Eastern Chukchi Sea Stock
| Principal Investigators | Robert Suydam, Ph.D. |
| Collaborators | Alaska Beluga Whale Committee (ABWC), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), University of Washington, Alaska Marine Ecosystems Research, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution, Mystic Aquarium, and the Village of Point Lay, Alaska |
| Funding | NOAA, North Slope Borough (NSB) |
Summary:
Belugas whales (Delphinapterus leucas) are an important subsistence resource for many Arctic communities which depend on them for nutrition and culture. It is important to understand the biology of the whales to ensure that the populations remain large enough for sustainable harvests. Further, biological samples can provide insights into impacts from climate change. With sea ice getting thinner and more human activity in the Arctic Ocean this information can help us to understand how these changes affect the belugas in order for us to reduce these impacts as much as possible.
The ABWC annually receives a grant from the NOAA. The NSB administers that grant for the ABWC. The funds are used to support an annual meeting of the ABWC and a variety of studies. See the sidebar menu for some studies supported by the ABWC and others. See the links section below for other topics related to the Eastern Chukchi Sea Stock.
Links
- Satellite Tracking Maps of Alaskan Beluga Stocks
- NSB Mystic Aquarium Educational and Cultural Student Exchange
Banner photo credit: Kate Stafford
