Experimental Attempts to Reduce Predation by Harbor Seals on Out-Migrating Juvenile Salmonids

During spring, harbor seals Phoca vitulina feed at night under two bridges spanning the Puntledge River in Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada. Positioned parallel to one another, ventral side up, the seals form a feeding line across the river to intercept thousands of out-migrating salmonid smolts. During a 4-week observation period in the spring of 1996, we attempted to disrupt the seals' feeding patterns by (a) deploying a mechanical feeding barrier (cork line), (b) altering the lighting conditions (lights on a bridge were turned off), and (c) installing an acoustic harassment device. We found acoustic harassment to be the most effective feeding deterrent. Of the other two deterrents, turning off the bridge lights was more effective than deploying a cork line, which had little effect. Acoustic harassment devices appear to be the most effective, nonlethal means for protecting juvenile salmonids from harbor seal predation in portions of the Puntledge River.