October 1, 2004

USGS Biologists Participate in International Marine Mammal Conference: Chad Jay, Tony Fischbach, and Mark Udevitz are presenting papers and coordinating with international partners at the Third International Conference "Marine Mammals of the Holarctic" to be held October 11-17 in Koktebel, Crimea, Ukraine. Their research results on the United States-Russian walrus population support the USGS mission of conducting science for this trust species of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which is an internationally shared wildlife resource. Dr. Udevitz will discuss survey design for estimating walrus population size, and Dr. Jay will present results of a remotely deployed satellite transmitter for walruses. These topics are important because of the difficulties of determining accurate estimates of walrus population sizes in their sea ice environment. Mr. Fischbach will discuss results of genetic studies of Pacific walrus inhabiting regions in Alaska and Russia, as a means to evaluate hypotheses regarding genetic structuring of breeding aggregations and non-breeding regions. (Chad Jay, Anchorage, AK 907-786-3856)

June 1, 2004

Experts remain puzzled over beak deformities in Alaska's birds: Why is the problem more common in Southcentral than elsewhere? By Doug O'Harra in the Anchorage Daily News.

With fury in its tiny dark eyes, the black-capped chickadee struggled to escape research technician Lisa Pajot by pecking her fingers. But tips of the bird's deformed beak had grown apart since its last monthly exam and it could not pinch the skin. Its feathers were dirty and a bit frayed too -- potentially fatal problems for a wild bird.

To read more please see the ADN web site at:
http://www.adn.com/front/story/5142731p-5073311c.html.
(Colleen Handel, Anchorage, Alaska, 786-3418)

May 24, 2004

Lead from hunters' shot turns up in birds, Alaskans. YUKON-KUSKOKWIM: Health, wildlife agencies hope to ban deadly metal. By Joel Gay of the Anchorage Daily News.

Some hunters in Western Alaska are still blasting ducks and geese with lead shot, and it's causing the same problems that prompted a nationwide ban on the ammunition more than a decade ago: The heavy metal is showing up in humans and birds, recent studies suggest. Health officials say lead levels in mothers and newborns on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta are higher than in areas where nontoxic shot is more widely used, though at levels still considered safe.

To read more please see the ADN web site at:
http://www.adn.com/front/story/5107755p-5034663c.html
(Paul Flint, Anchorage, Alaska, 786-3608)

April 29 , 2004

Wolves, Bears, and Moose in "Dance of Death": Dr. Layne Adams of the USGS served as a technical consultant for National Geographic on a photoessay in the May 2004 issue. The article, entitled "Dance of Death", details the killing of a moose by a pack of wolves and several grizzly bears in Denali National Park. This was an unusual sight to be photographed in process. These species are the focus of study and controversy in Alaska, because their predator-prey interactions are subject to management decisions that are of much public interest. (Layne Adams, Anchorage, Alaska, 786-3918)

Longest Non-stop Bird Flight: After 20 years of study, USGS biologist Robert Gill and colleague Theunis Piersma of Holland have discovered for the first time that the bar-tailed godwit travels the longest non-stop flight of any bird. Evidence presented recently in Edinburgh at the Waterbirds Around the World Conference documents that this godwit species migrates from Alaska to New Zealand (12,400 km) each year in six days and six nights at speeds of up to 80 mph, without stopping to feed or rest. This work will be featured soon in an upcoming issue of New Scientist. (Robert Gill, Anchorage, Alaska , 907-786-3514).

April 12, 2004

USGS scientist Colleen Handel was interviewed by the Associated Press for an article published April 7 in the Seattle Times, and April 6 in the the Juneau Empire (AK), about the increasing number of beak deformities in crows being seen in southwestern Alaska. (Colleen Handel, Anchorage, Alaska, 907-786-3418)

March 30 , 2004

Protecting Polar Bears from Human Disturbances: Petroleum related activities currently span approximately 200 km of the Alaskan Beaufort Sea coastal area, with new and proposed developments expected to dramatically expand the area of influence. These activities are expected to pose a potential threat to polar bears, especially as they might disturb female bears giving midwinter birth in snow dens and remaining in dens to nurture their young until early spring; survival and development of newborn bears is dependent on a stable environment within the maternal den. In an article scheduled for publication in the April issue of BioScience for the, USGS scientists report on using forward-looking infrared (FLIR) viewing devices to detect anomalous heat sources created by populated polar bear dens, and the determination that FLIR surveys can be an important management tool for mitigating the effects of potentially disturbing human activity on denning polar bears. (Steven Amstrup, Anchorage, AK, 907-786-3424)

