Alaska Fisheries Science Center 

Studies of Harbor Seals Using 

Glacial Ice in Disenchantment 

Bay, Alaska, 2016-2017

Alaska Fisheries Science Center 

Studies of Harbor Seals Using 

Glacial Ice in Disenchantment 

Bay, Alaska, 2016-2017

Published March 2018

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Marine Fisheries Service

Alaska Fisheries Science Center

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 5

Goal of New Phase of Research

This summary will provide an update on NOAA-AFSC’s latest research on seal-vessel 

interactions jointly conducted with the National Park Service. This research builds on studies 

since 2002 on ice-associated harbor seals in Disenchantment Bay which have focused 

on proximate effects such as when, where, and at what distances vessels were causing 

disturbance. By employing GPS satellite tracking (for both seals and ships), we aim to address 

broader population-level effects, and in particular to better understand how vessels entering 

glacial ice habitats may approach and alter the haul-out behavior of nursing pups, thus 

potentially increasing their energetic costs of thermoregulation in the water. There is concern 

that chronic disturbances could reduce body mass of pups at weaning and survival, and 

ultimately impact population stability.
6 Studies of Harbor Seals Using Glacial Ice in Disenchantment Bay, Alaska, 2016-2017 Alaska Fisheries Science Center

Overview of Field Accomplishments and Next Steps

During two field deployments in June 2016 and 2017, scientists from NOAA’s Marine Mammal 

Laboratory and NPS’s Glacier Bay Field Office captured, sampled, and attached satellite-linked 

transmitters on 73 pup and 2 mother harbor seals hauled out on glacial ice. Vessel routes and speed 

upon entering the study area were tracked in both years using an AIS tracking station installed on 

Haenke Island. Coupling vessel AIS data with behavioral and spatial data from the seals’ satellite tags 

will allow researchers to model seal and vessel movements to estimate the distance and time of closest 

approaches to seals by vessels, which will then be related to timelines of pup haul-out behavior (in/

out of the water). Over the next year, analyses will focus on comparing the behavior of pups with and 

without ships present, and outside and within the path of vessels, to detect any differences in time 

spent submerged. Previous energetic models have shown that extra time in the ice-chilled water could 

compromise the capacity of pups to gain body mass (i.e., blubber) necessary to support them in the first 

months of independence. Findings will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals and presented directly 

to stakeholders via meetings.

.
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 7

Project Milestones

January 2012 MML and NPS scientists meet to discuss published results and local/historical 

concerns related to vessel disturbance of seals in Disenchantment Bay; NPS/

MML commit to collaboration with NPS seeking funding to build on past 

findings to address possible population-level effects.

February 2013 NPS grant awarded for Disenchantment Bay study to examine pup 

haul-out behavior in relation to vessels.

Winter/Spring 2016 Began fieldwork planning; logistics; contracts; transporting equipment; 

funding support via grant from NOAA’s Alaska Regional Office for AIS system, 

additional satellite-linked transmitters, and ARGOS satellite time.

May 2016 Conducted a Yakutat community meeting; also presented for CBY and Yakutat 

Tribe; presented hands-on activity (Polar Detectives) at Yakutat school; site 

visit to Haenke (Egg) Island to assess options for AIS station.

June 2016 Completed first field season to deploy 45 satellite tags on pups during 6 days 

on the R/V Steller; installed AIS station; hosted community members from 

Yakutat aboard ship.

August 2016 Circulated 2016 field season report.

Winter/Spring 2017 Field planning for second trip; logistics; contracts; transporting equipment.

June 2017 Completed second field season deploying 30 tags on pups (plus 2 moms) 

during 4 days on the R/V Norseman II; hosted community members aboard 

ship; gave a presentation for the Yakutat community after disembarking ship.

Sept/Oct 2017 Removed AIS station from Haenke (Egg) Island. Packaged and shipped for 

storage. 

Fall 2017 Completed QA/QC of AIS and satellite tag data to make ready for analyses; 

conference call among partners to discuss structure of and prioritize analyses.

Winter 2018 Initiate preliminary movement modelling of vessel and seal spatial coordinates; 

working meeting planned to review progress on models and early results.

Circulated final field season report.

Spring/Summer 2018 Develop state-dependent statistical model to test for differences in haulout behavior under varying levels of vessel traffic, and spatial and temporal 

proximity of vessels to seals.

