Inter-agency agreements have been established between the Minerals Management Service (MMS), Department of Interior (DOI) and the National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML), Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce (DOC).  The intent of these agreements is to conduct surveys of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) and other marine mammals in the Alaskan Arctic.

BWASP: The intent of the Bowhead Whale Aerial Survey Project (BWASP) is to conduct surveys of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) during their fall migration through the western Beaufort Sea.  In 2008 these surveys were extended across the northeast Chukchi Sea to document marine mammal distribution for most of the period from mid-June to mid-November.  More>

COMIDA: The goal of the Chukchi Offshore Monitoring in Drilling Area (COMIDA) study is to augment scientific knowledge about the distribution and abundance of marine mammals in the Chukchi Sea Planning Area (CSPA).  Results of COMIDA research will facilitate mitigation related to oil and gas development.  More>

BOWFEST: The Bowhead Whale Feeding Ecology Study (BOWFEST) is a multiyear MMS-funded study started in 2007 that focuses on late summer oceanography and prey densities relative to whale distribution over continental shelf waters within 100 miles north and east of Point Barrow, Alaska.  Increased understanding of bowhead behavior and distribution is needed to minimize potential impacts from petroleum development activities.  More>

The daily reports provided on this site constitute preliminary field data and should not be cited. The reports have undergone a review for technical accuracy prior to posting on this site. However, additional processing and review after the field season may identify further changes that need to be made. Additional information on data or report quality and dissemination is available in the AFSC Disclaimer Statement and on NOAA's Office of the Chief Information Officer & High Performance Computing and Communications web page

Current Aerial Survey Daily Reports  (PDF - Adobe Acrobat or Reader Required):

COMIDA3
Date	Flight	Daily Report		Date	Flight	Daily Report
10/21/2008	0	No Flight		10/31/2008	44	Flight44 Summary
10/22/2008	0	No Flight		11/01/2008	0	No Flight
10/23/2008	40	Flight40 Summary		11/02/2008	0	No Flight
10/24/2008	41	Flight41 Summary		11/03/2008	0	No Flight
10/25/2008	42	Flight42 Summary		11/04/2008	45	Flight45 Summary
10/26/2008	0	No Flight		11/05/2008	0	No Flight
10/27/2008	0	No Flight		11/06/2008	0	No Flight
10/28/2008	0	No Flight		11/07/2008	0	No Flight
10/29/2008	43	Flight43 Summary		11/08/2008	0	No Flight
10/30/2008	0	No Flight		11/09/2008	0	No Flight