NOAA’s Arctic Acti Arcticon Pl an

Supporting the 

National Strategy for 

the Arctic Region
Cover: Biologist scans sea ice in the Bering Sea. 

Photo: J. London, NOAA
NOAA’s Arctic Acti on Pl an

Supporting the National Strategy for the Arctic Region

April 2014

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Kathryn D. Sullivan, Ph.D.

Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere 

and Administrator, NOAA
NOAA Arctic 

Program Leads

Holly A. Bamford

National Ocean Service

John L. Bengtson

National Marine Fisheries Service

Ashley Chappell

National Ocean Service

Kate Clark

National Ocean Service

Pablo Clemente-Colon

National Environmental Satellite and 

Information Service

Kathleen Crane

Office of Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Research

Douglas P. DeMaster

Alaska Regional Collaboration 

Team Lead

Aimee M. Devaris

National Weather Service

Leah R. Fisher

National Ocean Service

Amy E. Holman

Alaska Regional Collaboration 

Team Coordinator

Ming Ji

National Weather Service

Elizabeth S. McLanahan

Office of International Affairs

Richard L. Merrick

National Marine Fisheries Service

Sue E. Moore

National Marine Fisheries Service

James E. Overland

Office of Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Research

Jen J. Pizza

Office of Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Research

Whitley J. Saumweber

Office of the Under Secretary

This publication may be cited as: NOAA. 2014. NOAA’s 

Arctic Action Plan – Supporting the National Strategy 

for the Arctic Region. U.S. Dep. Commer., Natl. Oceanic 

Atmos. Admin., Silver Spring, Md. 30 p.

ii U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

I. introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

National Strategy for the Arctic Region . . . . . . . . . . 3

NOAA: Ready for Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

National Strategy Line of Effort 1: 

II. Advance U.S. Security Interests . . . . 6

Weather and Sea Ice Forecasts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Sea Ice Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

National Strategy Line of Effort 2: 

III. Pursue Responsible Arctic 

Region Stewardship . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Foundational Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Stewardship and Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Communities and Economies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

National Strategy Line of Effort 3: 

IV. Strengthen International 

Cooperation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

National Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

International Partnerships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

 V. NOAA’s Investments in the Arctic . . 24

Appendix – NOAA’s Arctic Milestones

for 2014 and 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan is available online at: 

http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/NOAAarcticactionplan2014.pdf
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is actively engaged in the Arctic, providing 

science, service, and stewardship to this rapidly changing region, its inhabitants, and the Nation. Through its 

broad range of activities, NOAA is well prepared to make significant contributions, to the extent possible within 

existing resources, to all three lines of effort in the recently released U.S. National Strategy for the Arctic Region 

(May 2013) and its subsequent Implementation Plan (January 2014). As described in its 2011 Arctic Vision and 

Strategy, NOAA has six strategic goals in the Arctic, each of which directly supports the National Strategy.

Advancing U.S. security interests in the Arctic requires improved maritime domain awareness, for which 

NOAA’s weather and sea ice forecasts are critically important. NOAA’s sea ice research strengthens forecasts of 

both ice and weather conditions as well as building a better understanding of the direct links between sea ice 

and climate. As a result of this research, the complicated linkages among melting sea ice, changing climate, and 

weather patterns in the Arctic and around the globe are becoming more apparent and allow better planning to 

cope with Arctic change. 

NOAA plays a key role in pursuing responsible Arctic region stewardship. Foundational science enables 

better understanding of Arctic ecosystems, the atmosphere, climate, and their dynamic interconnections. NOAA’s 

fisheries research and management programs are likewise vital, particularly for the economically important U.S. 

Bering Sea fisheries. Research and stewardship of marine ecosystems and protected species like marine mammals 

promote sustainable use, conservation, and protection from potential impacts of offshore development, increased 

shipping, and environmental degradation. NOAA provides important services to coastal communities by improving 

safe Arctic maritime access with mapping and charting as well as increasing preparedness and communities’ 

resilience to intensifying weather. NOAA is also an important partner in hazard response and mitigation (e.g., 

providing scientific support to the U.S. Coast Guard after oil spills). Research relevant to oil spills, sea ice, and marine 

ecosystems will help to prepare for and to protect against potential environmental disasters in the Arctic. 

All of NOAA’s Arctic activities are united in one aspect: leveraging national and international partnerships and 

collaborating to support common Arctic goals. NOAA strengthens international cooperation through the 

Arctic Council, joint research opportunities, and provision of services. NOAA also has many successful Arctic 

national partnerships, within and outside the Federal Government. Existing partnerships will be strengthened 

and new ones developed in the coming years as NOAA continues its work to address the Nation’s challenges in 

the Arctic.

E xecutive Sum m ar y

National Strategy for the Arctic Region

— lines of effort —

NOAA’s Arctic Vision and Strategy

— strategic goals —

•	 Advance U.S. security interests

•	 Forecast sea ice

•	 Improve weather and water forecasts and warnings

•	 Pursue responsible Arctic region stewardship

•	 Strengthen foundational science to understand and 

detect Arctic climate and ecosystem changes

•	 Improve stewardship and management of ocean and 

coastal resources in the Arctic

•	 Advance resilient and healthy Arctic communities and 

economies

•	 Strengthen international cooperation •	 Enhance international and national partnerships

NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan 1
I. Introduction

The Arctic is changing – and those changes will affect us all, no matter which country we live in or region of the 

world we inhabit. One dramatic change is the loss of sea ice covering the Arctic Ocean and its peripheral seas. The 

past 10 years have been the 10 years with the lowest Arctic sea ice coverage, and 2012 marked the all-time lowest 

sea ice extent ever recorded. 

Since the 1980s, 75% of Arctic sea ice volume has been lost, and there are consistently more than 300 kilometers of 

open water north of Alaska every summer. In contrast, 30 years ago 50 kilometers of open water was typical. The 

ice-free season north of the Bering Strait is projected to increase from 2-3 months at present to about 5-6 months 

over the next few decades. By 2040, the Arctic Ocean will likely be nearly ice-free during the summer months. 

Bowhead whales move through sea ice in the Beaufort Sea. Photo: A. Brower, NOAA.

2 U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
This rapid loss of sea ice is affecting weather patterns, marine 

and terrestrial ecosystems, and human activities. Reductions 

in sea ice cover are changing polar atmospheric circulation 

patterns, ultimately increasing the frequency and severity of 

Arctic storms. Furthermore, recent evidence suggests that 

changes in Arctic atmospheric circulation are reflected in 

the weather patterns at lower latitudes as well. Weather and 

climate changes in the Arctic are already affecting the United 

States and other parts of the world, and these forces are 

expected to intensify in the coming years. 

As Arctic waterways become ice-free and navigable for 

longer periods, patterns of commerce and industrial 

activities are also shifting. There is growing interest in oil 

and gas exploration and development, spurred by estimates 

of over 23 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil and 

108 trillion cubic feet of technically recoverable natural 

gas within the Outer Continental Shelf of the Beaufort 

and Chukchi seas. There was a 118% increase in maritime 

transits through the Bering Strait between 2008 and 2012.1

Furthermore, ecological shifts in Arctic marine ecosystems 

are likely to impact commercial fisheries, protected resources 

such as marine mammals and birds, and Alaska Native 

subsistence harvests. Arctic climate change and loss of sea 

ice will influence maritime safety, traditional lifestyles and 

livelihoods, economies, and associated ecosystems for decades 

to come.

1 For more information, see: http://www.uscg.mil/seniorleadership/DOCS/ CG_Arctic_Strategy.pdf

Table 1. NOAA’s Arctic strategic goals support the National Strategy for the Arctic Region.

National Strategy for the Arctic Region

— lines of effort —

NOAA’s Arctic Vision and Strategy

— strategic goals —

•	 Advance U.S. security interests

•	 Forecast sea ice

•	 Improve weather and water forecasts and warnings

•	 Pursue responsible Arctic region stewardship

•	 Strengthen foundational science to understand and detect 

Arctic climate and ecosystem changes

•	 Improve stewardship and management of ocean and coastal 

resources in the Arctic

•	 Advance resilient and healthy Arctic communities and 

economies

•	 Strengthen international cooperation •	 Enhance international and national partnerships

National Strategy for the Arctic Region

Recognizing the growing importance of the Arctic, the White 

House released an overarching National Strategy for the 

Arctic Region in May 2013 (National Strategy).2 This strategy 

establishes priorities for actions to help the United States 

fulfill its responsibilities as an Arctic nation and to respond 

effectively to the challenges and opportunities arising from 

increased Arctic access. It is based on three lines of effort: 

•	Advance U.S. security interests,

•	 Pursue responsible Arctic region stewardship, and 

•	 Strengthen international cooperation. 

The National Strategy’s guiding principles are to safeguard 

peace and stability, make decisions using the best available 

information, pursue innovative arrangements, and consult 

and coordinate with Alaska Natives. An implementation 

plan for the National Strategy, released in January 2014, 

directs federal agencies – including the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – to take action on a 

number of critical Arctic issues.3

2 Available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/nat_arctic_strategy.pdf 3 Available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/implementation_plan_for_the_national_strategy_for_the_arctic_region_-_fi....pdf

NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan 3
NOAA: Ready for Action

NOAA is well prepared to support the implementation of the 

National Strategy. NOAA has a long history of Arctic science, 

service, and stewardship, ranging from biological, physical, 

and chemical research to weather and climate services to 

nautical charting, spill response, fisheries management, and 

marine mammal protection. NOAA issued its Arctic Vision 

and Strategy in 2011 to define the substantial role that it 

plays in the region and to provide direction for the future.4 

NOAA envisions an Arctic where decisions and actions 

related to conservation, management, and use are based on 

sound science and support healthy, productive, and resilient 

communities and ecosystems. The agency seeks a future 

where the global implications of Arctic change are better 

understood, predicted, and managed. 