Fall 2018-Spring 2019 Anticipate completed analyses; submit for review to peer-reviewed journals.
8 Studies of Harbor Seals Using Glacial Ice in Disenchantment Bay, Alaska, 2016-2017 Alaska Fisheries Science Center

Who Makes Up the Collaboration?

The following people from seven (7) agencies have been involved in project origination, logistical 

planning, analytical conceptualization, and/or field work: 

John Jansen

Agency: Marine Mammal Laboratory, AFSC,

 NMFS, NOAA

Role: Co-Principal Investigator, Field Crew, 

Data Analyses, Write-Up

Jamie Womble

Agency: Glacier Bay Field Office, NPS

Role: Co-Principal Investigator, Field Crew, 

Data Analyses, Write-Up

Scott Gende

Agency: Glacier Bay Field Office, NPS

Role: Co-Principal Investigator, Field Crew, 

Data Analyses, Write-Up

Brett McClintock

Agency: Marine Mammal Laboratory, AFSC, 

NMFS, NOAA

Role: Statistician, Field Crew, Data Analysis, 

Write-Up

Heather Ziel

Agency: Marine Mammal Laboratory, AFSC, 

NMFS, NOAA

Role: Biological Sampling & Archival, 

Field Crew

Shawn Johnson, 

Sophie Whoriskey

Agency: Marine Mammal Center, 

Sausalito, CA

Role: Veterinary Support, Field Crew

Eric Veach, 

Judy Putera

Agency: Wrangell St Elias NP 

Role: Field Crew

Leigh Welling

Agency: NPS Alaska Region

Role: Field Crew

Jed Harding

Agency: University of Alaska-Fairbanks

Role: Veterinary Intern, Field Crew

Nick Hatch

Agency: Marine Exchange, Inc.

Role: AIS support, Field Crew

Jim Capra

Agency: Yakutat Field Office, Glacier Bay NP

Role: Shore-based Field Support
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 9
10 Studies of Harbor Seals Using Glacial Ice in Disenchantment Bay, Alaska, 2016-2017 Alaska Fisheries Science Center

What was the Impetus 

for the Study?

Studies on the effects of vessel traffic on glacier-ice associated harbor seals date back to the 1980’s in 

Glacier Bay National Park, studies that were initiated due to increasing frequency of vessels in the Park. 

Early findings led the NPS to implement regulations to limit approach distances and establish spacetime closures to protect seals in Johns Hopkins Inlet, the largest aggregation of glacial harbor seals in 

Alaska at that time. NOAA established a 100-yard, Alaska-wide guideline for approaches to marine 

mammals in the 1990’s – which applied to harbor seals including those in glacial fjords.

In 2001, increases in the use of Disenchantment Bay by large vessels prompted the Yakutat Tlingit 

Tribe (YTT) to voice concerns to NOAA managers about the potential impacts of vessels to the seal 

population. Seals in Disenchantment Bay have been a source of traditional subsistence to Native 

people of the area likely since the earliest settlements in ca. 1300 AD. The Tribe’s main concern was 

that vessels were disturbing adult females and pups and could be the cause of a perceived decline in 

seal abundance in the glacier-ice habitat of Disenchantment Bay. At about the same time, the Tribe 

passed a formal resolution requesting that large vessels approaching Disenchantment Bay to remain 

south of a demarcation line between Bancas Point and Calahonda Creek. In response, NOAA’s Marine 

Mammal Laboratory (MML) established a new research program to study the potential impacts of tour 

vessels on harbor seals. As a first step, the MML implemented aerial surveys using new methodology 

and conducted behavioral observations of seals from cruise ships. These studies took place in 2002, 

2004, and 2005, with continuing efforts since then to conduct annual surveys of seals in both 

Disenchantment and Icy bays to acquire a reliable estimate of abundance to assess population trends.

The observational studies led by NOAA were structured to establish a proximate mechanism of 

disturbance (seals reacting to vessels and flushing into the water) and the distance at which this 

reaction occurred. These initial studies also looked for possible short-term changes in abundance or 

distribution in response to ships. Subsequent studies sought to determine the existence of a possible 

link between this altered behavior and population-level effects that could account for a decline in seal 

numbers, as reported by subsistence hunters of the YTT. Following the results of an energetic model 

suggesting increased vulnerability of pups to heat loss while submerged, and spatial analyses that 

estimated a significant fraction of seals being disturbed by vessels, the 2016-17 field studies focused on 

the biological significance of pups spending extra time in the water after being disturbed by vessels.

Findings to Date

Since NOAA’s Marine Mammal Laboratory initiated studies in Disenchantment Bay, other agencies – 

including Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG), the Alaska Sea Life Center (ASLC), and the 

National Park Service (NPS) – have implemented additional studies examining seal-vessel interactions 

in Alaskan glacial fjords. In general, these studies have progressed in scope from examining proximate 

effects (e.g., individual behaviors) to more ultimate impacts (e.g., population-level disturbance). 

Below is a summary of selected findings that helped formed the basis for the 2016-17 Disenchantment 

Bay studies, organized into three categories: 1) behavioral effects, 2) bio-energetic effects, and 3) 

population-wide effects (see references below).
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 11

Behavioral Effects

• Seals flush into the water when 

approached within 500 m 

(< 1⁄4 mile) by cruise ships1; about 

90% flush within 100 m (109 yards)1; 

reactions to cruise ships can occur 

out as far as 1000 meters (about 

2⁄3 mile)3

• Seals are more likely to flush in 

response to cruise ships and kayaks 

than other vessel types, and when 

pups are present4

• Seals are 3.7 - 25 times more 

likely to enter the water when a 

vessel is within 100 m compared to 

3-500 m 1,4; seals are less likely to be 

hauled out and more likely to end a 

haul out in the presence of vessels7

Bio-energetic Effects

• Seal pups are disproportionately 

vulnerable to the energetic costs of 

spending more time submerged, 

potentially affecting survival1

• Elevated heart rates occur when 

hauled out seals are approached by 

vessels, suggesting added energetic 

costs even if they don’t flush in the 

water6; seals hauling out following 

disturbance have elevated heart 

rates6

Population-Wide Effects

• A significant portion of the seals 

present on a given day (14%) can 

be disturbed in the water by a 

cruise ship2; up to 4 ships may visit 

Disenchantment Bay per day1, and 

up to 7 (all vessel types) at other 

glacial sites7

• A majority of vessels (>75%) 

observed in Johns Hopkins Inlet 

(Glacier Bay) and Disenchantment 

Bay disturbed seals into the water 1,3

• Vessel traffic to glacial habitats have 

risen 10-fold since the 1980’s1

• The estimated proportion of pups at 

Disenchantment Bay (10%) appears 

to be lower on average compared 

to other less visited glacial sites 

(21-40%) 2

• Population declines – including 

number of pups – at glacial sites 

with high levels of vessel tourism 

is concerning 5; but greater knowledge and awareness about likely 

threats to seals can lead to reduced 

disturbance8. 

1

 Jansen et al. 2010; 2 Jansen et al. 2015; 3 Young et al. 2014; 4 Mathews et al. 2016; 5 Hoover-Miller et al. 2011; 6

 Karpovich et al. 2016; 7 Blundell et al. 2015; 8Hoover-Miller et al. 2013.
12 Studies of Harbor Seals Using Glacial Ice in Disenchantment Bay, Alaska, 2016-2017 Alaska Fisheries Science Center
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 13

New Vessel Approach Guidelines

In response to these new findings – and after considering 

public and stakeholder input – NOAA Fisheries’ Alaska 

Regional Office issued new voluntary guidelines in 2015 

for vessels that operate in the vicinity of harbor seals 

in tidewater glacial fjord habitats. NOAA managers 

concurred with recent studies published by scientists at 

NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) – and 

other researchers – that the previous voluntary guidelines 

to avoid approaching harbor seals within 100 yards were 

inadequate to protect seals from disturbance. In their 

decision to adopt more stringent, but still voluntary 

guidelines, they pointed to: 1) an increasing likelihood 

of seals flushing in the water (i.e., disturbance) with 

decreasing ship approach distances, with disturbance 

occurring as far out as 500-1000 yards; 2) a direct overlap 

of peak incidence of seals on ice and tour ships during 

midday hours; 3) a high prevalence of seal disturbance by 

vessels at the most frequented glacial sites in Alaska; and 

4) the potential risk to pups of exhausting energy reserves 

after flushing in the ice-chilled water and having nursing 

bouts interrupted by vessels, both factors leading to reduced 

survival and likely impacts to the population.

