General information
Thanks to the Alaska Beluga Whale Committee, North Slope Borough, National Marine Mammal Lab, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for sharing data and collaborating. Tagging conducted under ADF&G Permit #18890. Maps and text below provided by Justin Crawford (ADF&G).
2021
Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale movements 4-19 August 2021
Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale movements 21 July – 4 August 2021
Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale movements 6-21 July 2021
2020
February 10, 2020
Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale movements: The tag deployed on the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale last transmitted a location on 21 January, 2020. At that time the beluga whale was south of Nunivak Island and generally moving southeast towards Kuskokwim Bay in the southeastern Bering Sea. The attached maps shows the track of movements this whale made since being tagged in southern Norton Sound on 23 May 2019. The beluga’s track is colored by date to illustrate movements over time through Norton Sound, the northern Bering Sea, the southern Chukchi Sea, and the central Bering Sea.
January 27, 2020
Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale movements: From 13 to 27 January 2020, the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale moved into the southeast Bering Sea, south of Nunivak Island. This whale was tagged near the Pikmiktalik River in southern Norton Sound on 23 May 2019 in accordance with NMFS Permit #18890 and ACUC #0027-2019-41.
January 13, 2020
Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale movements: From 30 December 2019 to 13 January 2020, the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale moved into the central Bering Sea, between St. Lawrence and St. Matthew islands. This whale was tagged near the Pikmiktalik River in southern Norton Sound on 23 May 2019 in accordance with NMFS Permit #18890 and ACUC #0027-2019-41.
2019
December 30, 2019
Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale movements: From 16 to 30 December, the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale returned to the Bering Sea, moving south from Bering Strait, across the mouth of Norton Sound, and back north through Chirikov Basin in the northern Bering Sea. As of 30 December, this whale was along the west coast of St. Lawrence Island. This whale was tagged near the Pikmiktalik River in southern Norton Sound on 23 May 2019 in accordance with NMFS Permit #18890 and ACUC #0027-2019-41.
December 16, 2019
Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale movements: From 2 to 16 December, the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale moved throughout Hope Basin and the southern Chukchi Sea. As of 16 December, this whale moved south and was in Bering Strait. This whale was tagged near the Pikmiktalik River in southern Norton Sound on 23 May 2019 in accordance with NMFS Permit #18890 and ACUC #0027-2019-41.
December 3, 2019
Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale movements: We have not received any locations from the tag deployed on the Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale since 17 September 2019.
Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale movements: From 9 November to 3 December, the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale made localized movements west of Nome and near Cape Woolley before moving north through the marginal ice zone, along the Alaskan coast, through Bering Strait, and into the southern Chukchi Sea. As of 3 December, this whale was in Hope Basin, southwest of Kivalina. This whale was tagged near the Pikmiktalik River on 23 May 2019.
November 9, 2019
Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale movements: We have not received any locations from the tag deployed on the Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale since 17 September 2019.
Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale movements: From 6 October to 9 November, the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale moved within the western Norton Sound and eastern Bering Sea region. This whale was tagged near the Pikmiktalik River on 23 May 2019.
October 7, 2019
Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale movements: We have not received any locations from the tag deployed on the Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale since 17 September 2019.
Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale movements: From 21 September to 7 October, the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale moved throughout the northwestern Norton Sound region, from Cape Woolley to central Norton Sound. This whale was tagged near the Pikmiktalik River on 23 May 2019.
September 24, 2019
Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale movements: From 8 to 24 September, the Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale moved from the continental shelf-break (200-m isobath) and Barrow Canyon into the northeast Chukchi Sea. This whale was tagged in Kasegaluk Lagoon, near Point Lay, on 8 July 2019.
Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale movements: From 8 to 24 September, the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale moved throughout western Norton Sound, primarily offshore of Nome. This whale was tagged near the Pikmiktalik River on 23 May 2019.
September 9, 2019
Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale movements: From 26 August to 9 September, the Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale generally moved around Barrow Canyon and areas north of Utqiaġvik, including moving beyond the continental shelf-break (200-m isobath) and into deeper water in the Beaufort Sea. This whale was tagged in Kasegaluk Lagoon, near Point Lay, on 8 July 2019.
Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale movements: From 26 August to 9 September, the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale moved through Norton Sound, from Pastol Bay in the southern Sound to the northern coastline. This whale was tagged near the Pikmiktalik River on 23 May 2019.
August 28, 2019
Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale movements: From 12 to 28 August, the Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale moved west, generally along the continental shelf-break (200-m isobath) in the Beaufort Sea, then into the northeast Chukchi Sea. After reaching an area north of Point Lay in the Chukchi Sea, the beluga then reversed its track and moved back to the continental shelf-break in the Beaufort Sea. This whale was tagged in Kasegaluk Lagoon, near Point Lay, on 8 July 2019.
Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale movements: From 12 to 28 August, the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale moved through northern Norton Sound, into the mouth of Golovin Bay, then returned to southern Norton Sound, where it made frequent trips between Pastol Bay and the mouth of the Yukon River. This whale was tagged near the Pikmiktalik River on 23 May 2019.
August 13, 2019
Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale movements: From 29 July to 13 August, the Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale left Barrow Canyon and moved east, generally along the continental shelf-break (200-m isobath) until an area generally north of Prudhoe Bay, then reversed its track and moved west along the shelf-break. This whale was tagged in Kasegaluk Lagoon, near Point Lay, on 8 July 2019.
Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale movements: From 29 July to 13 August, the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale left the mouth of the Yukon River, moved east through Pastol Bay, and then moved into central Norton Sound. This whale was tagged near the Pikmiktalik River on 23 May 2019.
July 31, 2019
Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale movements: From 16 to 31 July, the Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale moved to the Chukchi-Beaufort continental shelf-break and made localized movements near Barrow Canyon. This whale was tagged in Kasegaluk Lagoon, near Point Lay, on 8 July 2019.
Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale movements: From 16 to 31 July, the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale moved between the mouth of the Yukon River and Pastol Bay. This whale was tagged near the Pikmiktalik River on 23 May 2019.
July 16, 2019
We are pleased to announce that an adult female (11 ft 3 in) beluga whale from the Eastern Chukchi Sea stock was tagged on 8 July. This whale was tagged in Kasegaluk Lagoon by North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management and Alaska Department of Fish and Game personnel. The tag was manufactured by Sea Mammal Research Unit (CTD model) and is operating normally. This is a cooperative project among the Alaska Beluga Whale Committee, the North Slope Borough, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and was funded by the Office of Naval Research and the North Slope Borough. Tagging was in accordance with NMFS Permit #18890 and ACUC #0027-2019-41.
Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale movements: From 8 to 16 July, the Eastern Chukchi Sea beluga whale moved from its tagging location in Kasegaluk Lagoon to north of Utqiaġvik, near Barrow Canyon.
Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale movements: From 2 to 16 July, the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale moved from Pastol Bay to the mouth of the Yukon River where it then made localized movements for the duration of this period. This whale was tagged near the Pikmiktalik River on 23 May 2019.
July 8, 2019
Beluga whale movements. From 24 June to 8 July, the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale tagged in late-May was offshore of the mouth of the Yukon River before moving toward Pastol Bay.
June 24, 2019
Beluga whale movements. From 10 to 24 June, the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale tagged in late-May moved between Pastol Bay and central Norton Sound before moving to the mouth of the Yukon River.
June 10, 2019
Beluga whale movements. From 27 May to 10 June, the Eastern Bering Sea beluga whale tagged in late-May circled along the south east coast of Norton Sound, twice, and made localized movements near the mouth of the Yukon River before returning to an area offshore of it’s tagging location near Pikmiktalik River.
May 28, 2019
Beluga whale movements. We are pleased to announce that we captured and tagged an adult male (white) beluga whale from the Eastern Bering Sea stock on 23 May. This whale was tagged near the Pikmiktalik River in southern Norton Sound by Kellen Katcheak, Marvin Okitkun, Tom Gray, their crews, and ADF&G personnel. The tag was manufactured by Wildlife Computers in Seattle (Splash10 model) and is operating normally. This is a cooperative project among the Alaska Beluga Whale committee, the North Slope Borough, and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Tagging was in accordance with NMFS Permit #18890 and ACUC #0027-2019-41.
