Harbor seals haul out of the water periodically to rest, give birth, and nurse their pups.
Reefs, sand and gravel beaches, sand and mud bars, and glacial and sea ice are commonly used for hauling sites. At Iliamna Lake seals are present year-round and are probably resident. Harbor seals do not appear to make long annual migrations like some species of marine mammals. However, considerable local movements occur. As more seals are being satellite-tagged, much more information is becoming available about winter and summer movements.