Movements and diving of grey seal females (Halichoerus grypus) in the Gulfof St. Lawrence, Canada

Five female grey seals were tracked with satellite-linked time-depth record ers during September to April 1993-1994. Seals remained in the northern Gul f of St. Lawrence (Gulf) for 1-2.5 months after capture. Four females dove primarily to depths < 10 m and 20-70 m, while all dives of the fifth female , a blind animal, were < 10 m. During October/November, all animals moved i nto the southern Gulf or onto the Scotian Shelf. This migration lasted 6-10 days, during which time animals covered 350-800 km. During that migration, all females, including the blind animal, dove up to 100 m, but the majorit y of dives were to depths of 40-70 m. Two seals stayed in the southern Gulf through the winter while the others left the Gulf in January. When in the southern Gulf and on the Scotian Shelf, dive depths and bathymetry informat ion indicated that dives were to the bottom.