Kodiak Area Marine
Science Symposium - 2017
Kodiak Harbor Convention Center
Kodiak, AK
April 18 - 21, 2017
Program and Abstracts
Symposium Donors
Alaska Sea Grant
North Pacific Research Board
Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak
Dr. Quentin Fong
Julie Matweyou
We recognize and thank all symposium presenters
for their contribution to this event.
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Steering Committee
Julie Matweyou (chair)
University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, Kodiak
Julie Bonney
Alaska Groundfish Data Bank, Kodiak
Robin Corcoran
US Fish and Wildlife Service, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Kodiak
Switgard Duesterloh
Alaska Ecological Resource Services, Kodiak
Robert Foy
NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Kodiak
Pat Jacobson
Resident, former University of Alaska Board of Regents, Kodiak
Tom Lance
Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak, Kodiak
Theresa Peterson
Alaska Marine Conservation Council, North Pacific Fishery Management Council, Kodiak
Danielle Ringer
University of Alaska Fairbanks, Kodiak
Nick Sagalkin
Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kodiak
Patrick Saltonstall
Alutiiq Museum, Kodiak
Kate Wynne,
University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program, emeritus
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Tuesday, April 18, 2017
6:00 pm
KAMSS Kickoff
6:00 - 6:30 pm
Registration and refreshments
6:30 - 8:30 pm
Keynote Address
Seabirds, Citizen Science and a Warming
World
Julia Parrish,
University of Washington,
Coastal Observation and
Seabird Survey Team,
Seattle, WA
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
8:00 am
Registration
9:00 - 9:05 am
Welcome
9:05 - 9:25 am
Introduction to Marine Science in Kodiak
Session 1 - Changing Ecosystems
Robert Foy - Session Chair
9:25 - 9:55 am
Making Sense of a Complicated Ecosystem: Gulf of Alaska dynamics from an
Integrated Perspective
Olav Ormseth, NOAA
Fisheries, Seattle, WA
9:55 - 10:25 am
Twenty Years of Observations Along the
Gulf of Alaska’s Seward Line: Impact of
Continued Warm Conditions
Russ Hopcroft,
University of Alaska
Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK
10:25 - 10:45 am Break
10:45 - 11:05 am 2015 Gulf of Alaska Large Whale
Unusual Mortality Event
Kate Savage, NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources
Division, Juneau, AK
11:05 - 11:25 am Dead Birds on Beaches, the Seabird
Robin Corcoran, US Fish
Die-off of 2015-16: A Kodiak Perspective and Wildlife
Service, Kodiak, AK
11:25 - 11:45 am Murres, Puffins and the Blob: How
Alaska Seabird Populations May
Respond to Global Warming
Julia Parrish,
University of Washington,
Coastal Observation and
Seabird Survey Team,
Seattle, WA
11:45 - 12:05 pm Current State of Knowledge of Climate
Change Effects on Alaska’s Fisheries
Terry Johnson, University
of Alaska Fairbanks,
Anchorage, AK
12:05 - 12:25 pm Facilitated Q & A
12:25 - 1:40 pm
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Lunch on your own or
COASST Workshop
Julia Parrish,
University of Washington,
Coastal Observation and
Seabird Survey Team,
Seattle, WA
Wednesday, April 19, 2017 - continued
Session 2 - Habitat and Process
Danielle Ringer - Session Chair
1:40 - 2:00 pm
Delineating the Footprint of Commercial John Olson, NOAA,
fisheries: Working Backwards to
Habitat Conservation
Examine Effects on Habitat
Division, Anchorage, AK
2:00 - 2:20 pm
Alaska Essential Fish Habitat Research
Matthew Eagleton,
Plan 2017-2022: A Research Plan for the NOAA Habitat
NOAA Fisheries
Conservation Division,
Anchorage, AK
2:20 - 2:40 pm
Characterization of the Buskin River
Nearshore Area: Bathymetry, Salinity,
Marine Ecological Succession, and Human Use
Leyla Arsan, Birch Leaf
Consulting, Kodiak, AK
2:40 - 3:00 pm
Underwater Archaeology in the Kodiak
Archipelago and Beyond
Jason Rogers Northern
Land Use Research
Alaska, LLC,
Anchorage, AK
3:00 - 3:20 pm
Break
3:20 - 3:40 pm
Kayaks and Supersacks: Marine Debris
Removal on Shuyak Island
Andy Schroeder, Island
Trails Network, Kodiak, AK
3:40 - 4:00 pm
Socioeconomic Risks and Impacts of
Military Training Events in Gulf of Alaska
Christina Hendrickson,
Willow Environmental,
Girdwood, AK
4:00 - 4:20 pm
Steller Sea Lions: A Natural Ecosystem
Management System
Switgard Duesterloh and
Jane Eisemann,
Tsunami Bowl Coaches,
Olivia Winters, Naomi
Daniher, Hanna Clary,
Matthew Wald, Lars
Bodnar, Students, Kodiak
High School, Kodiak, AK
4:20 - 4:40 pm
Kodiak Youth Leaders in Science
Education with Kodiak Refuge Summer
Science and Salmon Camp
Shelly Lawson, USFWS/
Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Kodiak, AK,
Nia Pristas and Joshua
Barnes, Kodiak Refuge
Youth Leaders, Kodiak, AK
4:40 - 5:00 pm
Facilitated Q & A
5:00- 6:30 pm
Break
6:30- 8:30 pm
Poster Night with Kid’s Corner (Kodiak Harbor Convention Center)
Pizza and no-host bar
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Thursday, April 20, 2017
9:00 - 9:05 am
Welcome and Announcements
Session 3 - Dynamic Methods
Julie Bonney - Session Chair
9:05 - 9:25 am
The Molting Process in Golden King
Crab, Lithodes aequispin
Daniel Urban, National
Marine Fisheries
Service, Kodiak, AK
9:25 - 9:45 am
It’s Complicated: The Reproductive
Biology of the Shortraker Rockfish in
Alaska
Christina Conrath,
National Marine Fisheries
Service, Kodiak, AK
9:45 - 10:05 am
Zooarchaeological Analysis of Central
Alaskan Fish Fauna
Holly McKinney,
University of Alaska
Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK
10:05 - 10:25 am Experimentally Wrangling with Fish
Parasites
10:25-10:45 am
Brian Himelbloom,
University of Alaska
Fairbanks, Kodiak, AK
Break
10:45 - 11:05 am Chignik River Post-Weir Enumeration
with DIDSON
Mary Beth Loewen,
Alaska Department of Fish
and Game, Kodiak, AK
11:05- 11:25 am
Patrick Saltonstall,
Alutiiq Museum, Kodiak, AK
Hunting Seals with Nets 5000 Years Ago
Session 4 - Community and Monitoring
Theresa Peterson - Session Chair;
Davin Holen - Discussion Facilitator
11:25 - 11:45 am Building Networks to Bridge Information
and Action on Alaska’s Coasts
Davin Holen,
University of Alaska
Fairbanks, Anchorage, AK
11:45 - 12:05 pm What are the “Best Practices” for
Marilyn Sigman,
Community-Based Monitoring of Alaska’s University of Alaska
Fairbanks, Anchorage, AK
Coastal and Ocean Environment?
12:05 - 12:25 pm A World Bridge: Kodiak Island Borough
School District Project Activities
Mr. Searaphim McGann,
A World Bridge Teacher,
Kiae Shin, Daniel
Johnson, Tiger Oka, Students, Kodiak High School
12:25 - 1:40 pm
Lunch on your own or
Alutiiq Museum Tour
1:40 - 2:00 pm
The Coastal Community Ocean Observers Peter Winsor,
University of Alaska
(C202) Program
Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK
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Patrick Saltonstall,
Alutiiq Museum, Kodiak, AK
Thursday, April 20, 2017 - continued
2:00 - 2:20 pm
Monitoring Paralytic Shellfish Toxins to
Provide Sustainable Access to Traditional
Resources
Chris Whitehead, Sitka
Tribe of Alaska, Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean
Research, Sitka, AK
2:20 - 2:40 pm
Monitoring Ocean Acidification and the
Sustainability of Crab Fisheries in Alaska
Robert Foy, National
Marine Fisheries
Service, Kodiak, AK
2:40 - 3:00 pm
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning and
Community Involvement: Working Toward
Safe Shellfish Harvest on Kodiak Island
Julie Matweyou,
University of Alaska
Fairbanks, Kodiak, AK
3:00 - 3:20 pm
Break
3:20 - 3:40 pm
From Collection to Practical Use: Integrating
and Visualizing Coastal and Marine Data
Will Koeppen, Axiom Data
Science, Anchorage, AK
3:40 - 4:00 pm
Kodiak Tribes Seafood Consumption
Assessment: Final Report
Thomas Lance, Sun’aq Tribe
of Kodiak, Kodiak, AK
4:00 - 5:00 pm
Facilitated Discussion
Davin Holen,
University of Alaska
Fairbanks, Anchorage, AK
5:00 - 6:30 pm
Break
6:30 - 8:30 pm
Marine Science Reception at KSMSC
UAF - KSMSC (aka Fish Tech - 118 Trident Way)
Friday - April 21, 2017
Session 5 - Marine and Coastal Systems
Switgard Duesterloh - Session Chair
9:00 - 9:05 am
Welcome
9:05 - 9:25 am
Electrofishing and Kick Seining Efforts for
Invasive Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus
leniusculus) on Kodiak Island, Alaska
Kelly Krueger,
Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak
Kodiak, AK
9:25 - 9:45 am
How Many Fish are in this Barrel?
Sustainably Harvesting Two Easily Caught
Skate Species
Thomas Farrugia,
University of Alaska
Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK
9:45 - 10:05 am
Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Marine
Bird Monitoring and Research
Robin Corcoran, US
Fish and Wildlife Service,
Kodiak, AK
10:05 - 10:25 am The Next Generation of Fishermen in the
Kodiak Archipelago: Exploring Dynamics
Contributing to the Graying of the Fleet in
Alaska’s Commercial Fishing Industry
Danielle Ringer,
University of Alaska
Fairbanks, Kodiak, AK
10:25 - 10:45 am Break
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Friday, April 21, 2017 - continued
10:45 - 11:05 am An Archaeological Investigation of a 3800 Justin Hays, University of
Year Old Fishery in the Kodiak Archipelago Alaska Fairbanks,
Kodiak, AK
11:05 - 11:25 am How Old is that Crab? Progress on an Age
Old Question
April Rebert, University
of Alaska Fairbanks, and
Alaska Department of Fish
and Game, Juneau, AK
11:25 - 11:45 am Tanner Crab Population in the Kodiak
District of the Westward Region
Kally Spalinger, Alaska
Department of Fish and
Game, Kodiak, AK
11:45 - 12:05 pm A World Bridge: Kodiak Island Borough
School District Upcoming Projects
Research and Development
Mr. Searaphim McGann, A
World Bridge Teacher, Kiae
Shin, Daniel Johnson, Tiger
Oka, Students, Kodiak High
School
12:05 - 12:25 pm Recent Chemical Dispersant Research
and Policy Changes in the Exxon Valdez
Oil Spill Region
Lisa Matlock, Prince
William Sound Regional
Citizens’ Advisory Council
12:25 - 12:45 pm How Does Release Density Affect
Enhancement Success for HatcheryReared Red King Crab?
Christopher Long, NOAA
National Marine Fisheries
Service, Kodiak, AK
12:45
Closing Comments
Saturday - April 22, 2017 - Earth Day
Partnered Field Trips
9:00 am
Audobon Whale-Watching Hike -Narrow Cape
Stacy Studebaker with the Kodiak Audubon will lead a whalewatching hike at Narrow Cape. The group will organize from the
downtown ferry terminal parking lot. Arrive BEFORE 09:30 Saturday morning (the group will depart at 09:30). Wear warm clothes,
hiking shoes, and bring rain gear, food for lunch and drinking water.
