Da Lian National Spotted Seal (Phoca vitulina) Nature Reserve. 11/01/02; Liaoning; 11,700 ha; 39°15'N 121°15'E. National Nature Reserve. A coastal area of the Bohai Sea, 20km from Dalian City, consisting of sea floor covered by pedestal rock of between 5 and 40 meters' depth and including over 70 islands and islets with rocky coasts and reefs. The sites provides habitat for 100 species of fish and numerous shellfish, as well as breeding grounds for a number of whale and dolphin species. The reserve is best known for the spotted seal Phoca vitulina and attracts large numbers of tourists from the nearby city and elsewhere. The cycle of the seals' lives is tied to the icing and melting conditions, as, following the adults' migratory routes through the Sea of Japan, Yellow Sea, and East China Sea, young seals are born on the ice within the site and remain with a nuclear family until the ice breaks up some three months later in March. Shipping and transportation are sources of disturbance to the spotted seals within the site, while a port development within the Liaodong Bay is also a potential threat. Ramsar site no. 1147. Most recent RIS information: 2008.