Publications

On September 1, 2006, the, Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), completed the twenty-fourth annual longline survey of Alaska sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) resources of the upper continental slope (Figure 1). The present NMFS survey was designed to continue the time series (1979-94) of the discontinued Japan-U.S. cooperative longline survey of the Gulf of Alaska. NMFS has surveyed the Gulf of Alaska annually since 1987, the eastern Aleutian Islands biennially since 1996, and the eastern Bering Sea biennially since 1997. The Gulf of Alaska and eastern Aleutian Islands were sampled in 2006.

This Agreement between the Aleut Marine Mammal Commission and NOAA Fisheries sets forth a structure for the conservation and management of marine mammal subsistence species under NOAA Fisheries, with particular focus on Steller sea lions and harbor seals.

NOAA Fisheries’ biological opinion of the effects of the continued authorization of the United States Western and Central Pacific purse seine fishery on species protected under the Endangered Species Act.

NOAA Fisheries formally initiated this Status Review on March 29, 2006. After reviewing the information, NOAA Fisheries determined the petition to list Cook Inlet belugas under the Endangered Species Act may be warranted.

Co-management Agreement

The principal breeding grounds of the northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus) occur on the Pribilof Islands in the eastern Bering Sea. These islands were discovered in 1786 by the crew of the St. George, a Russian ship under the command of Gerasim Gavrilovich Pribilof. Breeding colonies occur in various other locations in the Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea; among the newest is a rapidly growing rookery on Bogoslof Island (first colonized about 1980; see reference 1123) just north of the Aleutian island chain. The first fur seal to be seen by a European was sighted in 1741 (by Georg Wilhelm Steller, Aug. 10, south of Kodiak Island; reference 1579). Since that time, especially in this century, the northern fur seal (sometimes called the Alaska fur seal) has been the subject of both intensive and extensive biological studies, more so than most other wild living large mammals. At the same time, these animals have helped promote a growing awareness of marine mammal issues by the general public. Fur seals have been the focus of wildlife conservation through public concern, as an economic resource, and as an indicator of the health of the ecosystems in which it occurs. As a result, there is a large volume of formal and informal literature on fur seals – from scientific investigations to more popularized accounts of the fur seal's extraordinary life history. The importance of the resulting scientific information is emphasized by a population that has been declining for the past two decades – a change with implications regarding past and present anthropogenic activities.

Fish Assemblages in Nearshore Habitats of Prince William Sound, Alaska

The purpose of this report is to inform recovery planning for Oncorhynchus mykiss populations comprising the South-Central California Coast Steelhead ESU and the Southern California Coast Steelhead ESU.

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-OPR-33

Environmental assessments for Cook Inlet beluga whale cooperative management agreements between the Cook Inlet Marine Mammal Council and NOAA Fisheries for the years 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2005.