There are no amenities at the end of the road. Some car-pooling
will be available for the out-of-towners. If the weather is bad, the
event will be canceled.
4:45 pm
Sun’aq Tribe Buskin Beach Cleanup and Barbeque
Meet at Buskin Beach Parking Lot and check in at 4:45 pm. Bring a
pair of gloves and food to grill. Volunteers can assist with a marine
debris survey or help cleanup Buskin Beach. Afterwards, join us
for a barbeque and bonfire to celebrate Earth Day 2017. (Day use
parking fee will be waived for this event.)
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Workshops and Tours
COASST Beached Bird Die-Off Alert Training - Wednesday, April 19, 2017 - 12:25 -1:40 pm
A warming ocean is creating many changes in coastal communities in Alaska. Documenting the impacts on marine wildlife is one way communities can bear witness. Based on
the recent die-off events, the COASST Program and BeringWatch worked together to
create a simple and rigorous data collection program that will allow coastal communities
to document marine bird die-off events. Volunteers need NO experience with birds, just
a commitment to survey a specific beach as much as possible during any die-off event, a
camera, and the ability to upload photos and simple data sheets to the internet. Refreshments will be provided for workshop participants.
Alutiiq Museum Tour - Thursday, April 20, 2017 12:25 - 1:40pm
The Alutiiq Museum welcomes you for a special lunch time visit to our gallery. Founded
in 1995 the Museum has held fast its mission, to preserve and share Alutiiq culture and
heritage. Today the Museum cares for more than 250,000 objects representing all eras
of Alutiiq history; from ancient traditions to the present. Explore current exhibits on
kayaking, wild foods, graphic arts, and more. Join us for a free gallery tour led by Patrick
Saltonstall. Refreshments will be provided. 215 Mission Road, Kodiak, AK.
Posters
Implementation of Community Based PSP Testing Julie Matweyou, University of
for Subsistence and Recreational Shellfish Harvest- Alaska Fairbanks, Kodiak, AK
ing In Southwestern Alaska – A Project Description
Climate Change and Ocean Acidification: A
Middle School Tutorial
Switgard Duesterloh, Alaska Ecological Resource Services, Kodiak, AK
Intertidal and Subtidal Colonization of New Rock
at the Kodiak Airport
Leyla Arsan, Birch Leaf Consulting,
Kodiak, AK
SASAP - State of Alaska’s Salmon and People
Ian Dutton, Nautilus Impact
Investing, Anchorage, AK
Tufted Puffins Succeed Despite High Variability in
Diet and Marine Habitat
Sarah Schoen, Alaska Science
Center, US Geological Survey,
Anchorage, AK
Food, Disease, and Migration: How Emperor
Geese Fare in the Kodiak Archipelago
Brian Uher-Koch, USGS Alaska
Science Center, Anchorage, AK,
Ongoing Investigation of the Size and Scope of
the 2015/2016 Die-Off of Common Murres
in Alaska
Sarah Schoen, Alaska Science
Center, US Geological Survey,
Anchorage, AK
Marine Mammal Monitoring in the Offshore
Waters Near Kodiak Alaska under U.S. Navy
Funding 2009-2015
Andrea Balla-Holden, U.S. Navy,
Bremerton WA
Hunting Seals by Kashevaroff Mountain
Molly Odell, Patrick Saltonstall,
Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological
Repository, Kodiak, AK
The Seven Principles of Sustainability
Lori Swanson, Marine Conservation
Alliance, Kodiak, AK
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Abstracts - Keynote Speaker
Seabirds, Citizen Science, and a Warming World
Julia Parrish, University of Washington, and Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey
Team, Seattle, WA, [email protected]
In 2013, the “Blob” (a lens of unusually warm water the size of Canada!) invaded the surface of the North Pacific, provoking ecosystem responses from
harmful algal blooms to elevated mortality of marine mammals. Within the
seabird community, the response included five mass mortality events between
2014 and 2017, collectively accounting for millions of birds. The death of hundreds of thousands of Common Murres was by far the largest mortality event
in Alaska in 2015-16. The birds floated ashore from May 2015 through March
2016, and from Southeast Alaska around the Gulf of Alaska and out the Aleutians, at rates many times higher than the long-term baseline. A smaller event
in 2016-17 in the Bering Sea affected mainly Tufted Puffins. We know this because thousands of coastal residents from California to Alaska have diligently
collected data on beachcast marine birds on a monthly basis. Citizen science
is a growing phenomenon, allowing the non-science public access to data collection, monitoring, and research projects across the spectrum of science. The
Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) is a 17-year-old citizen
science program with about 800 active participants. At approximately 75,000
birds of about 175 species found, COASSTers discover the patterns that define
“normal” annual signals. With this almanac, COASST data have been used to
assess the impacts of a changing climate and to empower thousands of coastal
residents to participate in science and conservation.
Biography
Julia K. Parrish is a Lowell A. and Frankie L. Wakefield Professor of Ocean
Fishery Sciences, and the associate dean of the College of the Environment, at
the University of Washington. She is also the executive director of the Coastal
Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST), the largest beached bird
program in the world. Julia has been honored as a NOAA Year of the Oceans
Environmental Hero, and has received a Champions of Change award at the
White House for her leadership in coastal citizen science.
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Abstracts - Session 1 - Changing Ecosystems
Making Sense of a Complicated Ecosystem: Gulf of Alaska
Dynamics from an Integrated Perspective
Olav A. Ormseth, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA,
[email protected]
The Gulf of Alaska (GOA) is a large and complex marine ecosystem that supports myriad human activities and communities, including substantial commercial, recreational, and subsistence fisheries. Over the years many scientists have
worked to describe the structure of the GOA ecosystem and to understand how
it responds to change. One of the recent efforts in this field of endeavor is the
GOA Integrated Ecosystem Research Program (GOAIERP). The GOAIERP, funded
mainly by the North Pacific Research Board, was created to study the GOA from
multiple, diverse perspectives using a variety of scientific approaches. Oceanographers worked side by side with fish biologists during field studies on small and
large research vessels; laboratory studies were related to observations of fish
and seabirds in the wild; and complex computer models of fish movement were
compared to the results of seasonal field surveys. Through these types of collaborations the program achieved an integrated view of the GOA ecosystem at
many different levels. The program, begun in 2010 with completion planned for
2018, has yielded three overarching conclusions regarding the GOA ecosystem:
1. East and west are different. Physical and biological components of the ecosystem vary between the eastern and western sides of the GOA. These include the
width of the continental shelf, magnitude and timing of phytoplankton blooms,
and the diversity of fish species. In addition, in many cases there appears to be
a distinct breakpoint at approximately the longitude of Prince William Sound.
While there are also many connections between the regions, the east/west divide is an essential feature of this ecosystem.
2. Local processes profoundly influence the GOA ecosystem. Despite its enormous size, processes at relatively small scales have an outsized influence on
the GOA. These include permanent features such as the high productivity in
the Cross Sound area of Southeast Alaska and the flow of deep water up onto
the shelf in Amatuli Trough north of Kodiak Island. They also comprise shortlived events like eddies and gap winds, high-velocity streams of air channeled
by mountain passes that can affect ocean currents. In addition, the open waters
of the GOA are altered by connections to semi-enclosed water bodies (inside
waters of Southeast Alaska, Prince William Sound, and Cook Inlet).
3. Fish have adapted to the complexity in the GOA. The GOA hosts an incredible
variety of fishes, from Pacific cod and arrowtooth flounder to salmon and Pacific
herring. To a greater degree than is found in most marine ecosystems, these
fishes display wide diversity in the strategies they use for survival, growth, and
reproduction. These differences include where and when adults spawn, the duration of different life stages, preferred habitats for juveniles and adults, feeding
behaviors, and migration. The variety of life strategies may allow the fish community to better handle environmental changes.
At the symposium I will give an overview of the program, describe some of the
more important scientific findings, and explain how this information will be
used to enhance management of the GOA ecosystem and its resources.
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Abstracts - Session 1 - Changing Ecosystems
Twenty Years of Observations Along the Gulf of Alaska’s Seward
Line: Impact of Continued Warm Conditions
Russell R. Hopcroft1, Kenneth O. Coyle1, Seth Danielson1, and Suzanne L. Strom2
1. University of Alaska Fairbanks, Institute of Marine Science, Fairbanks, AK,
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]
2. Western Washington University, Shannon Point Marine Lab, Anacortes, WA,
[email protected]
During 2016 Seward Line observations entered their 20th year, with the third
year in a row of anomalously warm conditions. We summarize the major
properties of the physical, chemical, and biological oceanographic systems
in the northern Gulf of Alaska. We then illustrate the impact of these three
warm years characterized by “the blob” and an El Nino, when spring temperatures were several degrees above normal. Despite El Nino’s end, waters
remained 1°C above normal during spring and summer of 2016, with a large
warm-core eddy loitering at the continental slope. Phytoplankton community
composition has been affected by these events. Warm-water species continue to be observed along the Seward Line, including occurrences of species
never observed during the past two decades. This inventory now includes
more than just copepods. Gulf wide, observations of warmer-water species
have peaked during 2016. The impacts on upper trophic levels have been
pronounced. We speculate on what can be anticipated in future years, and introduce a new long-term program designed to expand our observation base.
10
Abstracts - Session 1 - Changing Ecosystems
2015 Gulf of Alaska Large Whale Unusual Mortality Event
Kate Savage, NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division, Juneau, AK,
[email protected]
Deborah Fauquier, National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Silver
Spring, MD
Stephen Raverty, British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
Kathy Burek Huntington, Alaska Veterinary Pathology Service, Eagle River, AK
John Moran, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Juneau, AK
Mandy Migura, NOAA Fisheries Protected Resources Division, Anchorage, AK
Paul Cottrell, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Kate Wynne, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Juneau, AK
Bree Witteveen, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Kodiak, AK
Fran VanDolah, National Ocean Service, Charleston, SC
Between May 22 and June 17 of 2015, 12 dead fin whales were reported near
Kodiak Island and in the western Gulf of Alaska (GOA). The number of animals
was unprecedented; over the previous 15 years an average of less than one
stranded fin whale had been reported throughout the entire Alaska region.
Through the summer, coastal British Columbia (BC) also experienced an unusual intensity of large whale strandings, including five fin whales. Consequently,
in August of 2015 a large whale Unusual Mortality Event (UME) was declared
and an investigative team established.
By the end of 2016, findings of the investigative team included:
• Reports of 44 animals in the GOA and 17 animals in BC were compiled in
2015. In both locations, a temporal and spatial pattern in fin whale mortality
appeared to indicate a discrete event which was not evident in other species.
Humpback whale strandings were slightly elevated in both the GOA and BC and
humpback whale involvement remains uncertain.
• Necropsy findings included internal and external gross and microscopic pathology, sample testing for radioisotopes, viral and bacterial disease, and algal
toxins.
A definitive cause of death was not determined. Differentials included infectious disease, predation, navy sonar testing, radiation, ship strike, and ecological shifts. The most likely etiology may have been related to unusual oceanographic/climatic conditions that occurred in 2015, including oceanographic
changes leading to shifts in prey distribution or harmful algal bloom exposure.
It is also possible that mortality was from more than a single etiology.
