SEAL RESEARCH

Over the past thirty years, gray seals have repopulated areas around the Cape and Islands where they once were abundant prior to seal bounties. This expansion in their range along the eastern USA has led to a greater number of seals in local waters .

In 2014, the Center for Coastal Studies seal studies program,  in conjunction with the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC), began aerial and boat based seal surveys for southeastern Massachusetts. 

The goal of this project is to conduct monthly surveys of major seal haul-out sites in southeastern Massachusetts coastal waters to increase our understanding of seal distribution and numbers.

CCS IMAGES AND VIDEO TAKEN UNDER NOAA PERMIT #17670