"Marine Mammals"

This page lists Incidental Take Authorizations for construction-related activities. Applications are typically posted when public review is initiated. 

A variety of data are input into computer models to estimate population size and trends for fish, crabs and marine mammals generating a stock assessment report. Research surveys provide biological, ecological and environmental data. Independent fishery observers collect information on commercial fisheries catches. We also compile socio-economic data on fishing communities.

A six-month survey to study whales and dolphins in the Hawaiian Archipelago.

Through an Inter-Agency agreement (IAA) between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Marine Mammal Laboratory (MML) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), MML is conducting a dedicated multi-year study to determine relationships between dominant currents passing from the Bering Sea into and through the Chukchi Sea and prey resources delivered to the Barrow Arch area (an area of high bowhead whale and prey concentrations between Wainwright and Smith Bay), and to provide information about the dynamic nature of those relationships relative to whale distribution and habitat utilization in the eastern Chukchi and extreme western Beaufort Seas. This study will also provide important baseline data on the occurrence, distribution, and habitat use of large whales in an area that is subject to rapid change in climate and human industrial development. This quarterly report covers work conducted from January through March 2016.

Through an Inter-Agency agreement (IAA) between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), Marine Mammal Laboratory (MML) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), MML is conducting a dedicated multi-year study to determine relationships between dominant currents passing from the Bering Sea into and through the Chukchi Sea and prey resources delivered to the Barrow Arch area (an area of high bowhead whale and prey concentrations between Wainwright and Smith Bay), and to provide information about the dynamic nature of those relationships relative to whale distribution and habitat utilization in the eastern Chukchi and extreme western Beaufort Seas. This study will also provide important baseline data on the occurrence, distribution, and habitat use of large whales in an area that is subject to rapid change in climate and human industrial development. This quarterly report covers work conducted from April through June 2016.

Cruise Summary For FOCI Cruise AQ16-01 (AQ16-01)

The 2016 Arctic Long-Term Integrated Mooring Array (ALTIMA) cruise took place on board the F/V Aquila. The cruise began in Nome, AK on 3 September 2016 and ended in Dutch Harbor, AK on 29 September 2016. Chief Scientist was Dr. Catherine Berchok, and the survey team consisted of 14 scientists representing eight different laboratories or institutions (for full personnel list, see Appendix 1). In summary, a total of 18 passive acoustic, 14 oceanographic, and 5 combination (oceanographic/ passive acoustic) moorings were retrieved, and 19 passive acoustic, 18 oceanographic, and 5 combination moorings were redeployed. A total of 71 CTD casts were conducted, 48 zooplankton net tows were done, one drifter was deployed, ~2700 nm were sampled using a new underway oceanographic sampling system, and a new acrobat towfish sampled ~270 nm. A total of 142 sonobuoys were deployed for 24 hour passive acoustic monitoring, and over 1140 nm were surveyed for marine mammals and 126 hours were surveyed for seabirds.

Through an Inter-Agency agreement (IAA) between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC), Marine Mammal Laboratory (MML) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), MML is conducting a dedicated multi-year study to determine relationships between dominant currents passing from the Bering Sea into and through the Chukchi Sea and prey resources delivered to the Barrow Arch area (an area of high bowhead whale and prey concentrations between Wainwright and Smith Bay), and to provide information about the dynamic nature of those relationships relative to whale distribution and habitat utilization in the eastern Chukchi and extreme western Beaufort Seas. This study will also provide important baseline data on the occurrence, distribution, and habitat use of large whales in an area that is subject to rapid change in climate and human industrial development. This quarterly report covers work conducted from July through September 2016.

Through an Inter-Agency agreement (IA) between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), NMML is conducting a dedicated multi-year study to determine relationships between dominant currents passing from the Bering Sea into and through the Chukchi Sea and prey resources delivered to the Barrow Arch area (an area of high bowhead whale and prey concentrations between Wainwright and Smith Bay), and to provide information about the dynamic nature of those relationships relative to whale distribution and habitat utilization in the eastern Chukchi and extreme western Beaufort Seas. This study will also provide important baseline data on the occurrence, distribution, and habitat use of large whales in an area that is subject to rapid change in climate and human industrial development. This quarterly report covers the period of this study from January through March 2015.