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Marine mammals in the Rusalca region 2009-2012:. Acoustic recordings and visual sightings Kate Stafford University of Washington. Funding NSF_AON (2012- onwards) WHOI Arctic Program (2 instruments purchased, travel support cruise 2010)
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Marine mammals in the Rusalca region 2009-2012: Acoustic recordings and visual sightings Kate Stafford University of Washington Funding NSF_AON (2012- onwards) WHOI Arctic Program (2 instruments purchased, travel support cruise 2010) NOAA (I instrument purchased, travel support to cruise 2011) Tom Weingartner and Rebecca Woodgate provided space on moorings
Bering Strait • Migratory pathway for Arctic marine mammals that move between the Bering and Beaufort and Chukchi Seas • Bowhead and beluga whales • Walrus, ice seals • Used seasonally (summer/fall) by sub-Arctic spp • Fin, Humpback, minke, killer whales, gray whales
Decreased sea ice • Decrease in habitat for walrus, polar bears, ice seals, bowheads (?) • Increased habitat for sub-Arctic spp • Increase in shipping and O&G exploration = increases in ambient noise • Increase in ship strikes of large whales?
Sighting data Cruises with marine mammal observations • 2009 (1)* • 2010 (1)* • 2011 (1) • 2012 (2)* * Surveys in Russian EEZ
Papers in preparation • Occurrence of Subarctic Cetaceans in the Southern Chukchi Sea, 2009-2012 • To be submitted to Oceanography ~July 2013 • Synthesizes boat-based visual data from Rusalca, CHAOZ, CSESP; aerial survey-based visual data from ASAMM/COMIDA • Occurrence of gray whales in the southern Chukchi Sea 2009-2012
Arctic whales • Do not (usually) occur in study area during summer months – not seen by visual surveys • Best way to monitor bowhead and beluga whales, bearded and ribbon seals and walrus is Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM)
PAM • Good year-round, all weather, 24 h/day • Can “hear” further than “see” • Different species are readily told apart • In addition to Arctic spp, “late” summer whales can be detected • Good way to monitor ship passages • To date, only US side of Strait has been monitored, ideally the western Strait should be instrumented
Instruments first deployed August 2009 Redeployed every year since Subsample the data (10 min/hour) We have had issues with battery power so none of the instruments have lasted a full year to date
Species detected • Bowhead (Nov-Feb, Apr) • Walrus (October – Dec, April-Jun) • Bearded seal (year-round) • Beluga (Oct-Dec, Apr-May) • Ribbon seal (Oct) • Fin whales (Aug-Oct) • Humpback whales (Aug-Nov) • Killer whales (Sep-Oct)
Papers in preparation • Humpback whales sing north of the Arctic Circle • Acoustic data from Bering and Davis Straits show that humpback whales are singing well into winter near to or north of the Arctic circle • Submittal July 2013 • What sound environments do bowhead whales annually encounter in the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas? • SOAR synthesis paper that examines bowhead whale migration via PAM • Due to editors June 2013 • Acoustic detection of bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus) in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas • Master’s thesis chapter • Planned submittal to Arctic September 2013
Future work • Go through all data systematically for all species • Determine ambient noise levels • Continue to occupy A2W and A3 • Instruments will be deployed this year • Ideally add a hydrophone to A1 • Monitor autumn/winter bowhead whale migration