General information
During 2015, the NSB Department of Wildlife Management, along with local whalers, are attempting to attach satellite transmitters to bowhead whales near Barrow. This project is in collaboration with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG). Updated maps can be seen at ADFG Satellite Tracking of Western Arctic Bowhead Whales. Thanks to John Citta of ADFG for providing these maps.
2015 Bowhead Satellite Tagging Season
August 28, 2015
Bowhead whale movements. A 45 foot long bowhead whale was tagged on Saturday, 23 August 2015, near Point Barrow, Alaska. The tagging crew included Billy Adams, Daniel Jacob Leavitt, Wilbur Leavitt, Joe Skin, Harry Brower Jr., Lewis Brower, Aaron Morris and Craig George. The tag placement is very good and the tag is operating normally. The whale has remained in the Barrow area since tagging.
September 21, 2015
Bowhead whale movements. Three whales were tagged on September 2nd, and there are still two of those tags transmitting. The tagging crew included Harry Brower, Jr., Lewis Brower, Isaac Leavitt, and Craig Johnson. B15-01 is currently moving south, away from the shelf break and towards Wrangel Island. B15-02 and B15-03 have both moved west, out of the Oil and Gas Lease Sale Area. We have not received any transmissions from the fourth whale that was tagged (B15-04); we will keep looking for data uplinks, but it is likely that we will never receive data from this whale.
Go to the ADFG archives for tracking maps of the bowhead whales tagged in 2015 through October 2, 2016.
