BRD Activities in Alaska
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BRD Activities in Alaska |
- The waters of Prince William Sound and the Copper River ecosystem support a diversity of
species of high aesthetic and commercial value. By helping to develop a scientific network in
this region, the BRD is fostering exchange of information between landowners and resource
managers so that common priorities can be addressed. Partners in this initiative include the
State of Alaska, Federal agencies, the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustees, Native corporations,
local municipalities, and private landowners.
- As an initial contribution to another new science initiative focusing on Glacier Bay, the BRD is
evaluating the effects of commercial fishing on Dungeness crab and Pacific halibut populations.
Partners in this effort are the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the University of Alaska,
the National Park Service, the National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Forest Service, and
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Other research will focus on coastal monitoring protocols,
seabirds, and sea otters.
- The BRD is investigating the habitat needs of tundra swans for nesting, feeding, and
brood-rearing in the Colville River delta. Information from this study will be integrated with
planning by the oil industry to allow potential oil development while minimizing the negative
effects on breeding swans.
- The BRD is conducting research in the Katmai National Park and Preserve to evaluate whether
wave turbulence affects the ability of native salmon to reproduce successfully. By providing the
scientific information needed to support management of public lands for a variety of uses, the
BRD is an active participant in the resolution of human-wildlife conflicts.
- The polar bear is important to the subsistence of Natives in western and northern Alaska. BRD
scientists are investigating survival, reproduction, habitat requirements, and other aspects of
polar bear ecology in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas. Other research focuses on
Pacific walrus and seabirds.
- The BRD continues to conduct long-term studies to determine the current population status
and trends of nesting geese, whose numbers are believed to be declining, in the
Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Research findings will assist the Alaska Department of Fish and
Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in their waterfowl management activities. Other
research focuses on spectacled and Steller eiders, waterfowl, and shorebirds.
- The BRD Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit is helping to develop scientific
information on red-legged kittiwakes that breed on St. George Island. This information will
help determine the current status of these birds and will be useful to managers in developing
appropriate conservation actions.
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Last Updated: Wednesday, 09-Apr-2003 07:22:48 MDT
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