Quarterly reports of principal investigators for July-September

SEMI-ANNUAL REPORT
RU67 - Baseline Characterization -- Marine Mammal
I. Task Objectives
Identify the species of marine mammals occuring in the Bering Sea,
determine seasonal distribution patterns, identify breeding and pupping
rookeries, hauling grounds and feeding areas where oil spills may be
critical to survival of species and obtain information on numbers and
seasonal abundance of animals.
Summarize and evaluate existing literature and unpublished data on the
distribution, abundance, behavior, and food dependencies of marine
mammals.
Other programs which will be coordinated with research unit 67 are the
aerial walrus study of Estes (RU 14) and the aerial largha study of
Burns (RU 231) along and in the Bering Sea pack ice. Our proposed
RU 69, Abundance and seasonal distribution of bowhead whales and
belukha, extends the area of coverage north and westward into the
approaches of the Gulf of Anadyr. The coastal survey of the Krenitzin
Islands, and the north side of the Alaskan peninsula northward to Cape
Newenham will be carried out cooperatively with sea lion surveys (RU 243)
on the south side of the Alaskan peninsula.
II. Field and Laboratory Activities
1. Ms Nancy Severinghaus joined the staff 23 September 1975. She will
make a survey of published and unpublished literature and data pertaining
to marine mammals of the Bering Sea and prepare an annotated bibliography
of these materials as a part of the Bering Sea Baseline Studies.
2. The second aerial survey of the coast and islands between Cape Newenham
on the north, south and westward along the north side of the. Alaska Peninsula,
Unimak Island, the Krinitzen Islands, Unalaska, Umnak, Samalga and Bogoalof
Islands was carried out from 9 to 13 August 1975.
a. The survey aircraft was a Gruman Widgeon, chartered from
Peninsula Airways, King Salmon,Alaska. Flights were made from
King Salmon and Dutch Harbor.
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