Marine Mammal Issues in the GOA: Marine Mammal Issues in the GOA: IERP considerationsIERP considerations

Kate M. WynneUAF School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences

Sea Grant Marine Advisory ProgramKodiak, Alaska

Diverse TaxaDiverse Taxa

• Pinnipeds• Sea Otters• Whales

BaleenToothed

Photo by Kathy Hough

Diverse HabitatsDiverse Habitats

Diverse Foraging StrategiesDiverse Foraging Strategies

Diverse Life Histories and StrategiesDiverse Life Histories and Strategies

K-selected

Homeotherms

Air-breathers

HIGH energetic demands

High Latitude Marine

Seasonal Migration and FastingSeasonal Migration and Fasting

5

15

25

35

45

55

65

-240 -220 -200 -180 -160 -140 -120 -100 -80

Hawaii

Mexic

Central America

Russia

Okinawa

Ogasawara

Philippines

Alaska

British Columbia

USA

North Pacific Humpback Whales – SPLASH 2004

Maternal Investment

variable energy storage capacityInsulation

b. b. TIMINGTIMING of prey availability is of prey availability is CRITICAL and VARIABLECRITICAL and VARIABLE

Bottomline #1

a. They are all here for the FOOD

Bottomline #2

b. Effects of change

a. They are significant consumers throughout the GOA

Diverse Issues and QuestionsDiverse Issues and Questions

Bottomline #3

Diverse Habitats

Diverse Life Histories

Diverse Prey and Foraging

Some Recovering and/or Increasing

Effects of change ?

Others Not Recovering and/or In Decline

Many Unknown

Differential Population Trajectories Differential Population Trajectories

Within species across GOA

Between sympatric species

Changes in Reproductive PatternsTiming of harbor seal puppingProlonged dependency of SSL pups ?

Changes in DistributionReflection of population status ?Change in prey abundance ? Temporal and spatial distribution ? Oceanographic anomolies ?

Kodiak Gray Whale Distribution 1999-2003

Is this an indicator of change• Gray whale population? • Climate? • Arctic productivity?

Year-round grays feeding in KodiakYear-round grays feeding in Kodiak

Why ? Why ?

Different processes at play ?Different processes at play ?

Diverse Habitats

Diverse Life Histories

Diverse Prey and Foraging

Mary Crivello photo

Top DownTop DownPredationDisease or Parasites Anthropogenic • Harvest, predator control, whaling• Bycatch • Contaminants : long-lived lipophiles

Direct effects on population structure

Residual effects on trophic structure

Bottom UpBottom Up

• Oceanographic / climate features and change ?

• Inter- or intraspecific competition ?

Anything that affects prey * availability at critical times

( * Zooplankton, bivalves, cephalopods, fish…….)