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July 2007

Vol. 12, No. 27 Week of July 08, 2007

MMS to complete whale study before North Aleutians lease sale

The U.S. Minerals Management Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Mammal Laboratory are starting a $5 million, three-and-one-half-year study into the distribution, relative abundance and habitat use of the North Pacific right whale in the Bering Sea, MMS announced on June 26. The study forms part of a program of environmental data collection, in preparation for an oil and gas lease sale in the North Aleutian Planning Area (Bristol Bay) planned for 2011.

“This is an important part of MMS’ commitment to considering an oil and gas lease sale in 2011 in this area,” said Associate Director of Offshore Minerals Management, Chris Oynes. “Once MMS has collected sufficient background environmental information and the data on the right whale is obtained, MMS will be in a sound position to make informed decisions about potential leasing in the area.”

Very rare

As one of the rarest baleen whales anywhere in the world, the North Pacific right whale is classified as an endangered species; scientists know little about the animal’s abundance and habit, MMS said. MMS expects that the joint research with NOAA will provide the necessary information about the whales for the environmental impact assessment of any oil and gas development in the Bering Sea.

Right whales used to be abundant in the summer throughout the eastern North Pacific and Bering Seas, the agency said.

The research will use methods and technology proven through use in previous right whale studies in the North Atlantic. Methods will include visual observations from aircraft and ships, and the detection of whale sounds from devices on ships. Researchers will tag some of the whales with satellite and acoustic tracking devices, to determine the whales’ movements and dive behaviors. Tissue samples from the whales will enable the genetic identification of individual animals through DNA analysis; these samples will also provide information about the whales’ diet and about any pollutants resident in their bodies. The scientists expect to obtain additional information from samples of the plankton that the whales eat.

—Alan Bailey






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