Figure 2.~Eastem Bering Sea: The operational area of U.S. research vessels is shaded. The numbers In each zone 

 represent, from left to right, number of boat days, seals seen, and seals collected from 1 July to 5 September 1963. 



of seals seen and collected was caused by 

 changes in the weather and in the locality 

 where collections were made rather than by 

 a sudden rise or decline in the numbers of 

 seals in the Bering Sea. Table 3 in appendix 

 A shows the number and relative abundance 

 of seals seen and collected from 1958 to 

 1963. The average number of seals seen per 

 boat day was higher in years when work was 

 done entirely in Alaskan waters, particularly 

 in 1962 and 1963 when almost all observations 

 were made in the Bering Sea. 



One or more seals traveling, feeding, or 

 resting together were classified as a group. 



For convenience, a single seal was recorded 

 as a group of one. Table 4 in appendix A lists 

 the group size of seals sighted in 1 963. Table 1 

 combines 6 years of observations on group 

 size. Groups of one, two, and three seals 

 accounted for 70 percent or more of all seals 

 sighted. In 1962 and 1963, when research was 

 carried out almost entirely in the Bering Sea, 

 groups of three or less made up 88.5 percent 

 and 90.3 percent of the total sightings. 



Obviously, the fur seal seldom is found at 

 sea in large groups or massed herds. Inareas 

 where fur seals abound, many small groups 

 may be seen at one time. Most large groups 