Audubon Alaska Bird Conference for Conservation and Management: USGS scientists gathered with other scientists and wildlife managers, together with Alaskan naturalist and resource specialists, to share an assemblage of diverse information about Alaskan bird populations at the Alaskan Bird Conference held in Anchorage, AK, March 16-18. The conference provided a forum to exchange ideas and information about research, education, management, and conservation methods related to ornithology. USGS scientists presented talks on Kittlitz's Murrelets, the Common Murre, the Glacier Murrelet, the endangered short-tailed Albatross, and provided attendees with additional information about these and other subjects at poster sessions which included the potential human impacts on birds at Glacier Bay National Park, and the population status of Murrelets along the Alaska Peninsula. Information provided by USGS scientists will be used to improve wildlife management techniques, evaluate current trends and identify potential problems in wildlife populations, and provide resource managers with needed information to accomplish missions related to efficient and effective avian population management throughout Alaska. (Geoffrey York, Anchorage, AK, 907-786-3928)

February 12 , 2004

Scientists from the Alaska Science Center (Dr. Gail Irvine, Derek Wilson, Dr. Jennifer Nielsen, and Dr. Lisa Etherington) are presenting their research at next week's Ocean Sciences meeting of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography in Hawaii.

OCEANOGRAPHIC PATTERNS IN A GLACIALLY-FED FJORD ESTUARY: IMPLICATIONS FOR BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTIVITY AND HOTSPOTS - Oceanographic conditions within high latitude glacially-fed estuaries are often complex, due to high rates of freshwater input, dramatic bathymetry, and high sedimentation rates. Through a long term monitoring program, we have conducted physical and biological oceanographic sampling at 24 stations within Glacier Bay, AK, from 1993-2002. Seasonal patterns of salinity, temperature, stratification, turbidity and euphotic depth are correlated with freshwater input. High rates of freshwater input create strong and persistent stratification of surface waters, contributing to sustained phytoplankton abundance from spring through fall. Spatial patterns of phytoplankton abundance vary throughout the season and are influenced by stratification levels and euphotic depth. Highest levels of phytoplankton abundance exist at regions of physical and bathymetric discontinuities, where shallower mixed zones are juxtaposed with deep stratified basins. Spatial patterns of physical and biological oceanographic parameters suggest that there may be biological hotspot regions within Glacier Bay. These findings further our understanding of physical-biological coupling within fjord estuaries and provide information necessary for making management decisions and understanding the ecosystem properties of high latitude marine reserves, such as Glacier Bay National Park. (Contact Dr. Lisa Etherington, letherington@usgs.gov )

USE OF ACOUSTIC TAGS AND MOORED-RECIEVERS TO DESCRIBE BEHAVIOR AND FRESHWATER TO MARINE MIGRATION OF POST-SPAWN STEELHEAD, NINILCHIK RIVER, ALASKA - Little is known about the distribution and behavior of salmonids in the ocean or the role of environmental variation on the survival of salmonids within marine habitats. This requires a better understanding of movements and habitat use at all life history stages. Acoustic tagging and moored receivers provide opportunities to examine migration and behavior of salmonids in marine habitats. We used an ultrasonic gate at the mouth of the Ninilchik River to describe freshwater to marine migratory behavior in post-spawn steelhead. Post-spawn steelhead were captured in a downstream trap within the Ninilchik River and individually coded acoustic pingers were surgically implanted in each fish. Time between tagging and initial detection, time in the tidal zone, residence time within the buoy array, and direction of out-migration was determined based on detection time and location. This study indicates that the use of acoustic tags and acoustic detection arrays are a feasible and potentially productive means to study near-shore marine migrations of salmonids in the North Pacific. (Contact Derek Wilson, derek_wilson@usgs.gov)

