Dode zeehonden op de Noordzee

On 5, 6 and 8 September 1988 a total of five dead seals (including at least 2 Harbour Seals Phoca vitulina and 2 Grey Seals Halichoerus grypus) were observed floating at sea during ship-based bird counts between IJmuiden (Netherlands) and Flamborough Head (East England). It is suggested that these seals would be of British origin and that the main current, being in the direction of the German Bight, and the westerlies at the end of August/early September would have caused the transport of the corpses out to the open sea. Thus, mortality of seals as registered by shore surveys will always be underestimated.