In May of 2001, the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) conducted an aerial photographic survey of the California coast and the offshore Channel Islands to obtain a minimum estimate of the population of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi) living in California. The developed photographs were examined to count the number of harbor seals present and determine the location of each haul-out site by comparison to photos taken in previous surveys. This survey was successful in obtaining nearly complete coverage of all known haul-out areas. The 1995 survey was the last complete coverage. The total county for 2001 is 12,312 harbor seals. This result is the lowest ever recorded by CDFG for a combined count of the mainland and all offshore islands. The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) conducted two surveys in 2002 in an attempt to provide better coverage and to lessen the chances of weather related problems. A total of 16 days were scheduled for aerial surveys from May 19 to July 19, 2002. Total count for Survey 1 was 10,541 harbor seals, while that for Survey 2 was 8,374 harbor seals. Camera problems that produced un-readable film and poor weather conditions prevented a complete assessment by either survey. The lack of complete coverage by either Survey 1 or 2 limited the total number of harbor seals counted. This is especially true in areas where past surveys revealed high concentrations of seals such as the northern Channel Islands and Point Reyes - Sonoma County coast. The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) conducted two aerial surveys in 2003 in an attempt to provide better coverage and to lessen the chances of weather related problems. A total of 20 days were scheduled for aerial surveys from May 25 to July 20, 2003. Complete coverage was achieved in both surveys. This was the first time CDFG conducted these surveys using a digital imaging camera. Total count for Survey 1 was 17,415, while that for Survey 2 was 17,778 harbor seals.

In May of 2001, the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) conducted an aerial photographic survey of the California coast and the offshore Channel Islands to obtain a minimum estimate of the population of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi) living in California. The developed photographs were examined to count the number of harbor seals present and determine the location of each haul-out site by comparison to photos taken in previous surveys. This survey was successful in obtaining nearly complete coverage of all known haul-out areas. The 1995 survey was the last complete coverage. The total county for 2001 is 12,312 harbor seals. This result is the lowest ever recorded by CDFG for a combined count of the mainland and all offshore islands. The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) conducted two surveys in 2002 in an attempt to provide better coverage and to lessen the chances of weather related problems. A total of 16 days were scheduled for aerial surveys from May 19 to July 19, 2002. Total count for Survey 1 was 10,541 harbor seals, while that for Survey 2 was 8,374 harbor seals. Camera problems that produced un-readable film and poor weather conditions prevented a complete assessment by either survey. The lack of complete coverage by either Survey 1 or 2 limited the total number of harbor seals counted. This is especially true in areas where past surveys revealed high concentrations of seals such as the northern Channel Islands and Point Reyes - Sonoma County coast. The California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) conducted two aerial surveys in 2003 in an attempt to provide better coverage and to lessen the chances of weather related problems. A total of 20 days were scheduled for aerial surveys from May 25 to July 20, 2003. Complete coverage was achieved in both surveys. This was the first time CDFG conducted these surveys using a digital imaging camera. Total count for Survey 1 was 17,415, while that for Survey 2 was 17,778 harbor seals.

Vector datasets of CWHR range maps are one component of California Wildlife Habitat Relationships (CWHR), a comprehensive information system and predictive model for Californias wildlife. The CWHR System was developed to support habitat conservation and management, land use planning, impact assessment, education, and research involving terrestrial vertebrates in California. CWHR contains information on life history, management status, geographic distribution, and habitat relationships for wildlife species known to occur regularly in California. Range maps represent the maximum, current geographic extent of each species within California. They were originally delineated at a scale of 1:5,000,000 by species-level experts and have gradually been revised at a scale of 1:1,000,000. For more information about CWHR, visit the CWHR webpage (https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Data/CWHR). The webpage provides links to download CWHR data and user documents such as a look up table of available range maps including species code, species name, and range map revision history; a full set of CWHR GIS data; .pdf files of each range map or species life history accounts; and a User Guide.

Vector datasets of CWHR range maps are one component of California Wildlife Habitat Relationships (CWHR), a comprehensive information system and predictive model for Californias wildlife. The CWHR System was developed to support habitat conservation and management, land use planning, impact assessment, education, and research involving terrestrial vertebrates in California. CWHR contains information on life history, management status, geographic distribution, and habitat relationships for wildlife species known to occur regularly in California. Range maps represent the maximum, current geographic extent of each species within California. They were originally delineated at a scale of 1:5,000,000 by species-level experts and have gradually been revised at a scale of 1:1,000,000. For more information about CWHR, visit the CWHR webpage (https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Data/CWHR). The webpage provides links to download CWHR data and user documents such as a look up table of available range maps including species code, species name, and range map revision history; a full set of CWHR GIS data; .pdf files of each range map or species life history accounts; and a User Guide.

