Aerial thermal-imaging surveys of Harbour and Grey Seals in Northern Ireland, August 2018. Duck C.D. & Morris C.D. Report for the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland.

The Department coordinates an annual programme of seal counts at major haul-out sites around the Northern Ireland coast. These are usually conducted from land and boat.  However, through the Sea Mammal Research Unit based at the University of St. Andrews, we also undertake occasional aerial surveys of all known haul-outs.  This report provides the data collected from the most recent flight in August 2018 along with records from the two previous full surveys in 2002 and 2011.  There are also counts from flights of Co. Down undertaken in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010.