Quarterly reports of principal investigators for July-September

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Vessels Dates of Operations
M/V Tordenskjold 31 May to 10 August 1975
Halibut Comm.
NOAA FRV Oregon 8 June to 12 July 1975
These date will be incorporated in the RU 67 report.
4. Bird Observations made during the 17-20 June 1975 survey were
forwarded to OCSEP Project Office and interested Principal Investigators.
5. Fall Aerial Survey Northern Bering Sea:
A. Plans were made, equipment readied and personnel were
assigned to carry out a survey in September to October 1975
of the northern Bering Sea and with one or two transects in the
southern Chukchi Sea north of Bering Strait.
B. Flight delayed to 6-13 October 1975; and will be reported on
in the next report
6. Aerial Survey - Spring (April) 1976:
Aerial surveys will be made in April 1976 of the ice front zone in the
Bering Sea from Bristol Bay northwestward past St. Matthew Island and
transects flown across the pack inside the ice front, to determine distribution
and abundance of marine mammals. These flights can continue in to the
northern Bering Sea and southern Chukchi Sea on bowhead-belukha surveys
(RU 69).
Counts will be made visually or from photographs taken during the
survey flights, by experienced observers, transect lines to be determined
after location of the ice front is known. Flights will be reflowin in March-
April 1977, if warranted. These aerial surveys are compatible with
marine mammal research units 14, 231, 232, 243 and will use the same
platform. Observations made on flights will be utilized by appropriate
principal investigators. Sightings will be computerized for BLM data bank and
other users. A marine bird observer can be accomodated on flights.
III. Results
Literature search in progress and ground work for preparation of annotated
bibliography with standardized format completed.
Methods for recording data have been prepared and data card designed. Data
will be entered on cards, on approval after the 16 October OCSEPData
Management meeting.
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