Use of Kasegaluk Lagoon, Chukchi Sea, Alaska, by Marine Birds and Mammals, Iii: Marine Mammals

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Use of Kasegaluk Lagoon, Chukchi Sea, Alaska, by Marine Birds and Mammals, Iii: Marine Mammals OCSStudy MMS 92--0028 USE OF KASEGALUK LAGOON, CHUKCHI SEA, ALASKA, BY MARINE BIRDS AND MAMMALS, III: MARINE MAMMALS by Kathryn J. Frost and Lloyd F. Lowry Alaska Department of Fish and Game 1300 College Road, Fairbanks, Alaska 99701 and j Geoff Carroll Alaska Department of Fish and Game P. 0. Box 1284, Barrow, Alaska 99723 subcontracted to LGL Alaska Research Associates, lnc. 4175 Tudor Centre Drive, Suite 101, Anchorage, Alaska 99508-5917 for U.S. Minerals Management Service, Procurement Operations 381 Elden St., MS2500, Herndon, VA 22070-4817 Contract 14-35-0001-30491 LGL Report TA863-2C October 1992 This study was funded by the Alaska Outer Continental Shelf Region of the Minerals Management Service (MMS), U.S. Dept. of Interior, Anchorage, Alaska. This manuscript has been reviewed by the MMS and approved for publication. The opinions, findings, conc~usions~ or recommendations expressed in the report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the MMS. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. 512 Part III: Marine Mammals Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TABLE OF CONTENTS........................................................................................... 512 LIST OF TABLES....................................................... :............................................... 513 LIST OF FIGURES ..................................................................................................... 515· LIST OF APPENDICES............................................................................................. 517 ABSTRACT................................................................................................................ 518 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................... 519 INTRODUCTION ......................................................................... ............................ 520 Background .. .. .................. ...... ....... ..... ....... ....... ...... .. .. .. .. .. ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .. ...... 520 Beluga Whales............................................................................................... 520 Spotted Seals . ................ .. .. ........ .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. ...... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .... .. .. .. .. .. .. ... 522 Objectives.............................................................................................................. 523 Beluga Whales............................................................................................... 524 Spotted Seals .................................................................................................. 524 STUDY AREA............................................................................................................ 525 METHODS.................................................................................................................. 530 Aerial Surveys..................................................................................................... 530 Beluga Whales ............................................................................................... 530 Spotted Seals ....................... .................................................................... ....... 531 Harvest Studies ................................................................................................... 532 Haulout Behavior............................................................................................... 533 RESULTS .. .. .. .. ........ .. .... ... ......... .. .. .. .. ...... .... .... ........ .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .... ... ... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 535 Aerial Surveys..................................................................................................... 535 Beluga Whales ............................................................................................... 535 Spotted Seals .................................................................................................. 541 Harvest Studies .................... ........................ ....................................................... 550 Harvest Levels and Characteristics ................................. .......................... 550 Foods Eaten by Marine Mammals ............................................................. 555 Behavior of Spotted Seals ................................................................................. 555 DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................. 565 Beluga Whales..................................................................................................... 565 Period of Use.................................................................................................. 565 Abundance..................................................................................................... 566 Reasons for Concentration ......................................................................... 574 Spotted Seals ........................................................ ........................ .......... .............. 577 Distribution and Abundance...................................................................... 577 Foods and Feeding........................................................................................ 586 Responses to Disturbance............................................................................ 591 CONCLUSIONS ........................................................................................................ 594 LITERATURE CITED ............................................................................................... 596 Part III: Marine Mammals List of Tables 513 LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1 Official and alternate names, with geographical coordinates, of locations referred to in this report. ............................................. ~.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. .... 526 · 2 Numbers of beluga whales seen on aerial surveys in the Kasegaluk Lagoon region, 3-14 July 1990................................................................................... 536 3 Numbers of beluga whales seen on aerial surveys in the Kasegaluk Lagoon region, 4-16 July 1991. .................................................................................. 539 4 Numbers of spotted seals at haulouts in the Kasegaluk Lagoon study area during August-September 1989.............................................................................. 542 5 Numbers of spotted seals at haulouts in the Kasegaluk Lagoon study area during July-September 1990....................................................................... 543 6 Numbers of spotted seals at haulouts in the Kasegaluk Lagoon study area during July-November 1991...................................................................... 544 7 Harvest of beluga whales at Point Lay, Alaska, 1977-1991. .............. .......... .... .. .. ... .. .. .. .. ... .. ........... .... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 554 8 Stomach contents of beluga whales harvested near Point Lay, Alaska, during July 1988............................................................................................ 556 9 Responses of spotted seals to aircraft flying at various altitudes near Kasegaluk Lagoon ........................................................................................ 558 10 Sightings of beluga whales in the Kasegaluk Lagoon region, based on published and unpublished literature and surveys conducted during this project. ...................................................................................... 567 514 Part III: Marine Mammals List of Tables Table Page 11 Maximum counts of beluga whales seen on aerial surveys of the Kasegaluk Lagoon region from 1978 to 1991. ......................................................................................... 571 12 Sightings of spotted seals in the Kasegaluk Lagoon region, based on published and unpublished literature and surveys conducted during this project ........................................................................................ 579 13 Stomach contents of spotted seals from the northern Bering and Chukchi seas, July-December, 1966-1987 ................................................. 587 -.­ 515 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1 Map of the Kasegaluk Lagoon study area in the northeastern Chukchi Sea. ............................................................................................... 528 · 2 Dates and locations of beluga whale sightings made during aerial surveys of the Kasegaluk Lagoon region, 3-14 July 1990 ................................................................................. 537 3 Dates and locations of beluga whales sightings made during aerial surveys of the Kasegaluk Lagoon region, 4-16 July 1991. .............................................................................................. 540 4 Map showing specific locations used as haulouts by spotted seals at Utukok Pass in Kasegaluk Lagoon. ........................................... ............................ 546 5 Map showing specific locations used as haulouts by spotted seals at Akoliakatat Pass in Kasegaluk Lagoon ........................................................................ 547 6 Map showing specific locations used as haulouts by spotted seals at Avak Inlet in Kasegaluk Lagoon ......................................................................
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