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11
Abstracts - Session 1 - Changing Ecosystems
Dead Birds on Beaches, the Seabird Die-Off of 2015-16: A Kodiak
Perspective
Robin Corcoran, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Kodiak, AK, [email protected]
In 2015-2016, what has been labeled an unprecedented seabird die-off occurred throughout the northern Gulf of Alaska. The minimum count of dead
Common Murres in the Kodiak archipelago was 1,947 from 4 April 2015 to
31 March 2016 based on beach surveys done by Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) biologists and reports from local residents. In addition to Common
Murres, carcasses of another 65 birds representing 15 different species were
also found on beaches on the Kodiak road system during the die-off. The die-off
event was preceded by a large-scale inshore movement by marine bird species
typically seen offshore (Common Murres and shearwater species) documented by Kodiak NWR survey data and by observations of residents throughout
the archipelago. There appeared to be at least three peaks in deposition of
carcasses on the Kodiak road system; first in September 2015, second in midNovember 2015, and third from the end of December 2015 until mid-February
2016. Expanding the density estimate based on carcasses counted on regular
surveys on the Kodiak road system (55 murres per km2, SE = 12) to all beaches
in the archipelago in the same biophysical habitat class based on Alaska ShoreZone coastal mapping yielded an estimate of 86,834 dead Common Murres
(95% confidence Interval: 48,502, 125,165).
Murres, Puffins and the Blob: How Alaska Seabird Populations
May Respond to Global Warming
Julia K. Parrish, University of Washington, and Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey
Team, Seattle, WA, [email protected]
Marine heatwaves are relatively recent phenomena across the globe. A concentrated lens of anomalously warm water, a heatwave may persist for months
to years. The largest marine heatwave to date has been in the Northeast Pacific, reaching into the Bering and Chukchi Seas by 2016. In Alaska, two separate
seabird mass mortality events have been associated with this climate event:
the death of hundreds of thousands of Common Murres which floated ashore
from May 2015 through March 2016, and from Southeast Alaska around the
Gulf of Alaska and out the Aleutians; and a smaller event in 2016-17 in the Bering Sea affecting mainly Tufted Puffins. The COASST program collects data on
the rate of seabird beaching throughout Alaska. These data form the baseline
against which recent mortality events can be assessed.
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Abstracts - Session 1 - Changing Ecosystems
Current State of Knowledge of Climate Change Effects on
Alaska’s Fisheries
Terry Johnson, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program,
Anchorage, AK, [email protected]
Numerous physical effects of climate change are evident in the North Pacific,
but so far relatively few and subtle changes to commercially valuable fish stock
abundance, distribution, and behaviors have been documented. This presentation comprises a review of recent research in the field, as well as the nonscientific literature, interviews with scientists, and anecdotal information to
summarize the latest research results and current thinking on coming fisheries
effects of climate change in the North Pacific and Bering Sea.
• It distinguishes true long-term climate change from inter-annual and decadal
scale climate anomalies.
• It points to developments in the Pacific Northwest as indicators of what’s to
come in Alaska waters if current trends continue.
• It concludes with a very brief outline of potential adaptation measures that
can be applied by fishermen and fisheries-dependent communities.
Abstracts - Session 2 - Habitat and Process
Delineating the Footprint of Commercial Fisheries: Working
Backwards to Examine Effects on Habitat
John Olson, National Marine Fisheries Service, Habitat Conservation Division, Anchorage,
AK, [email protected]
The susceptibility of sensitive marine habitats, such as corals and sponges,
has been a focus of recent updates to the Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) 5-year
review, mandated by the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Management and Conservation Act. During the 2017 review, species distribution models (SDM) for
managed fish and crab species and a Fishing Effects (FE) model were developed
by NMFS Alaska Region, Habitat Conservation Division; NMFS Alaska Fisheries
Science Center; and the Alaska Pacific University Fisheries Aquatic Science and
Technology Lab. While these models are substantial improvements over previous efforts, the sediment data that determines habitat type (and drives the
FE model) is somewhat limited, and it’s unlikely that full surveys will ever be
completed across Alaska.
One alternative to the sediment-based habitat types approach that is being
investigated is to delineate the footprint of the fisheries by utilizing the VMSenabled Catch-in-Areas database. By focusing only on areas that are fished, we
hope to utilize bathymetric and other opportunistic data (multibeam, submersible/ROV transects) to assemble terrain metrics (slope, rugosity, bathymetric
position index, etc.) to identify the characteristics of areas that are fishable for
each gear type/species target, and the habitat types that may be present on
those terrain/sediment combinations.
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13
Abstracts - Session 2 - Habitat and Process
Alaska Essential Fish Habitat Research Plan 2017-2022:
A Research Plan for NOAA Fisheries
Mike Sigler, Matthew Eagleton, Tom Helser, John Olson, Jodi Pirtle, Chris Rooper,
Samantha Simpson, and Bob Stone, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center and Alaska
Regional Office, WA and AK, [email protected]
The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (MSFCMA) mandates NOAA to identify habitats essential for managed species and
conserve habitats from adverse effects on those habitats. These habitats are
termed “Essential Fish Habitat” or EFH, and are defined as “those waters and
substrate necessary to fish for spawning, breeding, feeding, or growth to maturity” (NMFS 2010). Further, the MSFCMA requires federal agencies to consult
with NOAA Fisheries when their actions may adversely affect EFH. These consultations occur for both fishing and non-fishing activities. Recently revised,
National Standard 1 guidelines (2016) add several provisions to facilitate the
incorporation of ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) into federal
fisheries management. National Standard 2 of the MSFCMA requires NOAA
Fisheries to conserve and manage fishery resources based upon the best available scientific information. To meet these mandates, NOAA’s research must
identify habitats that contribute most to the survival, growth, and productivity
of managed fish species and determine science-based measures to best manage and conserve these habitats from adverse effects of human activities.
Previous EFH Research Plans (AFSC 2006, Sigler et al. 2012) for Alaska have
guided research to meet EFH mandates in Alaska since 2005. A new EFH Research Plan revises and supersedes these earlier plans, and similar to previous
plans, is expected to guide the next several years of EFH research. Revisions
of the EFH research plan (Sigler et al. 2012) are timed to match required EFH
5-year reviews; the North Pacific Fishery Management Council (Council) and
NOAA Fisheries are required by EFH regulations to review the EFH components
within each fishery management plan (FMP) every five years. The objectives of
these reviews are to evaluate and synthesize new information on habitat, determine whether changes to the FMPs are warranted, and present this evaluation in a summary report to the Council. These reviews summarize the status
of EFH research, which then provides a basis for determining future research
directions (i.e., revised research plan).
The talk will offer insight into the new direction of the coordinated Research
Plan, the EFH Proposal Review Process, new Research Items from NMFS Stock
Assessment Authors (2/2017), and the EFH Allocation (fund) process.
•
1996—EFH research funding began
•
2006—First 5-year EFH Research Plan published
•
2012—Revised EFH Research Plan based on 5-year EFH review
•
2017—Revising EFH Research Plan based on latest 5-year EFH review
14
Abstracts - Session 2 - Habitat and Process
Characterization of the Buskin River Nearshore Area:
Bathymetry, Salinity, Marine Ecological Succession, and
Human Use
Leyla Arsan1, Kelly Krueger2, and Tom Lance2
1. Birch Leaf Consulting, Anchorage, AK, [email protected]
2. Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak, Kodiak, AK, [email protected], [email protected]
The Buskin River Marine Zone Study (BRiMS) is a four-year, post-construction
monitoring effort led by the Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak as part of the mitigation
package for the Kodiak Airport Runway Safety Area Expansion. The study has
four main components and objectives.
• Physical: document basic bathymetry and features at the river mouth and
nearshore.
• Chemical: record the character (salinity and temperature) and geographic
extent of the Buskin River freshwater plume.
• Biological: monitor recruitment and colonization of invertebrates and algae
on the new armor rock.
• Cultural: identify human use of the Buskin River nearshore area.
A summary of the first year of data collection will be presented for all four aspects of the project. An AUV collected bathymetry data from the river mouth
to the northern runway extension to document potential accretion or erosion.
Salinity data were collected to evaluate if the river plume reaches habitats
south of the runway extension. The new fill was monitored for recruitment and
colonization of invertebrates and algae. Surveys were initiated to document
human use of the nearshore area.
Underwater Archaeology in the Kodiak Archipelago and Beyond
Jason Rogers, Northern Land Use Research Alaska, LLC, Anchorage, AK,
[email protected]
The first substantive underwater archaeology project in Alaska was undertaken
in 2004 in Kodiak. This was the investigation of the Kad’yak shipwreck, a Russian-period vessel that sank off Spruce Island in 1860. The investigation consisted of site mapping and documentation, and included recovery of a small
amount of artifacts. Subsequent years have seen additional shipwreck investigations, innovative research on traditional watercraft, and new studies of sea
level history. Although underwater and maritime archaeology in Alaska has
clearly progressed since the Kad’yak project, there remain a number of shortcomings and obstacles. This presentation will provide a retrospective view of
the Kad’yak investigation, and place the work in the context of current research
and future objectives.
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15
Abstracts - Session 2 - Habitat and Process
Kayaks and Supersacks: Marine Debris Removal on
Shuyak Island
Tom Pogson and Andy Schroeder, Island Trails Network, Kodiak, AK,
[email protected], [email protected]
Overview of NOAA community-based marine debris cleanup and removal on
Shuyak Island in 2016. Over 30 kayaking enthusiasts from around the world
volunteered for two weeks at a time to access Shuyak’s remote shorelines
by kayak and remove marine debris over a sustained effort lasting 92 days.
Crew ultimately removed 35,000 pounds of marine debris spanning 45 miles
of shoreline.
The presentation will include threats to wildlife and human populations posed
by marine debris, composition, and distribution across the clean-up area, and
challenges of removal and disposal.
Socioeconomic Risks and Impacts of Military Training Events in
Gulf of Alaska
Christina Hendrickson, Summer is for Salmon, Girdwood, AK,
[email protected]
Emily Stolarcyk, Summer is for Salmon, Cordova, AK, [email protected]
This presentation explores the known and unknown cumulative impacts of military training activities on our local economy: habitat impact, risk to economic
livelihoods, and areas where more scientific research is needed.
The US Navy (USN) scheduled “Northern Edge,” a live fire training event in
the Gulf of Alaska (GOA), for 1-12 May 2017. In August 2016, USN published a
Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS). The document did not
use best available science and yet concluded no adverse impacts despite statements regarding unknown behavioral and distribution shifts in fish due to explosions; mortality of fish due to noise, exposure to chemical by-products, and
sonar; and direct contradictions from National Marine Fisheries Service.
USN seeks authorization to disperse up to 352,000 pounds of munitions into
Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) in the GOA, 10,500 pounds of which are hazardous
(e.g., lead, cyanide, cadmium, etc.). There is no marine debris cleanup plan.
Recently, USN cited far less ordnance is “planned” for 2017; but they are not
legally beholden to those numbers. Moreover, future exercises may change in
scope and the use of weaponry, munitions, and sonar as long as it does not
exceed the limits in the SEIS.
We will explore the potential economic impact of Northern Edge on Kodiak and
other fishing communities. What will be the loss of EFH? What are the health
impacts of contaminated or reduced fish stocks? What will be the cost of marine debris cleanup and scientific data for baseline and recovery?
