Whale-hunt quota may stay Feb 6, 2008
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Villages along Alaska's western coastline where residents hunt bowhead whales would see no reduction in their subsistence-hunt quota under a plan preferred by a federal agency ... If approved, it would allow a total of 255 bowhead whales to be harvested from 2008 through 2012 and set a maximum yearly strike quota of 67 with up to 15 unused strikes allowable carryover to the next year, said Steve Davis, a biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service in Anchorage, who... (AZCentral -- News)
Groups Sue to Block Alaska Oil Drilling Plan Feb 4, 2008
Plaintiffs in the suit claim drilling will endanger polar bears, along with bowhead whales, gray whales, Pacific walrus, ribbon seals, threatened spectacled eiders, and other marine birds and fish. "The only thing keeping pace with the drastic melting of the Arctic sea ice is the breakneck speed with which the Department of Interior is rushing to sell off polar bear habitat for fossil fuel development," said Brendan Cummings, oceans program director at the Center for Biological Diversity, one of... (Planet Ark, United States)
Groups sue for files on polar bears, lease sale Jan 29, 2008
Besides polar bears, the Chukchi is used by endangered bowhead whales, threatened eider ducks, gray whales, walrus, seals and marine birds. The groups want the agency to release e-mail communications that they say demonstrates that the MMS may have understated the potential development that might occur as a result of the Chukchi Sea lease sale. (Anchorage Daily News)
Bodies point to Alaska's past Jan 1, 2008
" The bluff lies virtually at the end of the Americas, on a narrow, hooked spit projecting northwards from Barrow. It marks the join of the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, and is prey to the temperamental vagaries of both. I used to think that my ancestors were really smart, but I never knew they achieved so much Ben Frantz II Now known as Point Barrow, the settlement on it was Nuvuk for at least 1,000 years, a spot presumably chosen because of its proximity to the migration path of bowhead whales... (BBC News -- Science)
How Marine Mammals Can Stay Underwater So Long Dec 20, 2007
Bowhead whales have been known to live as long as 211 years, Williams noted. That makes her wonder how their brains are protected and whether whales ever suffer from strokes. (Science Daily)
Don't hold your breath unless you're a seal Dec 20, 2007
Bowhead whales live 200-plus years, more than double the typical human lifetime. Williams asks, "What if you could do something that would keep your brain active for twice as long?". (MSNBC -- Technology)
Groups challenge Shell's drilling plans Dec 6, 2007
The attorneys told a three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that the federal agency failed to adequately consider the impact of Shell's activities on endangered bowhead whales and other marine mammals ... "Bowhead whales are very sensitive to underwater noise and they can be deflected from their migratory route," Winter told the judges. (Anchorage Daily News)
Court Asked to Block Alaska Oil Drilling Dec 5, 2007
Attorneys for the groups appealing the decision told a three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, in San Francisco, that the mineral agency didn't adequately consider the drilling's impact on endangered bowhead whales and other marine mammals. They said the agency should require more extensive environmental studies before allowing Shell to drill. (ABC News -- Wire)
Oil tensions for natives in Alaska Dec 4, 2007
They argue that noisy drilling off the Alaskan coast could disrupt migration routes for bowhead whales, making it impossible for the Inupiat to capture their allotted share of about 60 animals. A court hearing is scheduled for Wednesday to consider whether the company can move forward, although a ruling is not expected for months. (International Herald Tribune -- Business)
Alaska offshore oil search turns up whales Nov 8, 2007
"They do, however, have authorization to harass other whales and marine mammals, which were expected to be encountered during the course of their seismic operations," Smith said, including ringed seals, bearded seals, gray whales and bowhead whales ... The sensitivity of bowhead whales, which remain close to sea ice and are hunted in limited numbers by Eskimo whalers, is considered equal to or greater than the sensitivity of humpbacks, he said ... Humpback, fin and bowhead whales are all baleen... (MSNBC -- Environment)
Groups to monitor whales in Beaufort Sea Nov 7, 2007
The sensitivity of bowhead whales, which remain close to sea ice and are hunted in limited numbers by Eskimo whalers, is considered equal to or greater than the sensitivity of humpbacks, Smith said. Cummings does not agree with that assessment of humpbacks - or with the government's protective measures in general. (Herald Online, SC -- Health)
ANWR Oil Drilling Threat Delayed Oct 10, 2007