NOAA’s six Arctic strategic goals are to:

•	 Forecast sea ice, 

•	Improve weather and water forecasts and warnings,

4 Available at: http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/docs/NOAAArctic_V_S_2011.pdf 5 Available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov//sites/default/files/national_ocean_policy_implementation_plan.pdf 6 Available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/2013_arctic_research_plan.pdf

•	 Strengthen foundational science to understand and detect 

Arctic climate and ecosystem changes,

•	Improve stewardship and management of ocean and 

coastal resources in the Arctic, 

•	Advance resilient and healthy Arctic communities and 

economies, and

•	 Enhance international and national partnerships.

Progress in achieving these goals since 2011 shows that NOAA 

is ready to implement the National Strategy in conjunction 

with NOAA’s sister agencies and other partners. Overall, 

NOAA’s Arctic goals align well with the National Strategy 

priorities, as illustrated in Table 1. NOAA played a key role 

in efforts leading up to the National Strategy, including 

development of the National Ocean Policy Implementation 

Plan and the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee’s 

five-year plan to coordinate federal Arctic research.5,6 NOAA 

also contributed significantly to the March 2013 report to 

5

NOAA Ship Fairweather crew supports 

Arctic charting operations. 

Photo: T. Smith, NOAA.

4 U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
Pacific

Ocean

Arctic

Ocean

Non-U.S. Arctic

Non-U.S. Arctic

Non-U.S. Arctic

West Bering 

Sea LME

East Bering 

Sea LME

U.S. terrestrial

Arctic zone

Chukchi

Sea LME

Beaufort

Sea LME

A l e u t i a n I s l a n d s

Figure 1. As defined by the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984, the U.S. Arctic includes the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea, Beaufort 

Sea, and vast terrestrial areas of northern and western Alaska. The marine areas in the U.S. Arctic comprise four discrete large marine ecosystems (LME). 

[Basemap courtesy of Esri Ocean Basemap.]

the President entitled, “Managing for the Future in a Rapidly 

Changing Arctic,” prepared under the auspices of the 

Interagency Working Group on Coordination of Domestic 

Energy Development and Permitting in Alaska.7 That report 

describes social, environmental, and economic trends 

and challenges in the Arctic, and it promotes adopting an 

Integrated Arctic Management approach, strengthening key 

partnerships with the State of Alaska and Alaska Natives, 

and promoting better stakeholder engagement. In July of 

2013, NOAA and its sister agencies on the Committee on 

the Marine Transportation System submitted a report to 

the President entitled, “U.S. Arctic Marine Transportation 

System: Overview and Priorities for Action,” which calls 

for near- and long-term efforts to develop safeguards for 

anticipated increases in vessel traffic.8

7 Available at: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/publications/misc_pdf/IAMreport.pdf 8 Available at: http://www.cmts.gov/downloads/CMTS%20U%20S%20%20Arctic%20MTS%20Report%20%2007-30-13.pdf 9 The Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 defines the Arctic as all U.S. and foreign territory north of the Arctic Circle and all U.S. territory north and west 

of the boundary formed by the Porcupine, Yukon, and Kuskokwim rivers; all contiguous seas, including the Arctic Ocean and the Beaufort, Bering, and 

Chukchi seas; and the Aleutian Islands chain (Fig. 1)

NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan

NOAA has many diverse and robust programs underway in 

the Arctic. NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan describes those efforts, 

how they implement NOAA’s Arctic Vision and Strategy, and 

how they support and harmonize with the National Strategy 

for the Arctic Region. This document lays out concrete 

objectives to set priorities, leverage partnerships, and build 

upon accomplishments, to the extent possible within existing 

resources. Specific actions and outcome targets for Fiscal Years 

2014 and 2015 are described in the Appendix. 

The geographic scope of NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan includes 

all of the areas defined by the Arctic Research and Policy 

Act of 1984 (i.e., the zone within and to the north of the red 

line in Fig. 1).9 For the United States, that area includes four 

large marine ecosystems (West Bering Sea, East Bering Sea, 

Chukchi Sea, and Beaufort Sea) and the terrestrial portions 

of northern and western Alaska (Fig. 1). NOAA currently has 

active programs in all of these Arctic geographic subareas. 

NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan 5
II. National Strategy Line of Effort 1: 

Advance U.S. Security Interests

NOAA’s sea ice and weather services directly support the National Strategy’s aim to advance U.S. security 

interests. This line of effort has four objectives:

1) Evolve Arctic infrastructure and strategic capabilities,

2) Enhance Arctic domain awareness,

3) Preserve Arctic region freedom of the seas, and

4) Provide for future U.S. energy security. 

NOAA contributes to all of these objectives, particularly through its activities supporting its strategic goals to 

“Forecast Sea Ice” and “Improve Weather and Water Forecasts and Warnings.” NOAA’s forecasts, warnings, and 

research on weather and sea ice inform decision-making for all stakeholders in the Arctic. These services are 

critical for safe Arctic operations and enhanced maritime domain awareness. 

NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson maneuvers through sea ice in the Bering Sea. Photo: J. Jansen, NOAA.

6 U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
Weather and Sea Ice Forecasts

NOAA provides forecasts, warnings, and information 

for marine, aviation, and other weather interests, which 

are critical for maritime domain awareness in the Arctic. 

NOAA’s National Weather Service provides forecast 

services to protect life and property, to enhance the 

national economy, and to fulfill NOAA’s obligations under 

international treaties for the safety and security of maritime 

shipping, energy exploration, and tourism activities. Major 

stakeholders and partners, including the U.S. Coast Guard 

and the State of Alaska, require weather, water, and sea ice 

information for planning and decision-making to serve 

communities and to manage the region’s many resources. 

People in the Arctic rely heavily on aviation, marine weather, 

and sea ice information for safe transportation and access 

to goods and services. Forecasts and warnings are delivered 

through a number of media, from the Internet to highfrequency radio broadcasts.

Increasing air and ocean temperatures, thawing permafrost, 

loss of sea ice, and ecosystem shifts are evidence of widespread 

and dramatic change. Critical environmental, economic, 

and national security issues are emerging, many of which 

are having significant impacts on human lives, livelihoods, 

and coastal communities. Meeting the information needs for 

Alaska, with its vast size, remote population, and cultural 

diversity, presents NOAA with unique challenges. Partners, 

emergency managers, and communities in the Arctic deal 

with extremes in temperature, darkness, and sea ice, further 

complicating decisions and possible actions. 

For example, a decision to deliver heating fuel to a coastal 

community in the Arctic may require weather and sea 

ice outlooks weeks in advance to ensure safe navigation. 

Evacuation of coastal communities that might take several 

hours in Connecticut, for example, may take several days 

in remote Alaska during the winter, when daylight hours 

are fewer and emergency response is hindered by darkness. 

These unique challenges make 

NOAA’s decision support 

services vitally important to 

Arctic communities.

Weather and sea ice forecasting are closely linked, and 

forecasts are often provided together. Weather conditions 

affect the development and movement of sea ice, and the loss 

of sea ice in the Arctic impacts the weather and climate. The 

present rate of sea ice loss, with its regional and global impact, 

creates an urgency to improve sea ice predictions at all time 

scales, from the short term (i.e., daily to weekly) to seasonal 

and decadal time scales. Some of NOAA’s sea ice services and 

forecasts are described below. 

•	 NOAA provides Arctic sea ice analysis and forecast 

services from local to regional scales through the National 

Weather Service, and at basin to global scales through the 

U.S. National Ice Center in collaboration with the U.S. 

Navy and Coast Guard.

•	Accurate weekly sea ice 

information is important 

for many stakeholders 

to operate in the 

marine environment, 

including the U.S. 

Coast Guard, Arctic 

coastal communities and 

Alaska Native populations, 

the oil and gas and fishing 

industries, first responders to 

emergencies, and scientific researchers. 

Current sea ice forecasts are based 

primarily on satellite data, simple sea ice 

drift calculations, and Arctic weather 

models. Generating timely forecasts 

depends on the ability to collect basic 

observations and rapidly process the 

information. To improve weekly sea 

ice forecasts, NOAA is developing 

and refining higher spatial resolution 

regional sea ice models for Alaska waters 

that can assimilate both weather and sea 

ice observations.

Researchers transfer from ship to 

sea ice to take samples. 

Photo: NOAA.

Launching a radiosonde at Summit 

Station, Greenland. 

Photo: M. Shupe, NOAA & Univ. Colorado.

NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan 7
National Ocean Policy: NOAA’s Role

A decade ago, the final reports of both the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and the Pew Oceans Commission recognized 

that lack of federal coordination was a major impediment to improving the Nation’s ocean and coastal policy. The National 

Ocean Policy and its accompanying Implementation Plan are designed to specifically address this issue by streamlining 

and integrating federal oceans policy to benefit the U.S. economy, sustain ocean health, and strengthen national security. 

Addressing environmental stewardship needs in a changing Arctic is one of the National Ocean Policy’s priority objectives, 

and NOAA plays a primary role in implementing milestones related to both the Arctic and maritime security.

Key areas that emerge for NOAA are:

• Improving Arctic weather and sea ice forecasting,

• Strengthening scientific research of Arctic ecosystems,

• Supporting science-based management and conservation 

of natural resources, 

• Improving Arctic mapping and charting, and

• Improving Arctic environmental incident prevention 

and response.

and clouds. Although accurate forecasts and models depend 

upon the availability of observations, existing observations 

in the Arctic are very limited in both geographic scope and 

frequency. The ability of NOAA and its partners to deploy 

a variety of sensing devices to collect observations, from 

buoys and other in situ technologies to airborne and satellite 

sensors, is key to improving weather and sea ice forecasts. 

Real-time satellite data are critical for accurate forecasting 

and warning of events, such as rapid sea ice formation and 

frequent storms that pose major hazards to life, property, and 

economic activities in the Arctic. 