16
Abstracts - Session 2 - Habitat and Process
Steller sea lions: A Natural Ecosystem Management System
Olivia Winters1, Naomi Daniher1, Hanna Clary1, Matthew Wald1, Lars Bodnar1, Jane
Eisemann2, and Switgard Duesterloh2
1. Kodiak High School students, Kodiak, AK
2. Coaches, Kodiak, AK, [email protected], [email protected]
Steller sea lions are a common sight in Kodiak and an important part of the
economy and ecosystem. As ocean warming affects ecosystems in the North
Pacific, how can an ecosystem-based management plan that protects the
Western Steller sea lion population be implemented while dealing with the
challenges of ocean warming? In this presentation, we investigate the connection between the California sea lion crisis and ocean warming in the California
current. We further study causes of the Steller sea lion population declines in
the 1980s and 1990s in Alaska and the role of sea lions in the local food web.
We discuss the role of ecosystem modeling in management and the limitations
and challenges of implementing the ecosystem-based management mandate,
and conclude with suggestions for Steller sea lion management strategies to
inform management of forage fish populations and protect Steller sea lions
from unusual mortality events.
Kodiak Youth Leaders in Science Education with Kodiak Refuge
Summer Science and Salmon Camp
Shelly Lawson, Nia Pristas, and Joshua Barnes, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge,
Kodiak, AK, [email protected]
In 2016, the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge celebrated the 20th anniversary of
the Kodiak Refuge Summer Science and Salmon Camp program. This program
educates youth on the science and value and salmon and healthy habitats for
our island as well as global issues such as the carbon cycle and climate change.
In 2016 in an effort to reach broader audiences for the Salmon Camp program
the Kodiak Refuge created a pop-up Salmon Camp at Kodiak’s Main Elementary School lunch program. Joshua Barnes, a recent high school graduate and
member of the 2016 Kodiak Refuge Youth Conservation Corps was one of the
leaders of the pop-up Salmon Camp. Kodiak High School student Nia Pristas is a
long time volunteer youth leader and helps mentor youth at Salmon Camp. At
this presentation they will share their roles as science educators and mentors
for youth and will specifically share fun ways they have participated in teaching
youth about salmon.
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17
Abstracts - Session 3 - Dynamic Methods
The Molting Process in Golden King Crab, Lithodes aequispina
Daniel Urban, National Marine Fisheries Service, Kodiak, AK, [email protected]
Andrew Nault, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kodiak, AK, [email protected]
Golden king crab, Lithodes aequispina, are a valuable commercial species
found on the upper continental slope in the North Pacific Ocean from British
Columbia, Canada, to Suruga Bay, Japan. As a complement to the tagging effort
on golden king crab by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in the Aleutian
Islands, golden king crab from Kodiak Island waters were held in a laboratory
setting and tagged using methods identical to those used in the field.
No crabs died due to the tagging process, and tag loss was found to be 8%.
While most tagged crab successfully molted, 12% of tagged crabs experienced
difficulty during molting and died during the process. Some synchronicity of
molting was observed. A video of the molting process will be presented. It’s Complicated: The Reproductive Biology of the Shortraker
Rockfish in Alaska
Christina Conrath, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Kodiak, AK,
[email protected]
Rockfish have unique reproductive biology that includes internal fertilization
and the live birth of planktonic larvae. Other distinctive characteristics of rockfish reproduction are prolonged adolescence, abortive maturity, and maternal
effects. Spawning omission or skipped spawning has also recently been documented for deep water rockfish in this region. It is unknown if the proportion
of skip spawners varies by location or changes over time. In this study, the
reproductive biology of the shortraker rockfish, Sebastes borealis, was examined by collecting samples from two different reproductive years, 2010 and
2016. The reproductive complexity and temporal differences in length at maturity, abortive maturity, and skipped spawning rates were compared for the
two time periods. Differences in reproductive productivity will impact stock
assessment of this species and a better understanding of these changes is
needed to appropriately manage and conserve this species and other deep
water rockfish.
18
Abstracts - Session 3 - Dynamic Methods
Zooarchaeological Analysis of Central Alaska Fish Fauna
Holly McKinney1, Carrin Halffman1, Ben Potter1, Joshua Reuther1, and Chuck Holmes2
1. University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, [email protected], cmhalffman@
alaska.edu, [email protected], [email protected]
2. University of Alaska Fairbanks, Anchorage, AK, [email protected]
This presentation introduces some of our initial zooarchaeological results for
a multidisciplinary research project that examines fishing through antiquity in
central Alaska. Archaeologically deposited fish bones are relatively rare in central Alaska contexts and are often overlooked and/or underreported. Models
used to represent exploitation of freshwater and anadromous resources are also
underdeveloped. To establish the relative importance fishes played in terminal
Pleistocene and late Holocene subsistence economies, fish fauna were analyzed
from existing central Alaska archaeological collections. Analyses are focused on
assessing taphonomic preservation, abundance, and landscape use. Preliminary
results indicate that inhabitants exploited salmon, burbot, northern pike, and
whitefish.
Experimentally Wrangling with Fish Parasites
Brian Himelbloom, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science
Center, Kodiak, AK, [email protected]
Christopher Sannito, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Sea Grant, Kodiak, AK,
[email protected]
Among the encounters fish consumers may face are parasites that have been
missed during processing and meal preparation. Usually, the parasites (specifically
worms) are inactivated and do not result in a foodborne illness. Safeguards are in
place commercially to observe and remove parasites and inactivate any missed
parasites by freezing and/or proper cooking. Our study was designed to determine which time and temperature relationships would allow parasite survival in
Pacific cod and sockeye salmon fillets. Blast freezing (–20°C internal temperature)
was sufficient to quickly inactivate parasites in fillets. Undercooking (<50°C internal temperature) fillets, which were not previously frozen, resulted in parasite survival and could pose a safety risk to unaware consumers.
19
19
Abstracts - Session 3 - Dynamic Methods
Chignik River Post-Weir Enumeration with DIDSON
Mary Beth Loewen, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kodiak, AK,
[email protected]
Sockeye and coho salmon escapement into the Chignik watershed is measured
through use of a large, pile-driven weir equipped with an underwater video
camera. The operation of this weir is expensive and time consuming. Funded
by multiyear grants from the Alaska Sustainable Salmon Foundation, since
2012 the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has used DIDSON acoustic units
to enumerate sockeye and coho salmon escaping into the Chignik River after
the weir is removed. Beach seines and variable mesh gillnets are used to capture fish moving into the river for species apportionment to the sonar counts.
Over the past four seasons, the project has become more refined, with greater
in-season utility for late season salmon management. The current phase of the
project seeks to validate simultaneous sonar and weir counts from August 15
to September 15 annually in order to create calibration factors between the
two methods, with the hope of utilizing sonar technology to minimize weir use
in the future.
Hunting Seals with Nets 5,000 Years Ago
Patrick Saltonstall, Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository, Kodiak, AK,
[email protected]
The Kashevaroff Site has been the focus of the Alutiiq Museum’s community
archaeology program for the last four years. Today the site lies on the shoulder
of Kashevaroff Mountain, overlooking the grassy meadows at the head of Kodiak Island’s Womens Bay. But 5,000 years ago the site overlooked a small lake.
Archaeological data suggest that site residents pursued seals in the lake and
processed their catch at the site. Large numbers of slate lances and net weights
suggest that hunters used spears to kill seals tangled in nets. Numerous cutting
tools and special purpose features, filled with wood charcoal, gravel, and bits
of calcined sea mammal bone, hint that seal meat was dried for future use.
20
Abstracts - Session 4 - Community and Monitoring
Building Networks to Bridge Information and Action on Alaska’s
Coasts
Davin Holen, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Sea Grant, Anchorage, AK,
[email protected]
Coastal resilience and climate adaptation grants and projects are becoming
widespread in coastal Alaska, but how do they meet the needs of communities
and natural resource managers who balance economic development and the
subsistence way of life? A consortium of four Alaska Landscape Conservation
Cooperatives (LCCs), NOAA, the Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association and other
regional Alaska Native organizations, Alaska Sea Grant, and the Alaska Climate Science Center joined numerous local partners to host workshops in five
regions to bring climate science to coastal communities, in an effort to create a
discussion of how to bridge the gap between information and action. This talk
will present the effort, the tools that are the outcome of the project, and ideas
for moving forward to build resilience in coastal communities in Alaska.
What are the “Best Practices” for Community-Based Monitoring
of Alaska’s Coastal and Ocean Environment?
Marilyn Sigman, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Sea Grant, Anchorage, AK,
[email protected]
Several common challenges emerged from a 2014 statewide workshop on
best practices for community-based monitoring of Alaska’s coastal and ocean
environments: (1) developing and sustaining relationships between community members and other “end-users” of observations and data; (2) identifying
and meeting the objectives of all partners; (3) ensuring scientifically valid data
and its long-term management; (4) youth engagement; (5) sustaining funding;
and (6) outreach and communication strategies, including those required to
co-produce knowledge by both Western scientists and Traditional Knowledge
holders. Participants, including some from the Kodiak area, shared their successes and “lesson learned” in addressing each of the challenges.
The handbook, Community-Based Monitoring of Alaska’s Coastal and Ocean
Environment: Best Practices for Linking Alaska Citizens with Science, published
by Alaska Sea Grant, translates the results of the workshop into practical guidance for planning or implementing a collaborative community-based monitoring program. The emphasis is on collecting scientifically defensible data and
systematic—rather than opportunistic—observations in ways that benefit
community members as well as scientists and natural resource management
agencies.
The diverse Alaska communities engaged in monitoring provide potential networks for Kodiak area communities to join and learn from. This presentation
will serve to frame the presentations about specific projects and programs that
will follow and contribute to subsequent discussion.
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21
Abstracts - Session 4 - Community and Monitoring
A World Bridge: Kodiak Island Borough School District Project
Activities
Mr. Searaphim McGann, A World Bridge Teacher, [email protected]
Kiae Shin, Daniel Johnson, and Tiger Oka, Students, Kodiak High School, Kodiak, AK
The Kodiak “A World Bridge” program has developed several world-class
research projects both in technology and education. Kodiak High School students will provide updates on current projects, including the Earthquake Signal Precursors (pre-earthquake anomaly detection) with NASA Ames Research
Center. The Earthquake Signal Precursors project was the back-to-back winner
of the international NASA Europa Challenge. Other A World Bridge projects
we will present include the Nanotechnology in Agriculture project with USCG,
and the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Scientific Applications program with
Kodiak Electric Association and Alaska Aerospace Corp. A World Bridge also
has established partnerships with business, industry, and government, including the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, US Fish and Wildlife Invasive
Species projects, FAA/Unmanned Aircraft System UTM (Traffic Management)
system, which will be described as part of the presentation.
22
Abstracts - Session 4 - Community and Monitoring
The Coastal Community Ocean Observers (C202) program
Peter Winsor1, Seth Danielson1, Tuula Hollmen2, and Glen Clough3
1. University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Fairbanks,
AK, [email protected], [email protected]
2. Alaska SeaLife Center, Seward, AK, [email protected]
3. Old Harbor, Kodiak Island, AK
The Coastal Community Ocean Observers (C2O2) is a coastal science program
that seeks to build a framework for long-term community-driven monitoring
of oceanic environmental variables. The C2O2 program combines cost-efficient
means for communities to collect environmental data with local interest, promoting mutually beneficial partnerships and relationships for collecting and
sharing information.
The C2O2 program is currently active in three communities—Kaktovik, Old
Harbor, and St. Paul—and is being implemented in the neighboring communities of Cold Bay and King Cove in the Aleutians. These five communities have
uniquely different climates, cultures, and local concerns, and represent different oceans and environments. Using simple-to-operate lowered conductivitydepth-salinity-fluorescence profilers, each of these communities have generated a large number of hydrographic data on weekly to months intervals, which
is reported in near-real time via a web interface and immediately available on
the project website for community residents, scientists, and stakeholders.
