105 



Figure 23-3.-Estimated U.S. 

 population of Steller sea lions 

 and population trends in Alaska, 

 1960-90. 



Northern Fur Seal 



The northern fur seal of the North Pacific 

 Ocean, considered depleted under the 

 MMPA, ranges across subarctic Pacific Rim 

 waters from California to Japan. It num- 

 bered 1.2 million in 1983 with 871,000 in 

 U.S. waters. The major U.S. breeding pop- 

 ulation is on Alaska's Pribilof Islands of St. 

 Paul and St. George. Production on the 

 Pribilof Islands dropped more than 60% 



between 1955 and 1980, but has since 

 been stable. On St. George Island, produc- 

 tion has continued to decline about 

 6%/year since 1970 (Fig. 23-4). Small U.S. 

 breeding populations are also found on 

 Alaska's Bogoslof Island (1,500), and 

 California's San Miguel Island (4,000). The 

 Pribilof Islands' fur seal carrying capacity 

 has changed little since the 1950's. 



Figure 23-4— Northern fur seal 

 pup counts on St. Paul and St. 

 George Islands, Alaska, 1970-90. 



o 

 o 

 o 



09 

 03 



400 



300 



200 



100 



St Paul Island 

 — St. George Island 



Ol — 

 1970 



1975 



1980 



1985 



1990 