NOAA will continue to improve Arctic marine weather, 

storm surge, and sea ice forecast services. Improved sea ice 

and marine weather forecasting would assist the energy, 

maritime shipping, and transportation industries as well 

as infrastructure planning, economic development, and 

ecosystem stewardship. Forecast improvements will be made 

by enhancing and integrating different types of observations of 

the atmosphere, sea ice, and ocean (including use of traditional 

and local knowledge) and by directly combining sea ice and 

climate models with weather forecast models.

•	The ability to provide accurate advanced sea ice predictions 

of the seasonal timing of the freeze-up and melt-out of sea 

ice has direct implications for U.S. commerce and industry. 

For example, in 2012, the Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management asked NOAA to assist in reviewing an oil and 

gas industry request to extend the drilling season in the 

Chukchi Sea based on the possibility of a late freeze-up of 

sea ice. NOAA provided a probability-based sea ice forecast 

indicating an unusually rapid freeze-up. The resulting 

decision to deny the extension request mitigated risks for 

offshore drilling operations.

•	 On a decadal scale, sea ice loss is a major index of global 

climate change and represents an important time horizon 

for community, industrial, and environmental management. 

NOAA has contributed key input to several national and 

international climate reports that illustrate trends in sea ice 

loss and climate, including the 5th Assessment Report of the 

International Panel on Climate Change. 

Weather analysis and prediction capabilities are currently 

poorer in the Arctic than in other parts of the United States. 

Major challenges for long-term modeling being addressed by 

NOAA include the lack of good physical data regarding winds 

8 U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
NOAA Provides Essential 

Decision Support Services

• Forecasts and warnings for highimpact events, such as extra tropical 

storms, tsunamis, floods, droughts, 

volcanic ash, fires, and space weather, 

are particularly critical in Alaska 

communities. 

• Storm surge and inundation hazards 

threaten northern and western 

Alaska coastal communities. Waterlevel information and forecasts are 

necessary to help protect these 

communities and improve coastal 

community hazard resilience. 

• An enhanced and integrated set of 

environmental observations is required 

to track changes to the Arctic across 

the land, in the atmosphere, and in the 

ocean, including physical indicators, 

biological responses, and social and 

economic impacts. Rapid integration, 

interpretation, and dissemination of 

this information in near-real time are 

required to support decision-making. 

• Accurate sea ice charts and forecasts 

are critically important for the 

maritime shipping, commercial fishing, 

and offshore energy industries, as 

well as for safe navigation, successful 

search and rescue operations, and 

other emergency response efforts.

Sea Ice Research

NOAA conducts sea ice research to better understand the 

drivers and associated impacts that cause ice to form and melt. 

Sea ice research is especially important due to the high impact 

of sea ice distribution on transportation, marine ecosystems, 

resource development, search and rescue operations, national 

security, and global climate. NOAA’s research efforts are 

focused on improving sea ice predictions and models as well 

as understanding the consequences of increased sea-ice-free 

areas on Arctic ecosystems and mid-latitude weather. 

•	Currently, researchers are exploring the direct connection 

between melting Arctic sea ice and weather extremes 

in the mid-latitude United States, which has broad 

implications for NOAA’s stewardship and environmental 

prediction missions.

•	 NOAA is meeting the growing challenges of Arctic 

change and the impact of those changes in other regions 

by launching a five-year science initiative on predicting 

Arctic weather and climate connections with mid-latitude 

zones. 

•	 Future goals include leveraging and expanding 

observation, modeling, and forecast capacity, as well as 

improving models that couple atmosphere, ocean, land, 

and ice at local, regional, and global scales. 

Arctic services are best accomplished by sharing data 

at multiple levels – among universities and researchers, 

commercial ventures, other Arctic countries, and non-Arctic 

countries possessing Arctic capabilities. NOAA intends to 

expand these relationships through partnerships and formal 

bilateral/multilateral arrangements, increasing both its 

interagency and international partnerships to improve the 

accuracy, timeliness, and coverage of forecasts. 

Panoramic view of the flight deck of 

NOAA WP-3D aircraft conducting aerial 

surveys of Arctic sea ice. 

Photo: K. Wood, NOAA. 

Scientist measures the temperature 

of a recently drilled ice core. 

Photo: J. Potter, NOAA.

NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan 9
III. National Strategy Line of Effort 2: 

Pursue Responsible Arctic 

Region Stewardship

As described in the National Strategy, the U.S. Government will pursue four objectives to achieve responsible 

stewardship in the Arctic region: 

1) Increase understanding of the Arctic through 

scientific research and traditional knowledge,

2) Protect the Arctic environment and conserve 

Arctic natural resources,

3) Use Integrated Arctic Management to balance 

economic development, environmental 

protection, and cultural values, and 

4) Chart the Arctic region. 

The following goals under NOAA’s Arctic Vision and Strategy strongly support the National Strategy 

objectives noted above:

•	 Strengthen foundational science to understand and detect Arctic climate and ecosystem changes,

•	 Improve stewardship and management of ocean and coastal resources in the Arctic, and

•	 Advance resilient and healthy Arctic communities and economies.

Bering Sea pollock fleet prepares to depart Dutch Harbor, Alaska, for another season of the largest commercial fishery in the U.S. Photo: S. Zmolek, NOAA.

10 U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
biological productivity, biodiversity, and strong gradients in 

ecosystem properties. 

•	NOAA scientists participate in the Russian American 

Long-term Census of the Arctic, a multi-disciplinary 

observation program operating collaboratively with 

international partners in the Bering Strait region and the 

Chukchi Sea. Major goals are to track changes in fluxes 

of heat, fresh water, nutrients, and marine life in the 

Pacific Arctic.1211

•	 NOAA provides leadership and contributes to the U.S. 

Interagency and International Arctic Buoy Programs, 

including support for the Ice-Mass Balance Buoy Program 

to better understand the sources of heat causing the 

thinning of the Arctic sea ice cover. 

•	 NOAA is exploring new methods of estimating snow and ice 

properties, such as sea ice thickness, from visible/infrared 

and microwave imagers and altimeters. NOAA’s National 

Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service 

provides access to over 30 years of ice and atmosphere 

properties from satellite data that are used in climate studies.

•	The Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS) is the “eye 

on Alaska’s coasts and oceans.”1312AOOS, which is a part 

of the NOAA-led Integrated Ocean Observing System 

program, represents a network of critical ocean and coastal 

observations, data, and information products that promote 

understanding of the status of Alaska’s marine ecosystem. 

Strengthening foundational science to detect climate and 

ecosystem changes increases understanding of the Arctic 

through observational networks and research. Baseline 

characterizations provide a unique window into the Arctic 

and are the basis for monitoring future change. Improving 

stewardship and management of ocean and coastal resources 

promotes sustainable use, conservation, and protection of 

Arctic natural resources. Advancing resilient and healthy 

Arctic communities and economies supports the National 

Strategy by protecting the Arctic environment, charting 

the Arctic for safe navigation, and providing products and 

services to coastal communities. NOAA will also continue to 

be an active leader in developing and implementing Integrated 

Arctic Management, as called for in the National Strategy. 

Foundational Science

NOAA’s Arctic observing programs investigate sea ice 

processes, ecosystem processes, atmospheric patterns, 

and climate feedbacks. These programs strengthen the 

foundational science and research necessary to detect and 

understand the climate and ecosystem changes that are now 

occurring throughout the Arctic. NOAA also leads important 

synthesis activities, such as the Arctic Report Card.109 Issued 

annually since 2006, the Arctic Report Card is a peerreviewed source of clear, reliable, and concise environmental 

information on the current state of the Arctic relative to 

the historical record. The Arctic Report Card is intended 

for a wide audience, including scientists, teachers, students, 

decision-makers, and the general public interested in the 

Arctic environment and science. 

Ice-Ocean-Ecosystem Observations: NOAA implements 

and participates in many observation programs in the Arctic 

to better understand connections between the ocean, sea ice, 

and ecosystems. These observations are critical to advancing 

foundational research in the Arctic, with implications for 

future research, management of resources, and an overall 

understanding of changes occurring in the Arctic region. 

•	 NOAA is part of a multi-agency effort called the 

Distributed Biological Observatory, a mooring- and shipbased observation program which aims to understand 

the impacts of rapid physical changes on biological 

processes in the Pacific Arctic.1110The overarching goal is 

long-term standardized sampling of physical and biological 

parameters in five oceanographic regions that exhibit high 

9 Available at: http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/reportcard 10 For more information, see: http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/dbo

12 For more information, see: http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/aro/russian-american 13 For more information, see: http://www.aoos.org

Scientist retrieves bongo nets 

and samples in the Bering Sea. 

Photo: E. Acuna, NOAA.

10

11

NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan 11
Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC): NOAA’s Role

In February, 2013, the National Science and Technology Council released a five-year Arctic Research 

Plan, outlining key areas of study where the Federal Government will focus to better understand and predict 

environmental changes in the Arctic. This plan provides a roadmap for extensive collaboration between agencies on 

high-impact research activities to provide a solid scientific basis for decisions in the Arctic. 

• The IARPC five-year plan encourages interagency collaboration within the Federal Government, as well as with Alaskans 

and other Arctic residents and indigenous leaders. NOAA was engaged in developing the plan and is very involved in 

implementing it. The plan’s focus is to develop accurate and understandable science-based information of value to a 

wide range of users, and it is closely aligned with NOAA’s research mission.

• NOAA is actively engaged in the IARPC research areas related to sea ice and marine ecosystems, observing systems, 

regional climate models, and adaptation tools for sustaining communities. NOAA’s commitments to these areas can be 

seen throughout this Action Plan, particularly in activities related to the National Strategy goal of “pursuing responsible 

Arctic region stewardship.” 

Atmosphere-Climate Observations: NOAA’s Office of Oceanic 

and Atmospheric Research observes the Arctic atmosphere 

from a number of manned observatories. Whereas weather 

stations are only able to measure how the environment is 

changing, observatories collect additional measurements that 

help determine why the environment is changing. 