We describe our experiences with the C2O2 program, focusing on data collection, results, and a build-out plan for the future, including implementation of
a biological sampling component. We highlight successful long-term sampling
from Old Harbor, Kodiak Island. C2O2 is interfacing with similar efforts in Canada, the Mosquito Fleet to the south and CROW project to the north, to create
a linked network of ocean observations in a south-to-north framework from
Vancouver to the Canadian Arctic Archipelago to detect and describe climate
change propagation and its impact on local ecosystems and communities.
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23
Abstracts - Session 4 - Community and Monitoring
Monitoring Paralytic Shellfish Toxins to Provide Sustainable
Access to Traditional Resources
Chris Whitehead, Sitka Tribe of Alaska, SEATOR, Sitka, AK,
[email protected]
The Sitka Tribe of Alaska (STA), founder of Southeast Alaska Tribal Toxins (SEATT), has a vested interest in protecting traditional natural resources as well
as the health of the local community. SEATT was formed in September 2013
to unify 15 Southeast Alaska tribes in monitoring harmful algal bloom (HAB)
events that pose a human health risk to subsistence and commercial shellfish harvesters. With “eyes on the water” actively monitoring sites within
their communities, tribes can establish subsistence management plans, and
continue the cultural importance of shellfish harvesting. Each tribal partner
collects weekly samples at key community harvest sites including phytoplankton identification and quantification, salinity, sea and air temperature, whole
water for cellular toxin analysis, and shellfish for biotoxins. The phytoplankton
and environmental parameter data are uploaded to the SoundToxins database
(soundtoxins.org) and are used as an “early warning” by researchers, managers, and community partners.
Shellfish and whole water samples are sent to the Sitka Tribe of Alaska Environmental Research Laboratory (STAERL) for toxin analysis. STAERL uses the receptor binding assay (AOAC Method 2011.27) for measuring saxitoxins and the
enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (AOAC Method 2006.02) for determining
domoic acid concentrations.
All samples are processed and analyzed within a 48 hour period and results are
posted to the Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research webpage (seator.org/
data). Results are also emailed out to all SEATT partners, local and state health
officials, resource managers, and university staff. If detected toxin levels are
above the regulatory limit of 80 ug per 100 g or a SEATT partner site is observing HAB species in their phytoplankton sample, a shellfish harvest advisory is
issued by the tribe for the community.
24
Abstracts - Session 4 - Community and Monitoring
Monitoring Ocean Acidification and the Sustainability of Crab
Fisheries in Alaska
Robert J. Foy, NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Kodiak, AK, [email protected]
Increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations have accelerated substantially since the Industrial Revolution. With the world’s oceans
absorbing 30–50% of the new CO2, mean surface ocean pH declined by 0.1
(equivalent to 30% greater acidity), reducing calcium carbonate saturation and
subsequent availability of carbonate for shell building organisms such as crabs.
Studies on the physiological effects of ocean acidification on commercial crab
species have been the focus of the NOAA Kodiak Laboratory since 2007. Multiyear laboratory studies have been conducted to assess the physiological response of southern Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi) and red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) during early developmental stages to changes in pCO2.
The results of the studies have led to population dynamics and bioeconomic
predictions on the effects to commercial fisheries and coastal communities.
To better inform these models about the seasonal variability and interannual
changes in ocean carbonate chemistry, monitoring studies are needed in coastal areas. In 2017 a coastal monitoring program is being developed to collect
temporally and spatially relevant ocean chemistry data such as temperature,
salinity, pH, dissolved inorganic carbon, and primary production around the
Kodiak archipelago.
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning and Community Involvement:
Working Toward Safe Shellfish Harvest on Kodiak Island
Julie A. Matweyou, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory
Program, Kodiak, AK, [email protected]
Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) remains a serious health risk to subsistence
and recreational shellfish harvesters in Alaska. Statewide, some of the highest
PSP toxin concentrations and a large percentage of the PSP illnesses have been
recorded in the Kodiak region. The Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program
has been working with coastal communities for many years to address the risk
of PSP. Recent work in the Kodiak region has included research into emerging technology, community-based toxin monitoring initiatives, and youth and
adult education. Results from these efforts demonstrate the spatial and temporal complexity of PSP toxins, raise complicated questions regarding shellfish
consumption practices, and elevate the need for continued attention on this
difficult topic. Building local partnerships is essential for the success of building
a safe shellfish harvest program; contributions from Kodiak partnerships will
be shared.
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25
Abstracts - Session 4 - Community and Monitoring
From Collection to Practical Use: Integrating and Visualizing
Coastal and Marine Data
Will Koeppen1, Rob Bochenek1, Molly McCammon2
1.Axiom Data Science, Anchorage, AK, [email protected],
[email protected]
2. Alaska Ocean Observing System, Anchorage, AK, [email protected]
Research and monitoring efforts across Alaska in recent years have led to new
discoveries and scientific breakthroughs. The wealth of data resources currently
available include real-time conditions, forecast models, satellite imagery, timeseries monitoring, and project level data ranging from oceanography to breeding
birds. Continued collaboration is needed to maintain and expand these efforts.
However, there is a simultaneous need to integrate existing information to better understand the environment, promote safe operations, and inform decisions
regarding human activities.
Integrating data is a challenge since many data sets are housed in isolated and
physically dispersed locations. Technical barriers such as complex data formats,
lack of standardization, and inadequate metadata have also made acquiring and
using scientific information a daunting task. As a result, existing data is often
underused.
To help address these needs, the Alaska Ocean Observing System has partnered
with a spectrum of organizations across the state to develop and maintain a centralized data clearinghouse to provide easy access to marine data. This interactive web-based mapping application visualizes operational oceanographic and
atmospheric models, real-time sensor feeds, satellite observations, and GIS layers in a seamless interface. Users are able to choose from several hundred layer
options including ocean circulation and temperature grids, habitat maps, environmental sensitivity indices, marine mammal observations, ShoreZone video
and imagery, and more.
The goal of this tool is to improve access to existing information that can benefit
a wide spectrum of research and management efforts, including emergency response. This presentation will provide a live view of the portal.
26
Abstracts - Session 4 - Community and Monitoring
Kodiak Tribes Seafood Consumption Assessment: Final Report
Kathy Drabek1 (retired), Thomas Lance1, Kelly Krueger1, Sean Hales1, Erica McCall
Valentine2, and Shubha Pandit3
1. Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak, Kodiak, AK, [email protected], [email protected],
[email protected]
2. The Scholar Ship, Fairbanks, AK, [email protected]
3. Terraqua Environmental Consulting, Entiat, WA, [email protected]
Little information exists regarding seafood consumption rates among Alaska Natives, and consequently, the inherent risks of consuming seafood, which is known
to bioaccumulate environmental contaminants, has not been well established.
To help guide researchers investigating seafood consumption health risks, Sun’aq
Tribe of Kodiak undertook a seafood consumption assessment to quantitatively
describe the fish, shellfish, and marine mammal consumption rates of 326 Alutiiq
Natives aged 18 and older, living within 5 of the 10 communities of the Kodiak
archipelago. Assessments were conducted in Port Lions, Larsen Bay, Ouzinkie, Old
Harbor, and Kodiak between October and December 2015.
Using EPA-approved interview protocols and methods, respondents shared information about the amount of seafood they consumed in the 24 hours prior to the
interview (24-hour recall) and over the course of the previous year (food frequency
questionnaire, FFQ). The interview protocols integrated methods to document the
types and quantities of seafood consumed (species and standardized serving size)
as well as how the seafood was prepared (smoked, baked, boiled, fried, etc.). The
median, mean, and percentiles of seafood consumption rates, in grams per person
per day, were calculated and stratified for both 24-recall and FFQ methods.
Mean consumption rates in all the communities, based on the 24-recall data, were
significantly higher than the FFQ in all communities. The 24-hour recall data revealed an estimated average consumption rate of 359.0 g seafood per person per
day, whereas the average consumption rate based on the FFQ data was 232.8 g
seafood per person per day. Both methods evidenced that salmon and other freshwater fish were most frequently consumed. In contrast, the US Environmental Protection Agency estimates the national fish consumption rate at approximately 17.6
g per person per day.
It is hoped that the seafood consumption rates derived from this assessment will
be used by tribes, EPA, State of Alaska, and other agencies and organizations to
inform and guide efforts to assess inherent risks of consuming seafood.
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27
Abstracts - Session 5 - Marine and Coastal Systems
Electrofishing and Kick Seining Efforts for Invasive Signal Crayfish
(Pacifastacus leniusculus) on Kodiak Island, Alaska
Kelly Krueger and Tom Lance, Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak, Kodiak, AK,
[email protected], [email protected]
Signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus), which are not indigenous to Alaska, were
first recorded in the Buskin River watershed on Kodiak Island in 2002. Since then,
several organizations have noted the presence of signal crayfish within the watershed. In 2015, trapping efforts by Kodiak Soil and Water Conservation District
found gravid female signal crayfish, indicating a breeding population. In 2016, the
Bureau of Indian Affairs Invasive Species Program provided funding for Sun’aq Tribe
of Kodiak to survey for signal crayfish within the watershed. To enhance the success of signal crayfish detection and removal from the watershed, this project utilized capture methods not previously used by others, including kick seining and
electrofishing techniques. Trapping and kick seining for crayfish resulted in few
specimens captured. However, electrofishing for crayfish proved more effective in
numbers captured and in variety of age classes. Based on anecdotal information,
the general public increased utilization of signal crayfish for consumptive uses in
2016. In particular, snorkeling/free diving has proven to be most successful. Survey
results, partnerships, and collaboration with the public will be discussed in this
presentation.
28
Abstracts - Session 5 - Marine and Coastal Systems
How Many Fish are in this Barrel? Sustainably Harvesting Two
Easily Caught Skate Species
Thomas J. Farrugia1, Gordon H. Kruse2, Ian G. Taylor3, Olav A. Ormseth4, Keith R.
Criddle2, and Andrew C. Seitz1
1. University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences,
Fairbanks, AK, [email protected], [email protected]
2. University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Juneau, AK,
[email protected], [email protected]
3. NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA, [email protected]
4. NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA, [email protected]
Skates in the Gulf of Alaska, specifically big (Beringraja binoculata) and longnose (Raja rhina) skates, are abundant and frequently caught by fishermen
using longline and trawl gear. The fishing industry has expressed interest in
increasing skate landings, in part because of relatively high ex-vessel prices.
However, management is unlikely to allow higher catch levels until skate populations are shown to be capable of sustaining increased harvest pressure.
Recently, biological and economic information on these skates has made it possible to assess the feasibility of conducting sustainable skate fisheries under
various fishing and economic scenarios. Such scenarios were examined using
stock assessment and bioeconomic models. Specifically, we developed the first
stock assessments for big and longnose skates in Alaska, using Stock Synthesis,
a powerful software package with flexibility to handle data-poor assessments.
We then used the output from this assessment in a simple, constrained optimization bioeconomic model to evaluate the feasibility of expanding harvest
opportunities and prosecuting directed fisheries for skates in the Gulf of Alaska.
The stock assessment model shows that skate populations in the Gulf of
Alaska have declined, but it appears that they remain above biomass levels that
would provide maximum sustainable yield. However, models also indicate that
total skate landings cannot be substantially increased without jeopardizing the
stock sustainability. Results from the population dynamics and bioeconomic
models will be provided to state and federal fishery management agencies to
help ensure the long-term sustainability and profitability of skate fisheries
in Alaska.
