336 



Fishery Bulletin 103(2) 



127" 126° 125 124 123 122° 121 120° 119= 



127° 126° 125 124 123 122= 121= 120= 119= 



127" 126" 125= 124= 123" 122" 121" 120" 119" 



127" 126" 125° 124° 123° 122° 121" 120° 119° 



Longitude (°N) 



Figure 4 



California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) sightings (o) during strip- 

 transect surveys flown in Beaufort sea states 0-4 and 0-499£ glare 

 conditions (solid zig-zag linel. (A) 26-30 May 1998, (B) 12-28 September 

 1998, (C) 1-11 December 1998, and (D) 13-21 July 1999. 



in July 1999, and this number was used to extrapolate 

 a total at-sea abundance estimate within the study area 

 of 12,232 sea lions. CVs of corrected estimates were 0.32 

 (May 1998), 0.26 (September 1998), 0.50 (December 

 1998), and 0.43 (July 1999; Table 1). 



During the May-June 1998 survey, sea lions were 

 most abundant in the northern part of the study area 



(Table 1). In September 1998, sea lions were most 

 abundant in the central part of the study area (zones 

 D and E). In December 1998 they were most abundant 

 in the southern portion of the study area (zones E 

 and F). During July 1999, sea lions were most abun- 

 dant in the south-central portion of the study area 

 (zone E ). 