•	NOAA’s Barrow, Alaska, Observatory has operated since 

1974 as a premier Global Atmosphere Watch Station. 

It is colocated with a Department of Energy Climate 

Research Facility. 

•	NOAA is also active outside the U.S. Arctic through 

direct investment and partnerships with Russian, 

Canadian, and U.S. National Science Foundation 

collaborators at facilities such as Tiksi Observatory in the 

Russian Far East, Eureka Observatory in the Canadian 

Archipelago, and Summit Station in Greenland. 

•	 NOAA has led the effort to develop a pan-Arctic consortium 

of Arctic Observatories through the International Arctic 

Systems for Observing the Atmosphere, which conducts 

observations on surface radiation, cloud properties 

and changes, and atmospheric composition via eight 

observatories encircling the Arctic Ocean. 

Looking to the future, it is clear that NOAA’s Atmospheric 

Observatory Program will be closely aligned with the science 

questions driving the World Meteorological Organization/

World Weather Research Programme’s Polar Prediction 

Project, which seeks to determine linkages between polar 

and lower-latitude weather and climate. Atmospheric 

observations will also be improved by deploying autonomous 

and other instrumentation packages aboard ships and aircraft 

of opportunity to provide valuable atmospheric data across 

broad areas of the Arctic Ocean. For example, atmospheric, 

ocean, and sea ice data can be collected from NOAA aircraft 

while monitoring the marginal ice zone.

Ground-based remote sensors monitor clouds and 

atmospheric structure at Summit Station, Greenland.

Photo: M. Shupe, NOAA & Univ. Colorado.

12 U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
Stewardship and Management

NOAA is keenly focused on the stewardship and management 

of Arctic living marine resources. Through its many marine 

research programs, NOAA provides the information 

necessary to support management decisions that are based 

on a strong scientific foundation. NOAA also plays key 

management and regulatory roles in the Arctic, working to 

ensure that natural resources are utilized sustainably and 

that marine ecosystems are protected.

Living Marine Resource Surveys and Assessments: NOAA’s 

National Marine Fisheries Service is responsible for research 

on marine species and their habitats in the coastal oceans 

of the Arctic region. These waters support some of the most 

important commercial fisheries in the world, as well as rich, 

productive ecosystems. Living marine resource surveys and 

assessments include: 

•	 Fishery stock assessments, incorporating fisherydependent and fishery-independent data collection, to 

support groundfish and shellfish management,

•	 Economic and socio-cultural information for resource 

managers, commercial and subsistence fishers, and other 

stakeholders, and 

•	 Marine mammal stock assessments incorporating stateof-the-art survey design, telemetry, passive acoustics, and 

other technologies to support management.

NOAA conducts annual research and stock assessments in 

the Arctic to guide decisions for sustainable management of 

Alaska/Arctic fisheries under the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 

Conservation and Management Act. Annual assessments of 

Arctic marine mammals are also underway. 

•	 NOAA’s scientific research on groundfish, salmon, and 

crab provides essential information to sustainably manage 

the largest commercial fisheries in the United States.

•	In the Arctic, NOAA operates the nation’s largest fishery 

observer program to meet science and fishery management 

demands. This program annually deploys about 40,000 

observer days on commercial fishing vessels in the Bering 

Sea and near the Aleutian Islands.

•	 NOAA conducts research on Arctic marine mammals, 

including evaluations of their abundance, population 

trends, vital rates, feeding ecology, habitat use, and 

ecosystem interactions. Stock assessments of Arctic 

marine mammals are published annually.

•	Key species being investigated by NOAA in the Arctic 

include 29 stocks of groundfish, salmon, and crabs; deepwater corals; Steller sea lions; northern fur seals; harbor 

seals; four species of ice-dependent seals; western Arctic 

bowhead whales; beluga whales, North Pacific right whales; 

and other endangered whales.

•	Applied research on marine mammals, fish, and shellfish 

in the Arctic also supports management and regulatory 

decisions regarding energy development and other 

industrial activities, status reviews and determinations 

under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and 

Endangered Species Act, and protection of marine 

mammal subsistence harvests by Alaska Natives.

•	 Sampling technologies employed include trawl and 

longline gear, acoustic profilers, environmental monitors, 

archival tagging, satellite telemetry, multi-spectral aerial 

survey sensors, genetic stock identification, bycatch 

reduction devices, electronic monitoring devices, and 

underwater video systems. In the future, NOAA will 

continue its innovative approaches and investments in 

advanced technology for improved assessment surveys.

Researchers recover trawl net 

during Bering Sea fisheries 

assessment cruise. Photo: NOAA.

Biologists sort, measure, and 

sample fish caught in Bering Sea 

research trawl. Photo: NOAA.

NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan 13
Ecosystem and Habitat Research: NOAA conducts 

integrated ecosystem-level observation and process studies 

to understand Arctic marine ecosystems. These programs 

address fish recruitment processes, ecological processes, 

contaminant impacts, and marine mammal-fisheries 

interactions. 

•	The overall goal of recruitment process research is to 

examine linkages among fish, oceanographic conditions, 

and climate change (e.g., ocean warming, loss of sea 

ice, ocean acidification) to understand the mechanisms 

that affect fish survival. NOAA conducts this research 

to reduce uncertainty in stock assessment models of 

commercially important species in the Arctic.

•	Integrated ecosystem research programs address diverse 

ecological processes, spanning physical oceanography, 

plankton, fish, shellfish, bottom-dwelling communities, 

mammals, and birds. This research includes efforts to 

assess and mitigate, as needed, potential impacts of 

bottom trawling on marine life.

•	 Studies of marine mammal-fisheries interactions evaluate 

the effects of commercial fishing on marine mammals 

near the top of the food chain, such as Steller sea lions.

•	 NOAA conducts bioeffects studies in coordination with 

the State of Alaska and others to provide comprehensive 

assessments of environmental contamination and toxic 

impacts in regional water bodies, ranging from small 

bays to large sounds to the coastal ocean. This program is 

nationwide, allowing data from all coasts to be compared. 

Where possible, NOAA strives to incorporate traditional 

knowledge and community-based research into its Arctic 

science enterprise. Traditional knowledge is an evolving 

body of practical environmental knowledge based on the 

observations and personal experience of local residents over 

successive generations. Alaska Native ways of knowing reflect 

a holistic understanding of biology, ecology, meteorology, 

and physical processes that help to shape and contribute to 

NOAA’s stewardship mission in the Arctic. For example, 

NOAA’s longstanding partnerships with Alaska Native marine 

mammal organizations rely on traditional knowledge to assist 

with research, subsistence harvest monitoring, and biological 

sampling. NOAA has also sought out traditional knowledge to 

identify and evaluate potential resource development conflicts 

in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas. 

Management and Regulatory Activities: NOAA’s National 

Marine Fisheries Service protects Arctic living marine 

resources and their habitats under the Magnuson-Stevens 

Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and the Endangered 

Species Act. 

•	 NOAA is committed to furthering the goals of fishery 

sustainability, including taking a precautionary 

management approach where necessary. For example, in 

2009, under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, the Secretary 

of Commerce approved the Arctic Fishery Management

Plan, which covers U.S. federal waters of the Chukchi and 

Beaufort seas. The plan prohibits commercial fishing north 

of the Bering Strait until more information is available to 

support sustainable fisheries management. 

•	 Under the Magnuson-Stevens Act, federal agencies such 

as the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy 

Management (BOEM) consult with NOAA on actions in 

the Arctic that may adversely affect essential fish habitat, 

including oil and gas activities. 

Measuring crabs caught during 

Bering Sea research survey. 

Photo: R. McConnaughey, NOAA.

Scientists measure and collect samples 

from a young spotted seal in the Bering Sea, 

supported by the NOAA Ship McArthur II. 

Photo: M. Cameron, NOAA.

14 U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
NOAA Provides

Science-based Management

of Commercial Fisheries

• Consistent with the MagnusonStevens Act and other applicable laws, 

NOAA and the North Pacific Fishery 

Management Council oversee the 

management of the prolific Bering Sea/

Aleutian Islands fisheries. 

• Annually, these groundfish and 

shellfish fisheries account for 

approximately 40 percent of all 

commercially harvested seafood from 

U.S. waters, making these the largest 

fisheries in the United States. 

• NOAA has established additional 

cooperative management 

relationships with the State of Alaska 

and international partners. This 

collaborative management approach 

ensures productive and sustainable 

fishery harvests, consideration of 

fishery-dependent communities, 

effective monitoring and enforcement, 

and ongoing success in reducing the 

impacts of fishery bycatch of nontargeted species.

•	Under both the Marine Mammal Protection Act 

and the Endangered Species Act, NOAA’s goals and 

objectives over the next five years include improving 

understanding of the distribution and abundance 

of marine mammals as well as mitigating both the 

effects of increasing human activities and the impacts 

of environmental change that threaten these species.

•	 Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, NOAA issues 

incidental take authorizations for marine mammals 

affected by oil and gas activities, including seismic surveys 

and exploratory drilling activities in the Beaufort and 

Chukchi seas. In collaboration with BOEM and other 

partners, NOAA is developing an environmental impact 

statement for oil and gas activities in the Arctic Ocean that 

will be used to support future authorization decisions. 

•	 NOAA routinely works with stakeholders to solicit 

feedback on oil and gas activities and how activities 

planned for the upcoming year may affect subsistence 

uses of marine mammals. NOAA has Marine Mammal 

Protection Act co-management agreements with Alaska 

Native organizations focused on species that are important 

for subsistence, including ice seals, harbor seals, Steller 

sea lions, northern fur seals, beluga whales, and bowhead 

whales. NOAA also conducts National Environmental 

Policy Act analyses related to the subsistence harvest of 

bowhead whales.