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29
Abstracts - Session 5 - Marine and Coastal Systems
Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Marine Bird Monitoring and
Research
Robin Corcoran, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Kodiak, AK,
[email protected]
Marine birds are conspicuous, abundant, high trophic-level consumers that are
sensitive to change in the nearshore environment and are frequently identified
as indicators of the health of marine ecosystems. Nearshore marine birds have
been a focus of monitoring and research by Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge
biologists and cooperators for many years. In this presentation we will summarize refuge programs conducted over the last decade including: (1) nearshore marine bird and mammal surveys; (2) seabird colony surveys; (3) Kittlitz’s
Murrelet nesting ecology research; and (4) Aleutian and Arctic Tern colony
monitoring. Goals for marine bird and seabird colony surveys are to determine
long-term trends and habitat associations for key species relevant to refuge
management objectives and to contribute data to a regional monitoring program for birds throughout the Gulf of Alaska. The Kittlitz’s Murrelet is a rare
seabird relative of puffins that nests in rugged mountainous terrain. Cooperative research on Kittlitz’s Murrelets has yielded nest success information on
146 nests over nine breeding seasons on western Kodiak Island, and provided
valuable information on chick diets and growth rates. Both Aleutian and Arctic
Terns have experienced significant population declines along the Alaska coast.
The Kodiak refuge has been monitoring tern colonies for many years and plans
for designing cooperative studies examining nest success and habitat preferences will be discussed.
30
Abstracts - Session 5 - Marine and Coastal Systems
The Next Generation of Fishermen in the Kodiak Archipelago:
Exploring Dynamics Contributing to the Graying of the Fleet in
Alaska’s Commercial Fishing Industry
Danielle Ringer, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Kodiak, AK, [email protected]
Courtney Carothers, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Anchorage, AK,
[email protected]
Jesse Coleman, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK,
[email protected]
Paula Cullenberg, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Sea Grant, Anchorage, AK,
[email protected]
Rachel Donkersloot, Alaska Marine Conservation Council, Anchorage, AK,
[email protected]
The sustainability of fisheries and fishing-dependent communities depends
upon numerous political, cultural, economic, and ecological factors. Our research project exploring the “graying of the fleet” in the Bristol Bay and Kodiak
regions of Alaska produced 130 interviews with fishermen and more than 800
surveys from middle and high school students. In this presentation we focus on
Kodiak region key findings to better understand youth interest, existing pathways, and barriers to participation in commercial fishing. Our ethnographic
research suggests that access restriction and transforming rights to fish into
tradable commodities (i.e., limited entry permits and individual fishing quotas) have fundamentally changed how fishing opportunities are perceived and
pursued by residents of rural fishing communities. Student survey results explore fishing engagement, post-high school aspirations, importance of and perceptions of fishing, motivations to stay or leave the community, and attitudes
about community health. Conclusions from the project indicate that whether
and how youth in the Kodiak archipelago will engage in the commercial fishing
industry will have substantial implications for the health and sustainability of
this region.
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31
Abstracts - Session 5 - Marine and Coastal Systems
An Archaeological Investigation of a 3,800 Year Old Fishery in
the Kodiak Archipelago
Justin M. Hays, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Department of Anthropology,
Fairbanks, AK, [email protected]
The Early Kachemak phase in the southcentral Alaska coast is one of the lesser-understood periods in prehistory. Archaeological evidence shows a dramatic change in material culture, tool types, and house forms. Until recently,
the primary diet and subsistence economy of the Early Kachemak phase was
speculative at best. It has been hypothesized and tested that roughly 7,500 to
4,000 years before present (BP), the indigenous peoples relied primarily on the
plentiful marine mammals. Due to possible resource overharvesting, climate
change, regime shifts, habitat destruction, or a combination of effects, the archaeology indicates humans began focusing intensively on fishes. Analysis of
a shell and fishbone midden site from the Kodiak archipelago, during a 3,800
BP Early Kachemak occupation, would potentially illuminate a picture of the
subsistence economy during this period, and allow testing of such hypotheses.
The Horseshoe Cove Site (KOD-00415) on Uganik Island has that potential. This
talk presents a detailed analysis of faunal remains from the site to test hypotheses concerning subsistence in the Kodiak archipelago. Results confirm mass
harvesting of offshore fishes were the primary resource of the Early Kachemak
at Horseshoe Cove.
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Abstracts - Session 5 - Marine and Coastal Systems
How Old is that Crab? Progress on an Age Old Question
April Rebert1,2, Joel Webb2, Kevin McNeel2, and Gordon Kruse1
1. University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Juneau, AK
, [email protected], [email protected]
2. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Commercial Fisheries, Mark, Tag
and Age Laboratory, Juneau, AK, [email protected], [email protected]
Age information provides direct insight into rates of growth, reproduction,
and survival essential to stock assessment and fishery management. Crab and
shrimp have long supported vital fisheries in Alaska, but direct determination
of their ages has not been possible. Structures useful for age determination
(e.g., fish otoliths) are generally retained throughout the life span; banding
patterns on these growth structures associated with seasonal growth variability are interpreted as indices of chronological age. Due to loss of the calcified
cuticle during molting, it has been presumed that age determination in crab
and shrimp is impossible. However, banding patterns potentially useful for age
determination were recently identified in the gastric mill (grinding apparatus in
stomachs) of snow and red king crabs and eyestalks of spot shrimp from Alaska. This study investigates whether banding patterns on these structures yield
reliable indices of chronological age for crabs and shrimp by: (1) developing
standardized workflows to facilitate evaluation of differences in band counts
between groups of small and large individuals for each species; (2) examining whether the endocuticle layer of each structure is retained through the
lifetime to describe potential band retention or formation; and (3) evaluating
chemical marking methods that can be used to validate that bands form annually. Project milestones to date include: (1) production of over 2,000 thinsections for band counts; (2) sampling of red king crab and spot shrimp before
and after molting to evaluate cuticle retention; and (3) identification of calcein
as an effective fluorescent marker for age validation.
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33
Abstracts - Session 5 - Marine and Coastal Systems
Tanner Crab Population in the Kodiak District of the Westward
Region
Kally Spalinger, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Kodiak, AK,
[email protected]
Tanner crab stocks around Kodiak Island are monitored with a large-mesh bottom trawl survey conducted annually by ADF&G. This survey has been conducted since 1988 and provides data for management of commercially important
groundfish and crab stocks. Survey-estimated abundances of Tanner crab are
highly variable with greater than five-fold variation in abundance among years.
In the Kodiak District variability in abundance since the late 1990s has been
driven by the recruitment of three cohorts at approximately six-year intervals.
Dramatic reductions in cohort abundance (>90%) appear to occur between the
size-class at which small crab are effectively sampled by the trawl, and when
the cohort contributes to harvest—a lag of about five years. Short-term priorities of the assessment and management program are to improve the estimation of abundance and harvest levels by reducing sources of uncertainty in
the area-swept calculations from the trawl survey. Longer-term priorities are
to improve understanding of processes that contribute to high mortality (e.g.,
predator-prey relationships) and the implications of large-scale oceanographic
processes (such as warming temperatures and ocean acidification) which impact stock productivity.
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Abstracts - Session 5 - Marine and Coastal Systems
A World Bridge: Kodiak Island Borough School District Upcoming
Projects’ Research and Development
Mr. Searaphim McGann, A World Bridge Teacher, [email protected]
Kiae Shin, Daniel Johnson, and Tiger Oka, Students, Kodiak High School, Kodiak, AK
Following the back-to-back success of Kodiak’s “A World Bridge” NASA Europa
Challenge teams, we are now developing new partnerships and research programs. The NASA CitySmart program involves building a suite of community
urban management tools. The idea is to build functionalities for an open city
management platform that address issues essential to serving the needs of
their community, which can also be shared with other communities—large
and small—around the world. This develops significant awareness for how local issues have a global context, demonstrating the relevance to every other
community on the planet, and thus the benefit of collaborating with students
around the world. CitySmart is being built using a key NASA 4D geospatial technology, Web World Wind, that NASA is developing in concert with the European Space Agency. As part of this effort, students are sharing the information
necessary to build, operate, and maintain a sustainable energy system, specifically related to renewable wind and hydroelectric energy. This is a result of the
tremendous partnership A World Bridge students have established with the
Kodiak Electric Association (KEA), and their extraordinary offer to share their
data. Then we have the UAV inspections of the Kodiak Launch Complex for
facility management and environmental assessment, including a sophisticated
inspection of the launch pad itself. UAV inspections are also being done for
the KEA Wind Turbine Farm and hydroelectric facilities. Upcoming programs
include Unmanned Aircraft System support for the Kodiak Island Search and
Rescue (KISAR) team, field research missions to support the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and marine debris monitoring and invasive species
identification for the Island Trails Network.
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35
Abstracts - Session 5 - Marine and Coastal Systems
Chemical Dispersant Research and Policy Changes in the Exxon
Valdez Oil Spill Region
Lisa Matlock1,Wayne Donaldson2, and Brooke Taylor1
1. Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council, Anchorage, AK,
[email protected], [email protected]
2. Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council, Kodiak, AK
The Prince William Sound Regional Citizens’ Advisory Council sponsors research to better understand oil spill chemical dispersants and their effects on
the Gulf of Alaska environment. The council also tracks policy changes that can
affect how chemical dispersants are used during a spill. In this session, council
staff and volunteers will summarize some of the recent research and related
policy about chemical dispersants for Kodiak Island residents.
How Does Release Density Affect Enhancement Success for
Hatchery-Reared Red King Crab?
W. Christopher Long, Peter A. Cummiskey, and J. Eric Munk
NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Kodiak, AK, [email protected]
Red king crab, Paralithodes camtschaticus, was an important fishery around
Kodiak in the 1960s and 70s. However, in the late 1970s the stock crashed, the
fishery was closed, and the population has failed to recover. A potential solution to help increase the population is the use of hatchery-reared juveniles to
supplement the wild populations. In this field-release study, we examine the
effects of release density on the survival of red king crab reared at the Alutiiq
Pride Shellfish Hatchery. Juveniles were released at three densities, 25, 50, and
75 per square meter, in Trident Basin, Kodiak. Densities, inside to determine
loss rates, and outside to determine emigration rates, were monitored by divers for five months post release using quadrat counts. Relative predation risk
was determined using tethering experiments repeated monthly for the first
3 months post-release, and predator densities were quantified using quadrat
counts and predator transect counts. Initial mortality of crabs released into
plots over the first 24 hours was about 65%. Loss rates after the initial mortality
did not differ among density treatments and were a combination of mortality
and emigration. Relative predation risk decreased with time from release, but
did not vary among density treatments. Predator density did not vary over
time or with density treatment. Estimated mortality rates suggest that the
mortality of hatchery-reared juveniles was similar to that of wild red king crabs
in a healthy population, indicating that stock enhancement may be ecologically
viable. Future work should focus on ways to reduce initial release mortality.
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Abstracts - Posters
Implementation of Community-Based PSP Testing for
Subsistence and Recreational Shellfish Harvesting in
Southwestern Alaska—a Project Description
Julie A. Matweyou1, R. Wayne Litaker2, Steven R. Kibler2, Bruce A. Wright3, Donnie R.