And so are several endangered species, including bowhead whales. Onshore is some of the most pristine habitat left in the USA. A request by Shell oil for further drilling activities is at issue. (Suite101.com)
Shell still banking on drilling in Alaska Oct 7, 2007
They worry that industrial noise and oil spills could disturb or harm endangered bowhead whales, polar bears, fish and birds that sustain the Inupiat subsistence culture. They're also concerned about whether Shell can adequately clean up oil spills in icy conditions, said Whit Sheard, who is based in Alaska for the San Francisco environmental group Pacific Environment. (Anchorage Daily News)
Whales will hear, avoid Superferry, expert says Oct 5, 2007
He also has studied population parameters in cetaceans and has taken part in a variety of other studies on seals, sea lions and bowhead whales. While plaintiff attorneys argued to have Fraker's expertise limited to marine mammals in Alaska, Judge Joseph Cardoza granted expert qualification based on education, training and knowledge. (Honolulu Star-Bulletin)
Review board yanks Shell pollution permits Sep 16, 2007
The groups argue that another federal agency that regulates the oil industry, the Minerals Management Service, failed to fully study the risks to endangered bowhead whales and the environment before approving Shell's exploration plan. The legal and permitting snags almost certainly have dashed Shell's goal to drill this year -- a costly blow considering the large fleet of drilling and support ships the company has had on standby most of the summer. (Anchorage Daily News)
Shell's rocky return Aug 20, 2007
The opponents raise a complex set of objections, but they center on fears that industrial noise and spills could disturb or harm endangered bowhead whales, polar bears, fish and birds that sustain an ancient Inupiat subsistence culture. They accuse regulators in a Bush administration eager to boost U.S. oil production of giving short shrift to the risks. (Anchorage Daily News)
Shell's Beaufort drilling plans dealt costly setback by court Aug 17, 2007
DELAY: The court order is a victory for those who argue the project will drive bowhead whales away ... The court order is a victory for environmental groups and North Slope residents who argued oil industry noise could drive migratory bowhead whales out of reach of Native subsistence hunters, and who accused federal regulators of doing shoddy environmental studies of potential harm from drilling to whales, polar bears and birds. (Anchorage Daily News)
Alaska offshore drilling delayed further Aug 17, 2007
Polar bears, various bird species and endangered bowhead whales live in the refuge and surrounding territory. Alaska Natives hunt the whales for food under federal subsistence rules and fear underwater seismic surveys could prompt the migratory animals to travel farther from shore. (MSNBC -- Environment)
Federal court blocks Shell drilling in Arctic Aug 16, 2007
The order is a victory for environmental groups and North Slope residents who argued noisy oil industry activity could drive bowhead whales out of reach of subsistence hunters and who accused federal regulators of performing shoddy environmental studies of the potential effects of drilling. For Shell, its a costly setback. (Anchorage Daily News)
Slope spills range from crude oil to saltwater Aug 14, 2007
"If there's a major spill, it has the potential to harm bowhead whales, polar bears and migratory birds.". INFRASTRUCTURE ALSO A PROBLEM. (Anchorage Daily News)
Ben Stevens lands job on the sea Aug 9, 2007
At issue is whether the drilling could disturb migratory bowhead whales hunted for subsistence. That's why Shell's drill ship remains in Dutch Harbor. (Anchorage Daily News)
Alaska digest Aug 5, 2007
The National Marine Fisheries Service issued a proposal Friday that would allow subsistence hunts of endangered bowhead whales to continue for the next five years ... Between 2003 and 2006, subsistence hunters averaged about 50 harpoon strikes on bowhead whales each year, and Alaska Natives consumed 31 whales for subsistence in 2006, according to the Fisheries Service ... According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, there are fewer than 10,000 bowhead whales left in the world. (Anchorage Daily News)
State environment official assists Shell with federal plea Jul 27, 2007
The challengers say Shell and the government havent done enough to prevent noisy drilling rigs, icebreakers and other industry activity from driving away migratory bowhead whales, potentially ruining Native subsistence hunts. Theyre also concerned about oil spills in icy waters. (Anchorage Daily News)
Beaufort freeze has Shell on its toes Jul 25, 2007
At issue is how to keep noisy exploratory operations from driving away migratory bowhead whales, which Native villagers hunt for food. The challengers also question Shell's ability to clean up an oil spill in waters chock-full of ice. (Anchorage Daily News)
Shell Oil put on hold in the Arctic Jul 22, 2007