•	 NOAA is responsible for Endangered Species Act listing 

and recovery actions in the Arctic, including bowhead 

whales, humpback whales, North Pacific right whales, 

fin whales, Steller sea lions, ringed seals, and bearded 

seals. Under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, 

NOAA consults with federal agencies that authorize, 

fund, or undertake actions that may affect threatened or 

endangered species, including oil and gas exploration, 

coastal construction, commercial fishing, and other 

activities. NOAA has designated “critical habitat” in the 

Arctic for North Pacific right whales and Steller sea lions, 

and is currently in the process of doing the same for 

ringed and bearded seals.

Concrete island drilling system in 

sea ice. Photo: Dept. of the Interior. Endangered Steller sea lions haul 

out in the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. 

Photo: K. Sweeney, NOAA.

NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan 15
Managing for the Future in a Rapidly Changing Arctic: NOAA’s Role

NOAA played a key role in developing the 2013 report to the President entitled “Managing for the Future 

in a Rapidly Changing Arctic.” That report introduced the concept of Integrated Arctic Management 

and its goal of balancing environmental, cultural, and economic needs and objectives.

• NOAA supports the report’s recommendations, which include adopting an Integrated Arctic Management approach 

when making stewardship and development decisions affecting the U.S. Arctic, ensuring ongoing high-level White House 

leadership on Arctic issues, strengthening key partnerships with the State of Alaska and Alaska Natives, improving 

engagement between the Federal Government and stakeholders, and coordinating and streamlining federal actions 

in the Arctic. 

• Key management tools that will be emphasized by this approach include ecosystem-based management, adaptive 

management, and scenario planning. Integrated Arctic Management is a specific objective of the National Strategy for the 

Arctic Region, and NOAA intends to continue working with its partners to develop and implement this new approach in 

the Arctic. 

• Next steps may include establishing a stakeholder forum for effectively incorporating input and participation of 

non-government stakeholders, coordinating efforts to employ ecosystem-based management approaches to help 

integrate ecological, social, economic, commerce, health, and security goals, and addressing the Arctic-related milestones 

of the National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan. 

Communities and Economies

Climate change in the Arctic is altering many important 

features of communities and challenging indigenous ways 

of life. The State of Alaska and its people must make critical 

decisions based on threats from stronger and more frequent 

storms, increasing erosion, thawing permafrost, changing 

animal migration patterns, ocean acidification, and sea level 

changes. They must consider immediate and future impacts 

of these changes on existing infrastructure, adaptation plans, 

new construction and development; their lifestyles; and their 

livelihoods. The potential economic, environmental, and 

cultural impacts of these changes are enormous, including 

both potentially beneficial and adverse impacts. NOAA 

partners with the State of Alaska, Alaska Sea Grant, the 

Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy, and others 

to work with coastal communities to develop planning 

tools for understanding how climate change will affect 

their health and welfare. Building on the tools and services 

described below, NOAA’s National Ocean Service helps Arctic 

communities and sustains economic growth by providing 

products and services to support climate change adaptation 

strategies and coastal resilience. 

16 U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
NOAA Partner Builds 

Arctic Coastal Ocean 

Observing System

• Despite the ongoing efforts of agencies 

and private industry, information gaps 

remain in Arctic observing. The Alaska 

Ocean Observing System (AOOS) 

attempts to fill this gap by providing 

easy access to a network of critical 

ocean and coastal observations, data, 

and information products.

• AOOS’ primary activities include 

hosting centralized data with webbased tools and products, working 

with marine users to fill gaps in 

ocean monitoring, and fostering 

collaborations to meet multiple 

stakeholder needs.

• There are four focus areas for AOOS: 

safe marine operations, coastal 

hazard mitigation, tracking ecosystem 

and climate trends, and monitoring 

water quality.

Charting the Arctic: NOAA provides foundational services 

that are needed to chart Arctic waters. Essential for mariners’ 

situational awareness, these data also serve many other 

purposes, such as coastal ocean science, maritime heritage 

protections, management of living marine resources, habitat 

characterizations, emergency response, climate adaptation 

strategies, and coastal zone management. NOAA also 

provides tools to support geospatial activities and services in 

the Arctic.

•	 NOAA conducts hydrographic surveys, maps the 

shoreline, measures water levels and currents, and supplies 

the geospatial framework for determining accurate 

positions and elevations. NOAA plans to survey annually 

at least 500 square nautical miles (1,700 square kilometers) 

of the navigationally significant 240,000 square nautical 

miles (823,000 square kilometers) in the U.S. Arctic and 

map 390 linear miles (630 kilometers) of shoreline each 

year for nautical chart updates and navigation safety. 

Leveraging partnerships with agencies such as the U.S. 

Coast Guard, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. 

Army Corps of Engineers is critical to this effort. 

•	To accurately measure land elevations, NOAA 

uses gravity data to correct current substandard 

measurements, which can be off by as much as one or 

more meters, to an improved accuracy of approximately 

two centimeters. NOAA collects airborne gravity data 

across Alaska as the most cost-effective way to establish 

vertical geodetic control. 

•	 NOAA operates and maintains nine long-term National 

Water Level Observation Network stations in the Arctic 

that provide real-time water level data and the vertical 

reference for tidal datums along coasts. NOAA is focusing 

its efforts on improving water level datum coverage as well 

as obtaining better data on currents. Short-term water 

level gauges are being deployed to support hydrographic 

surveying and the NOAA VDatum modeling project to 

seamlessly transfer between tidal and geodetic datums. 

Community members sing and dance during 

the Nalukataq Festival at Wainwright, Alaska. 

Photo: J. London, NOAA.

NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan 17
NOAA is working with partners to augment its capacities 

to provide a stronger geospatial foundation and the data 

needed for safe navigation, science, and more-informed 

coastal decision-making. This approach will leverage 

existing coordination by agencies involved in Integrated 

Ocean and Coastal Mapping and the Alaska Mapping 

Executive Committee. 

•	 Partners with survey-capable vessels such as the U.S. 

Coast Guard, U.S. Navy, the academic fleet, and private 

industry may be able to collect survey data en route 

between Dutch Harbor and the Arctic Ocean for analysis 

and charting by NOAA. These efforts will aim to 

accelerate and enhance the acquisition and processing of 

U.S. Arctic bathymetric data. The highest priority focus 

of this effort will be 40,000 square nautical miles (137,000 

square kilometers) in need of surveys to delineate a safety 

corridor from the Aleutian Islands to the Beaufort 

Sea, which would otherwise take 50-80 years to 

accomplish at the current level of effort. Employing this 

integrated mapping concept will result in more accurate 

data and charts along the most-utilized Arctic open 

water routes, allowing NOAA to focus its resources on 

the more challenging coastal areas for harbors of refuge, 

port access, and coastal community resilience. 

•	 During the past decade, NOAA and its federal partners 

have gathered and analyzed data and samples to determine 

the outer limits of the U.S. extended continental shelf 

in the Arctic. The data collected to make these shelf 

extension determinations will provide a rich baseline for 

understanding the diversity of this maritime zone and 

for setting future exploration, research, and resource 

management priorities.

Report on U.S. Arctic Marine Transportation System: NOAA’s Role

The Committee on the Marine Transportation System (CMTS) released a report in 2013 entitled, “U.S. Arctic Marine 

Transportation System: Overview and Priorities for Action.” The report described the actions required to develop a 

Marine Transportation System in the Arctic capable of meeting the Nation’s maritime safety, economic, security, and 

environmental protection needs now and in the future. 

• Many of NOAA’s services are critical to establishing a U.S. Arctic Marine Transportation System, including marine weather 

and sea ice forecasts, oil spill response, and hydrographic surveying and mapping to update nautical charts.

• NOAA’s nautical chart coverage is particularly important to the U.S. Marine Transportation System, but in the Arctic, 

charting data are inadequate or nonexistent. For example, the U.S. Coast Pilot describes the Bering Sea area as “only 

partially surveyed, and the charts must not be relied upon too closely, especially near shore. The currents are much 

influenced by the winds and are difficult to predict; dead reckoning is uncertain, and safety depends upon constant 

vigilance.” Updating NOAA’s Arctic nautical charts with modern shorelines, depths, hazards, and recommended routes 

throughout the region would improve maritime safety and efficiency.

Hydrographic survey crew installs 

a horizontal control station at Little 

Diomede Island, Alaska. 

Photo: D. Neander, NOAA.

18 U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
NOAA Provides Scientific 

Support for Oil Spill Response

• In 2012, NOAA launched the Arctic 

Environmental Response Management 

Application (Arctic ERMA). ERMA 

is a web-based tool that assists 

both emergency responders and 

environmental resource managers 

in dealing with incidents that may 

harm the environment. This system 

integrates and synthesizes data into a 

single interactive map, providing quick 

geo-spatial visualizations and improving 

communication and coordination. 

• ERMA brings together all of the 

available information needed for an 

effective emergency response in the 

Arctic’s distinctive conditions, such as 

the extent and concentration of sea ice, 

the locations of ports and pipelines, 

and the presence of vulnerable 

environmental resources. 

Hazard Assessment and Response: Decreased summer sea 

ice is already leading to growth in Arctic commerce, tourism, 

and oil and gas exploration. The chances of oil spilling from 

either a vessel or exploratory drilling facility are likely to 

increase in the future, and NOAA is concerned over the 

readiness and effectiveness of spill response capabilities in the 

Arctic. NOAA is responsible for delivering scientific support 

to the U.S. Coast Guard for marine hazards, including oil 

spills and marine debris. In addition, the Oil Pollution Act of 

1990 established NOAA as a trustee for natural resources and 

outlined a framework for conducting natural resource damage 

assessment and restoration of natural resources that have been 

contaminated by the discharge or threatened discharge of oil. 

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation 

and Liability Act provided similar authorities for hazardous 

substances, pollutants, or contaminants that could endanger 

human health and/or the environment. 

