SMRU Grey Seal UK 1991-1993

Kelly Macleod

doi:10.15468/69rhpw

SMRU Grey Seal UK 1991-1993

Citation

Macleod, K. 2012. SMRU Grey Seal UK 1991-1993. Data downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP (http://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/71) on yyyy-mm-dd. https://doi.org/10.15468/69rhpw accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-05-21.

Description

Original provider: Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St. Andrews Dataset credits: Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU), University of St. Andrews Abstract: The movements of 14 grey seals Halichoerus grypus Fab. caught at the Farnes in north-east England (n = 12) and Abertay in eastern Scotland (n = 2) between August 1991 and July 1993 were investigated using Argos Satellite Relay Data Loggers (SRDL). The data are a spreadsheet of points representing seal locations. The low and irregular uplink rate from an SRDL on a seal to the Argos satellites can result in potentially significant errors in some location fixes. Therefore, locations were filtered using an algorithm based on a [maximum speed parameter] of 2 m s-1. This filter rejected 17% of the primary locations that would have required an unrealistic rate of travel to achieve. However, this does not remove all invalid locations hence there are still some data points occurring inland. There are 9,454 locations in the spreadsheet covering all months of the year except February and March. Purpose: Grey seals Halichoerus grypus Fab. are large, numerous marine top predators. The British population in 1994 was estimated to be 108,000 individuals and it has been steadily increasing since. Fears concerning competition with fisheries have prompted calls for control measures under the UK Conservation of Seals Act 1970. However, little is known about the areas where grey seals forage or of the distances they may travel. Management must be based on an understanding of the complex seal-fishery interactions, a component of which is having information on the temporal and spatial distribution of seals.

Purpose

Grey seals Halichoerus grypus Fab. are large, numerous marine top predators. The British population in 1994 was estimated to be 108,000 individuals and it has been steadily increasing since. Fears concerning competition with fisheries have prompted calls for control measures under the UK Conservation of Seals Act 1970. However, little is known about the areas where grey seals forage or of the distances they may travel. Management must be based on an understanding of the complex seal-fishery interactions, a component of which is having information on the temporal and spatial distribution of seals.

Sampling Description

Study Extent

NA

Sampling

NA

Method steps

NA

Additional info

marine, harvested by iOBIS

Taxonomic Coverages

Scientific names are based on the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).

Halichoerus grypus
common name: Atlantic gray seal rank: species

Geographic Coverages

Oceans

Bibliographic Citations

Contacts

Kelly Macleod
originator
position: Primary contact
Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews
email: km53@gatty.st-and.ac.uk

OBIS-SEAMAP
metadata author
Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University
A328 LSRC building
Durham
27708
NC
US
email: seamap-contact@duke.edu
homepage: http://seamap.env.duke.edu

OBIS-SEAMAP
distributor
Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University
A328 LSRC building
Durham
27708
NC
US
email: seamap-contact@duke.edu
homepage: http://seamap.env.duke.edu

Kelly Macleod
owner
position: Primary contact
Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews
email: km53@gatty.st-and.ac.uk

Kelly Macleod
administrative point of contact
position: Primary contact
Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews
email: km53@gatty.st-and.ac.uk