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National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Regional Office

Bowhead Whales

Bowhead Whale Management

The International Whaling Commission conserves and manages bowhead whale populations worldwide under the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling.

In Alaska, the U.S. government and the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission have jointly managed the traditional subsistence harvest of the bowhead whale under a cooperative agreement since 1981. The Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission allocates the International Whaling Commission quota among the ten Alaska Eskimo communities that hunt whales: Gambell; Savoonga; Wales; Little Diomede; Kivalina; Point Hope; Wainwright; Barrow; Nuiqsut and Kaktovik. A part of the International Whaling Commission quota is also allocated to whaling villages in Russia.

All stocks of bowhead whales are classified as protected by the International Whaling Commission. The United States has classified bowhead whales as endangered under the Endangered Species Act and depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

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Subsistence Whaling

bowhead whales
Bowhead whales. Photo: Kristin Laidre, American Cetacean Society ©

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)


Cooperative Agreement


Quotas



Critical Habitat

  • 67 FR 55767, August 30, 2002. Notice of determination - NMFS is not proposing designation of critical habitat for this population of bowhead whales.
  • 66 FR 28141, May 22, 2001. Notice of a petition to designate critical habitat for the Western Arctic stock of bowhead whales under the ESA. Copy of Petition
  • Biological Opinion on the DOI Minerals Management Service’s Liberty oil project and its effects on the endangered bowhead whale, January 31, 2002.


Stock Status

Development in Beaufort and Chukchi Seas
  • 73 FR 49421, August 21, 2008. Notice that an Incidental Harassment Authorization to take marine mammals, by Level B harassment, incidental to conducting open water shallow hazard and site clearance surveys by ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. (CPAI) in the Chukchi Sea has been issued.
  • 73 FR 46774, August 11, 2008. Notice of an Incidental Harassment Authorization to take marine mammals, by Level-B harassment, incidental to conducting open water shallow hazard and site clearance surveys by ASRC Energy Service in the Chukchi Sea.
  • 73 FR 45969, August 7, 2008. Notice that NMFS has issued an Incidental Harassment Authorization to PGS Onshore, Inc. to take, by harassment, small numbers of six species of marine mammals incidental to an exploratory 3D marine seismic survey in the Beaufort Sea, Alaska. Effective July 30, 2008, through July 29, 2009.
  • Federal district court decision to uphold NOAA's issuance of an incidental harassment authorization to Shell Offshore, Inc., July 2008
  • Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation Biological Opinion on Oil and Gas Leasing and Exploration Activities in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, Alaska, and Authorization of Small Takes Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, July 2008
  • 73 FR 40512, July 15, 2008. Notice of issuance of an IHA to BP Exploration, Inc. to take, by harassment, small numbers of six species of marine mammals incidental to a 3D, ocean bottom cable (OBC) seismic survey in the Liberty Prospect, Beaufort Sea, Alaska during July and August, 2008. Effective July 8, 2008, through August 25, 2008.
  • 73 FR 38990, July 8, 2008. Notice of issuance of a letter of authorization to BP Exploration, Inc. to take marine mammals incidental to the production of offshore oil and gas at the Northstar development in the Beaufort Sea off Alaska. Effective from July 7, 2008, through July 6, 2009.
  • 73 FR 36044, June 25, 2008. Notice of receipt of an application from Shell Offshore, Inc. and its contractor WesternGeco for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take small numbers of marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to conducting marine geophysical programs, including deep seismic surveys, on oil and gas lease blocks located on Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) waters in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. Comment period through July 25, 2008.
  • 73 FR 31816, June 4, 2008. Notice of receipt of application from Shell Offshore, Inc. for an Incidental Harassment Authorization to take small numbers of marine mammals, by harassment in the Beaufort Sea off Alaska. Comment period through July 7, 2008.
  • 72 FR 36427, July 3, 2007. Notice of extension of comment period for the Draft Programmatic EIS for Seismic Surveys in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. Comment period extended until July 30, 2007.
  • 72 FR 33221, June 15, 2007. Notice of Availability the Final EIS for the Chukchi Sea Planning Area Oil and Gas lease Sale 193 and Seismic Surveying activities in the Chukchi Sea. Wait period ends July 16, 2007.
  • 72 FR 26788, May 11, 2007. Notice of extension of comment period on the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Seismic Surveys in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. Comment period through June 29, 2007.
  • 72 FR 17117, April 6, 2007. Notice of Availability of a Draft Programmatic EIS for Seismic Surveys in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. Comment period through May 14, 2007.
  • Permits and Applications for Incidental Take Authorizations
  • Shell Offshore, Inc. Open Water Exploration and Appraisal Drilling Program (external link)
  • Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation Biological Opinion on Oil and Gas Leasing and Exploration Activities in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas, Alaska, and Authorization of Small Takes Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, June 2006


bowhead whales
Bowhead whales. Photo: Kristin Laidre, American Cetacean Society ©

Additional Information


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