NMFS/Alaska Region/Protected Resources

• Main Authors: Mr. Mike Williams, Terry R. Spraker
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2008
• Subjects: Alaska; Northern fur seal
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.363.4307; http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/protectedresources/seals/fur/hor/2008.pdf

2008. I missed the first two harvests, however arrangements were made with the Tribal Government of St. Paul Island to collect similar data for incorporation into this report. The harvest started on 5 July and ended on 8 August. Seven harvests were conducted. A total of 332 seals including 329 subadult males and three females were taken this year. Of the three females that were taken in the subsistence harvest, one was from Big Zapandi on 6 August, one from Polovina on 7 August and one from Gorbatch on 8 August. Two of these females were young and this would have been their first breeding and the other was middle aged and did have a pup this year. One subadult male died from hyperthermia this season (Zapadni Sands Reef). The harvests started earlier this year than in previous years. This year all but one harvest stated between 8:57AM to noon, but one started at 2:21PM. Rest periods varied from 10 to 19 minutes with an average of 12 minutes. Animals were killed in a humane fashion at all harvests. Wastage was not observed this summer. Pelts were not found this season that had been contaminated with oil from beaches. From 1998 to 2008 pelts of seals were not found with oil contamination. The 2008 northern fur seal harvest went well this year. For the most part the harvests were slower; this was considered to be better for the seals and resulted in better quality of the meat. Thank you for allowing me to be the humane observer this season.