•	 Under the National Oil and Hazardous Substances 

Pollution Contingency Plan, NOAA is responsible for 

providing scientific support in chemistry, trajectory 

modeling, natural resources at risk, and data management 

to the Federal On-Scene Coordinator for oil and 

hazardous material spills. In addition to spill response 

software and mapping tools, NOAA provides standard 

techniques and publishes guidelines for observing oil and 

assessing shorelines. 

•	 NOAA participates in interagency cross-training exercises 

for emergency responders, including response to oil in sea 

ice. NOAA is involved in joint training and workshops 

with other Arctic nations on oil spill response activities 

in the Arctic, such as the use of mechanical recovery, 

dispersants, and in situ burning following transboundary 

spill events.

•	To support preparedness for spill response and natural 

resource damage assessment in the Arctic, NOAA has 

been compiling and developing baseline information on 

natural resources in the Arctic and preparing Arctic injury 

assessment sampling guidelines. NOAA has also engaged 

Alaska communities in preparing for spill response and 

natural resource damage assessment and restoration. 

•	 Going forward, NOAA will work with the Department 

of the Interior to ensure that NOAA’s expertise is applied 

in reviewing oil spill response plans and applications for 

drilling permits. 

Biologists haul in a beach seine to sample 

coastal marine life near Barrow, Alaska. 

Photo: NOAA.

NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan 19
IV. National Strategy Line of Effort 3: 

Strengthen International 

Cooperation

NOAA’s many international and national partnerships provide excellent support to the U.S. overall strategy on 

Arctic cooperation. As stated in the National Strategy for the Arctic Region, the United States will focus its efforts 

to strengthen international cooperation by:

1) Pursuing arrangements that promote shared Arctic state prosperity, 

protect the Arctic environment, and enhance security,

2) Working through the Arctic Council to advance U.S. interests in the Arctic region,

3) Acceding to the Law of the Sea Convention, and

4) Cooperating with other interested parties.

NOAA engages directly in international partnerships through the Arctic Council, other bodies such as the World 

Meteorological Organization and the International Maritime Organization, and through bilateral discussions and 

agreements with Canada, Russia, and others. National partnerships with federal agencies, tribal organizations, 

the State of Alaska, academia, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations provide great strength 

for achieving NOAA’s science, service, and stewardship missions in the Arctic region. NOAA is always seeking to 

improve existing partnerships and foster new ones for the benefit of and service to the Arctic region. 

Atmospheric scientists arrive at Summit Station, Greenland. Photo: M. Shupe, NOAA & Univ. Colorado.

20 U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
National Partnerships

Through regional partnerships in the U.S. Arctic, NOAA 

actively coordinates Arctic science, policy, and regulatory 

activities. NOAA participates in many groups that unite 

various stakeholders around common causes in Alaska and 

the Arctic. 

•	 NOAA contributes to the scientific research plans and 

activities of the Interagency Arctic Research Policy 

Committee, which establishes federal research priorities 

and pursues integrated Arctic research initiatives. 

•	To better inform lands and resource management efforts, 

NOAA plays a role in working groups such as the Alaska 

Climate Change Executive Roundtable, the North Slope 

Science Initiative, the Arctic and Aleutian Bering Sea 

Islands Landscape Conservation Cooperatives, the North 

Pacific Research Board, and the Alaska Ocean Observing 

System. 

•	 For policy and regulatory issues, NOAA is an active 

member of both the national and regional components of 

the Interagency Working Group on the Coordination of 

Domestic Energy Permitting in Alaska. This group leads 

federal agency coordination on permitting for energy 

in Alaska, including offshore oil and gas drilling and 

renewable energy efforts.

NOAA works closely with several of its sister agencies on 

Arctic issues. NOAA’s relationship with BOEM and its 

predecessor agencies has evolved over the years into an 

especially strong partnership to conduct scientific research 

of mutual interest in the Arctic, particularly with respect to 

marine mammals. Today NOAA and BOEM are coordinating 

with increasing efficiency on environmental reviews and 

permitting as well as on collaborative environmental studies. 

NOAA and the U.S. Coast Guard have also improved ties on 

common mission areas relating to navigation safety, pollution 

prevention and cleanup, and fishery enforcement. 

NOAA’s partnerships in the Arctic region with the private 

sector are also improving. An excellent example is the 

recent data-sharing Memorandum of Agreement between 

NOAA, Shell, ConocoPhillips, and Statoil. This precedentsetting document is advancing Arctic science and improving 

operational safety by making valuable data on weather, sea 

ice, ocean, and environmental studies available to researchers, 

planners, and industry operators through the AOOS Arctic 

Data Portal funded by NOAA. 

NOAA is always seeking productive ways to strengthen its 

partnerships with the State of Alaska and the Alaska Native 

community. NOAA values its long-standing partnerships 

with Alaska Native groups such as the Indigenous People’s 

Council for Marine Mammals, the Alaska Eskimo Whaling 

Commission, the Alaska Beluga Whale Committee, the Ice 

Seal Committee, the Aleut Marine Mammal Commission, 

and the tribal governments of St. Paul and St. George to 

co-manage marine mammals in support of the long-term 

sustainability of these populations and subsistence harvests. 

NOAA and the State of Alaska are working together on oil 

spill response logistics and education, water quality and 

contaminants surveys, Bering Sea bottom-trawl surveys for 

crabs, Steller sea lion research, and research and harvest 

monitoring of ice-associated seals. 

NOAA scientists conduct collaborative 

research with Alaska Native partners. 

Photo: M. Cameron, NOAA.

NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan 21
International Partnerships 

Intergovernmental and operational: NOAA is engaged in 

many activities with its international partners, ranging from 

enhancing science and fostering a greater understanding of 

climate change and its impacts to promoting safe navigation 

and emergency response. 

•	NOAA is involved in several important marine shipping 

issues, such as working with the International Maritime 

Organization to negotiate improved protections related 

to maritime shipping, participating in the Aleutian 

Islands Risk Assessment working group, coordinating 

with the Arctic Regional Hydrographic Commission 

to increase uniformity among charts, and determining 

feasible next steps for shipping and port access in the 

Bering Strait region. 

•	 NOAA plays a leadership role in the 88-nation 

International Whaling Commission, which is responsible 

for international conservation and management of 

whales, as well as issuing subsistence harvest catch limits 

for bowhead whales in the western Russian-American 

Arctic. NOAA co-chairs the U.S.-Russia Marine 

Mammal Working Group, which promotes scientific 

cooperation and effective marine mammal management 

and conservation, and which has fostered long-standing 

research partnerships with several Russian institutes.

•	Monitoring ice internationally is critically important, 

and NOAA participates in the International Ice Charting 

Working Group to coordinate operational ice services 

supporting maritime navigation. NOAA is also part of 

the North American Ice Service, a partnership between 

the Canadian Ice Service, the International Ice Patrol, and 

the U.S. National Ice Center. 

•	Through a Memorandum of Understanding with the 

Russian Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and 

Environmental Monitoring, NOAA cooperates in the 

areas of meteorology, hydrology, and oceanography. 

NOAA also works through a Memorandum of 

Understanding with Environment Canada to collaborate 

on Arctic weather, climate, hydrology, geodesy, and 

marine forecasting. Finally, NOAA scientists play key roles 

in the World Meteorological Organization’s Expert Panel 

on Polar Observations, Research, and Services; the Global 

Cryosphere Watch; the Polar Prediction Project; and the 

Polar Space Task Group.

•	 NOAA scientists collaborate internationally on several 

other marine research programs: with the Norwegian 

Institute of Marine Research on the Arctic Ocean 

Ecosystem initiative; with Russian partners on the BeringArctic-Subarctic Integrated Survey through the North 

Pacific Anadromous Fish Commission; and with scientists 

from Japan, Canada, and the United Kingdom on plankton 

surveys of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands region.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy and Canadian 

Coast Guard Cutter Louis S. St. Laurent

work jointly in support of NOAA scientists’ 

mapping efforts as part of the Extended 

Continental Shelf Project. 

Photo: NOAA & Univ. New Hampshire.

22 U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
NOAA’s Leadership Within

the Arctic Council

• NOAA is the head of the U.S. delegation 

to, and the Vice-Chair of, the Arctic 

Council’s Working Group on the 

Protection of the Arctic Marine 

Environment (PAME). 

• NOAA co-leads the PAME Shipping 

Expert Group that, among other 

projects and initiatives, is working to 

identify options for mitigating the risks 

associated with the use and carriage by 

vessels in the Arctic of heavy fuel oils 

and to recommend measures to protect 

ecologically significant areas within 

the Arctic high seas from the potential 

adverse impacts of international 

shipping activities. 

• NOAA co-chairs PAME’s Ecosystem 

Approach Expert Group and NOAA is 

active in the international initiative, 

“Implementing the Ecosystem Approach 

to Management in the Arctic.” 

• NOAA chairs the U.S. expert team 

to the Circumpolar Biodiversity 

Monitoring Program’s Marine 

Implementation Plan.

Arctic Council: The Arctic Council is the predominant 

intergovernmental forum addressing international Arctic 

issues for the eight Arctic nations. NOAA provides 

substantial leadership and expertise to several of the Arctic 

Council working groups on diverse subjects such as oil spill 

response, safe shipping, ecosystem-based management, and 

biodiversity monitoring. These efforts help the United States 

to sustainably use and manage its resources, protect the 

environment, and advance U.S interests in the Arctic Council 

and the circumpolar Arctic. 

NOAA will continue its leadership role in the Arctic Council, 

which the U.S. will chair from 2015 to 2017. NOAA’s 

contributions to the Arctic Council’s ministerial mandates 

issued in 2013 will include: 

•	 Participating in future national, binational, and 

multinational contingency plans, training, and exercises 

to develop effective measures for oil spill preparedness 

and response,

•	Developing an Arctic Council action plan on oil pollution 

prevention,

•	 Encouraging Arctic states to implement Arctic 

Council recommendations regarding ecosystem-based 

management,

•	Working toward arrangements to improve scientific 

research cooperation among the eight Arctic states, and 

•	Contributing to a sustainable Arctic tourism initiative 

intended to support responsible stewardship of the 

marine environment and to minimize adverse tourism 

impacts on living marine resources and their habitats.

