Annual Assessment of Subsistence Bowhead Whaling Near Cross Island, 2004:

cANIMIDA Task Order 7

Prepared by:

Michael Galginaitis

Applied Sociocultural Research

608 West Fourth Avenue, Suite 31

Anchorage, Alaska 99501

For:

Minerals Management Service

Alaska OCS Region

United States Department of the Interior

Presentation at the 10th MMS OCS ITM

Anchorage, Alaska -- March 16, 2005

Acknowledgments

Residents of Nuiqsut, especially the whalers and the

Kittick (2001), Ahkiviana (2002), Oyagak (2003), and

Napageak (2004) crews for serving as hosts

Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission (AEWC)

Minerals Management Service for sponsorship and

overall oversight

For help during the 2001-2003 ANIMIDA effort:

LGL (Dale Funk) for advice and editorial help

ANIMIDA Scientific Review Board

Why is cANIMIDA Task Order 7 Important?

• Continues data collection (time series) from ANIMIDA Task Order 4. The

goal is to collect measures to assess the direct effects of oil and gas activity on

one community’s participation in this critically important activity.

• Oil and gas production is important for both Alaska and the U.S.

• Alaskan oil mainly from the North Slope area, primarily from onshore sources

but with possibilities of increased offshore production.

• The benefits of northern oil development are shared broadly, but the direct

negative effects are much more locally confined (NSB).

• The North Slope population is predominately Native. “Subsistence” is a key

cultural value, and the most culturally salient activity is whaling.

cANIMIDA Indicator Matrix for Decision Making, Task Order 7

MMS Issue

Addressed

Monitoring Hypotheses Methods Key Monitoring Result or

Parameter for Decision Making*

Will OCS oil

development

activities at

Northstar

and/or

Liberty result

in changes to

bowhead

whale

subsistence

hunting or

hunting

success at

Cross Island?

H1: Subsistence whaling

activities and behaviors in

the vicinity of Cross Island

do not vary significantly over

time.

H2: Variation in subsistence

whaling activities and

behaviors (and more general

subsistence activities) in the

vicinity of Cross Island are

not related to (caused by) by

offshore oil developments at

Northstar and/or Liberty.

The first question is whether

Cross Island subsistence

whaling displays variation

over time. The second is

whether such variation can

be attributed to offshore oil

and gas industrial activities.

Both general hypotheses will

need to be implemented by

more specific hypotheses

based on measurable

variables, described in

“methods.”

As a continuation of the ANIMIDA effort, systematic

retrospective (2000, prior years as possible) and

observational/interview data collection (2001-2006) on:

(a) number of whales taken, (b) GPS location of whale

strikes (direction and distance from Cross Island), (c)

number of crews, composition of crews, total number of

crew, (d) periodic “census” of whaling participants on

Cross Island, (e) duration of whaling (days of active

whaling), (f) timing of whaling, (g) length of trips and

area searched while whaling (possible GPS track), (h)

“catch per unit effort," (i) observations of whaling

participants.

Systematic retrospective and observational/interview

data collection on: (a) Non-whaling subsistence activities

on and near Cross Island (who, what, where, when), (b)

observations of local subsistence users.

NOTE: Systematic observation and recording of weather

and ice conditions will also be required, as they directly

affect the subsistence behavior in question. Time-series

(every five minutes for the duration of whaling) readings

from a weather station (temperature, relative humidity,

barometric pressure, wind speed, wind direction) will be

collected for seasons after 2001 (2002 information

spotty). Detailed information about industry activities at

Northstar and Liberty will also need to be available (but

compilation of same is not a part of this project). Will

also need to consider informant explanations for changes

in behavioral patterns.

Annual tabular information on

harvest levels and locations of

subsistence resources taken on

or near Cross Island. Hard copy

map appended as required for

clarification of location

information. Annual tabular

summary of people involved in

whaling – number of crews, size

of each crew, number of active

days whaling, number of

crews/people present each day,

estimation of total effort.

