November 14 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:
More than $936,000 in Inflation Reduction Act funding supported our team of researchers from the Alaska Fisheries Science Center’s Marine Mammal Laboratory. We collected data on the four species of ice-associated seals in Alaska: the bearded seal, the ringed seal, the ribbon seal, and the spotted seal. By tracking their movements and health, we can better understand how changes in the Arctic—such as reduced sea ice—may be affecting them.
Our team used the charter vessel R/V Norseman II to reach the seals where they haul out onto the sea ice in the Bering Sea. We launched small boats to capture seals on the ice. Then we recorded measurements and weights, collected tissue samples, and tagged seals with satellite-linked biologgers. We also attached satellite tags to some seals to track movements and foraging behaviors.
To detect any contaminants or pollutants the seals might have been exposed to, we collected blood, whiskers, fur, and scat. This also helped us study the seals’ health and diet. Our teams then checked blubber thickness to measure body condition. We used technology such as drones to observe and even measure some seals without disturbing them.
This data, collected during many expeditions, suggests that the body condition of spotted and ribbon seal pups and adult ribbon seals in spring has declined since at least 2007. This decline may be related to observed changes in their environment, including climate change-related reductions in sea ice cover. The loss of sea ice is important to ice-associated seals that use it as a platform for giving birth, nursing, and molting.
Dr. Michael Cameron, Polar Ecosystems Program manager, shared his insights into the survey: “There is so much valuable research work to be done throughout the agency, and not enough time available on NOAA’s research ships, requiring difficult decisions. This year, with the help of Inflation Reduction Act funding, we were able to plan and conduct our ideal research expedition with a dedicated charter vessel for the first time. We extended our expedition to more than 40 days, which allowed us to encompass the periods of both seal pupping and molting. Essentially, we got to plan the cruise that we’ve always wanted.”
“Our repeated presence in this remote area has provided important data for research on issues that are also a great concern to Alaskan native hunters and fishermen,” said Heather Ziel, Chief Scientist for the research cruise from the Polar Ecosystems Program. “It is crucial that we continue conducting these surveys to monitor the environment as it continues to change.”
Green Sea Turtle and Monk Seal Research in the Pacific Island
NOAA Fisheries is bolstering our survey enterprise and accelerating our data collection efforts. This will allow us to better manage protected species such as ice seals, Hawaiian monk seals, and green sea turtles, along with cetaceans such as whales and dolphins off the West Coast. These surveys are increasing the number and types of protected marine resource observations we can make.
An investment of $7.4 million in Inflation Reduction Act funds during the 2023–2024 fiscal year for these surveys is helping to fund research. It is also ensuring we can collect and analyze broader and more accurate data in key marine ecosystems.
Importance of Research Surveys
The key to our science mission is collecting and using the best available data to understand what actions are needed to safeguard America’s valuable marine resources and coastal communities. For marine life facing the effects of climate change, this research marks a vital step in analyzing changing conditions and informing management decisions.
Our at-sea research vessels are an integral part of this effort. In extremely remote locations like the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, securing ship time is challenging. In Alaska, only certain ships can reach distant locations on the ice.
With Inflation Reduction Act funding, we conducted three at-sea surveys for protected resources on charter vessels in three regions this year:
- Alaska (R/V Norseman II)
- Pacific Islands (M/V Imua and M/V Kahana II)
- West Coast (R/V Bold Horizon)
With these surveys, we are taking a fresh approach among the three science centers to collaborate on planning and prioritizing rotating support for protected resource surveys. This new approach allowed our teams to reach otherwise inaccessible areas of sea ice in Alaska and arrive at the ideal time for research. The flexibility of charter vessels also enabled us to plan safer, more efficient trips.
Ice Seal Research in Alaska
More than $936,000 in Inflation Reduction Act funding supported our team of researchers from the Alaska Fisheries Science Center’s Marine Mammal Laboratory. We collected data on the four species of ice-associated seals in Alaska: the bearded seal, the ringed seal, the ribbon seal, and the spotted seal. By tracking their movements and health, we can better understand how changes in the Arctic—such as reduced sea ice—may be affecting them.
Our team used the charter vessel R/V Norseman II to reach the seals where they haul out onto the sea ice in the Bering Sea. We launched small boats to capture seals on the ice. Then we recorded measurements and weights, collected tissue samples, and tagged seals with satellite-linked biologgers. We also attached satellite tags to some seals to track movements and foraging behaviors.
To detect any contaminants or pollutants the seals might have been exposed to, we collected blood, whiskers, fur, and scat. This also helped us study the seals’ health and diet. Our teams then checked blubber thickness to measure body condition. We used technology such as drones to observe and even measure some seals without disturbing them.
This data, collected during many expeditions, suggests that the body condition of spotted and ribbon seal pups and adult ribbon seals in spring has declined since at least 2007. This decline may be related to observed changes in their environment, including climate change-related reductions in sea ice cover. The loss of sea ice is important to ice-associated seals that use it as a platform for giving birth, nursing, and molting.
Dr. Michael Cameron, Polar Ecosystems Program manager, shared his insights into the survey: “There is so much valuable research work to be done throughout the agency, and not enough time available on NOAA’s research ships, requiring difficult decisions. This year, with the help of Inflation Reduction Act funding, we were able to plan and conduct our ideal research expedition with a dedicated charter vessel for the first time. We extended our expedition to more than 40 days, which allowed us to encompass the periods of both seal pupping and molting. Essentially, we got to plan the cruise that we’ve always wanted.”
“Our repeated presence in this remote area has provided important data for research on issues that are also a great concern to Alaskan native hunters and fishermen,” said Heather Ziel, Chief Scientist for the research cruise from the Polar Ecosystems Program. “It is crucial that we continue conducting these surveys to monitor the environment as it continues to change.”