Seals at sea: modelling seal distribution in the German bight based on aerial survey data |
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| Authors: | Helena Herr M Scheidat K Lehnert U Siebert |
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| Institution: | (1) Research and Technology Center, University of Kiel, Hafentoern 1, 25761 Buesum, Germany;(2) Wageningen IMARES, Institute for Marine Resources and Ecosystem Studies, PO Box 167, Den Burg, The Netherlands |
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| Abstract: | The Wadden Sea is an important habitat for harbour seals and grey seals. They regularly haul-out on sandbanks and islands
along the coast. Comparably little is known about the time seals spend at sea and how they use the remainder of the North
Sea. Yet, human activity in offshore waters is increasing and information on seal distribution in the North Sea is crucial
for conservation and management. Aerial line transect surveys were conducted in the German bight from 2002 to 2007 to investigate
the distribution and abundance of marine mammals. Distance sampling methodology was combined with density surface modelling
for a spatially explicit analysis of seal distribution in the German North Sea. Depth and distance to coast were found to
be relevant predictor variables for seal density. Density surface modelling allowed for a depiction of seal distribution in
the study area as well as an abundance estimate. This is the first study to use aerial survey data to develop a density surface
model (DSM) for a spatially explicit distribution estimate of seals at sea.
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