Aerial surveys of endangered whales in the Beaufort Sea, Fall 1989. Final report

Technical Report · Thu Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:5211974

Treacy, S D

The OCSLA Amendments of 1978 (43 U.S.C. 1802) established a policy for the management of oil and natural gas in the OCS and for protection of the marine and coastal environments. The amended OCSLA authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to conduct studies in areas or regions of sales to ascertain the environmental impacts on the marine and coastal environments of the outer Continental Shelf and the coastal areas which may be affected by oil and gas development (43 U.S.C. 1346). The report describes field activities and data analyses for aerial surveys of bowhead whales conducted between 1 September 1989 and 20 October 1989 in the Beaufort Sea, primarily between 140 W. and 154 W. longitudes south of 72 N. latitude. Ice cover during September and October 1989 was exceptionally light. A total of 215 bowhead whales, 104 belukha whales, 9 bearded seals, 84 ringed seals, and 32 unidentified pinnipeds were observed in 1989 during 98.70 hours of survey effort that included 38.10 hours on randomized transects. The last sighting of a bowhead whale made during the survey occurred in open water on 19 October 1989. No whales were sighted during a subsequent flight on 20 October 1989. Estimated median and mean water depths were shallower than for previous surveys (1982-1989). This is consistent with a trend for whales to be located in shallower water during years of generally light ice cover.

• Research Organization: Minerals Management Service, Anchorage, AK (United States). Alaska Outer Continental Shelf Region
• OSTI ID: 5211974
• Report Number(s): PB-91-235218/XAB; OCS/MMS--90/0047
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900* -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AERIAL SURVEYING
ALASKA
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARCTIC OCEAN
BEAUFORT SEA
CETACEANS
DATA ANALYSIS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DRILLING
ENDANGERED SPECIES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
FEDERAL REGION X
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
MAMMALS
NORTH AMERICA
OFFSHORE DRILLING
OIL SPILLS
PETROLEUM
POLLUTION
POPULATION DENSITY
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
VERTEBRATES
WATER POLLUTION