NOAA Celebrates 50 Years of Seal and Sea Lion Research

New studies and surveys help improve abundance estimates for ice seals and California sea lions

Apr. 2, 2026 at 8:07pm

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An abstract, highly structured painting in soft, earthy tones of green, blue, and brown, depicting the interconnected ecosystem of seals, sea lions, and their marine environment through sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals, conveying the fragile balance of the ocean's food web.NOAA's long-term research on seals and sea lions provides vital insights into the health of marine ecosystems.Vero Beach Today

NOAA Fisheries recently celebrated Seal and Sea Lion Week, highlighting their long-term research efforts to study and conserve these important marine mammals. New studies have helped improve abundance estimates for ice seals in the Arctic, while comprehensive aerial surveys have documented the full geographic range of ice seals in U.S. waters. In California, over 50 years of environmental data is providing insights into the health and strandings of sea lion pups.

Why it matters

Seals and sea lions are important indicators of ocean health, and NOAA's research efforts are critical for understanding population trends and implementing effective conservation measures. The new data on ice seals and California sea lions will help inform management decisions to protect these species and the broader marine ecosystems they inhabit.

The details

NOAA Fisheries conducted several key research initiatives over the past year, including new studies on ice seal haul-out behavior to improve abundance estimates, the first comprehensive aerial survey of ice seals in the Arctic, and long-term monitoring of California sea lion pups on San Miguel Island. These efforts have provided valuable data to support seal and sea lion conservation.

  • Last week was Seal and Sea Lion Week, celebrated from March 23-27, 2026.
  • Last spring, scientists flew over 24,000 miles to conduct the first comprehensive aerial survey of ice seals off the coasts of western and northern Alaska.
  • For more than 50 years, NOAA Fisheries has conducted research on seal and sea lion populations at a remote research station on San Miguel Island, California.

The players

NOAA Fisheries

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service, which is responsible for the management, conservation and protection of living marine resources within the United States' exclusive economic zone.

Kimberly Murray

A seal researcher at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center.

Ellie Heywood

A seal researcher at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center.

Wendy Puryear

A collaborator from Tufts University who works with the Northeast Fisheries Science Center seal researchers.

Selene Fregosi

A NOAA Fisheries scientist who supported the agency's undersea glider challenge in Hawaii.

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The takeaway

NOAA Fisheries' long-term research and monitoring efforts on seals and sea lions are providing critical data to support the conservation and management of these important marine mammals, which serve as indicators of ocean health. The new insights into ice seal abundance and California sea lion pup health will help inform policies and interventions to protect these species and the broader marine ecosystems they inhabit.