Habitat use and habitat selection by spotted seals (Phoca largha) in the Bering Sea

Twelve spotted seals (Phoca largha) equipped with satellite-linked tags wer e tracked in the Bering Sea for 46-272 days during August-June 1991-1994. A laskan seals were mostly near shore during August-October and 100-200 km of fshore in January-June, and were broadly distributed in the region north of the 200-m isobath. Russian seals were located primarily near shore and wit hin 100 km of the 200-m isobath during all months. During August-October, a ll seals were usually more than 200 km south of the sea-ice edge. In Januar y-June, seals were mostly 0-200 km north of the sea-ice edge, often in area s with extensive ice coverage (7/10-9/10). We tested for habitat selection by determining how frequently a randomly moving seal would have been locate d in each habitat and comparing that with observed habitat use. Russian sea ls selected for nearshore and shallow-water areas in September-October and for near shore, within 25 km of the 200-m isobath, and the ice front during November-April. Alaskan seals selected for near shore areas in September-D ecember; for offshore, shallow water, and the ice front in January-February ; and for shallow water and pack ice in March-April. Biological processes a ssociated with the highly productive "Green Belt" may have influenced the h abitat use of Russian seals, but this did not appear to have been the case with Alaskan seals.