Protecting Marine Mammals
Our marine mammal research involves collecting information that agency managers and other constituents need to make informed management decisions to comply with the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act and other relevant statutes to protect whales, seals, porpoises and sea lions in Alaska. In Alaska, some marine mammal populations remain a primary food source for many Alaska Native communities.
2016 Highlights
Regular Monitoring of Marine Mammal Populations in Alaska Waters
With support from Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management, we conducted a multi-disciplinary survey of the Bering and Chukchi seas that involved passive acoustic monitoring, biological and physical oceanographic sampling, and a visual survey for marine mammals and seabirds. We also continued our long-term aerial survey of Arctic marine mammals. All these efforts provide important information on marine mammal behavior, movements and health.
Ensuring Sustainable Subsistence Harvests
Our scientists also provided information and analyses used to implement new regulations for the northern fur seal subsistence harvest.
Minimizing Disturbance of Harbor Seals in Glacial Fjords
Resource managers used our research on disturbance of harbor seals by cruise tourism vessels to develop new guidelines for safe vessel operation and seal viewing in Alaska glacial fjords.
U.S.-Russia Comprehensive Studies of Ice-Dependent Seals and Polar Bears
Ice-dependent seals including bearded and ringed seals and polar bears are vital resources for northern coastal Alaska Native communities and are key species in Arctic marine ecosystems, yet no reliable abundance estimates are available for vast portions of their ranges. This year, Alaska Fisheries Science Center scientists teamed up with the Russian Federation on a comprehensive survey of bearded and ringed seals in the Chukchi Sea. Scientists used infrared cameras together with high-resolution photographic cameras to detect mammals. Our goal was to develop the first reliable abundance estimate for these two species. We also combined efforts with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to conduct the first joint aerial survey of both ice-dependent seals and polar bears. Declining sea-ice in northern latitudes makes it even more imperative that we conduct research like this to better understand these ice-dependent animals.
Tracking Endangered Species Act Listed Species
In 2016, we updated high-priority population abundance assessments for the critically endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale ???NOAA Fisheries??? ???Species in the Spotlight?????? and the endangered western stock of Steller sea lions. Our routine aerial surveys provided current information to resource managers so they could provide required recommendations to other federal government agencies and businesses enabling them to carry out their activities while minimizing impacts on these critically endangered marine species.
New Steller Sea Lion Habitat Identified on West Coast and More
We compiled past research and new analyses of Steller sea lion satellite-track location data and inputted these data into new habitat-use models. NOAA Fisheries??? Critical Habitat Review Team used our results to complete its evaluation of Steller sea lion critical habitat. Information on a new Steller sea lion rookery on the Washington coast contributed to the Post-Delisting Monitoring Program for the eastern stock of Steller sea lions.
Endangered Species Act Decisions
We provided scientific data to NOAA Fisheries resource managers who concluded that the listing of harbor seals in Illiamna Lake, Alaska, was not warranted because they are not a distinct population of harbor seals, but rather part of the larger North Pacific population.
Previous research and new analyses of humpback whale abundance and stock structure in the North Pacific contributed to an agency decision to de-list, or down-list, specific Distinct Population Segments of this species (Final Rule published in September 2016) and will further assist managers in subsequent stock assessments.
Detecting Stranding Rates of California Sea Lion Pups
Resource managers used our assessments of California sea lion pup birth and growth rates to prepare for probable standings of sea lions along the California coast in 2016. Since 2013, high numbers of emaciated seal lion pups have been stranding annually along the California coast, prompting NOAA to declare this an ???Unusual Mortality Event??? (an unexpected event involving a significant die-off of a marine mammal population).