Abstract
Two types of traps, box and bag-types, were newly designed for the live capture of the Kuril harbour seal, Phoca vitulina stejnegeri. The box-type trap was designed based on the traps used by the Nivkhs, the former inhabitants of Sakhalin, for catching the spotted seal, Phoca largha, and the bag-type based on the traps used by local fishermen to commercially harvest Kuril harbour seals in Akkeshi Bay, eastern Hokkaido, Japan. Three adult Kuril harbour seals were successfully captured alive in 2009 in Akkeshi during a period of about 30 days in a total of 3 sets of traps. The box-trap has the advantages over the bag-trap of higher catch efficiency (seal catches per open trap day), lower risk to seals, easier handlings of animals including anesthesia, lower cost etc.