Beluga whales surface inside 

a lead in Chukchi Sea pack ice. 

Photo: V. Beaver, NOAA.

NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan 23
V. NOAA’s Investments 

in the Arctic

Looking ahead, NOAA will continue to conduct a strong and dynamic Arctic program in support of the 

National Strategy for the Arctic Region, to the extent possible within existing resources. In 2013, NOAA invested 

approximately $125 million to develop products and services in support of all of its Arctic strategic goals 

(including funding transferred to NOAA for research needed by external partners). The largest share of NOAA 

Arctic funding is directed to supporting Arctic region stewardship, with substantial investments also being 

made to advance U.S. security interests and partnerships (Fig. 2). NOAA’s Arctic program is geographically broad, 

topically diverse, and rich in talent. As evident in Figure 3, NOAA’s activities are distributed across all geographic 

areas in the Arctic, both within and outside U.S. boundaries (see Figure 1 for definitions). NOAA’s unique 

capabilities and expertise enable it to provide critically important support to the Nation as it implements the 

U.S. National Strategy for the Arctic Region.

Scientists traverse sea ice en route to their sampling site. Photo: NOAA.

24 U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
Beaufort Sea LME (8.2%) 

Chukchi Sea LME (11.1%) 

East Bering Sea LME (55.5%) 

West Bering Sea LME (10.6%) 

U.S. terrestrial zone (12.2%) 

Non-U.S. Arctic (2.4%) 

West Bering Sea

Large Marine

Ecosystem

East Bering Sea

Large Marine Ecosystem

U.S. Terrestrial

Zone

Beaufort Sea

 Large Marine 

Ecosystem

Chukchi Sea

Large Marine

Ecosystem

Non-U.S. Arctic

 Sea ice research (3.3%) 

 Weather and sea ice forecasts (14.0%) 

 Foundational science (4.0%)

 Stewardship and management (61.6%) 

 Communities and economies (14.3%) 

 Partnerships (2.8%) 

National Strategy for the Arctic Region

lines of eort

Stewardship and 

Management 

Weather and 

Sea Ice Forecasts 

Sea Ice Research 

Communities

and Economies Partnerships 

Foundational Science 

RESPONSIBLE ARCTIC REGION STEWARDSHIP

U.S. SECU

RIT

Y IN

TER

ESTS

RESPONSIBLE ARCTIC REGION STEWARDSHIP

International

Figure 2. NOAA 2013 Arctic funding 

by NOAA Arctic goal and National 

Strategy line of effort.

Figure 3. NOAA 2013 Arctic funding 

by geographic area.

NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan 25
Arctic cod swimming inside sea ice. Photo: E. Siddon, NOAA & Univ. Alaska.

26 U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

Appendix – NOAA’s Arctic Milestones 

for 2014 and 2015

This Appendix presents specific action-oriented milestones associated with Arctic programs, products, and 

services that NOAA is committed to supporting in Fiscal Years 2014-2015. These actions cover the range of 

NOAA missions across each of its six Arctic strategic goals and relate directly to several broader Administration 

policy initiatives including the National Strategy for the Arctic Region, the Interagency Arctic Research 

Policy Committee Research Plan (2013-2017), and the National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan. This list of 

milestones is considered to be a living document that will evolve with Administration budgets, Congressional 

appropriations, and national priorities. 

Bracketed letters at the end of each milestone indicate the NOAA line offices with lead responsibility for each milestone – 

followed by the relevant national goals as described below:

NOAA offices with lead responsibility for Arctic milestones National goals supported by NOAA milestones

NESDIS National Environmental Satellite and Information Service NOP National Ocean Policy

NMFS National Marine Fisheries Service NSAR National Strategy for the Arctic Region

NOS National Ocean Service IARPC Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee

NWS National Weather Service

OAR Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research

OIA Office of International Affairs

OMAO Office of Marine and Aviation Operations
NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan 27

ADVANCE U.S. SECURITY INTERESTS

Weather and Sea Ice Forecasts

Issue routine sea ice analyses, forecasts, advisories, and outlooks 5-days 

per week in a variety of formats to be useful from the community 

level to the federal stakeholders and partners; continue to provide 

non-routine tactical support services as needed for core partners. 

[NWS – NOP, NSAR]

Advance our sea ice services through the addition of more observational data sets to our analysis and forecasting techniques, evaluations 

of coupled model output from Environment Canada and the Naval 

Research Laboratory, and the expansion of product suites with new 

and more frequent services. [NWS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Produce and disseminate routine weather forecasts and non-routine 

alerts of hazardous conditions (high winds, winter storms, thunderstorms, wildfire conditions, floods) across Alaska 365 days a year. 

[NWS – NOP, NSAR]

Address weaknesses in our communications infrastructure to ensure 

more reliability/redundancy in forecast and warning dissemination. 

[NWS – NOP, NSAR]

Continue to modernize and make more efficient our observational 

networks through the installation of hydrogen generators; automated 

marine, aviation, and river observing platforms; and in leveraging 

partnerships for infrastructure and data sharing wherever possible. 

[NWS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC]

Establish foundational components of a Regional Operations Center 

and Arctic Test Bed to strengthen NOAA's ability to be responsive to 

emerging service requirements in the Arctic and leverage new science 

and technology capabilities. [NWS – NSAR, IARPC]

Produce and disseminate routine aviation weather forecasts and nonroutine alerts of hazardous conditions (turbulence, icing, fog, wind 

shear, volcanic ash) for the airspace in and around Alaska 365 days a 

year. [NWS – NSAR]

Produce and disseminate routine weather forecasts and warnings of 

hazardous conditions (high winds, waves, freezing spray, fog, thunderstorms) for the coastal and offshore waters around Alaska 365 days a 

year. [NWS – NSAR] 

Develop an implementation plan for seamless marine weather services across the Arctic and in accordance with World Meteorological 

Organization standards. [NWS – NSAR] 

Lead the effort to validate the requirements for climate-scale Arcticspecific forecasts for weather and sea ice to inform and prioritize NOAA's 

research and observing investments. [NWS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC]

Integrate new satellite-derived sea ice information into National Ice 

Center operations, such as ice thickness, ice concentration, and size of 

leads (fractures) in ice. [NESDIS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Improve snow depth, snow cover, ice cover, and ice thickness analysis 

for operational model initialization or assimilation. [NESDIS – NOP, 

NSAR, IARPC] 

Coordinate with national and international partners to broaden geographic coverage of Arctic sea ice analysis and forecasting by calibrating 

single-point buoy/mooring data with satellite data. [NESDIS – NOP, 

NSAR, IARPC] 

Sea Ice Research

Collect observations to enable modeling and analyses of Arctic sea ice 

to provide the necessary information and understanding required to 

support sea ice forecasts and advisories. [OAR – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Continue research to analyze and synthesize in situ, remote sensing, 

and model data for Arctic Ocean seasonal sea ice and the tropospheric 

impacts of loss of sea ice. [OAR – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Undertake research and model-based analyses that investigate the 

current status, future changes, and interactive processes related to 

sea ice drift, sea ice thickness, and snow cover on ice. [OAR – NOP, 

NSAR, IARPC] 

Conduct coordinated calibration and validation of  satellite measurements of the cryosphere through in-situ and airborne missions in 

collaboration with national and international partners. [NESDIS – NOP, 

NSAR, IARPC] 
28 U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

PURSUE RESPONSIBLE ARCTIC REGION STEWARDSHIP

Foundational Science

Ice-Ocean-Ecosystem Observations

Conduct sustained observations in key regions of the Chukchi Sea, 

Beaufort Sea, East Siberian Sea, and Pacific Arctic Ocean with interagency and international partners to support the Russian-American 

Long-term Census of the Arctic (RUSALCA) Program and other research 

initiatives. [OAR – NSAR, IARPC] 

Implement and expand the Distributed Biological Observatory in the 

Pacific Arctic to monitor changes in the physical environment and 

species’ distribution, abundance, biomass, composition, and ecological processes in marine ecosystems to assess potential socioeconomic 

and ecosystem impacts of climate change. [OAR – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Atmosphere-Climate Observations

Maintain, strengthen, and enhance atmospheric climate observatories and monitoring sites around the Arctic Rim to capture measures 

of variability and change; continue to improve data management to 

support analyses to understand the causes and implications of those 

changes both in the Arctic and in the Northern Hemisphere. [OAR – 

NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Develop and update meaningful products for delivering findings and 

information concerning key climate features. [OAR – NOP, NSAR, 

IARPC] 

Stewardship and Management

Living Marine Resource Surveys and Assessment

Improve the frequency and quality of assessments for key fish stocks, 

prepare a baseline monitoring report for all managed fish stocks, and 

add next-generation assessments for selected stocks with high sensitivity to ecosystem conditions. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC]

Conduct upper continental slope trawl surveys biennially to estimate 

the distribution and abundance of Alaska groundfish resources in the 

eastern Bering Sea. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR]

Conduct crab and groundfish bottom trawl surveys annually to estimate 

the distribution and abundance of fisheries resources in the eastern 

Bering Sea. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR] 

Conduct comprehensive bottom trawl surveys of the Chukchi Sea to 

monitor the effects of loss of sea ice. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR] 

Collect fisheries and oceanographic survey data from the Bering-ArcticSubarctic Integrated Survey (BASIS) in the Bering and Chukchi seas. 

