Pup production and population trends of the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) in the Gulf of St Lawrence

Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) pup production of the Gulf of St. Lawrence component of the Northwest Atlantic grey seal population was determined for the 1984-1986 and 1989-1990 periods using mark-recapture methods. Pup production estimates based on recaptures from shot samples from Anticosti Island ranged from 5436 (SE = 672) to 6955 (SE = 1183) for 1984-1986. An independent estimate for 1984-1986, based on animals captured on Sable Island, was 7431 (SE = 1414) to 8633 (SE = 2827). Mark-recapture estimates of pup production for 1989 and 1990 from shot samples collected from Anticosti Island were 8825 (SE = 3164) and 9156 (SE = 2652), respectively. The estimates based on animals captured on Sable Island varied from 7295 (SE = 2118) to 8116 (SE = 846) for 1989-1990. Both the Anticosti Island and Sable Island recovery samples underestimate 1989 pup production due to hunting which removed 1612 pups from the population before they could disperse. The Gulf component of the Northwest Atlantic grey seal population is increasing at an annual rate of 7.4% (SE = 2.2).