NOAA Fisheries sought to develop meaningful, voluntary 

guidelines that reflected the latest, most relevant scientific 

findings, while also considering the needs of vessel 

operators who have increasingly frequented these areas 

because of the growing popularity of tidewater glaciers as 

a tour destination. As these glaciers diminish with climate 

change, the popularity of these areas is expected to increase 

further. NOAA Fisheries convened the first meeting of the 

Harbor Seal Approach Guideline (HSAG) Working Group 

in Juneau (January 2017) to provide a forum for discussing 

topics related to the new guidelines and how they may 

be functionally implemented by different vessel types in 

tidewater glacial fjords. Subsequent stakeholder meetings 

were held in various Alaska communities where vesselbased tourism is important. Through a combination of a 

listserv, newsletters, and other communications, NOAA 

will foster communication within the HSAG Working 

Group so that any issues or questions can be addressed 

collaboratively.
14 Studies of Harbor Seals Using Glacial Ice in Disenchantment Bay, Alaska, 2016-2017 Alaska Fisheries Science Center

Project Goals, Summary 

and Accomplishments

The primary objectives of this joint-funded NPS/NOAA project are to measure the activity budgets 

and haul-out behavior of harbor seal pups in relation to distance and varying levels of vessel traffic. 

Various metrics of ship and seal behavior will help determine if disturbance (i.e., pups entering the 

water prematurely) may be altering their energy balance, causing pups to spend more energy keeping 

warm and less on growth and development. Previous estimates of energetics and survival of seals in 

their first year of life suggest that the balance between energy consumed vs. required could be narrow, 

with little margin for perturbations such as vessel disturbance. The end result could be pups starting 

their first winter with less blubber to survive lean periods, and ultimately fewer resources to deal with a 

variable environment. 

Given that vessel traffic has increased in areas used by harbor seals for pupping, especially in tidewater 

glacier fjords where large seasonal aggregations of seals occur, the potential for impacts to individual 

harbor seals via disruption of nursing, pup growth, and survival are of concern to managers. In 

Disenchantment Bay, the annual visitation by cruise ships has risen from fewer than a dozen in the 

late 1980’s to over 170 in 2017, with as many as four vessels visiting in a given day. These changes have 

raised concern in nearby Yakutat, where the local Tlingit Tribe has used harbor seals as a subsistence 

resource for centuries. Recent NOAA studies revealed that adult seals (including nursing mothers) 

start flushing from the ice when vessels approach closer than 0.5 km (about 1⁄4 mile), with the vast 

majority entering the water when vessels are closer than 100 meters (about 100 yards).
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 15

2016 Research Cruise

In the first field effort of this two-year study, a crew of 10 scientists, veterinarians, and university 

students from the National Park Service (NPS), NOAA Fisheries, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and 

The Marine Mammal Center were based on the R/V Steller in Yakutat and Disenchantment bays from 

4-9 June 2016. The ship transited north from Juneau after being loaded with research gear and supplies, 

and returned there at the conclusion of pup captures.

Capture and tagging goals of the 2016 field study were achieved in less time than anticipated. 

Researchers used small inflatable boats to quietly approach mother-pup pairs resting on icebergs. 

Long-handled dip net poles (12 ft) were found to be indispensable for catching pups, usually providing 

a few seconds lead time before the pup could flush in the water. After some trial and error, up to 13 

pups were captured in a single day. The first couple days were characterized by heavy rain and wind 

making captures more difficult owing to fewer seals hauled out with those being more alert. Captures 

increased thereafter as warmer, dry days made for calmer seals that were easier to approach more 

closely.

Once captured, pups were kept in the small inflatables near the capture site to encourage interaction 

with the mothers who were generally attentive, either swimming around the boat or hauling out 

on a nearby iceberg. Pups were first measured and weighed prior to collecting biological samples, 

including whiskers, hair, and skin. Blubber sonography was conducted on more than half of the pups. 