OCEAN PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH TIME AS REVEALED THROUGH STABLE ISOTOPE ANALYSIS OF ARCHEOLOGICAL MIDDEN MATERIALS IN THE GULF OF ALASKA: INITIAL RESULTS - Ocean productivity and temperature of nearshore environments in the Gulf of Alaska over the past 6,300 years are being examined through natural stable isotope analysis of bivalve material from an archeological site. The Katmai National Park island site in the Shelikov Strait was occupied from approximately 350 to 2,000 years before present (BP) and from approximately 4,000 to 6,300 years BP. Bivalves figure prominently in the midden materials and are well preserved. Results of delta carbon-13 and delta oxygen-18 isotopic analyses of Saxidomus giganteus shells are being contrasted to available climate data to suggest how ocean productivity has varied with climate in the nearshore marine environment. (Contact Dr. Gail Irvine, gail_irvine@usgs.gov )

December 18 , 2003

Unanticipated Long-term Effects of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill: Work conducted by USGS scientists Dr. Brenda Ballachey and James Bodkin of the Alaska Science Center was highlighted in the journal Science this week. The report identifies how oil spills such as the one that devastated Alaska's Prince William Sound almost 15 years ago can have unanticipated long-term effects. It was previously thought that events such as oil spills had dramatic immediate effects, but long-term consequences were not considered likely. A synthesis of studies conducted since the 1989 spill has identified unanticipated volumes of largely unweatherd crude oil that becomes bio-available as animals such as sea otters excavate sediments to obtain prey species such as clams, or through other disturbances. Once released oil becomes available to the larger community of nearshore residents that can also acquire exposure through consumption of prey that accumulate environmental hydrocarbons. Elevated levels of exposure to oil has been documented in species of invertebrates, fishes, birds and mammals. These results require a complete reconsideration of the foundations of ecological risk assessment and ecotoxicology because acute mortality from oil involves concentrations perhaps 1,000 times greater. Earlier experiments incorrectly implied that lower oil concentrations were safe, which the new work clearly showed was not true. The results presented on the Exxon Valdez oil spill should lead to a new understanding of how lingering oil deposits affect species over many years, how sublethal, chronic doses compromise health, growth and reproduction and how impaired species interact negatively with one another in "cascade" fashion. The lead author on the paper was Dr. Charles Peterson, with contributions from Drs. Stanley D. Rice and Jeffrey W. Short of the National Marine Fisheries Service's Alaska Fisheries Science Center in Juneau; Dr. Daniel Esler of Canada's Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C.; and Dr. David B. Irons of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Anchorage. (James L. Bodkin, USGS Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK , 907-786-3550)

October 23 , 2003

USGS and Russian Scientists Collaborate to Monitor Changes in Arctic Ice Pack: USGS Research Biologist David Douglas will travel to Moscow November 1-6 to convene a peer-review of the collaborative research on sea ice habitats that has been ongoing with USGS and the Russia Academy of Science since 1990. USGS has invited two outside reviewers to participate in the Moscow meetings: Dr. Robert Stone, a University of Colorado atmospheric scientist, and Dr. Walter Meier, a sea ice specialist from the National Snow and Ice Data Center. Reviews will focus on the methods and preliminary results of a project designed to detect and monitor changes in the Arctic’s perennial ice pack. Recommendations will also be developed to guide future scientific directions. A NATO Collaborative Linkage Grant has funded all associated travel costs. (David Douglas, Juneau, Alaska 907-364-1576).

September 11 , 2003

Publications on the use of free-ranging fish and wildlife in research. The use of live animals in research is sometimes controversial. The federal Animal Welfare Act and other regulations were clearly written with an eye towards captive, laboratory animal research, and they are difficult to apply to research on free-ranging animals (fish and wildlife). USGS wildlife veterinarian Dan Mulcahy authored two papers for a special issue of the National Research Council journal, Institute for Laboratory Animal Research Journal, dealing with research done outside the laboratory [ILAR Journal 44(4) 2003]. The articles, entitled: “Does the Animal Welfare Act Apply to Free-ranging Animals?” and “Surgical Implantation of Transmitters into Fish”, are written to provide Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees guidance in their mandated review of research projects involving free-ranging fish and wildlife. Compliance with the Animal Welfare Act and other federal regulations is the most basic step in protecting the use of free-ranging fish and wildlife in research projects. (Daniel M. Mulcahy, Anchorage, AK, 907-786-3451)

