Near-Real Time Communications to Share Survey Progress
“We plan to provide daily updates throughout the survey to share what we are seeing and communicate next-day survey plans so people know what we are doing,” said Ferguson.
The hope is that through these regular communications, tribal governments and local community members will have real-time information about what scientists are doing in the field and where the surveys are being conducted. They can ask questions about the surveys to the survey team or to the Committee.
How to Count Whales from the Air
To get an accurate estimate of how many beluga whales are in the area, the aircraft flies a series of straight lines, also called transects or tracklines, across the beluga’s known range. Scientists onboard the plane count and record all beluga whales sighted along the way.
The number of whales counted during the survey is corrected for whales that could have been missed. This happens when whales are below the surface diving, or because weather conditions, such as whitecaps, or distance to the whales make them hard to see.
Keeping Communities Informed of Results
By the end of August, NOAA will share preliminary results with interested communities in the region via a Strait Science presentation, media interviews, and requested conference calls. Information collected during the surveys will also be presented during the annual Alaska Beluga Whale Committee meeting this fall. It will also be shared at an eastern Bering Sea management planning workshop where beluga hunter representatives from beluga harvesting communities in Norton Sound and the Yukon are present.
“It's been 5 years since we surveyed this area for belugas and a lot has happened in the ecosystem since then. It is crucial to document the current number and distribution of whales as that will shape thinking on whether steps are needed to further protect the population,” said Verena Gill, supervisory biologist, Protected Resources Division, Alaska Regional Office.
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