Annual tabular summary of

people involved in other

subsistence activities – number

of people each day for each

activity, estimation of total

effort. Annual narrative

summary of Cross Island

whaling season and associated

subsistence activities.

Contractor will alert MMS

COTR of any important trends

or changes.

GPS locations of whale

sightings and strikes, and tracks

of whale scouting trips. Maps

(printouts) of same.

This will be key statistics, datum/data, or data stream(s) selected from each Task Order which provide the most management-useful

information for decision making.

cANIMIDA Monitoring Indicator Framework for Task Order 7

• Issue -- Effect of oil development (Northstar, Liberty) on Cross Island

subsistence whaling

• Hypotheses -- There will be effects (in null hypotheses form, there will

not be effects)

• Key Monitoring Parameters -- linked to more specific hypotheses

about potential effects

• Methods -- GPS mapping, on-site observations and interviews,

systematic retrospective information collection (as possible)

• Data collection only -- no provision for analysis of data (needs a great

deal of additional effort on possible industry and non-industry factors)

cANIMIDA Monitoring Indicator Framework for Task Order 004

Summary

• Continuation of ANIMIDA is terms of main issue, hypotheses, key

monitoring parameters, and methods

• There will be a synthetic final report incorporating all years for which

data was collected (2001-2006). This report will test the hypotheses of

year-to-year differences with statistical methods. It will also discuss

possible explanatory factors for any year-to-year variation that appears

to be statistically significant, and suggest ways in which these

explanations could be tested.

• Testing of hypotheses for explanatory factors will probably not be

possible using statistical methods, due to lack of quantitative data on

industry activities and other possible causal factors.

North Slope Borough Planning Department GIS Division

North Slope Borough Planning Department GIS Division

The North Slope Borough -- Nuiqsut and its Surroundings

North Slope Borough Planning Department GIS Division

Thetis IslandOliktok

Point

Pingok Island

Cross

Island

Tigvariak

Island Bullen

Point

Nuiqsut

Deadhorse

Liberty

Dalton

Hig

hw

ay

TA

PS

Niakuk

Narwhal

Stockton

IslandsMaguire Islands

Spy Island

ProspectKuparuk River

Oil Field

Milne Point

Oil Field

Prudhoe Bay

Oil Field

Badami

Oil Field

Northstar

Oil Field

Endicott

Oil Field

Alpine

Oil FieldIsland

Island

Pole

West DockSimpson Lagoon

Bay

Prudhoe

BayMikkelsen

BEAUFORT SEA

Kup

aruk

Riv

er

Bay

Gwydyr Bay

Foggy Island

Nech

elik

Cha

nn

el

Harrison

Bay

Location Map, Landmarks, and Routes

Between Nuiqsut and Cross Island

August 2004

Figure 1

Route between Nuiqsut & Cross Island

ms14953_location.mxd

0 20 4010 Km

0 10 205 Miles

Aerial View of Nuiqsut, 7/01/03

Aerial Photo of Cross Island -- from Carnahan 1979 (NSB)

Cross Island Cabins, 2002 (from the NW)

Recent Harvest of Bowhead Whales Near Cross Island

Whales

Year Quota Landed Struck & Lost Notes

1973 NA 1 0

1982 1 1 0

1986 1 0

1987 1 0

1989 2 2 Oil industry vessel disturbance noted by whalers

1990 0 1 Oil industry disturbance noted, also rough seas

1991 3 1 2 Poor weather, bad ice conditions

1992 3 2 1

1993 3 3 0 Very favorable conditions

1995 4 4 0

1996 4 2 0

1997 4 3 1

1998 4 4 1

1999 4 3 0

2000 4 4 0 Very favorable conditions

2001 4 3 0 Whales farther from CI than “normal”

2002 4 4 1 Whales still farther from CI than “normal”

2003 4 4 0 Whales found in “normal” migration path

2004 4 3 0 Whales found in “normal” migration path

Notes: Years of no harvest and no “struck and lost” are not listed. This does not imply that

no whaling effort was made that year. “Quota” was not applicable in 1973.

Source: Compiled from AWC records, personal communications from Nuiqsut whalers,

and field notes from the 2001-2003 whaling seasons

Summary of Boat Activity, Cross Island Whaling, 2004Aqargiun Napageak

1Nukapigak Oyaguk

2

Aqargiun Napageak2 Napageak3 Nukapigak1 Nukapigak2 Nukapigak3 Oyaguk1 Oyaguk2

Date

Boat

Crew

Trip

Time

Boat

Crew

Trip

Time

Boat

Crew

Trip

Time

Boat

Crew

Trip

Time

Boat

Crew

Trip

Time

Boat

Crew

Trip

Time

Boat

Crew

Trip

Time

Boat

Crew

Trip

Time

Notes

8/15/05 To CI w/3 To CI w/2 5 people on CI

8/16/05 shorebound 5 people on CI

8/17/05 5 9:25 5 people on CI

8/18/05 shorebound

disabled5 people on CI

8/19/05 To NQT w/63

6 people on CI

8/20/05 0 people on CI

8/21/05 0 people on CI

8/22/05 0 people on CI

8/23/05

Still in Nuiqsut0 people on CI

8/24/05

In NQT-

Weather0 people on CI

8/25/05 To CI w/6

Disabled –

left on CI

6 people on CI

8/26/05 shorebound Under repair 6 people on CI

8/27/05 3 3:31 2 3:31 6 people on CI

8/28/05 3 17:01 2 11:384

6 people on CI

8/29/05

Still in

Nuiqsut

shorebound CI to NQT w/2

Still in Nuiqsut

6 people on CI

8/30/05 To CI w/7 3 4:51 NQT to WD w/2 11 people on CI

8/31/05 shorebound disabled WD to CI w/2 13 people on CI

9/01/05 shorebound Under repair Under repair 13 people on CI

9/02/05 Weather Weather Weather 13 people on CI

9/03/05 Weather Weather Weather

Still in Nuiqsut Still in Nuiqsut13 people on CI

9/04/05 Weather 3 2:26 3 2:43 To CI w/4 To CI w/3 To CI w/3 To CI w/3 32 people on CI

9/05/05 8 7:17 shorebound 5 7:31 3 UNK 4 UNK 3 7:19 4 7:20 30 people on CI

IAN crew lands whale

9/06/05 Finish butcher shorebound 3 4:30 3 4:11 disabled 4 6:06 5 6:01 29 people on CI

BO crew lands whale

9/07/05 Shorebound/butcher 29 people on CI

9/08/05 2 9:254

3 8:12 3 3:20 3 3:00

Still in

Nuiqsut

27 people on CI

9/09/05

Shorebound

butcher Shorebound/butcher 4 3:30 3 3:27 To CI w/2

Shorebound/butcher

33 people on CI

9/10/05 7 5:14 4 8:35 4 8:01 shorebound 4 7:38 4 5:44 4 5:25 4 5:04 33 people on CI

9/11/05 33 people on CI

9/12/05 33 people on CI

9/13/05Weather

33 people on CI

9/14/05 6 12:58 3 12:53 3 11:07 4 11:37 4 14:10 4 12:20 4 12:13 32 people on CI

BO crew lands whale

9/15/05 shorebound disabled disabled 32 people on CI

9/16/05Cease

Fire 3 13:08 disabled 3 12:17 4 8:46

shorebound

Butcher 32 people on CI

9/17/05 To NQT w/7 packing To NQT w/ To NQT w/4 To NQT w/4 To NQT w/4 To NQT w/4 31 people on CI

9/18/05 8 people on CI

9/19/05

To NQT w/4 To NQT w/2

2 people on CI5

1Napageak1 never went to Cross Island, as it was undergoing repair

2Oyaguk3 also went to CI on 9/04/05 w/3, but served only as a support vessel and never went scouting for whales.