They contend that Shell's activities could drive bowhead whales farther from the coastline, interfering with Native subsistence whale hunts. They also question Shell's ability to clean up an oil spill on sea ice. (Anchorage Daily News)
Shell ordered to suspend Arctic drilling Jul 21, 2007
Opponents get hearing to argue that bowhead whales would be harmed ... Opponents of drilling in the Beaufort Sea argue that environmental impact studies carried out by Shell and approved by the U.S. Department of the Interior failed to take seriously the threat posed to bowhead whales and other wildlife. (MSNBC -- Environment)
A giant of the sea finds slimmer pickings Jul 11, 2007
Their arrival has become an annoyance and even a navigational hazard for local Inupiat (Eskimo) subsistence hunters, who have permits to hunt bowhead whales but not grays. "A few people have been running skiffs along the coast and have hit them," George said. (Sun-Sentinel.com)
Patented harpoon pins down whale age Jun 20, 2007
And bowhead whales do not form solid ear plugs. In 1999, a research team led by George analysed amino acids in the eye lenses of bowheads to determine their age. (Nature News Service)
Study Helps Preserve Arctic Whale, Eskimo Subsistence Hunt Jun 14, 2007
Three bowhead whales surface for air ... The study, published last month in Molecular Ecology, measured genetic variation of bowhead whales in order to shed light on the animal s population makeup, or stock structure. (Science Daily)
Weapon fragment from 1800s found in whale Jun 13, 2007
ADVERTISEMENT (article continues below) The find adds to recent information suggesting that bowhead whales have life spans that extend past a century, he said ... The Inupiat have long said that bowhead whales live for the equivalent of two human lifetimes, George said. (Scientific American)
19th-century weapon found in whale reveals age Jun 13, 2007
The find adds to recent information suggesting that bowhead whales have life spans that extend past a century, George said. It's rare to find a whale that has lived more than a century, but experts say the oldest were close to 200 years old. (Xinhuanet, China)
Japan Threatens to Leave Whaling Forum Jun 4, 2007
The proposal, first made by Denmark on Tuesday, increases western Greenland's minke whale catch limits by 25 a year to 200 in the five-year period ending in 2012 and introduces two bowhead whales into its annual hunt. Greenland said the catch limits allowed by the IWC over the last 20 years did not meet the dietary needs of its people. (Planet Ark, United States)
Swiss see progress on whaling Jun 3, 2007
Japan's proposal triggered a long and contentious debate on Wednesday, a day after the IWC had renewed a five:year quota for Alaska Natives and the indigenous people of Chukotka, Russia, to continue the subsistence hunts of bowhead whales ... This was eventually rejected on Thursday, though the commission did approve Greenland's revised proposal to increase its aboriginal quota of minke whales to 200, as well as to hunt fin and bowhead whales. (NZZ Online)
Anti-whaling nations gain some concessions on final day Jun 2, 2007
Also on Thursday, the commission passed Greenland's revised proposal to increase its aboriginal quota of minke whales to 200 as well as hunt fin and bowhead whales. Greenland, a semiautonomous Danish territory, originally wanted to also add humpback whales, but met adamant opposition from critics who noted that the huge humpbacks and bowheads have low reproduction cycles. (Anchorage Daily News)
More coverage from Alaska Newsreader Jun 1, 2007
Anchorage Daily News. All Alaska in one click -- news, blogs, videos and more. (Anchorage Daily News)
Japan pursues minke hunt Jun 1, 2007
The proposal was heard a day after the IWC allowed Alaska Natives to continue the subsistence hunts of bowhead whales through 2012. Critics called Japan's plan commercial whaling and said there is not enough scientific data to know if the minke stocks in the area are large enough to sustain hunting. (Anchorage Daily News)
Whales Face Threat From Energy Exploration - Report Jun 1, 2007
Itta and other Inupiat officials have protested a variety of exploration plans for the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, home to endangered bowhead whales. The Inupiat, who hunt bowheads, are alarmed by Shell's plan this summer for exploration drilling in the Beaufort using ice breakers and seismic vessels. (Planet Ark, United States)
Native whalers land victory May 31, 2007
The approval also allows Russia's subsistence whalers to take five additional bowhead whales annually for the five years for a total of 25. There are more than 10,000 bowhead whales in the Arctic bowhead stock. (Anchorage Daily News)
* IWC renews quotas for whale hunts in US and Russia May 31, 2007
The semi-autonomous Danish territory also wanted to add 10 humpbacks per year and two bowhead whales, neither of which have been hunted in Greenland for decades. IWC chief William Hogarth urged Denmark to review its proposal in a spirit of "compromise" and return to the meeting for further discussions. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Business)