Vector datasets of CWHR range maps are one component of California Wildlife Habitat Relationships (CWHR), a comprehensive information system and predictive model for Californias wildlife. The CWHR System was developed to support habitat conservation and management, land use planning, impact assessment, education, and research involving terrestrial vertebrates in California. CWHR contains information on life history, management status, geographic distribution, and habitat relationships for wildlife species known to occur regularly in California. Range maps represent the maximum, current geographic extent of each species within California. They were originally delineated at a scale of 1:5,000,000 by species-level experts and have gradually been revised at a scale of 1:1,000,000. For more information about CWHR, visit the CWHR webpage (https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Data/CWHR). The webpage provides links to download CWHR data and user documents such as a look up table of available range maps including species code, species name, and range map revision history; a full set of CWHR GIS data; .pdf files of each range map or species life history accounts; and a User Guide.

The datasets used in the creation of the predicted Habitat Suitability models includes the CWHR range maps of Californias regularly-occurring vertebrates which were digitized as GIS layers to support the predictions of the CWHR System software. These vector datasets of CWHR range maps are one component of California Wildlife Habitat Relationships (CWHR), a comprehensive information system and predictive model for Californias wildlife. The CWHR System was developed to support habitat conservation and management, land use planning, impact assessment, education, and research involving terrestrial vertebrates in California. CWHR contains information on life history, management status, geographic distribution, and habitat relationships for wildlife species known to occur regularly in California. Range maps represent the maximum, current geographic extent of each species within California. They were originally delineated at a scale of 1:5,000,000 by species-level experts and have gradually been revised at a scale of 1:1,000,000. For more information about CWHR, visit the CWHR webpage (https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Data/CWHR). The webpage provides links to download CWHR data and user documents such as a look up table of available range maps including species code, species name, and range map revision history; a full set of CWHR GIS data; .pdf files of each range map or species life history accounts; and a User Guide.The models also used the CALFIRE-FRAP compiled "best available" land cover data known as Fveg. This compilation dataset was created as a single data layer, to support the various analyses required for the Forest and Rangeland Assessment, a legislatively mandated function. These data are being updated to support on-going analyses and to prepare for the next FRAP assessment in 2015. An accurate depiction of the spatial distribution of habitat types within California is required for a variety of legislatively-mandated government functions. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protections CALFIRE Fire and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP), in cooperation with California Department of Fish and Wildlife VegCamp program and extensive use of USDA Forest Service Region 5 Remote Sensing Laboratory (RSL) data, has compiled the "best available" land cover data available for California into a single comprehensive statewide data set. The data span a period from approximately 1990 to 2014. Typically the most current, detailed and consistent data were collected for various regions of the state. Decision rules were developed that controlled which layers were given priority in areas of overlap. Cross-walks were used to compile the various sources into the common classification scheme, the California Wildlife Habitat Relationships (CWHR) system.CWHR range data was used together with the FVEG vegetation maps and CWHR habitat suitability ranks to create Predicted Habitat Suitability maps for species. The Predicted Habitat Suitability maps show the mean habitat suitability score for the species, as defined in CWHR. CWHR defines habitat suitability as NO SUITABILITY (0), LOW (0.33), MEDIUM (0.66), or HIGH (1) for reproduction, cover, and feeding for each species in each habitat stage (habitat type, size, and density combination). The mean is the average of the reproduction, cover, and feeding scores, and can be interpreted as LOW (less than 0.34), MEDIUM (0.34-0.66), and HIGH (greater than 0.66) suitability. Note that habitat suitability ranks were developed based on habitat patch sizes >40 acres in size, and are best interpreted for habitat patches >200 acres in size. The CWHR Predicted Habitat Suitability rasters are named according to the 4 digit alpha-numeric species CWHR ID code. The CWHR Species Lookup Table contains a record for each species including its CWHR ID, scientific name, common name, and range map revision history (available for download at https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Data/CWHR).

