Aerial Surveys of Arctic Marine Mammals (ASAMM) collected by National Marine Mammal Laboratory, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and other agencies in the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort Seas (NODC Accession 0039614)

This archival package contains aerial survey data from the surveys described below. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), formerly the Minerals Management Service (MMS), and its precursor, the Bureau of Land Management, have funded aerial surveys in the Beaufort, Chukchi and Bering seas since 1979. In 2008, through an Inter-Agency Agreement between MMS and the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), the National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML, a division of AFSC) assumed co-management responsibilities for these surveys. Throughout the history of the surveys, they have been referred to as the Bowhead Whale Aerial Survey Project (BWASP) and the Chukchi Offshore Monitoring in Drilling Area (COMIDA) marine mammal aerial surveys, both of which are described in more detail below. The surveys are currently conducted under the auspices of a single study, Aerial Surveys of Arctic Marine Mammals (ASAMM). Consistent survey protocol has been in effect on surveys conducted since 1982.

BEAUFORT SEA
Aerial surveys in the western Beaufort Sea (south of 72 degrees N, 140-157 degrees W) have been conducted each year since 1979. MMS (now BOEM) personnel and contractors conducted the surveys from 1979-2007. From 2008-2013, the surveys were conducted by NMML. The goal of the project was to document bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) during their fall migration through the western Beaufort Sea, although data were also collected for all other marine mammals that were sighted during the surveys. The surveys were typically conducted during the open water (i.e., ice-free) months of September and October, when offshore drilling and geophysical exploration are feasible and when the fall subsistence hunt for bowhead whales takes place near Kaktovik, Cross Island (village of Nuiqsut), and Barrow, Alaska. Additional surveys were conducted in the Beaufort Sea during spring and summer 1979-1986, and during summer 2011-2012. The emphasis of fall surveys in the Beaufort Sea was to conduct broad-scale surveys to assess shifts in the migration pathway of bowhead whales, and to coordinate effort and manage data necessary to support seasonal offshore drilling and seismic exploration regulations. The selection of survey blocks to be flown on a given day was nonrandom, based primarily on criteria such as observed and predicted weather conditions over the study area and offshore oil industry activities. Otherwise, the project attempted to distribute effort fairly evenly east-to-west across the entire study area. Aerial coverage favored inshore survey blocks because bowheads were rarely sighted north of these blocks during surveys conducted from 1979-1986.

NORTHEASTERN CHUKCHI SEA
Aerial surveys in the northeastern Chukchi Sea (68-73 degrees N, 157-169 degrees W) were conducted by MMS (now BOEM) contractors from 1982-1991. From 2008-2012, the surveys were conducted by NMML using similar methodology to the surveys conducted in previous years. The goal of the surveys, also known as the Chukchi Offshore Monitoring in Drilling Area (COMIDA) marine mammal aerial survey project, was to investigate the distribution and relative abundance of marine mammals in the Chukchi Sea Planning Area (CSPA) during the open water (i.e., ice-free) months of June to October, when various species are undertaking seasonal migrations through the area. However, from 1979-1984, surveys were also conducted during spring.

NORTHERN BERING AND SOUTHERN CHUKCHI SEAS
Aerial surveys in the northern Bering and southern Chukchi seas (63-68 degrees N, east of the International Date Line) were conducted by MMS (now BOEM) contractors from 1979-1985. The goal of these surveys was to investigate the distribution, abundance, migration timing, habitat relationships and behavior of endangered whales during the spring migration. Surveys were conducted from April-July.

本档案包包含下述描述的航空勘测数据。海洋能源管理局（Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, BOEM，前身为矿产管理局（Minerals Management Service, MMS））及其前身土地管理局，自1979年起便资助了波弗特海、楚科奇海与白令海的航空勘测项目。2008年，通过矿产管理局与阿拉斯加渔业科学中心（Alaska Fisheries Science Center, AFSC，隶属于美国国家海洋和大气管理局国家海洋渔业服务处）达成的跨机构协议，国家海洋哺乳动物实验室（National Marine Mammal Laboratory, NMML，为AFSC下属部门）承担了这些勘测项目的联合管理职责。该系列勘测项目历史上曾被称为“弓头鲸航空勘测项目（Bowhead Whale Aerial Survey Project, BWASP）”与“钻井区楚科奇近海监测（Chukchi Offshore Monitoring in Drilling Area, COMIDA）”海洋哺乳动物航空勘测，下文将对二者进行更详细的说明。目前该系列勘测统一纳入“北极海洋哺乳动物航空勘测（Aerial Surveys of Arctic Marine Mammals, ASAMM）”单一研究项目实施。自1982年起开展的所有勘测均采用统一的勘测规程。

波弗特海
1979年起，每年都会在西波弗特海（北纬72°以南，西经140°-157°区域）开展航空勘测。1979年至2007年期间，由矿产管理局（现海洋能源管理局）工作人员及承包商负责实施；2008年至2013年则由国家海洋哺乳动物实验室承接执行。本项目的核心目标是记录弓头鲸（Balaena mysticetus）在秋季迁徙期间途经西波弗特海的情况，同时也会收集勘测过程中观测到的所有其他海洋哺乳动物的相关数据。勘测通常于无海冰的9月和10月开展，此时正值近海钻井与地球物理勘探作业的可行时段，且阿拉斯加卡克托维克、克罗斯岛（努伊克斯特村所在地）与巴罗附近会开展秋季弓头鲸生计猎捕活动。1979年至1986年的春夏两季，以及2011年至2012年的夏季，波弗特海区域也开展了额外的航空勘测。波弗特海秋季勘测的重点是通过大范围调查评估弓头鲸迁徙路径的变化，同时协调作业力量、管理相关数据，以支撑季节性近海钻井与地震勘探的监管需求。当日飞行勘测区块的选择并非随机，主要依据研究区域内观测到的和预测的气象条件，以及近海石油行业作业活动等标准。除此之外，项目团队会尽可能在整个研究区域内从东到西均匀分配勘测作业量。1979年至1986年的勘测结果显示，弓头鲸极少在近岸区块以北区域被观测到，因此航空覆盖范围更偏向近岸勘测区块。

东北楚科奇海
1982年至1991年期间，由矿产管理局（现海洋能源管理局）承包商负责在东北楚科奇海（北纬68°-73°，西经157°-169°区域）开展航空勘测。2008年至2012年，由国家海洋哺乳动物实验室采用与此前年份一致的方法承接执行。本项目又名“钻井区楚科奇近海监测（COMIDA）”海洋哺乳动物航空勘测项目，其目标是调查楚科奇海规划区（Chukchi Sea Planning Area, CSPA）内海洋哺乳动物的分布与相对丰度，勘测时段为无海冰的6月至10月，此时多种物种正途经该区域进行季节性迁徙。不过1979年至1984年期间，勘测也会在春季开展。

北白令海与南楚科奇海
1979年至1985年期间，由矿产管理局（现海洋能源管理局）承包商负责在北白令海与南楚科奇海（北纬63°-68°，国际日期变更线以东区域）开展航空勘测。本次勘测的目标是调查濒危鲸类在春季迁徙期间的分布、丰度、迁徙时机、栖息地关联与行为特征。勘测时段为4月至7月。