Whaling Commission Renews Most Aboriginal Hunting Quotas May 31, 2007
But Greenland's bid to increase its take of minke whales by 25 and to include 10 and 2 bowhead whales for the first time is worrying, Fisher noted. The Danish territory's delegates to the IWC meeting said the increase, which would raise the allowable catch to 740 tons of whale meat from 540 tons, is needed to supply growing demand. (National Geographic)
Japan Argues to Hunt Minke Whales May 31, 2007
Japan's proposal at the annual meeting of the 77-nation commission started a long and contentious debate Wednesday, a day after the body allowed Alaska Natives to continue the subsistence hunts of bowhead whales through 2012 ... The proposal was heard a day after the whaling commission allowed Alaska Natives to continue the subsistence hunts of bowhead whales through 2012. (Sunspot.net -- Business)
Eskimo whalers win 5-year hunt May 30, 2007
There are more than 10,000 bowhead whales in the Arctic bowhead stock, and countries voiced support because the Scientific Committee decided the bowhead hunt is sustainable. The IWC, meeting in Anchorage this year with more than 70 member countries, governs the worlds large whale stocks, including the bowhead hunted by Alaska's North Slope and St. Lawrence Island Eskimos. (Anchorage Daily News)
Deadlock at Greenland whale plan May 30, 2007
It wanted to increase the number of minke whales taken from 175 to 200, and include 10 humpbacks and 2 bowhead whales for the first time. Greenland Inuit delegate Amalie Jessen said her people had demonstrated a need for 730 tonnes of whale meat each year rather than the current 450 tonnes. (BBC News -- Science)
Anti-Whaling Nations Against Japan Coastal Whaling May 30, 2007
The US delegation said its top priority will be to obtain a renewed quota that allows Alaska Natives to kill 41 bowhead whales a year. "It is more than a right. It is an absolute necessity," Sen. (Planet Ark, United States)
Eskimos May Be Caught in Whaling Body's Annual Fight Over Commercial Hunts May 29, 2007
Eskimos like Komonaseak may be caught in the row between Japan and conservationist countries over the ban on commercial whaling, when the 76-member IWC votes on whether to renew quotas that allow Eskimo communities to hunt as many as 50 bowhead whales a year. Japan will probably fail to overturn the ban at the meeting which started overnight in Anchorage. (Bloomberg -- Japan)
Anti-whaling lobby accuses Japan of 'provocation' May 29, 2007
But Alaska's request to continue killing 41 bowhead whales a year through to 2012 could put US delegates at odds with their natural allies in the anti-whaling bloc. Ted Harvest, a Republican senator from Alaska, said the native Alaskans had every right to continue the hunts. (Guardian Unlimited -- World)
Double standards?Why Alaskan Eskimos have a cultural claim to hunt whales May 29, 2007
The cloud marks the end of the shorebound ice, the beginnings of water - the lead which bowhead whales are following as they make their annual northwards trek from the cold waters of the Bering Sea between Siberia and Alaska to the even colder Beaufort Sea. Strung out along the edge of the lead, waiting for the whales as they have done virtually every spring for 1,000 years, are Native Inupiat hunters for whom whales mark the centrepiece of the nutritional and cultural worlds. (BBC News -- Science)
Anti-whaling lobby rebuffs Japan May 29, 2007
Greenland wants to expand the scale of its indigenous hunt, and include humpbacks and bowhead whales for the first time. With much of the meat being sold, there are concerns that it is coming too close to being a commercial endeavour. (BBC News -- Science)
Whaling opponents reject Japan bid May 29, 2007
The proposed subsistence renewal for Alaskan natives would keep the quota at 260 bowhead whales through 2012, a plan which has US backing. Managing the world's whales. (Aljazeera.net)
Conciliation talk at whaling meet May 28, 2007
Greenland wants to expand the scale of its indigenous hunt, and include humpbacks and bowhead whales for the first time; with much of the meat being sold, there are concerns that it is coming too close to being a commercial endeavour. I was under the impression that we had a global whale sanctuary already. (BBC News)
Whales in Hot Water: Global Warming's Effect on World's Largest Creatures May 22, 2007
According to the report, cetaceans that rely on polar, icy waters for their habitat and food resources -- such as belugas, narwhal, and bowhead whales -- are likely to be dramatically affected by the reduction of sea ice cover. As sea ice cover decreases there will be more human activities such as commercial shipping, oil, gas and mining exploration and development, and military activities in previously untouched areas of the Arctic. (PR Newswire)
Ocean's biggest mammals increasingly prey to climate change May 22, 2007
Belugas, narwhal, and bowhead whales could be dramatically affected by the reduction of sea ice cover. In the Arctic, an area the size of Italy was lost between 2005 and 2006, according to WWF. The melting ice could in turn spark worsening effects from human activities. (Monsters and Critics.com)
