GTDFishing

Harbour seals are fairly common and are often seen on rocks and in coves. They breed locally and generally have a mottled appearance. Alaskan and western Pacific harbour seals are significantly larger than those in the Atlantic and those in the more southern areas of the eastern Pacific. Generally, adult males measure 1.4 to 1.9 metres in length and weigh 55 to 170 kilograms, while the smaller adult females measure 1.2 to 1.7 metres in length and weigh 45 to 105 kilograms. Pups are usually born measuring 70 to 100 centimetres in length and weighing eight to 12 kilograms. Most male Harbour seals reach sexual maturity at five to six years of age, while females mature earlier, at two to five years. Harbour seals have sometimes been known to dive over 500 metres and remain underwater for periods of more than 25 minutes. Male harbour seals have a shorter life span than females, possibly due to the stress of competing and fighting during the breeding season; males can live up to about 20 years of age, females to around 25 to 30 years. On our return to Becher Bay Marina, the resident population of harbour seals will encourage us to clean the fish faster with a few slaps of their flippers.Seals