The datasets used in the creation of the predicted Habitat Suitability models includes the CWHR range maps of Californias regularly-occurring vertebrates which were digitized as GIS layers to support the predictions of the CWHR System software. These vector datasets of CWHR range maps are one component of California Wildlife Habitat Relationships (CWHR), a comprehensive information system and predictive model for Californias wildlife. The CWHR System was developed to support habitat conservation and management, land use planning, impact assessment, education, and research involving terrestrial vertebrates in California. CWHR contains information on life history, management status, geographic distribution, and habitat relationships for wildlife species known to occur regularly in California. Range maps represent the maximum, current geographic extent of each species within California. They were originally delineated at a scale of 1:5,000,000 by species-level experts and have gradually been revised at a scale of 1:1,000,000. For more information about CWHR, visit the CWHR webpage (https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Data/CWHR). The webpage provides links to download CWHR data and user documents such as a look up table of available range maps including species code, species name, and range map revision history; a full set of CWHR GIS data; .pdf files of each range map or species life history accounts; and a User Guide.The models also used the CALFIRE-FRAP compiled "best available" land cover data known as Fveg. This compilation dataset was created as a single data layer, to support the various analyses required for the Forest and Rangeland Assessment, a legislatively mandated function. These data are being updated to support on-going analyses and to prepare for the next FRAP assessment in 2015. An accurate depiction of the spatial distribution of habitat types within California is required for a variety of legislatively-mandated government functions. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protections CALFIRE Fire and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP), in cooperation with California Department of Fish and Wildlife VegCamp program and extensive use of USDA Forest Service Region 5 Remote Sensing Laboratory (RSL) data, has compiled the "best available" land cover data available for California into a single comprehensive statewide data set. The data span a period from approximately 1990 to 2014. Typically the most current, detailed and consistent data were collected for various regions of the state. Decision rules were developed that controlled which layers were given priority in areas of overlap. Cross-walks were used to compile the various sources into the common classification scheme, the California Wildlife Habitat Relationships (CWHR) system.CWHR range data was used together with the FVEG vegetation maps and CWHR habitat suitability ranks to create Predicted Habitat Suitability maps for species. The Predicted Habitat Suitability maps show the mean habitat suitability score for the species, as defined in CWHR. CWHR defines habitat suitability as NO SUITABILITY (0), LOW (0.33), MEDIUM (0.66), or HIGH (1) for reproduction, cover, and feeding for each species in each habitat stage (habitat type, size, and density combination). The mean is the average of the reproduction, cover, and feeding scores, and can be interpreted as LOW (less than 0.34), MEDIUM (0.34-0.66), and HIGH (greater than 0.66) suitability. Note that habitat suitability ranks were developed based on habitat patch sizes >40 acres in size, and are best interpreted for habitat patches >200 acres in size. The CWHR Predicted Habitat Suitability rasters are named according to the 4 digit alpha-numeric species CWHR ID code. The CWHR Species Lookup Table contains a record for each species including its CWHR ID, scientific name, common name, and range map revision history (available for download at https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Data/CWHR).

Harbour seals reside throughout the year around Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). The first systematic survey for harbour seals occurred along the NL Shelf during July and August 2021 to obtain counts of hauled out individuals and assess distribution. Grey seals are seasonal residents in NL, mainly present in the summer and autumn months. Grey seals were also recorded during the survey as these two species can share haul-out locations. Surveys were flown along the coastline with a Bell 429 helicopter with photographs taken of hauled out seals. This data includes the counts of hauled out harbour, grey and unknown seals seen during the survey. Adjusted counts are also provided, which assign the unknown seals to species based on the number of positively identified harbour and grey seals from each survey day. The realized survey coverage (survey tracks) is also included. Cite this data as: Hamilton, C.D., Goulet, P.J., Stenson, G.B., and Lang, S.L.C. 2024. Data of: Counts of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) and grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) from an aerial survey of the coast of the Newfoundland Shelf and Sandwich Bay, Labrador during the summer of 2021 This data can be found in: Hamilton, C.D., Goulet, P.J., Stenson, G. B., and Lang, S.L.C. 2023. Counts and spatial distribution of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) and grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) from an aerial survey of the coast of the Newfoundland Shelf and Sandwich Bay, Labrador during the summer of 2021. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 3566: v + 39 p. https://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/9.927831/publication.html DFO. 20XX. Stock assessment of Atlantic harbour seals (Phoca vitulina vitulina) in Canada for 2019-2021. DFO Can. Sci. Advis Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2023/XXX. Lang, S.L.C., St-Pierre, A.P., Hamilton, C.D., Mosnier, A., Lidgard, D.C., Goulet, P., den Heyer, C.E., Bordeleau, X., Irani, A.I., and Hammill, M.O. 20XX. Population status assessment and Potential Biological Removal (PBR) for the Atlantic harbour seal (Phoca vitulina vitulina) in Canadian waters. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Res. Doc. 2024