Last gasp effort to save the whaling ban May 7, 2007
It's time to call Attenborough. Naturalist and former Tory chairman make unlikely allies amid British moves to tip balance against Japan. (Guardian Unlimited)
Oceanographers attempt whale of a study Apr 30, 2007
" When a narwhal comes close, the scientists -- who wear bright-orange "survival suits" for protection if they fall into icy water -- wrap the whale in a net laid out for it. The net is suspended by small floats. When the narwhal gets caught in it, researchers drive out in inflatable boats to pull the whale to the surface and restrain it in what resembles a giant hammock. Often the whale starts "bucking around like it's in a rodeo," Laidre said, but it calms down once it gets a few breaths. The... (San Francisco Chronicle -- Science)
More oil leases sold off Alaska coast Apr 20, 2007
They fear a spill would be catastrophic, harming polar bears, bowhead whales, walrus and other marine mammals. Robert Thompson, an Inupiat whaler from the village of Kaktovik the only village inside the national refuge said that Alaska Natives and others most impacted by offshore development are not getting their questions answered. (MSNBC -- Environment)
Groups seek halt to Shell drilling in Beaufort Sea Apr 18, 2007
"Such a spill could have catastrophic effects on the environment and resources in the Beaufort Sea," the groups said in their appeal, including wildlife such as polar bears, bowhead whales, walrus and other marine mammals ... Bowhead whales, she said, could be deflected away from hunters by drilling noise. (Anchorage Daily News)
Survey ranks Inupiat villages high for quality of living Mar 24, 2007
An Inupiat Eskimo whaler sits in a skin boat waiting for bowhead whales in Barrow. A recent quality-of-life survey found that higher incomes don't reduce people's reliance on subsistence. (Anchorage Daily News)
Alaska natives sue to stop offshore drilling Mar 2, 2007
Bowhead whales like this mother and calf migrate through the seas off northern Alaska where the federal government intends to open areas to oil drilling. . (MSNBC -- Environment)
Whale-sized showdown headed for Anchorage Mar 1, 2007
The issue is whether Alaska's North Slope and St. Lawrence Island Eskimos can continue to hunt and kill small numbers of endangered bowhead whales ... The IWC in 2002 gave Alaska Eskimo crews 51 bowhead whales a year from 2003 through 2007. (Anchorage Daily News)
Exploration wells in Alaska Arctic allowed Feb 22, 2007
Bowhead whales like this mother and calf migrate through the seas off northern Alaska at the same time of year thatShell will be exploring there for oil ... The waters where Shell plans to drill are home for part of the summer to bowhead whales, which are listed as an endangered species. (MSNBC -- Business)
Shell gets go-ahead for Beaufort Sea drilling Feb 21, 2007
Earthjustice, a nonprofit law firm representing five Alaska environmentalist groups, urged officials at MMS to prepare a full environmental impact statement before allowing the drilling to happen, saying the activity could harm the bowhead whales, polar bears, migratory birds and other area wildlife ... The MMS in its environmental assessment concluded that there would be minimal disturbance to the bowhead whales, citing prior exploration drilling activity under a scenario similar to the one... (Anchorage Daily News)
After 25 years, bowhead whale sanctuary is near Feb 10, 2007
A deal to create Canada's first sanctuary for bowhead whales has been signed between the federal government and Nunavut's land claim organization after more than 25 years of talks and delays. These wildlife protected areas mean that the wildlife will be there forever, so we are happy about that, James Eetoolook, vice-president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., which oversees the Nunavut land claim, said Friday. (Globe and Mail -- National)
Canada Finds Killer Whales Drawn to Warmer Arctic Jan 22, 2007
Subscribe to daily environment news. CANADA: January 22, 2007. (Planet Ark, United States)
Killer whales drawn to 'warm' Arctic Jan 21, 2007
"But for the past three years they are noticing the orcas are sticking around in their waters more so than would have in the past. That triggered more research efforts by the federal Fisheries Department, said Mr Nirlungayuk. The longer range plan is to help manage the orcas' bigger prey such as the beluga, narwhal and bowhead whales, said Steven Ferguson, a research scientist with the Fisheries Department and leader of the project. The black-and-while animals are efficient predators that can... (Daily Telegraph)
Research says melting sea ice may be drawing killer whales north Jan 19, 2007
Although there are no reports of a killer whale taking on a polar bear, there are records of them bringing down belugas, narwhals, walrus and even huge bowhead whales. That concerns some Inuit hunters, who depend on the same animals to keep their larders stocked. (Globe and Mail)
