeness Spit, Hood Canal, South Puget Sound), the California Current Ecosystem Program at the Marine Mammal Laboratory/AFSC tested levels of genetic variation using mtDNA and 9 microsatellite loci. For both mtDNA and microsatellites we found the same four groupings. Previously, harbor seals were managed as two stocks: coastal and Inland waters. The data indicated that the harbor seals should be managed as four stocks: one on the Coast and three stocks in the Inland Waters. An additional 92 skin samples were collected opportunistically from non-pups. They have not yet been analyzed.