Pinniped Survey

In 2023, the Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance began a pilot project to survey the number of pinnipeds (seals!) present in the lower Fraser system, including Pitt Lake and Harrison Lake.

The nearby Salish Sea is home to one of the highest densities of harbour seals in the world – in 2008 populations along the BC coast were estimated around 105,000. Like in the Fraser, the Salish Sea is also home to numerous species of fish in decline. Many fishers have raised concern that pinnipeds may be causing or exacerbating the decline and impeding the recovery of these fish stocks, but until now, little scientific work has been done to confirm this.

LFFA’s pinniped project helping to determine the abundance and distribution of pinnipeds within the Lower Fraser. This will be the first step to better understanding the impact these populations have on fish stocks of concern.

The survey method is still being refined, but location, cluster size, species, behaviour, maturity, distance, angle from observer, an water quality data is being recorded with every survey.