Hardison2, and Patricia A. Tester4
1. University of Alaska Fairbanks, Alaska Sea Grant, Kodiak, AK,
[email protected]
2. NOAA National Ocean Service, Beaufort, NC, [email protected],
[email protected], [email protected]
3. Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association, Anchorage, AK, [email protected]
4. Ocean Tester LLC, Beaufort, NC, [email protected]
Subsistence shellfish harvesters in southwest Alaska are exposed to high paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) risks due to their strong cultural traditions, dependency on shellfish resources, and limited accessibility to medical care. The
state has a toxin-monitoring program in place for the commercial shellfish industry and samples are submitted to the Alaska Department of Environmental
Conservation (ADEC) for analysis ($125 per sample + shipping). Resource limitations, though, have restricted routine testing of recreational/subsistenceharvested shellfish. A recent ADEC pilot program (2012-2015) demonstrated
that community-based monitoring is an effective strategy to reduce PSP risks,
but the project ended after three years. This study will leverage community
networks from the ADEC monitoring program and the Aleutian Pribilof Islands
Association (APIA) with NPRB-funded technologies (#1118) to implement subsistence shellfish testing. A new electrochemical PSP test (ECtest) is expected
to offer rapid shellfish screening in remote locations. The test features a numerical readout at a cost of <$20 per sample.
The project will include re-testing of shellfish analyzed previously via ADEC
and APIA programs and analysis of new samples collected at the Kodiak and
Aleutian Island sites to validate the ECtest. The project objectives are to test
commonly harvested bivalve species and implement on-site community PSP
testing when the ECtest is internally validated. Shellfish collected by community samplers in the Kodiak Islands (Kodiak, Old Harbor, Ouzinkie) and Aleutian
Islands (King Cove, Sand Point) will be screened with the ECtest and the results
validated via HPLC analysis (a regulatory method). Outreach will include workshops to gather local knowledge about shellfish resources and cleaning methods, as well as training volunteers in on-site testing methods with the ECtest.
Study results will be incorporated into a project web page and fact sheets for
public dissemination. Community-based PSP screening and monitoring capacity should ease the burden on ADEC for PSP testing and improve community
awareness and information on PSP toxicity trends. The ECtest will also offer the
scientific community a tool to monitor the environment for PSP toxins, which
may be increasing in Alaska due to climate change.
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37
Abstracts - Posters
Climate Change and Ocean Acidification: A Middle School
Tutorial
Switgard Duesterloh, Alaska Ecological Resource Services, Kodiak, AK, [email protected]
Following a ten day unit about climate change and ocean acidification, Kodiak
Middle School 6th grade students had a chance to deepen their understanding
of the effects in a two-week project-based learning tutorial. Students designed
and conducted experiments and studied the effects of temperature and pH on
larval development of green sea urchins.
Intertidal and Subtidal Colonization of New Rock at the Kodiak
Airport
Leyla Arsan1, Kelly Krueger2, and Tom Lance2
1. Birch Leaf Consulting, Anchorage, AK, [email protected]
2. Sun’aq Tribe of Kodiak, Kodiak, AK, [email protected], [email protected]
New armor rock placed at the Kodiak Airport is being monitored to document
recruitment and colonization of invertebrates and algae and provide information regarding the associated rate of increase in ecological function post-construction. Few data are available regarding colonization rates or recolonization
rates post-disturbance in southcentral Alaska or at high northern latitudes.
As part of the Kodiak Airport Runway Safety Area Expansion, new armor rock
was placed in the intertidal and subtidal area along the coastal edge of several
runways. The fill is being monitored for colonization rates, species abundance,
and assemblage parameters (percent cover of algae and invertebrates). A reference site with similar habitat characteristics (substrate, exposure, depth, and
salinity) is also being monitored. Sites will be sampled annually from 2016 to
2018. This study will provide information regarding nearshore marine disturbance recovery in hard-bottom habitats in southcentral Alaska. Because of the
potential impacts of rock armor on aquatic habitats, on both a local scale and a
cumulative landscape scale, the colonization rate of rock armor and the timeframe to which it develops higher ecological functions is important. The need
and quantity of mitigation for projects that disturb marine substrates or add
new fill to existing substrates is currently based on assumptions and this project will provide data to better inform mitigation decisions in the future.
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Abstracts - Posters
SASAP—State of Alaska’s Salmon and People
Ian Dutton1, Peter Westley2, Frank Davis3, Katherine Schake1, and
Jorge Cornejo-Donoso3
1. Nautilus Impact Investing, Anchorage, AK, [email protected],
[email protected]
2. University of Alaska Fairbanks, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, Fairbanks,
AK, [email protected]
3. University of California, National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Santa
Barbara, CA, [email protected], [email protected]
Alaska salmon management has a firm science foundation and there are
well-established research and monitoring programs to inform fisheries allocation, management, and policy. However, it can be difficult for stakeholders of
Alaska’s salmon system to readily access up-to-date, accurate and integrated
information. Existing information is often fragmented and lacks a significant
body of indigenous knowledge. In addition, due to insufficient interdisciplinary approaches there is a range of salmon science, policy, and management
questions that have not yet been addressed. These knowledge gaps can leave
salmon stakeholders inadequately informed about the status of salmon populations and habitats as well as options to address the increasing pressures on
salmon systems. Information asymmetries can undermine the stakeholders’
ability to equitably and knowledgeably participate in the management processes.
A new multi-institution initiative, the State of Alaska’s Salmon and People (SASAP), seeks to provide an up-to-date interdisciplinary perspective on Alaska’s
salmon systems and the people who rely on them.
The SASAP project is working to connect knowledge across disciplines and
agencies, between cultures and users, and across regions to create new institutional capacity that allows the generation of interdisciplinary salmon knowledge and establish a foundation for integrated knowledge that can be built on
over time. SASAP is being undertaken by eight diverse working groups from
mid 2016 through early 2018. The groups span a range of disciplines, including social and biological sciences, and actively engages indigenous knowledge
holders as an equal partner in synthesis research.
This presentation describes the SASAP process and intended outcomes. Further details of working group membership and interim progress are available
at https://alaskasalmonandpeople.org/.
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39
Abstracts - Posters
Tufted Puffins Succeed Despite High Variability in Diet and
Marine Habitat
Sarah Schoen1, John Piatt1,, Mayumi Arimitsu1, Gary Drew1, Brielle Heflin1, David
Douglas1, Martin Renner2, and Erica Madison1
1. US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, [email protected], [email protected],
[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],
[email protected]
2. Tern Again Consulting, [email protected]
How seabirds compensate for variability in prey type and abundance across
large ranges and environments is central to understanding seabird distribution and reproductive success. We studied the marine food webs of Tufted
Puffins (Fratercula cirrhata) at breeding colonies spanning >2,400 km from
Kodiak Island to the western Aleutian Islands during August 2012-2014. We
quantified marine habitat characteristics (e.g., bathymetric-slope, tide-range),
oceanographic conditions (temperature and salinity), forage nekton biomass,
and seabird community composition and density surrounding puffin colonies.
At colonies, we collected puffin chick-meals to characterize prey communities,
and measured chicks to obtain an index of their condition. Cluster analysis of
oceanographic conditions identified at least three distinct ecoregions: (1) Western Aleutians; (2) Eastern Aleutians; and (3) Alaska Peninsula. Correspondingly,
the primary principal component (PPC) encompassing environmental conditions (habitat and oceanographic data) was different among ecoregions. The
community composition, species richness, and biomass of forage nekton differed markedly at the regional scale; however, seabird density and chick condition did not. At a local scale, the PPC for environmental conditions strongly
predicted forage nekton biomass. Further, both forage biomass and the PPC
for the combination of forage biomass and select environmental variables predicted local puffin density. Our results provide evidence that Tufted Puffins can
produce healthy chicks of similar condition across wide ranging environmental
conditions, despite differences in prey abundance, richness, and composition.
The high ecological flexibility of Tufted Puffins may be the key to their overall
success and wide distribution across the North Pacific Ocean.
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Abstracts - Posters
Food, Disease, and Migration: How Emperor Geese Fare in the
Kodiak Archipelago
Brian Uher-Koch, USGS Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK, [email protected]
Robin Corcoran, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Kodiak,
AK, [email protected]
Joel Schmutz, USGS Alaska Science Center, Anchorage, AK, [email protected]
Emperor geese have long been a species of conservation concern. Recently,
the abundance of emperor geese has increased to such a level that harvest is
now allowable for the first time in 30 years. Understanding the ecology of emperor geese during winter might help us understand if the increases in population size are caused by ecological conditions during winter, or if the population
is more influenced by conditions on the breeding sites or staging areas. Emperor geese have a widespread distribution in winter, with some geese migrating
three times as far as other geese. Observations at Kodiak, Adak, and Shemya
Islands indicate that Kodiak geese (those with the shortest migration) are the
fattest, suggesting that feeding conditions (mussels, clams, and algae) are good
at Kodiak. The frequency with which emperor geese are actively infected with
avian influenza virus is much greater at Kodiak than at Adak or Shemya. We
do not currently know why this pattern exists, but one possibility is that there
are larger concentrations of geese and other waterfowl at Kodiak than at the
other two areas, which makes it easier for the virus to continually infect other
birds. At present, we do not detect any negative consequences of infection
from this virus. Indeed, growing numbers of emperor geese wintering in Kodiak may simply be a consequence of less icing in winter (warmer winters),
allowing them to spend winter in areas with big tides (more intertidal foraging
habitat) and having a short migration to the breeding area.
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41
Abstracts - Posters
Ongoing Investigation of the Size and Scope of the 2015/2016
Die-Off of Common Murres in Alaska
Sarah Schoen1, John Piatt1, Robin Corcoran2, Tony DeGange1, David Irons3, Julia Parrish4,
Brielle Heflin1, Robert Kaler3, Kathy Kuletz3, Elizabeth Labunski3, Heather Coletti5, Anne
Schaefer6, and Mary Anne Bishop6
1. US Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, [email protected]
2. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge,
[email protected]
3. US Fish and Wildlife Service, Migratory Bird Management
4. Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team
5. National Park Service, Southwest Alaska Network
6. Prince William Sound Science Center
From spring 2015 through spring 2016, an enormous number of dead, emaciated Common Murres (Uria aalge) washed up on beaches across Alaska in
pulses, peaking during winter months. Coincident with this die-off were anomalously warm ocean temperatures in the North Pacific. To quantify the magnitude and extent of this recent die-off, biologists from several organizations
collaborated on surveys for beach-cast murres at more than 100 beaches spanning a geographic range of >850 km from Prince William Sound to the Alaska
Peninsula, including Kodiak Island. We surveyed >330 km of beach from August
2015 to May 2016, and documented >20,000 dead murres on beach transects.
The mean encounter rate on beaches was 61 murres per km, with an unprecedented maximum encounter rate exceeding 6,980 murres per km, greater than
any previously documented mortality events of murres in Alaska. The proximate cause of death appeared to be starvation: nearly all (96%) of the birds
were emaciated or strongly emaciated, and 91% of stomachs were completely
empty. Surprisingly, the majority of birds we examined were female (74%).
Starvation was likely related to a lack of accessible prey. In the Gulf of Alaska,
young of the year walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus), an important prey
item for murres, were found in lower numbers in larval surveys in 2015 than
in any other time within the last 15 years. We plan to further investigate other
potential causes for this die-off, including testing for the presence of marine
biotoxins, which may have contributed to murre mortality.
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Abstracts - Posters
Marine Mammal Monitoring in the Offshore Waters Near
Kodiak, Alaska, under US Navy funding, 2009-2015
Andrea Balla-Holden, US Navy, Bremerton, WA, [email protected]
Chip Johnson, US Pacific Fleet, San Diego, Ca, [email protected] (presenter)
The US Navy continues to fund extensive marine mammal monitoring within
the Gulf of Alaska. Two ship-based visual and passive acoustic surveys were
conducted in April 2009 and June-July 2013 (5,260 km effort; 898 sightings of
13 species).
