South Jersey’s Harbor Seals To Be Tagged For First Time

Each year, about 500 seals gather during the winter months to rest and forage in South Jersey, and beginning in December, Stockton University will begin the first-ever satellite tagging operation of the local harbor seal population.

According to a release from the university, a three-year grant worth almost $700,000 was given to Stockton through the New Jersey DEP's Research and Monitoring Initiative, which is monitoring New Jersey's marine resources through the phases of offshore wind development.

“A lot of people aren’t aware that harbor seals occur in New Jersey,” said marine mammal biologist Jackie Toth Sullivan, who’s also an adjunct faculty member at Stockton University.

“This is likely because seals are here in large numbers during the winter months. There aren’t that many people on the beach or on the water in January, February or March.”

Sullivan said for years as many as 360 seals have gathered to rest and forage in Great Bay — the largest haul-out site in New Jersey. Two other known haul-out sites include Sandy Hook – Gateway National Recreation Area (about 100 seals) and Barnegat Light on Long Beach Island (about 30 seals).

“The purpose of the study is to, first, better understand the movement patterns of harbor seals both in New Jersey, as well as regionally,” Toth Sullivan said. “We would like to understand if these harbor seals are using specific areas offshore for certain behaviors. For example, are windfarm lease areas being used as foraging grounds, and does this behavior change over time due to natural or anthropogenic impacts?”

“The purpose of the study is to, first, better understand the movement patterns of harbor seals both in New Jersey, as well as regionally,” Toth Sullivan said. “We would like to understand if these harbor seals are using specific areas offshore for certain behaviors. For example, are windfarm lease areas being used as foraging grounds, and does this behavior change over time due to natural or anthropogenic impacts?”

For Toth Sullivan, the grant has also provided her with an amazing opportunity as she will participate in the harbor seal satellite tagging process for the first time. She has previously contributed to bottlenose dolphin satellite tagging efforts, but never harbor seals.

And certainly, getting this close to wild animals that can be as big as 6 feet long and weigh up to 350 pounds will be remarkable.

“They are beautiful, strong, and wild creatures,” she said. “It’s humbling and awesome all at the same time.”