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STUDY TITLE: Annual Assessment of Subsistence Bowhead Whaling Near Cross Island

REPORT TITLE: Annual Assessment of Subsistence Bowhead Whaling Near Cross Island, 2001 and

2002. ANIMIDA Task 004 Final Report

CONTRACT NUMBER: 1435-01-99-CT-30998; TASK ORDER (TO): 10904

SPONSORING OCS REGION: Alaska

APPLICABLE PLANNING AREA: Beaufort Sea

FISCAL YEARS OF PROJECT FUNDING: FY 2000-FY2003

COMPLETION DATE OF REPORT: August 2004

COSTS BY FY: FY 2000: $17,500; FY 2001: $28,000; FY 2002: $23,444; FY 2003: $26,610

CUMULATIVE PROJ ECT COST: $95,554

PROJECT MANAGER: Dale Funk

AFFILIATION: LGL Alaska Research Associates, Inc.

ADDRESS: 1101 E. 76th Avenue, Suite B, Anchorage, AK 99508

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR*: Michael Galginaitis

KEY WORDS: Alaska, ANIMIDA, Arctic, bowhead, Cross Island, effects, Eskimo, Inupiat, nearshore

Beaufort Sea, Liberty, monitoring, North Slope, Northstar, Nuiqsut, subsistence, offshore, oil

development, Prudhoe Bay, whaling, Liberty.

BACKGROUND:

The Arctic Nearshore Impact Monitoring in Development Area (ANIMIDA), a five-year study started in

1999, has provided baseline data and monitoring results for chemical contamination, turbidity, and

subsistence whaling in the vicinity of Northstar and Liberty development sites. Northstar is in State

waters, but includes production of some OCS oil through directional drilling. Liberty, if approved, would

be the first offshore OCS development project in the Beaufort Sea or elsewhere in the Alaska OCS. This

Task Order provides an annual assessment of fall subsistence bowhead whaling near Cross Island in the

ANIMIDA study area.

OBJECTIVES:

This Task Order describes subsistence whaling as currently conducted near Cross Island by residents of

Nuiqsut. This effort is designed to measure basic parameters of Cross Island whaling so that observed

changes (if any) can in the future be analyzed in relation to such factors as oil and gas activities, weather

and ice conditions, or other variables. Observations, and the narrative annual report summarizing them,

focus on descriptive measures of activities associated with whaling. Special attention is devoted to

geospatial information through the sharing of GIS information by participating whaling crews. Project

reports are only for the purposes of reporting information collected. Also, the project is designed as a

collaborative effort of MMS and its contractor, Applied Sociocultural Research (ASR), the subsistence

whalers from Nuiqsut, and the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission (AEWC). It will develop a system for

collecting such information that local whalers themselves can adopt, adapt, and maintain.

DESCRIPTION:

Three methods of information collection were employed - systematic observations, collection of daily

vessel locational information from handheld GPS units, and whalers' self-reports and perceptions.

Emphasis has been placed on such measures as:
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Number of crews actively whaling (observation)

Size and composition of crews, and fluctuation over the whaling season (observation)

Number of whales harvested (observation, self-report)

Days spent whaling, and days prevented from whaling (observation, self-report)

Days suitable for whaling when whaling did not occur (observation, self-report)

Subsistence activities occurring other than whaling (self-report, observation)

Location of whale searching, whale sightings, and whale harvest (GPS, self-report)

Local weather and ice conditions (observation, self-report, weather station data file)

Bowhead whale behavior in the Cross Island area, and differences from past experience (self-report)

Changes in access or other issues related to the whale hunt, such as increased effort for the same

(or reduced) harvest, increased risk, increased cost (self-report)

GPS units were downloaded for each boat after each whaling trip, and the resulting tracks and waypoints

were discussed with the crews. This information and daily observations made by the researcher were

recorded on a Daily Boat Report Form and these forms, along with the GPS track files and the time-series

data file from the weather station, comprise the data obtained for this task order.

SIGNIFICANT CONCLUSIONS:

No definitive conclusions can be made at this time, since the time series of information available is far too

short. It is clear from the two field seasons documented so far as well as from interviews with whalers

about past seasons that a number of factors potentially affect whale behavior and Cross Island whaling.

Among these factors are weather conditions, ice conditions, and human activities such as boat traffic, air

traffic, oil and gas industry activities, and whaling activities. Whaling is a communal activity, but individual

whalers vary in their evaluation of the effects of these factors. The situational context or interaction of

factors is also important. More information is needed before even a speculative discussion can be started.