[NMFS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC]

Conduct fisheries surface trawl and acoustic surveys in the Chukchi 

Sea as part of the Arctic ecosystem integrated survey. [NMFS – NOP, 

NSAR, IARPC]

Continue to develop advanced technologies to enhance data collection 

for stock assessments. [NMFS – NSAR] 

Continue to provide observer coverage in the groundfish and halibut 

fisheries in the Bering Sea and near the Aleutian Islands. [NMFS – NSAR]

Update the web-based Interagency Electronic Report System that 

enables landings and production data to be reported by shoreside 

processors to accommodate catch share fisheries such as Bering Sea 

crab and flatfish. [NMFS – NSAR] 

Partner with state agencies and fishing commissions, as appropriate, 

to expand collection of economic and socio-cultural information for 

resource managers, commercial and subsistence fishers, and other 

stakeholders. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Conduct marine mammal stock assessments to support management, 

incorporating state-of-the-art survey design, telemetry, passive acoustics, and other advanced technologies. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR] 

Conduct surveys to assess the abundance and trends of the endangered 

western stock of Steller sea lions. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR]

Assess the vital rates of the western stock of Steller sea lions in Alaska 

and Russia. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR] 

Conduct research on the food habits of Steller sea lions and northern 

fur seals in the Bering Sea. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR] 

Conduct annual assessments in the Bering Sea of northern fur seal 

population abundance and trends. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR] 

Evaluate the age-specific rates for reproduction, growth, and survival 

of northern fur seals. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR] 

Analyze the results of joint U.S./Russia aerial surveys of the abundance 

and distribution of ribbon, spotted, ringed, and bearded seals in the 

Bering and Okhotsk seas. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR] 

Continue studies of the distribution, abundance, ecology, and behavior 

of cetaceans in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR, 

IARPC] 

Provide at-sea vessel support for living marine resource surveys, studies 

of protected species, and ecosystem research. [OMAO – NSAR] 

Ecosystem and Habitat Research

Increase understanding of the effects of climate variability on Alaska’s 

four Arctic Large Marine Ecosystems. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Maintain Bering Sea climate and marine ecosystem observing networks 

and distribute data to decision-makers and stakeholders. [NMFS – NOP, 

NSAR, IARPC] 

Develop and evaluate environmental indicators for improving stock 

assessments and integrated ecosystem assessments. [NMFS – NOP, 

NSAR, IARPC] 

Conduct long-term observations of climate-related impacts on Bering 

Sea ecosystems through integrated ecosystem assessments. [NMFS – 

NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Deliver Bering Sea ecosystem forecasts to help living marine resource 

managers incorporate climate-related impacts into management decisions. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Increase information regarding climate-related impacts on early life 

history stages of key Bering Sea fisheries. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Evaluate ecosystem impacts of oil and gas development and the toxicity of oil and chemical dispersants used in response to oil spills on the 

early life history stages of Arctic cod, a keystone species in Arctic marine 

food webs. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Conduct captive experiments to investigate the potential impacts 

of ocean acidification on the early life history stages of commercially 

important king crab stocks. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 
NOAA’s Arctic Action Plan 29

Undertake a research cruise to investigate the distribution, stock structure, diet, and ecology of spotted and ribbon seals in the Bering Sea in 

relation to the loss of sea ice. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Conduct research integrating information on cetaceans, zooplankton, 

and oceanography in the Chukchi Sea. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC]

Plan and conduct synoptic bioeffects sampling studies for baseline 

sediment chemistry, benthic community assessment, and sediment 

toxicity in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas. [NOS – NSAR, IARPC] 

Management and Regulatory Activities

Manage the Alaska groundfish fisheries to avoid exceeding annual 

catch limits. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR] 

Prepare annual regulations for governing the Pacific halibut fishery 

under jurisdiction of the International Pacific Halibut Commission. 

[NMFS – NSAR]

Publish in the Federal Register fisheries management rules and harvest 

specifications for Bering Sea groundfish, halibut, and crab fisheries. 

[NMFS – NOP, NSAR] 

Inspect and certify shoreside processor catch monitoring plans and 

certify at-sea processor scales so that catch estimates are accurate and 

harvests of Alaska crab, Pacific halibut and groundfish are consistent 

with allocations of total allowable catch. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR]

Update the Alaska Region catch accounting system to meet fishery 

information needs for management of the North Pacific groundfish 

fisheries. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR]

Provide industry training and user support of the Interagency Electronic 

Reporting System which provides the Alaska fishing industry with a 

consolidated means of electronically reporting halibut and sablefish, 

groundfish, salmon, and shellfish landings to multiple agencies. [NMFS

– NOP, NSAR]

Compile and synthesize existing information on red king crab habitat 

in the federal waters of Norton Sound. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR] 

Complete interagency consultations for federal actions that may 

adversely affect Essential Fish Habitat. [NMFS – NSAR] 

Develop a Draft Programmatic Essential Fish Habitat Consultation with 

the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for oil and gas activities in 

the Chukchi Sea. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR] 

Assist the Environmental Protection Agency in completing the Bristol 

Bay Watershed Assessment. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR] 

Complete the Steller sea lion protection measures for the Bering 

Sea and Aleutian Islands Groundfish Fisheries Environmental Impact 

Statement. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR] 

Complete a new Biological Opinion on the effects of the Alaska groundfish fisheries on Steller sea lions. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR] 

Determine whether to modify the current designation of Steller sea 

lion critical habitat. [NMFS – NSAR] 

Continue strong partnerships with Alaska Native organizations to 

support co-management of marine mammal subsistence harvests and 

to utilize traditional knowledge to complement information obtained 

through scientific research. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Publish proposed and final rules to revise northern fur seal subsistence 

harvest regulations on St. George Island. [NMFS – NSAR]

Complete the Final Environmental Impact Statement evaluating the 

effects of seismic and drilling exploration on marine mammals in the 

Arctic. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR] 

Complete a new Biological Opinion on the effects of the Alaska 

groundfish and crab fisheries on ringed and bearded seals. [NMFS – 

NOP, NSAR] 

Work together with other federal agencies, State of Alaska and Alaska 

Native partners, and Arctic stakeholders to develop and implement 

an Integrated Arctic Management approach to addressing natural 

resource issues. [NMFS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC]

Communities and Economies

Charting the Arctic

Update nautical charts, environmental sensitivity index maps, and other 

Arctic feature maps with data acquired through annual field seasons. 

[NOS – NOP, NSAR] 

Build hydrodynamic models, vertical datum transformation tools, and 

digital elevation models for U.S. Arctic coasts. [NOS – NOP, NSAR, 

IARPC]

Collect airborne gravity data over the State of Alaska (including the 

Aleutian Islands) and refine the experimental Alaska geoid model to 

help correct errors in Arctic. [NOS – NOP, NSAR] 

Develop prototype Arctic-capable water level gauges to fill gaps in 

NOAA water level observations for tidal determinations and to support 

charting and mapping efforts. [NOS – NSAR, IARPC] 

Continue efforts to develop force-multiplying survey technologies 

(e.g., autonomous platforms and technologies, LIDAR, IFSAR, satellite 

sensors) capable of collecting high quality Arctic survey data. [NOS – 

NSAR, IARPC] 

Develop a plan for an integrated maritime heritage mapping project 

to find the lost whaling fleets of the western Arctic and implement 

when feasible. [NOS – NSAR]

Provide at-sea vessel capability to support charting and research 

operations in the Arctic. [OMAO – NSAR] 

Hazard Assessment and Response

Continue compiling and refining the data sets provided by the online 

data portal Arctic ERMA (Environmental Response Management 

Application). [NOS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC]

Participate in interagency research and data integration to improve 

Arctic natural resource maps that feed scenario development and risk 

assessment; strengthen models for oil spill trajectory as well as the 

weathering and fate of oil. [NOS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Improve oil spill prevention, containment, and response infrastructure, 

plans, and technology for use in ice-covered Arctic seas, using all 

available sources, such as federal agencies, industry, academia, and 

international partners. [NOS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Finalize and test contingency plans to ensure adequacy of response 

equipment, trained personnel, and nearshore protection strategies 

using existing response preparedness efforts, such as the Aleutian 

Island Risk Assessment. [NOS – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 
30 U.S. Department of Commerce | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

STRENGTHEN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION 

National Partnerships

Coordinate with regional groups such as the Alaska Climate Change 

Executive Roundtable, Interagency Working Group on the Coordination 

of Domestic Energy Permitting in Alaska, North Slope Science Initiative, 

Landscape Conservation Cooperatives, and the Alaska Ocean Observing 

System. [All – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Continue working with the State of Alaska and the Alaska Native community to promote environmental protection, sustainable development, 

and thriving coastal communities. [All – NOP, NSAR, IARPC]

Leverage partnerships with other federal agencies, academic collaborators, and private industry to advance scientific initiatives, improve 

operational efficiency, and share environmental data. [All – NOP, 

NSAR, IARPC] 

International Partnerships

Inter-Governmental and Operational

Coordinate with international partners to facilitate scientific collaboration, participation in international organizations, and cooperation on 

other cross-boundary issues such as conservation and management, 

navigation and emergency response, and climate change. [OIA – NOP, 

NSAR, IARPC]

Work with international partners and organizations to enhance the 

provision of services such as weather, sea ice, and climate forecasts; 

environmental monitoring; and the information needed for scienceinformed decisions. [All – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Continue to work with the International Maritime Organization to 

develop safe and secure shipping, to prevent marine pollution by ships 

in the Arctic, and to finalize the Polar Code. [OIA – NOP, NSAR, IARPC] 

Arctic Council

Maintain leadership roles and active engagement in the Arctic Council 

and its subsidiary working groups such as Protection of the Arctic 

Marine Environment (PAME) and Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna 

(CAFF). [OIA – NSAR, IARPC] 

Support the development of an Arctic Council Arctic Science 

Cooperation arrangement. [All – NOP, NSAR, IARPC]
Back Cover: Sea ice in the Bering Sea. 

Photo: J. London, NOAA