Multi-Year Study Seeks to Understand Potential Impact of Tour Vessels on Harbor Seals in Alaska's Disenchantment Bay

Seal pups tracked with satellite tags from Disenchantment Bay, near Yakutat, Alaska, traveled remarkable distances of more than 300 nm to Prince William Sound and Southeast Alaska. Scientists from NOAA Fisheries and National Park Service’s Glacier Bay Field Office reported these preliminary findings in a recent study to identify potential impacts of tour vessels on harbor seal populations in the bay. Over the next year, scientists will be analyzing data collected over the past two years and developing statistical models to better understand these impacts.