The datasets used in the creation of the predicted Habitat Suitability models includes the CWHR range maps of Californias regularly-occurring vertebrates which were digitized as GIS layers to support the predictions of the CWHR System software. These vector datasets of CWHR range maps are one component of California Wildlife Habitat Relationships (CWHR), a comprehensive information system and predictive model for Californias wildlife. The CWHR System was developed to support habitat conservation and management, land use planning, impact assessment, education, and research involving terrestrial vertebrates in California. CWHR contains information on life history, management status, geographic distribution, and habitat relationships for wildlife species known to occur regularly in California. Range maps represent the maximum, current geographic extent of each species within California. They were originally delineated at a scale of 1:5,000,000 by species-level experts and have gradually been revised at a scale of 1:1,000,000. For more information about CWHR, visit the CWHR webpage (https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Data/CWHR). The webpage provides links to download CWHR data and user documents such as a look up table of available range maps including species code, species name, and range map revision history; a full set of CWHR GIS data; .pdf files of each range map or species life history accounts; and a User Guide.The models also used the CALFIRE-FRAP compiled "best available" land cover data known as Fveg. This compilation dataset was created as a single data layer, to support the various analyses required for the Forest and Rangeland Assessment, a legislatively mandated function. These data are being updated to support on-going analyses and to prepare for the next FRAP assessment in 2015. An accurate depiction of the spatial distribution of habitat types within California is required for a variety of legislatively-mandated government functions. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protections CALFIRE Fire and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP), in cooperation with California Department of Fish and Wildlife VegCamp program and extensive use of USDA Forest Service Region 5 Remote Sensing Laboratory (RSL) data, has compiled the "best available" land cover data available for California into a single comprehensive statewide data set. The data span a period from approximately 1990 to 2014. Typically the most current, detailed and consistent data were collected for various regions of the state. Decision rules were developed that controlled which layers were given priority in areas of overlap. Cross-walks were used to compile the various sources into the common classification scheme, the California Wildlife Habitat Relationships (CWHR) system.CWHR range data was used together with the FVEG vegetation maps and CWHR habitat suitability ranks to create Predicted Habitat Suitability maps for species. The Predicted Habitat Suitability maps show the mean habitat suitability score for the species, as defined in CWHR. CWHR defines habitat suitability as NO SUITABILITY (0), LOW (0.33), MEDIUM (0.66), or HIGH (1) for reproduction, cover, and feeding for each species in each habitat stage (habitat type, size, and density combination). The mean is the average of the reproduction, cover, and feeding scores, and can be interpreted as LOW (less than 0.34), MEDIUM (0.34-0.66), and HIGH (greater than 0.66) suitability. Note that habitat suitability ranks were developed based on habitat patch sizes >40 acres in size, and are best interpreted for habitat patches >200 acres in size. The CWHR Predicted Habitat Suitability rasters are named according to the 4 digit alpha-numeric species CWHR ID code. The CWHR Species Lookup Table contains a record for each species including its CWHR ID, scientific name, common name, and range map revision history (available for download at https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Data/CWHR).

The Marine Mammal Laboratories' California Current Ecosystem Program (AFSC/NOAA) in collaboration with Point Blue Conservation Science initiated long-term studies to determine pup abundance of the California Stock of northern fur seals. The California Stock is comprised of northern fur seals inhabiting San Miguel Island (and Castle Rock, and islet ~1 km northwest) and the Farallon Islands (specifically, Southeast Island) off California. Pup production is the sum of the numbers of live pups and dead pups for a given pupping season. This in turn is used as index to estimate total population abundance. Population abundance is vital to knowing the status of a particular stock or the entire species, as well as knowing what factors are driving population trends. Metadata and datasets corresponding to these studies are reported in Stock Assessment Reports (SAR) for the U.S. Congress and other stakeholders.