Satellite-linked transmitters were attached using quick-setting adhesive, Forty-five (45) satellite tags 

were attached to pups ranging in size from about 13 to 25 kg (approx. 1-2 weeks of age). On average, 

pup handling time was 30 minutes. Prior to capturing pups, the automated identification system (AIS; 

for vessel tracking), was installed on Haenke (Egg) Island to monitor the distance of tagged pups to 

approaching vessels. Installation was assisted by a technician from Marine Exchange of Alaska, who 

then returned to Yakutat.
16 Studies of Harbor Seals Using Glacial Ice in Disenchantment Bay, Alaska, 2016-2017 Alaska Fisheries Science Center

2017 Research Cruise

Due to reduced project funding, the second field effort 

comprised a smaller crew, fewer tags, and fewer days 

of capture and sampling work. A team of 6 researchers 

were based aboard the R/V Norseman II in Yakutat and 

Disenchantment Bays from 5-8 June 2017. 

Having the benefit of our previous experience, and better 

weather, we were able to deploy more tags per day than 

in 2016 (7.5 vs 6.6) and reach our goal of 30 tags in the 

shorter window we had available. Using small inflatables 

and the same capture, tagging, and sampling methods as 

the previous year, we matched last year’s daily maximum 

of 13 pups tagged. Similar to last year, tagged pups ranged 

in mass between 13 and 25 kg. Pup handling time was 

reduced compared to 2016, averaging 27 min despite 

conducting blubber sonography on nearly twice the 

proportion of pups (68 vs. 36%); most of the pups were 

released in the water directly to attendant moms. 

To gain insights into the behavior of mothers during lactation, and specifically their likely role in 

influencing pup behavior, the last 4 tags were reserved for deployment on two mother-pup pairs. Adult 

seals are typically captured using larger tangle nets in the water, so it was uncertain if mother could be 

captured simultaneously with long-handled dip nets. Still, on the last day of capture operations two (2) 

mother-pup pairs were captured together on the ice; due to the size of the adult females, both animals 

were transferred back to the research ship for processing. The transfer, sampling, and tag attachment 

for each pair took about one (1) hour before the mother and pup were released together from the ship. 

Based on observations and tag locations both pairs were believed to remain together following release.

Before captures, the AIS vessel tracking system was repaired (after a bear damaged a cable) and then 

later removed from Haenke Island in October 2017. Preliminary assessment of the AIS data shows the 

system worked well and collected high-quality locations on vessel positions throughout both sampling 

periods in 2016 and 2017. 

Outreach

In addition to the two research trips in Disenchantment Bay, two members of the science team (J. 

Jansen and J. Womble) visited Yakutat on two occasions to meet with stakeholders, school kids, and 

the public. In May 2016, prior to the first field effort, separate presentations were given to the Yakutat 

Tlingit Tribe, the City Council, and to the community at-large to provide a summary of the research 

and allow for questions; a hands-on educational presentation was also given at the Yakutat School. 

Similarly, after the 2017 field trip, in June, another community talk was given in Yakutat to provide 

an update on accomplishments to date and answer any outstanding questions. During capture and 

tagging operations in both years, the scientific party hosted members from the Yakutat community 

aboard the research vessel to provide a more in-depth perspective on the project.

Figure 1. Map of tagging locations for 2016 and 2017 (N=75) in 

Disenchantment Bay, AK. 
U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 17

Preliminary Results

Analyses of the pup haul-out behavior in relation to vessel presence and distance is in the early 

stages, with the different data streams (i.e., pup behavior and locations, and ships’ speed, bearing, and 

locations) being compiled and undergoing error checking prior to structuring models to test for effects.

Still, a preliminary inspection of pup locations from the satellite-linked transmitters revealed some 

interesting movements. In 2016, within 30 days of being tagged twenty (20) pups (45%) had ventured 

outside the shelter of Disenchantment and Yakutat bays, four of them travelling as far as Prince 

William Sound (PWS), two to Kayak Island, four to the Icy Straits area, and three near Lituya Bay (Fig. 

2). The longest travelers to PWS had covered at least 500 km (about 300 miles), which appear to exceed 

typical pup journeys previously documented. Interestingly, four (4) pups ventured to nearby Icy Bay, 

another tidewater glacial fjord just to the northwest of Disenchantment Bay. In 2017, during the first 

30 days, 16 pups (55%) had ventured outside the bay with two pups matching the distance of the 2016 

longest trips (4 pups; >500 km or >300 miles) by traveling as far south as Baranof Island, south of Sitka. 