July 31 , 2003

Earthquake Induced Mortality of Incubating Salmon Eggs: USGS scientist Christian Zimmerman will present a paper at the annual meeting of the American Fisheries Society, August 10-14 in Quebec City, Canada, examining possible mortality of incubating chum salmon eggs in Yukon River tributaries resulting from last year’s magnitude 7.9 Denali Earthquake. Immediately following the earthquake in November of 2002, Zimmerman and USGS scientist Jim Finn, revisited historic study sites to assess the potential for shock-induced mortality resulting from the earthquake. They concluded that a significant proportion of chum salmon eggs deposited in gravels of the Delta River and its tributaries were at a stage of extreme sensitivity to mechanical shock. (Christian Zimmerman, Anchorage, AK, 907-786-3954)

New Method for Estimating Population Size: Population size is perhaps the most universally desired parameter of interest to wildlife managers. Around the world, a great deal of effort is expended annually to estimate the sizes of wild animal populations. Unfortunately, population size remains one of the most intractable of parameters to estimate. In a paper published in the current issue of BioScience (Manly, B.F.J., T. L. McDonald, S. C. Amstrup, and E. V. Regehr. 2003. Improving Size Estimates of Open Animal Populations by Incorporating Information on Age. BioScience 53(7): 666-669), USGS researchers teamed up with private sector statisticians to show that incorporating age information can dramatically improve population size estimates for many species. This method offers important potential improvements over current methods. First, it can provide size estimates from only two sample occasions rather than the three usually required, second, it allows increased precision of derived estimates, and finally, it allows estimation using the logistic regression module in any standard statistical package, rather than requiring the use of specialized programs that deal only with mark-recapture data. (Steve Amstrup, Anchorage, AK, 907-786-3424)

July 11 , 2003

USGS Provides Fishery Leadership: Dr. Jennifer Nielsen, Fisheries Supervisory Research Biologist at USGS Alaska Science Center, was elected 2nd Vice President of the American Fisheries Society (AFS) and will be inducted into the Board of Officers for the Society at this year’s Annual Meeting August 12 in Quebec City, Canada. This represents a five-year commitment to AFS for Jennifer, and a great opportunity for a representative of USGS to play a guiding role in fisheries research and policy throughout the world. She will serve as President for the Society in 2007. (Jennifer Nielsen, Anchorage, AK, 907-786-3670)

USGS Science in Alaska's National Parks: The National Park Service just released the summer 2003 issue of Alaska Park Science, featuring scientific studies of the USGS Alaska Science Center. Sea otter research of Jim Bodkin is described in "Return to Glacier Bay." Dr. Tom Smith and Steve Partridge contributed "Bear-Human Interactions at Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve: Conflict Risk Assessment." Dr. Carol Ann Woody's work is highlighted in "Unlocking the Secrets of Lake Clark Sockeye Salmon." Alaska Park Science is widely distributed to a broad scientific and public audience, thus communicating the relevance of USGS science in Alaska. (Joy Geiselman, Anchorage, AK, 907-786-3668)

June 5 , 2003

Fellowship Awarded to USGS Salmon Researcher: USGS fisheries biologist Scott Pavey recently received a National Science Foundation Fellowship from the Alaska Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) through the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) for his Masters of Science work on "Genetic differentiation of sockeye salmon in Albert Johnson Creek and the recently colonized Surprise Lake, Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve, Alaska". Scott's proposal was ranked first in Alaska for the 2003 EPSCoR review. This fellowship covers one year full-time salary and a tuition waiver from UAA for his graduate research at Aniakchak. (Jennifer Nielsen, Anchorage, AK, 907-786-3670)

May 1, 2003

USGS Alaska Science Center Director Receives Meritorious Service Award: Dr. William K. Seitz, Director of the USGS Alaska Science Center, was given a Meritorious Service Award by the Department of the Interior in April in recognition for his many contributions to the science activities of the USGS. Under his outstanding leadership, the Alaska Science Center has gained worldwide recognition for its excellent scientific expertise, achievements, productivity, and partnerships. (Joy Geiselman, Anchorage, AK, 907-786-3668)

USGS Website Used in International Marine Education: The website of USGS scientist Dr. John Piatt is featured in a web-based learning activity for senior biology students, developed by Bronwyn Atcheson at Queensland University of Technology, Queensland, Australia. Using this website, http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/bronwyn_atcheson/learningactivitytwo.htm, students learn how environmental variables such as water temperature, depth, salinity and nutrients affect the distribution of organisms. All of the information and data for this learning activity are from Piatt's USGS seabird research webpage: http://www.absc.usgs.gov/research/seabird_foragefish/ marinehabitat/ index.html (Joy Geiselman, Anchorage, AK, 907-786-3668)

