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- July 1, 2025
Beaked whales (Family Ziphiidae; Order Cetacea) are the least well-described group of marine mammals because they conduct very long deep dives, spend little time on the surface where they display cryptic behavior, and are difficult to identify due to the similarity between species. Beaked whales are also known to be susceptible to high-energy sound sources in the ocean (e.g. seismic research, sonars used by military activities).
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- June 1, 2014
This report summarizes information from 24 U.S. Navy-funded aerial surveys of pinniped haulout sites in the inland waters of Washington State conducted between March 2013 and February 2014 by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
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- April 1, 2014
During this survey, the visual team surveyed 4,504 kilometers (km) of ‘full-effort,’ which included 349 km of ‘transit-effort.’ There was an additional 375 km of ‘fog-effort’ (transect and transit). Based on total effort, there were 802 sightings (1,998 individuals) of 13 confirmed marine mammal species, with an additional 162 sightings (228 individuals) of unidentified cetaceans and pinnipeds (including those recorded on transit and during off-effort mode).
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- August 5, 2009
Aerial surveys were conducted in conjunction with two US Navy (Navy) Major Training Events (MTE) involving mid-frequency active sonar (MFAS) and explosives in October (Oct) and mid-November (Nov) 2008 in the Southern California Range Complex (SOCAL) off San Diego, California. The purpose of this survey was to monitor potential effects or lack of observable effects of MFAS and explosives on mammals and sea turtles (MM/ST) during a MTE from 17-21 Oct and beginning one day after a MTE from 15-18 Nov.
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- August 6, 2025
The Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), NOAA Fisheries, with support from the U.S. Navy, conducted line transect surveys in Behm Canal and adjacent areas in the spring of 2023 and fall of 2024 to obtain estimates of density and abundance of cetaceans and information on marine mammal distribution and occurrence.
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Complete
Aerial Surveys of Marine Mammals Conducted in the Inland Puget Sound Waters of Washington, summer 2013 – winter 2016
Project Objectives
1) Conduct aerial surveys during four seasonal periods within the inland Puget Sound Survey Area to assess potential differences in seasonal distribution, numbers, and behavioral state patterns of marine mammals; 2) Collect data to estimate densities of marine mammals in the inland Puget Sound waters for species with sufficient sightings; 3) Estimate abundance for each marine mammal species seen an adequate number of times; 4) Document the distribution and habitat use of each species observed; 5) Document and describe behaviors seen without performing focal follows.
Complete
Haul-Out Counts and Photo-Identification of Pinnipeds in Narragansett Bay, RI
Project Objectives
Document seasonal occurrence, habitat use, and haul-out patterns of seals
Current
Haul-Out Counts and Photo-Identification of Pinnipeds in Virginia
Project Objectives
Document seasonal occurrence, habitat use, and haul-out patterns of seals
Complete
Pinniped Monitoring in the Northeast
Project Objectives
Document habitat use, haul-out patterns, and baseline behavior of seals
Complete
Pinniped Tagging and Tracking in Southeast Virginia
Project Objectives
Document habitat use, movement and haul-out patterns of seals in the Hampton Roads region of Chesapeake Bay and coastal Atlantic Ocean
Current
Time-lapse Camera Surveys of Pinnipeds in Southeastern Virginia
Project Objectives
Document seasonal occurrence, habitat use, and haul-out patterns of seals
Complete
Vessel-based Marine Mammal Surveys in Puget Sound, Washington
Project Objectives
Conduct marine mammal in-water vessel-based line transect surveys in the Puget Sound basin to: 1) Record data on all marine mammal species seen with the study area, with a focus on the killer whale (Orcinus orca) and the harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). 2) Identify the seasonal occurrence and abundance/density of cetaceans within the study area. 3) Identify the effects of environmental variables on the distribution and abundance of species in the study area.
Winter is here in Virginia, and so are the seals!
January 21, 2025
NAVFAC LANT researchers are back at it for the 11th field season of monitoring gray and harbor seals at two major haul-out locations in southeastern Virginia.
Aerial Surveys to Confirm Seal Haul-out Sites in Virginia
January 14, 2025
Each fall/winter, some portion of the Northwest Atlantic harbor seal population that summers in New England make their way south to Virginia.
Seal Tagged in 2022 is Back Again!
February 14, 2024
On 10 February 2024, a local wildlife enthusiast, Caroline Prevost, was out on the Chesapeake Bay when she observed some harbor seals enjoying time in the water near island 4 of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.
Pinniped season has begun in SE Virginia
October 27, 2021
Camera traps have been installed to track seals in Virginia.
Seal Tagging Team Win!
February 6, 2018
Successful seal tag deployment on the Eastern Shore of VA.
First Harbor Seal Haul-Out Survey of the Season in Virginia
December 19, 2017
Seals have arrived in Virginia
Seals of Rhode Island and Virginia
February 17, 2016
Two projects studying harbor seals on the east coast.
Harbor seal distribution along the United States (U.S.) Atlantic coast appears to be expanding. During the fall of 2014, we began an investigation of harbor seal presence in the lower Chesapeake Bay, VA (Figure 1). The study is ongoing
in 2017-2018…
