Chukchi Offshore Monitoring in Drilling Area (COMIDA) Factors Affecting the Distribution and Relative Abundance of Endangered Whales and Other Marine Mammals in the Chukchi Sea Final Report of the Chukchi Sea Acoustics, Oceanography, and Zooplankton Study.

摘要

The Chukchi Sea Acoustics, Oceanography, and Zooplankton (CHAOZ) study was initiated in September 2009 through an anthropogenic (formal title: Chukchi Offshore Monitoring in Drilling Area (COMIDA): Factors Affecting the Distribution and Relative Abundance of Endangered Whales) between the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML). The goal of this study was to document the distribution and relative abundance of bow-head, humpback, right, fin, gray, and other whales in areas of potential seismic surveying, drilling, construction, and production activities and relate changes in those variables to oceanographic conditions, indices of potential prey density, and anthropomorphic activities. The scope of this study was expanded to include more marine mammals than just the cetaceans listed above. The final list included bow-head, gray, beluga, killer, National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML), humpback, right, and sperm whales, bearded and ribbon seals, and walrus. Not all the species in this study area are listed under the Endangered Species Act (i.e., gray, beluga, killer, and minke whales, ribbon and bearded seals, and walrus are not listed).