USGS Scientists in Anchorage Daily News (http://www.adn.com/alaska_ap/story/3028245p-3052113c.html): USGS biologist Lee Tibbitts along with USFWS biologists recently returned home with new counts of the rare Alaska bristle-thighed curlew from Polynesian islands, more than 5,000 miles from their only known nesting grounds in upland tundra of Alaska's Seward Peninsula and the Nulato Hills. They helped document new populations of several critically endangered bird species and the threats they face from rats, feral cats and coconut plantations where undergrowth has been burned away. The research will be used to figure out whether the invasive predators can be eliminated from certain islands and native habitat restored. The team was laying the groundwork for monitoring and protecting Alaska's bird species during their migratory journeys across the Pacific Ocean and beyond, said USGS shorebird biologist and curlew researcher Bob Gill. Alaska is one of the hemispheric centers for breeding shorebirds, with at least three dozen species of regular breeders scattering to five continents and Oceania during winter. One of the most intriguing of these is the bristle-thighed curlew, named for the bristlelike feathers on its upper legs. This Alaska-born bird is the only migratory shorebird that winters exclusively on oceanic islands. Because there are thought to be fewer than 10,000 of them, including about 7,000 of breeding age, and they seem to be declining for unknown reasons, the species is listed by federal agencies as one that might be in trouble. To figure out why, shorebird specialists need to learn more about what happens to the birds during time they spend away from Alaska. (Joy Geiselman, Anchorage, AK, 907-786-3668)

April 7, 2003

Future Science Directions for Alaska: USGS Director Chip Groat participated in the second annual USGS Alaska Science Center Symposium in Anchorage, Alaska, April 8-10. The symposium is designed to identify opportunities for the USGS related to the complex and pressing issues that Alaska may face in the future. Research needs, data gaps, and the formulation of strategies for developing USGS science initiatives for the Alaska Science Center were discussed. (Joy Geiselman, Anchorage, AK, 907-786-3668)

March 4 , 2003

PRESS INQUIRIES/MEDIA

Veterinarian Dan Mulcahy of the U.S. Geological Survey holds a Steller's eider on Thursday following surgery to remove a piece of the duck's liver. As part of an environmental study by the city of Unalaska, eiders are being tested for industrial pollutants in Unalaska Bay. The study was prompted by the city's plans to build a new boat harbor. The birds are caught in a net, operated on in a rented van and then returned to the ocean following a resting period. Anchorage Daily News (http://www.adn.com) March 4, 2003. (Dan Mulcahy, USGS, Alaska Science Center, 907-786-3451) Click on image for larger view.

February 14 , 2003

DEPARTMENTAL/BUREAU NEWS

USGS Discovers Lead Poisoning in Pacific Loon: Lead poisoning was diagnosed in an adult female Pacific loon (Gavia pacifica) found moribund, and later dead, by USGS scientist Heather Wilson on the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska. In a necropsy performed by the USGS National Wildlife Health Center, three pellets of ingested lead shot were found in the gizzard of the bird, and the concentration of lead in the loon's liver was 31.11 ppm wet weight, consistent with metallic lead poisoning. This is the first known report of lead poisoning in a Pacific loon and is the first account of lead poisoning in any loon species breeding in Alaska. Lead poisoning in this group of nesting waterbirds on the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta (YKD) is cause for concern, as it indicates that the effects of available spent lead shot may be more widespread than previously considered. Significant efforts have been made to reduce the use of lead shot for waterfowl hunting on the YKD because of previous USGS studies that identified lead exposure there as an important factor influencing population dynamics of spectacled eiders and common eiders. The discovery of lead poisoning in a Pacific loon expands the range of species known to be affected by spent lead shot and introduces a new cause of mortality for loons on the Alaska breeding grounds. Additional sampling of loons across the breeding range in Alaska is necessary to define the impact of lead poisoning at the population level. (Paul Flint, USGS Alaska Science Center, 907-786-3608)

