General information
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game collaborated with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Tuktoyaktuk Hunters and Trappers Committee to attached satellite tags to bowhead whales near Tuktoyaktuk, Canada, between 18 and 30 August 2017.
2017 Bowhead Satellite Tagging Season
They attached satellite transmitters to seven bowhead whales in the general vicinity of Atkinson Point. All seven transmitters are communicating with Argos satellites, however, they are only getting location data from five of the seven tags. They are still hopeful that the remaining two tags will eventually yield location data. Those two tags were attached slightly low on the whales’ body and are likely not clearing the water consistently. The tagging crew consisted of James and Charles Pokiak, Gary Raddi Sr. and Gary Raddi Jr., Ray Ettagiak, Derek Panaktalok, Sammy Gruben, Joseph Felix, Jr., Ellen Lea, Kate Snow, Mike Fleming, Lori Quakenbush, and John Citta.
Go to ADFG archives for tracking maps of the bowhead whales tagged in 2017 from August 23, 2017 to September 4, 2018 and into the 2018 tagging season.
