NUMBERS, BREED DISTRIBUTION AND HUNTING OF PUSA-SIBIRICA (PINNIPEDIA,PHOCIDAE) POPULATION

History and methods of studying the Pusa sibirica numbers and results of the last account of its breed (1994) are given. The breed (part of the stock propagating during the given year) numbers amounted to 22 00 0 +/- 2000 specimens, 28% of whelps being found in the southern part, 42% - in the middle one and 30% - in the northern part of Baikal Lake. Specific features of breed distribution on ice meridianwise are shown . The total numbers of the population in the 1990th (with breed) are e stimated as 104 000 persons. A brief history and current characteristi cs of seal hunting as well as recommendations for its organization are given.