December 9, 2002

DEPARTMENTAL/BUREAU NEWS

Sustainability of Salmon: Two USGS scientists contributed chapters to a book just released by the American Fisheries Society entitled "Sustaining North American Salmon: Perspectives Across Boundaries and Disciplines." This book reviews the challenges to sustainability of salmon and provides important recommendations for their restoration and maintenance. Mr. Stephen G. Rideout, Director of the USGS Silvio Conte Anadromous Fish Lab, co-authored with Dr. John Ritter "Canadian and U.S. Atlantic salmon institutions and politics: where are the fish and who cares?" This chapter reviews the socio-political framework and institutions responsible for managing Atlantic salmon stocks in the United States and Canada and the issues currently known or believed to be contributing to stock declines. Dr. Eric Knudsen, Chief of the USGS Alaska Science Center Marine and Freshwater Ecology Branch wrote the chapter "Ecological perspectives on Pacific salmon: can we sustain biodiversity and fisheries?" Dr. Knudsen reviewed the possibilities for successful salmon recovery and sustainability in the context of salmon habitat suitability, population biodiversity, productive biomass, and migration patterns. He makes a number of recommendations that will support healthy Pacific salmon populations and fisheries. (Eric Knudsen, 907-786-3842)

December 2 , 2002

DEPARTMENTAL/BUREAU NEWS

Developing Long-term Monitoring Strategies: USGS scientist Dr. John Piatt is one of several marine biology experts meeting at the Long Marine Laboratory at the University of California at Santa Cruz to help the National Marine Fishery Service establish protocols and guidelines for monitoring of marine bird and mammal populations on National Marine Sanctuaries on the U.S. Pacific Coast (including Monterey Bay, Gulf of the Farallons, and Outer Coast Marine Sanctuaries). Dr. Piatt will present information on methods for conducting long-term studies of marine birds and the ecosystems on which they depend. The goal of the meeting is to develop long-term monitoring strategies that can be integrated across trophic levels and standardized among National Sanctuaries. (John Piatt, 907-786-3549)

Bear-Human Interactions: Writer Christopher Batin is interviewing USGS scientist Dr. Tom Smith in December for an upcoming article on bears in Outdoor Life magazine. Dr. Smith (http://www.absc.usgs.gov/staff/MFEB/tsmith.htm) is working closely with Dr. Steve Herrero of the University of Calgary, Canada to better understand factors associated with bear-human conflict. Smith and Herrero are testing theories that attempt to explain the regional nature of bear attacks. An interesting finding is that areas with the greatest bear concentrations experience the fewest aggressive interactions. Smith and Herrero's work is ongoing but expected to be concluded in 2003. Batin is writing an article for Outdoor Life regarding their research, particularly what has been learned to date and what is expected in the coming months. (Tom S. Smith, 907-786-3456)

October 21, 2002

DEPARTMENTAL/BUREAU NEWS

Chronic Impacts of Oil Pollution: USGS scientists report on the long-term impacts of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in papers just released in the journal, Marine Ecology Progress Series. Authors present evidence of continued impacts of the 11-million liter spill on sea otters and harlequin ducks in the Prince William Sound, Alaska. Studies suggest that these animals continue to be exposed to oil while feeding, despite the patchy distribution of oil remaining in the environment. (Leslie Holland-Bartels, La Crosse, WI, 608-783-7550; Dede Bohn 907-786-3685 and Jim Bodkin 907-786-3550, Anchorage, AK)

June 13, 2002

DEPARTMENTAL/BUREAU NEWS

Alaska's Oceans and Watersheds: Sustainability in the Context of Change: USGS is a sponsor of this 2-day symposium June 18-19, in Anchorage, AK along with the State of Alaska, University of Alaska, Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council, North Pacific Research Board, North Pacific Fisheries Management Council, Alaska Board of Fisheries, Alaska Coastal Policy Council, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA, and EPA. This statewide symposium will include government leaders, resource managers and policy-makers, scientists, stakeholders and members of the public. The purpose is to obtain an overall picture of the status and trends of Alaska’s marine resources and ecosystems and to discuss ecosystem-based management and changes in oceans and watersheds policy and governance. The symposium will result in the Alaska’s Oceans and Watersheds Status Report, to be published in November, 2002. Three USGS Alaska Science Center scientists are presenting papers. Dr. Eric Knudsen will discuss the relevance of recent scientific developments to Alaskan salmon management, particularly focusing on the role of marine derived nutrients, population biodiversity, and salmon population modeling. Dr. Jennifer Nielsen will present a brief history of the development and implementation of electronic tags and tagging in marine fishes throughout the world, a description of current and proposed activity in Alaska's marine ecosystems, and an overview of our ongoing tagging studies on halibut, coho and steelhead. Dr. John Piatt will present his findings on evidence for regime shifts in the North Pacific and links between oceanography, primary production, forage fish and seabirds in coastal Alaska. His talk will help provide a basis for discussion about future long-term monitoring of marine ecosystems. The results of the symposium will be published in Alaska’s Oceans and Watersheds Status Report, November, 2002. (Joy Geiselman, Anchorage, AK, 907-786-3668)