3The sixth crew member had arrived at West Dock on 8/19 and was on Cross Island for only 50-90 minutes before the crew left for Nuiqsut.

4Total time for two trips

5FWS polar bear researchers arrived on Cross Island 9/14/05 and remained after the whalers left

See text for discussion of other vessel activity, or qualifications on entries above. "Weather" indicates that conditions were

deemed by whalers to be too marginal for productive scouting. See discussion in text. “Shorebound” may also indicate weather,

but weather was not given as an explicit reason for not going scouting and other factors may have been more primary.

SHADED cells indicate days that boats

went scouting for whales. Shading indicates

whether a GPS track was obtained:

Travel days (not devoted to scouting for whales) indicated by "To" or "From" with an indication of the number on board. GPS Track NOT Collected

NOTES

For whale scouting days, "Crew" is the number of people that went out in a given boat. "Trip" is the duration (hours:minutes). GPS Track Collected

Barometric Pressure and Wind Speed at Cross Island, 8/26/04-9/18/04

Cross Island Population and Scouting Activity, 2001-2004

Cross

Island

Tigvariak

Island

Bullen

Point

Deadhorse

Liberty

TA

PS

Niakuk

Narwhal

Stockton

Islands

Maguire Islands

Prospect

Prudhoe Bay

Oil Field

Badami

Oil Field

Northstar

Oil Field

Endicott

Oil Field

Island

Island

Pole

West Dock

Bay

Prudhoe

BayMikkelsen

BEAUFORT SEA

Bay

Foggy Island

Comparison of Composite GPS Tracks

for 2001, 2002, and 2003

August 2004

Figure 13

2003 Boat Tract Lines

2002 Boat Tract Lines

2001 Boat Tract Lines

ms14953_all.mxd

0 6 123 Miles

0 10 205 Km

Produced

August

2004

Cross Island GPS Whale Scouting Tracks

All 2003 Tracks (left) All 2004 Tracks (right)

Summary Scouting Trip Statistics, Cross Island Whaling, 2001-2004

Length of Season, Potential “Boat Days” and Actual “Boat Days”

Cross Island Whaling, 2001-2004

Statistics for Distance and Furthest Distance From Cross Island

For All Scouting Trips, Cross Island Whaling, 2001-2004

Frequency of Cross Island Scouting Trip Distance, 2001-2004

By Ten-Mile Categories and Year

Frequency of Greatest Trip Distance From Cross Island, 2001-2004

By Five-Mile Categories and Year

Statistics for Trip Duration and Total Annual Effort for All Scouting Trips

Cross Island Whaling, 2001-2004

Frequency of Cross Island Scouting Trip Duration, 2001-2004

By Hour Categories and Year

Some Images of Cross Island Whaling, 2004

Other Subsistence Resources at Cross Island, 2004

Cross Island Whaling Boats, 2004

Napageak 2 and 3 Oyagak 1 and 2

Aqargiun

a

Nukapigak 1 and 2

Hauling Up Whales, Cross Island 2004

Loader, to the Beach Preparing to Attach Winch Cable

Winch House Stretching Cable to the Whale

Whales Harvested Near Cross Island, 2004

Aqargiun, 45’7” - 9/05 Oyagak, 33’0” - 9/06

Oyagak, 32’3” - 9/149/06 - Oyagak whale just landed

Aqargiun whale still being butchered

Cross Island Butchering, 2004

Hooking and CuttingIntestines

Carcass after some meat removed

Rolling the carcass over

Pulling out

the Guts

Some Butchered Products of the Whale

Flippers and Meat

Loader moving tongue

Heart

Meat in bags

Tongue

Muktuks

Processing Baleen, 2004

Transporting Butchered Whale

Some Cross Island Infrastructure and Support Systems

Cross Island Images, 2004

Parting Shots