Project Information

Title: Long‐term killer whale monitoring in Prince William Sound/Kenai Fjords 22120114-N

Project Year and Number: 2022: 22120114-N

Other Fiscal Years and Numbers for this Project: 2024: 24120114-N, 2023: 23120114-N, 2021: 21120114-N, 2020: 20120114-N, 2019: 19120114-N, 2018: 18120114-N, 2017: 17120114-N, 2016: 16120114-M, 2015: 15120114-M, 2014: 14120114-M, 2013: 13120114-M, 2012: 12120114-M

Principal Investigator (PI): Craig Matkin (North Gulf Oceanic Society)

Managing Agency: NOAA

Assisting Personnel: None

Project Website: https://gulfwatchalaska.org/monitoring/pelagic-ecosystem/killer-whales/

Research Location: Prince William Sound, Kenai Fjords

Restoration Category: Monitoring

Injured Resources Addressed: Killer Whales

Abstract:

The proposed project is a continuation of the photo‐identification based long term killer whale monitoring program that was initiated in 1984 in Prince William Sound. A primary focus has been on resident killer whales and the recovery of resident (fish eating) AB pod and the threatened transient (mammal eating) AT1 population of killer whales. These groups of whales suffered serious losses at the time of the oil spill and have not recovered at projected rates. Furthermore, the positive recovery trajectory of the AB pod appears to have suffered a setback to post‐spill levels following the recent marine heatwave. Monitoring of all major pods, their population dynamics, feeding ecology, movements, range, and contaminant levels now spans over 35 years; its continuation will assess their vulnerability to future perturbations and environmental change, including oil spills. To 126 ensure continuity of existing data streams and better integrate the killer whale project with the Gulf Watch Alaska ‐ Long‐Term Research and Monitoring Pelagic Component goals in the next funding cycle, we are adding a program led by Dr. John Durban to regularly monitor killer whale growth and body condition, including pregnancy status and subsequent calf mortality rates, using camera equipped drones. In combination, these techniques will continue to provide assessment of longterm trends in population numbers and dynamics and provide increased resolution on killer whale responses to environmental changes. Diet and distributional data will be used to suggest plausible environmental and trophic covariates, and the predictive ability of these mechanistic links will be investigated in a Bayesian modelling framework that will integrate changes in body size, body condition and population dynamics. Community based initiatives, educational programs, and programs for tour boat operators will continue to be integrated into the work to help foster restoration by improving public understanding and reducing harassment of the whales.


Proposal: View (4,892 KB)

Reports:
FY22 Annual Report: View (1,748 KB)

Publications from this Project: None Available

Resolutions: