gov.noaa.nmfs.inport:75255 eng UTF8 dataset Northeast Fisheries Science Center (508)495-2000 166 Water Street Woods Hole MA 02543-1026 USA https://www.nefsc.noaa.gov WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Website Website for this organization information 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday - Friday resourceProvider Hatch, Joshua M (508) 495-2084 28 Tarzwell Drive Narragansett RI 02882 joshua.hatch@noaa.gov , Michael pointOfContact 2026-02-05T17:29:45 ISO 19115-2 Geographic Information - Metadata Part 2 Extensions for imagery and gridded data ISO 19115-2:2009(E) Seal Aerial Survey publication NOAA/NMFS/EDM 75255 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/75255 WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link Full Metadata Record View the complete metadata record on InPort for more information about this dataset. information The NEFSC has been conducting aerial surveys of gray seal pupping colonies since 2005 to monitor the number of pups born in U.S. waters. Surveys are flown from either a Cessna 252, Cessna Skymaster, or NOAA Twin Otter at altitudes ranging from 180-230 meters, using hand-held or belly-mounted Canon camera systems. Surveys may also be conducted with Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) at select colonies. Ideally, surveys are flown after all pups are born and before they start leaving the colony, but in some years surveys may have been flown before or after this optimal window. Furthermore, not all colonies may have been surveyed each year due to logistics or if the site was not yet an established pupping colony. The Northeast Fisheries Science Center has been conducting aerial surveys of harbor seals since 1983 to monitor the abundance of the population in U.S. waters. Surveys are flown during the pupping season when animals are concentrated on the coast of Maine and timed to coincide with peak pupping estimated to be around the end of May. Surveys are flown from a NOAA Twin Otter at 230 meters within 2 hours of low tide using a hand-held Canon camera and fixed 300mm lens. Close to 1,000 ledges are surveyed and grouped into bay units for analysis. Seal Aerial NEFSC scientific survey NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) Josephson, Elizabeth 508-495-2362 166 Water Street Woods Hole MA 02543-1026 USA elizabeth.josephson@noaa.gov pointOfContact DOC/NOAA/NMFS/NEFSC > Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce dataCentre Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Data Center Keywords 2017-04-24 publication 8.5 Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords GCMD Keyword Forum Page Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 22. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords information custodian Marine Development and Ecology Branch (MDEB) GIS Data Hub project InPort otherRestrictions Cite As: Northeast Fisheries Science Center, [Date of Access]: Seal Aerial Survey [Data Date Range], https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/75255. NOAA provides no warranty, nor accepts any liability occurring from any incomplete, incorrect, or misleading data, or from any incorrect, incomplete, or misleading use of the data. It is the responsibility of the user to determine whether or not the data is suitable for the intended purpose. otherRestrictions Use Constraints: These data were produced by NOAA and are not subject to copyright protection in the United States. NOAA waives any potential copyright and related rights in these data worldwide through the Creative Commons Zero 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication (CC0 1.0). unclassified NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA/NMFS/EDM 75255 https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inportserve/waf/noaa/nmfs/nefsc/dmp/pdf/75255.pdf WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link NOAA Data Management Plan (DMP) NOAA Data Management Plan for this record on InPort. information crossReference eng; US biota environment oceans -70.91666618 -66.97502064 41.26332486 44.93096407 ESRI REST Service https://services2.arcgis.com/C8EMgrsFcRFL6LrL/arcgis/rest/services/Seal_Aerial_Survey/FeatureServer WWW:LINK-1.0-http--link https://services2.arcgis.com/C8EMgrsFcRFL6LrL/arcgis/rest/services/Seal_Aerial_Survey/FeatureServer Data access URL download