DEPARTMENTAL/BUREAU NEWS

USGS Alaska Science Center Director selected to advise Gulf of Alaska marine research program - Bill Seitz, Director of the USGS Alaska Science Center, has been selected as one of six scientific and technical advisors for the newly formed Gulf of Alaska Ecosystem Monitoring and Research Program (GEM) sponsored by the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council. The advisors will provide programmatic advice and guidance to meet the Council's goals of detecting, understanding and predicting annual and long-term changes in the ecosystem of the northern Gulf of Alaska. Seitz is the only advisor chosen from the government sector, and provides a knowledge of the interface between science and resource management and a pragmatic view of how to monitor the effects of human activities on Alaska's marine resources. The GEM program is funded with a $120 million endowment from the remaining Exxon Valdez oil spill settlement funds. (Dede Bohn, Anchorage, Alaska, 907-786-3685)

What is a Kittlitz's Murrelet? USGS Researcher Tom Van Pelt was invited to speak at the Alaska Natural History Symposium held in Palmer, Alaska, May 4, on the natural history of this bird. Work by the USGS Alaska Science Center in Glacier Bay, Alaska, has documented an alarming decline in the population of Kittlitz's Murrelets, a rare seabird that nests in alpine terrain and generally forages near tidewater glaciers during the breeding season. A coalition of environmental groups has recently petitioned the USFWS to list the Kittlitz's Murrelet under the Endangered Species Act. Because so little is known about this seabird, both the causes and the true magnitude of their decline are unknown. Researchers at the Alaska Science Center have launched an integrated investigation to fill gaps in our understanding of Kittlitz's Murrelets, including information on distribution, abundance, feeding ecology, and sensitivity to disturbance by vessel traffic. (Tom Van Pelt, Anchorage, AK, 907-786-3675) 

Long-term Effects of Amchitka Island Underground Nuclear Tests : USGS Scientist Jim Bodkin was invited to speak about nearshore ecosystems at a workshop February 11-14, 2002 on the hazards posed by past nuclear testing at Amchitka Island and the pathways by which radionuclides could impact humans and the environment. About 16% of the explosive energy of the US underground test program was released beneath Amchitka Island. One of the blasts, the 5 megaton Cannikin in 1971, was the largest underground explosion ever conducted by the United States. The U.S. government is now seeking closure of the test site. The questions to be addressed include whether contaminants are being released in this active earthquake fault area in the midst of a productive marine environment and important international fishery. The workshop is being sponsored by the Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation and the University of Alaska. Bodkin's research over the past decade on ecosystem processes and marine mammals in this area of Alaska is providing relevant information for these concerns. (Jim Bodkin, Anchorage, Alaska, 907-786-3550)  

USGS Helps Improve Knowledge of Walruses: Pacific and Atlantic walruses occur over the continental shelves of much of the Arctic. Field research on these animals, such as radio tracking and dietary studies, require the capture of individual animals. Capture is usually accomplished by chemical immobilization, because the animal's large size precludes their capture by physical restraint. For reasons that are not completely understood, the use of immobilizing drugs on walruses yield results that are inconsistent and suboptimal for many applications. In working towards a solution to this problem, the USGS Alaska Center and Hubbs - SeaWorld Research Institute are hosting a workshop on the chemical restraint of walruses, which will be held in San Diego, February 20-22, 2002. The goal of the workshop will be to share results of walrus anesthesia in field and captive situations, and to recommend future research efforts that would alleviate problems. The workshop will be attended by scientists from several countries and include field researchers as well as zoo and wildlife veterinarians. Solving the problems of walrus immobilization will allow scientists to provide scientific information necessary for the understanding and management of these internationally important marine mammals. (Chad Jay, Anchorage, Alaska, 907-786-3856)

PRESS INQUIRIES/MEDIA