Bearded Seal
(Erignathus barbatus)
Management
Management of bearded seals falls under the jurisdiction of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and their co-management partner the Alaska Native Organization called the Ice Seal Committee (ISC). NMFS and ISC signed a co-management agreement in 2006 and meet regularly to discuss research and management issues related to all ice seals, including bearded seals. Although the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has no management mandate they work with NMFS and ISC on research projects including biosampling the harvest to monitor population health and status; satellite telemetry to study movements, habitat use, and dive behavior; and harvest surveys to document subsistence needs. See the research section for details.