savoonga science and tek arctic imperative summit resources - george noongwook –
Post on 26-Mar-2015
217 Views
Preview:
TRANSCRIPT
SAVOONGAScience and TEK
Arctic Imperative SummitRESOURCES
- George Noongwook –
Beaufort Sea
Chukchi Sea
Bering Sea Girdwood
Savoonga
RUSSIA
ALASKA
EXTREMES
• Longest lived mammal (~ 150 yr)• Late age at sexual maturity (~20 yr)• Low body temperature (~92 F)• Longest baleen (~16 ft)• Thickest blubber (35”)• Best tasting
Spring time
Fall time
Traditional Knowledge of the Bowhead Whale (Balaena mysticetus) around Saint Lawrence Island, Alaska
1.Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission / Native Village of Savoonga
2.Private Consultant – Eagle River
3.North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management - Barrow, AK
TEK bowhead whale surveys indicated:
• 2 migratory routes recognized• Changes in abundance and distribution• Timing / direction of migrations• Identified migratory “staging area”• Identified several local feeding area• Increasing numbers of “ingutuks” or sub-adults
Staging AreaMigrations
December/January
April/May
April/May
feeding, mating
feeding
Staging area in
May/June
Savoonga
Pugughileq
Gambell
Kiyalighaq
Northeast Cape
80 kilometers/50 miles
B e r i n g S e a
Saint Lawrence Island
Chukotka, Russia
Ecological Change
Impact/ Response
Mediator
e.g. politics, regulation, inertia
e.g. economic/social system, personal
choice, culture
e.g. climate
Mechanism Connecting Change to Impact
Angyaq
The Native people of Savoonga forever rely on marine mammals for food and domestic needs.
We will continue this tradition.
Hauling up a whale
Subsistence camp
Birds &Eggs 4%Reindeer
2%
Marine Mammals
88%
Moose0% Non-Salmon
Fish 4%Other Land
Mammals 0%
Plants &Berries 1%
Salmon1%
Savoonga Savoonga: 2005-2006 Percent total subsistence harvest
Zero days/wk0.0%
1 day/wk5%
2 days/wk2.1%
3 days/wk11.3%
4 days/wk14.9%
5 days/wk19.1%6 days/wk
5.0%
7 days/wk42.6%
2005-2006 Number of days per week use subsistence harvested foods, SavoongaSavoonga: 2005-2006 # days per week, subsistence food use
Satellite-tagged bowhead locations and MODIS sea ice imagesMarch 2009
The Tribe has regulated the taking of marine mammals in a respectful & non-wasteful manner (Consistent with MMPA, Constitution, and By-laws of the Native Village of Savoonga 1934)
Survival depends upon community cooperation and sharing the marine mammal harvest
All of our harvests!
Environmental• Loss of marine mammal habitat
• Less availability of marine subsistence resources
• Subsistence resources less accessible – less predictable
• Longer travel in open seas – increase cost / increase risk
• Health of marine resources
• Disease
• Changing ecosystem: “new” animals / competition
CONCERNS/THREATS
Industrial• Oil spills
• Ship strikes
• Acoustic disturbance / deflection
• Entanglement / marine trash
• Hazards to maritime subsistence activities
CONCERNS/THREATS
Environmental• Fall whaling (1990)
OPPORTUNITY
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Gambell
Savoonga
Ju
lian
da
teWhale harvest
OPPORTUNITY Industrial
• Direct communication with transiting vessels
• Training / education
• Mitigation measures
• Monitoring / other science opportunities
• Local employment
• Involvement in policy-making
• Tribal government representation
Acknowledgements• Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission, Captains / Crews• Barrow Whaling Captains Association• Savoonga Whaling Captains Association• North Slope Borough, Wildlife Department• Mayor’s Office, North Slope Borough• University of Washington• Colorado State University• NOAA / National Marine Fisheries Service• Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game• Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks – Marine Advisory Program• Texas A&M University• BP and Conoco-Phillips
Igamsiqanaghalek!
top related