Tagging and recoveries of grey seals Halichoerus grypus in north Norway and on the Murman Coast, Russia

Abstract

A total of 787 grey seal pups were tagged between Vestfjorden in North Norway and the White Sea in North West Russia from 1989 to 1994. A majority of them (542) were tagged at the Ainov archipelago on the Murman coast. Thirty-six ( 4.6 %) of the tagged seals were recovered, almost all taken as bycatches in fishing gear. Thirty-three of the recaptures were made during the first seven months after tagging. Of the remaining three, two were in their second year, and one in its third year. The pups seem to disperse considerably. Ten pups were recovered less than 100 km from the tagging site, 8 pups between 100 and 200 km and 15 pups more than 400 km from the tagging site. Two pups tagged at Seven Islands in Russia 21 November 1994, were recovered in Norway on 1 March and 10 April 1995 respectively. The first one in Lyngen (Troms county) 790 km from the tagging site, and the second one outside Myre (Nordland county) 1010 krn from the tagging site. The pups may disperse both east- and westwards. The lack of recoveries from the Russian coast are most likely due to the lack of coastal fisheries and hunting of grey seals in the area.