From July 2011 through May 2015 up to five bottom-mounted passive acoustic
devices (10 Hz to 160 kHz) were deployed within the Gulf of Alaska. One device
was at the continental slope southeast of Kodiak, Alaska. Over 89,000 hours of
passive acoustic data were analyzed from all five devices through May 2015.
The Kodiak slope device (200 m) recorded over 9,270 hours of passive acoustic
data detecting blue whales, fin whales, gray whales, humpback whales, sperm
whales, Risso’s dolphin, killer whales, an unidentified porpoise, as well as ambient ocean sound measurements.
Finally, a field test of an underwater glider with passive acoustic sensors (15Hz90 kHz) was conducted over a 32 day period from July to August 2015. The
glider was deployed approximately 200 km east-southeast of Homer, Alaska,
and traveled southwest parallel to the continental slope and retrieved southeast of Kodiak, Alaska, having completed 755 km of effort (170 discrete dives
from surface to depth of 1,000 m). Over 680 hours of passive acoustic data was
collected (315 detections of six species, concurrent with collecting measurements of oceanographic conditions).
Additional results from the Kodiak slope passive acoustic device and glider will
be described.
Hunting Seals by Kasheveroff Mountain
Patrick Saltonstall, Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository, Kodiak, AK,
[email protected]
The Kashevaroff Site (7,000 to 100 years before present) lies on the shoulder
of Kashevaroff Mountain, overlooking the grassy meadows at the head of Womens Bay. This large settlement includes a 4-5,000 year-old hunting camp.
Geological observations suggest that the site once overlooked a brackish lake,
fed by Salonie Creek and emptying into the bay. Archaeological data suggest
that site residents pursued seals in the lake and processed their catch at the
Kashevaroff Site. Large numbers of slate lances and net weights suggest that
hunters used spears to kill seals tangled in nets. Numerous cutting tools and
special purpose features, filled with wood charcoal, gravel, and bits of burned
sea mammal bone, hint that seal meat was dried for future use.
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43
Abstracts - Posters
The Seven Principles of Sustainability
Lori Swanson, Marine Conservation Alliance, Poulspo, WA, [email protected]
Julie Bonney, Alaska Groundfish Data Bank, Kodiak, AK
John Gauvin, Alaska Seafood Cooperative, Seattle, WA
Anne Vanderhoeven, Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation, Anchorage, AK
Donna Parker, Arctic Storm Inc., Seattle, WA
An interactive website outlines seven key principles for managing fisheries sustainably, and demonstrates how these principles are applied in North Pacific
federal fisheries. The website includes sections on habitat protection, bycatch
management, food webs, and environmental change. It also covers community
protections and protections against overfishing. Interactive tools allow users to
view areas closed to fishing in the North Pacific, explaining how each closure
applies and why it was developed. The link is http://ebfm.marineconservationalliance.org/.
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Contents
Key Note Presentation
Seabirds, Citizen Science and a Warming World................................................................................................................ 8
Julia Parrish, University of Washington, Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team, Seattle, WA
Session 1 - Ecosystem Anomolies
Making Sense of a Complicated Ecosystem: Gulf of Alaska dynamics from an Integrated Perspective............................. 9
Olav Ormseth
Twenty Years of Observations Along the Gulf of Alaska’s Seward Line: Impact of Continued Warm Conditions................. 10
Russell R. Hopcroft, Kenneth O. Coyle, Seth Danielson, and Suzanne L. Strom
2015 Gulf of Alaska Large Whale Unusual Mortality Event.............................................................................................. 11
Kate Savage, Deborah Fauquier, Stephen Raverty, Kathy Burek Huntington, John Moran, Mandy Migura,
Paul Cottrell, Kate Wynne, Bree Witteveen, and Fran VanDolah
Dead Birds on Beaches, the Seabird Die-off of 2015-16: A Kodiak Perspective .............................................................. 12
Robin Corcoran
Murres, Puffins and the Blob: How Alaska Seabird Populations May Respond to Global Warming................................ 12
Julia Parrish
Current State of Knowledge of Climate Change Effects on Alaska’s Fisheries.................................................................. 13
Terry Johnson
Session 2 - Habitat and Process
Delineating the Footprint of Commercial fisheries: Working Backwards to Examine Effects on Habitat ........................ 13
John Olson
Alaska Essential Fish Habitat Research Plan 2017-2022: A Research Plan for the NOAA Fisheries.................................. 14
Mike Sigler, Matthew Eagleton, Tom Helser, John Olson, Jodi Pirtle, Chris Rooper, Samantha Simpson,
and Bob Stone,
Characterization of the Buskin River Nearshore Area: Bathymetry, Salinity, Marine Ecological Succession,
and Human Use................................................................................................................................................................ 15
Leyla Arsan, Kelly Krueger, and Tom Lance
Underwater Archaeology in the Kodiak Archipelago and Beyond.................................................................................... 15
Jason Rogers
Kayaks and Supersacks: Marine Debris Removal on Shuyak Island.................................................................................. 16
Tom Pogson and Andy Schroeder
Socioeconomic Risks and Impacts of Military Training Events in Gulf of Alaska............................................................... 16
Christina Hendrickson and Emily Stolarcyk
Steller Sea Lions: A Natural Ecosystem Management System.......................................................................................... 17
Olivia Winters, Naomi Daniher, Hanna Clary, Matthew Wald, Lars Bodnar, Jane Eisemann,
and Switgard Duesterloh
Kodiak Youth Leaders in Science Education with Kodiak Refuge Summer Science and Salmon Camp............................ 17
Shelly Lawson, Nia Pristas, and Joshua Barnes
Session 3 - Dynamic Methods
The Molting Process in Golden King Crab, Lithodes aequispin......................................................................................... 18
Daniel Urban and Andrew Nault
It’s Complicated: The Reproductive Biology of the Shortraker Rockfish in Alaska ......................................................... 18
Christina Conrath
Zooarchaeological Analysis of Central Alaskan Fish Fauna............................................................................................... 19
Holly McKinney, Carrin Halffman, Ben Potter, Joshua Reuther, and Chuck Holmes
Experimentally Wrangling with Fish Parasites.................................................................................................................. 19
Brian Himelbloom and Christopher Sannito
Chignik River Post-Weir Enumeration with DIDSON......................................................................................................... 20
Mary Beth Loewen
Hunting Seals with Nets 5000 Years Ago.......................................................................................................................... 20
Patrick Saltonstall
Session 4 - Community and Monitoring
Building Networks to Bridge Information and Action on Alaska’s Coasts......................................................................... 21
Davin Holen
What are the “Best Practices” for Community-Based Monitoring of Alaska’s Coastal and Ocean Environment?............... 21
Marilyn Sigman
A World Bridge: Kodiak Island Borough School District Project Activitiesin the Gulf of Alaska . ..................................... 22
Mr. Searaphim McGann, Kiae Shin, Daniel Johnson, and Tiger Oka
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The Coastal Community Ocean Observers (C202) Program............................................................................................. 23
Peter Winsor, Seth Danielson, Tuula Hollmen, and Glen Clough
Monitoring Paralytic Shellfish Toxins to Provide Sustainable Access to Traditional Resources........................................ 24
Chris Whitehead
Monitoring Ocean Acidification and the Sustainability of Crab Fisheries in Alaska......................................................... 25
Robert Foy
Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning and Community Involvement: Working Toward Safe Shellfish Harvest
on Kodiak Island............................................................................................................................................................... 25
Julie Matweyou
From Collection to Practical Use: Integrating and Visualizing Coastal and Marine Data.................................................. 26
Will Koeppen, Molly McCammon, and Rob Bochenek
Kodiak Tribes Seafood Consumption Assessment: Final Report...................................................................................... 27
Kathy Drabek, Thomas Lance, Kelly Krueger, Sean Hales, Erica McCall Valentine, and Shubha Pandit
Session 5 - Marine and Coastal Systems
Electrofishing and Kick Seining Efforts for Invasive Signal Crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) on Kodiak Island, Alaska.. 28
Kelly Krueger and Tom Lance
How Many Fish are in this Barrel? Sustainably Harvesting Two Easily Caught Skate Species.......................................... 29
Thomas J. Farrugia, Gordon H. Kruse, Ian G. Taylor, Olav A. Ormseth, Keith R. Criddle, and Andrew C. Seitz
Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Marine Bird Monitoring and Research.......................................................................... 30
Robin Corcoran
The Next Generation of Fishermen in the Kodiak Archipelago: Exploring Dynamics Contributing to the Graying of the
Fleet in Alaska’s Commercial Fishing Industry.................................................................................................................. 31
Danielle Ringer, Courtney Carothers, Jesse Coleman, Paula Cullenberg, and Rachel Donkersloot
An Archaeological Investigation of a 3800 Year Old Fishery in the Kodiak Archipelago................................................... 32
Justin Hays
How Old is that Crab? Progress on an Age Old Question................................................................................................. 33
April Rebert, Joel Webb, Kevin McNeel, and Gordon Kruse
Tanner Crab Population in the Kodiak District of the Westward Region.......................................................................... 34
Kally Spalinger
A World Bridge: Kodiak Island Borough School District Upcoming Projects
Research and Development............................................................................................................................................. 35
Mr. Searaphim McGann, Kiae Shin, Daniel Johnson, and Tiger Oka
Recent Chemical Dispersant Research and Policy Changes in the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Region .................................... 36
Lisa Matlock, Wayne Donaldson, and Brooke Taylor
How Does Release Density Affect Enhancement Success for Hatchery-Reared Red King Crab?...................................... 36
W. Christopher Long, Peter A. Cummiskey, and J. Eric Munk
Posters
Implementation of Community Based PSP Testing for Subsistence and Recreational Shellfish Harvesting In
Southwestern Alaska – A Project Description.................................................................................................................. 37
Julie A. Matweyou, R. Wayne Litaker, Steven R. Kibler, Bruce A. Wright, Donnie R. Hardison,
and Patricia A. Tester
Climate Change and Ocean Acidification: A Middle School Tutorial................................................................................ 38
Switgard Duesterloh
Intertidal and Subtidal Colonization of New Rock at the Kodiak Airport.......................................................................... 38
Leyla Arsan, Kelly Krueger, and Tom Lance
SASAP - State of Alaska’s Salmon and People................................................................................................................... 39
Ian Dutton, Peter Westley, Frank Davis, Katherine Schake, and Jorge Cornejo-Donoso
Tufted Puffins Succeed Despite High Variability in Diet and Marine Habitat................................................................... 40
Sarah Schoen, John Piatt, Mayumi Arimitsu, Gary Drew, Brielle Heflin, David Douglas, Martin Renner,
and Erica Madison
Food, Disease, and Migration: How Emperor Geese Fare in the Kodiak Archipelago...................................................... 41
Brian Uher-Koch, Robin Corcoran, and Joel Schmutz
Ongoing Investigation of the Size and Scope of the 2015/2016 Die-Off of Common Murres in Alaska........................... 42
Sarah Schoen, John Piatt, Robin Corcoran, Tony DeGange, David Irons, Julia Parrish, Brielle Heflin, Robert Kaler, Kathy
Kuletz, Elizabeth Labunski, Heather Coletti, Anne Schaefer, and Mary Anne Bishop
Marine Mammal Monitoring in the Offshore Waters Near Kodiak Alaska under U.S. Navy Funding 2009-2015................ 43
Andrea Balla-Holden
Hunting Seals by Kashevaroff Mountain........................................................................................................................... 43
Molly Odell and Patrick Saltonstall
The Seven Principles of Sustainability.............................................................................................................................. 44
Lori Swanson, Julie Bonney, John Gauvin, Anne Vanderhoeven, and Donna Parker
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