Harbor seal spotted in St. Johns County by competitive fisherman

ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — Cooler water temperatures caused a harbor seal to end up in St. Johns County.

Action News Jax got video of the seal, who was spotted by competitive fisherman David Nelson.

Nelson immediately called the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

FWC arrived hours later and identified the seal as a harbor seal, just under a year old. FWC said by the time it got approval from NOAA to capture the seal, it was long gone.

Once captured, the commission will transport the seal to Sea World for a checkup.

An FWC marine biologist said the seal appeared healthy.

She said the seal should not be affected by the brackish, warmer temps of the St. Johns River.

She also said the seal shouldn’t encounter any more predators than it naturally would in the Northeast Atlantic.

Nelson hopes when the seal is found, he will be given the honor of naming him.

“I told them, if they capture him though, I want to be able to name him,” Nelson said.

He said he hasn’t picked a name, but his daughter has. She wants to call the seal Puddles.

Cox Media Group