STUDY RESULTS:

In 2001, four whaling crews from Nuiqsut whaled from Cross Island. At least 1 boat went whaling on 12

different days. Whalers were on Cross Island a total of 24 days (counting day of arrival and day of

departure). Weather prevented whaling on 7-8 days, 3 days were devoted to butchering a whale taken

the prior day, and 2 days were devoted to travel. Three whales were harvested. The report and attached

daily vessel trip forms present information on boat crew size (3 to 6 per boat per day) and daily trip

characteristics (duration, GPS track, marked points, self-report of sightings and other perceptions). In

2002, three whaling crews from Nuiqsut whaled from Cross Island. At least 1 boat went whaling on 15

different days. Whalers were on Cross Island a total of 24 days (counting day of arrival and day of

departure). Weather prevented whaling on 3 to 5 days, 3 days were devoted to butchering a whale taken

the prior day, and 2 days were devoted to travel. Four whales were harvested, and one was struck and

lost. Two of the harvested whales sank when killed, and were recovered later as "stinkers". The report

and attached daily vessel trip forms present information on boat crew size (2 to 6 per boat per day, most

commonly 3 to 5) and daily trip characteristics (duration, GPS track, marked points, self-report of

significant sightings and other perceptions). The report also summarizes Nuiqsut whalers' observations

and perceptions on how whale behavior in 2001 and 2002 was different from that of other years, and the

implications of those differences for subsistence whaling.

STUDY PRODUCTS:

Galginaitis, M. and D. Funk. 2004. Annual Assessment of Subsistence Bowhead Whaling Near Cross

Island, 2001 and 2002: ANIMIDA Task 004 Final Report. OCS Study MMS 2004-030. Final Report

1435-01-99-CT-30998, TO 10904. Prepared by Applied Sociocultural Research and LGL Alaska

Research Associates, Inc. for Minerals Management Service Alaska OCS Region. Anchorage, AK.

Galginaitis, M. and D. Funk. In prep. Annual Assessment of Subsistence Bowhead Whaling Near Cross

Island, 2003: ANIMIDA Task 004 Special Report. OCS Study MMS 200X-XXX. Special Report

1435-01-99-CT-30998, TO 10904. Prepared by Applied Sociocultural Research and LGL Alaska

Research Associates, Inc. for Minerals Management Service Alaska OCS Region. Anchorage, AK.
Galginaitis, M. and D. Funk. 2003. Annual Assessment of Subsistence Bowhead Whaling Near Cross

Island, 2002: ANIMIDA Task 004 Special Report. [Incorporated as appendix of MMS 2004-030.]

Prepared by Applied Sociocultural Research and LGL Alaska Research Associates, Inc. for Minerals

Management Service Alaska OCS Region. Anchorage, AK.

Galginaitis, M. and D. Funk. 2003. Annual Assessment of Subsistence Bowhead Whaling Near Cross

Island, 2001: ANIMIDA Task 004 Special Report. [Incorporated as appendix of MMS 2004-030.]

Prepared by Applied Sociocultural Research and LGL Alaska Research Associates, Inc. for Minerals

Management Service Alaska OCS Region. Anchorage, AK.

Galginaitis, M. 2003. ANIMIDA: Annual Assessment of Subsistence Bowhead Whaling Near Cross

Island. In: Alaska OCS Region Ninth Information Transfer Meeting And Barrow Information Update

Meeting Final Proceedings, OCS Study MMS 2003-42, pp. 77-80. Prepared by MBC Applied

Environmental Sciences. Anchorage, AK.: United States, DOl, MMS, Alaska OCS Region.

Galginaitis, M. 2003. Task Order 004: Annual Assessment of Subsistence Bowhead Whaling Near

Cross Island. Presented at SETAC 24th Annual Meeting in North America, November 9-13, 2003.

Austin, TX: SETAC.

Galginaitis, M. 2003. Annual Assessment of Subsistence Bowhead Whaling Near Cross Island: ANIMIDA

Task Order 4. Presented at the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission Commissioners meeting, July

18, 2003. Fairbanks, AK.

*pIs affiliation may be different than that listed for Project Manager(s).

ARCTIC 3U9REGION

BEAUFORT SEA

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Focus area for Arctic Nearshore Impact Monitoring in the Development Area (ANIMIDA) Program.
Location Map, Landmarks, and Routes

Between Nuiqsut and Cross Island

Figure 1 0 5 10 0 Miles

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I I August2004 0 0 20 40Km

Route between Nu,qsut &O,oeebeend

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