Interestingly, even though overall distances seemed similar between years, the movement patterns 

differed. In 2017, pups stayed in continental shelf waters to the southeast of Disenchantment Bay, 

whereas pups tagged in 2016 occasionally ventured off the shelf and traveled both to the northwest and 

southeast of the bay (Fig. 2). 

Figure 2 Harbor Seal pup movements from Disenchantment Bay, June 2016 & 2017

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Source: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AeroGRID, IGN, and the GIS User Community

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0 50 100 200 300

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Harbor seal pup movements

from Disenchantment Bay, June/July 2016 & 2017

(this graphic shows Argos-quality satellite locations of pups that left the ice haulout

during the first 30 days after tag was attached; orange (2016) and red (2017)

circles show last known location; PTT tag number is shown;

tracks are shown by lighter colors, respectively)
18 Studies of Harbor Seals Using Glacial Ice in Disenchantment Bay, Alaska, 2016-2017 Alaska Fisheries Science Center

It is unknown to what extent mothers may be accompanying pups on these migrations, but in phocid 

seals maternal investment is generally thought to end when pups wean at the natal site. Remarkably, 

one of the two mother-pup pairs tagged in 2017 ventured together out of the ice, into the Gulf 

of Alaska; this may be the longest trip documented for a mother and pup harbor seal travelling 

together at sea. The trip lasted just a couple days before the pair returned in tandem to the ice of 

Disenchantment Bay; the mother left shortly thereafter without her pup, not to return, while the pup 

stayed in the bay for several days. Tags equipped with diving recorders have revealed that pups that 

were still in the glacial ice habitat, as well as those that ventured out, were regularly diving to depths 

of 50-75 meters (apx. 150-250 feet) with many dives reaching 150 meters (almost 500 feet). This early 

look at the pups’ diving behavior – but supported by earlier studies – seems to show a progression from 

shallow to deeper diving with age as they adapt physiologically. Many of the areas that these first-time 

foragers traveled to after leaving the glacial ice are similar to those along the Yakutat Forelands, Prince 

William Sound, and Icy Strait that were used by tagged seals from Johns Hopkins Inlet in Glacier 

Bay. Little is known about seals that use glacial ice habitats so any new information adds greatly to 

the knowledge about them, with details of movements and genetic data being important for further 

understanding stock structure of harbor seals in Alaska.

Though these early results of movement after pups are weaned are interesting and will add much 

to our knowledge about how glacial seals juggle the constraints of growing to adulthood, the real 

emphasis of this study will be the pups’ behavior before they leave the tidewater glacial fjord habitat – 

while they are still dependent on mom – and whether vessel disturbance then represents a significant 

threat to their survival.
Acknowledgements

The study is funded by the National Park Service (NPS-NRPP Grant #196384), Wrangell St. Elias 

National Park, NOAA Fisheries’ Alaska Region Office of Protected Resources and Alaska Fisheries 

Science Center (AFSC), and the Ocean Alaska Science & Learning Center (OASLC). All capture, 

handling, and research was conducted under MMPA Permit #19309 issued to the Marine Mammal 

Laboratory (MML), Alaska Fisheries Science Center. Participating scientists included Scott Gende, 

Judy Putera, Eric Veach, and Jamie Womble (NPS); and John Jansen, Brett McClintock, and Heather 

Ziel (MML-AFSC). Veterinarians were Shawn Johnson and Sophie Whoriskey (The Marine Mammal 

Center), with assistance from veterinary student Jed Harding (University of Alaska Fairbanks). Nick 

Hatch (Alaska Marine Exchange) installed the AIS station on Haenke (Egg) Island under a USFS 

permit. The City and Borough of Yakutat provided a boat and captain, Erving Grass, for the AIS site 

visit and ship-based outreach activities, with additional assistance from Yung Jones (USFS). During 

capture operations and AIS deployment/breakdown, Jim Capra (NPS), Rhonda Coston, and Erving 

Grass (City and Borough of Yakutat) provided transportation to/from Yakutat and logistical support. 

Outstanding ship and logistical support was provided by the crew and captain of the two charter 

vessels: the R/V Steller (2016) and R/V Norseman II (2017). 

U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | National Marine Fisheries Service 19
U.S. Secretary of Commerce

Wilbur Ross

Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration and Undersecretary of Commerce

Dr. Timothy Gallaudet

Assistant Administrator for Fisheries

Chris Oliver

March 2018

www.nmfs.noaa.gov

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