NOAA Fisheries News Releases
NEWS RELEASE
February 2, 2005
Sheela McLean
(907) 586-7032
Jon Kurland
(907) 586-7638
Researchers Gather Baseline Data in Shotgun Cove
NOAA Fisheries and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists are studying near-shore fish populations and their habitats in Shotgun Cove, which lies approximately six miles east of Whittier, Alaska
Photo: Brian Lance/NOAA Fisheries
"Our work has two goals," said Jon Kurland, NOAA Fisheries' Assistant Regional Administrator for Habitat Conservation in Alaska. "We want to understand the marine environment in Shotgun Cove so that we can give solid, scientifically-based advice to regulatory agencies and potential developers. Furthermore, if Shotgun Cove is developed, we will also want to understand any ecosystem changes that may occur over time."
With completion of the road from Portage, visitor numbers to Whittier have increased dramatically over the last 3 years. A new boat dock in Whittier is now servicing large cruise ships. The completion of a new harbor this summer will provide moorage for another 107 smaller vessels. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is currently accepting comments from the public on the proposed construction of a road from Whittier that would extend half way to Shotgun Cove.
To help plan these developments, NOAA Fisheries and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been assessing marine resources in Shotgun Cove. This information will help ensure that any potential developments in Shotgun Cove are designed to reduce adverse impacts to fishery resources in the area and to minimize impacts to habitat. Biologists may be able to use data and methods discovered during their Shotgun Cove work to improve designs for other research projects in Alaska's near-shore marine habitats."
Photo: Mark Boland/NOAA Fisheries
Researchers have been capturing fish by pulling nets onto the beach by hand. Last summer researchers netted, counted and released unharmed nearly 20,000 fish of 30 species. They found that about 95% of these were juveniles of commercial or sport harvest interest, such as salmon, herring, cod, and pollock. Many species were found in eelgrass or kelp areas of Shotgun Cove
Scuba divers have surveyed beach seine areas to document what fish habitats are being sampled and to collect underwater video of fish species. In the future, biologists may gather baseline information about hydrocarbons in the area, map eelgrass habitat, and conduct bottom trawls of benthic habitat.
Photo: Brian Lance/NOAA Fisheries
The beach seine surveys took place twice a month between June and December, though bad weather prevented some scheduled surveys. Researchers will return to Shotgun Cover this spring to assess seasonal habitat use by juvenile fish.
NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) is dedicated to protecting and preserving our nation's living marine resources through scientific research, management, enforcement, and the conservation of marine mammals and other protected marine species and their habitat. To learn more about NOAA Fisheries in Alaska, please visit our website at www.fakr.noaa.gov