The Minerals Management Service (MMS), previously Bureau of Land Management, has funded fall bowhead whale aerial surveys in this area each year since 1978, using a repeatable protocol from 1982 to the present. Bowhead monitoring by MMS Environmental Studies Section, Alaska Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Region, normally overlaps the September-October "open-water" season when offshore drilling and geophysical exploration are feasible and when the fall subsistence hunt for bowhead whales takes place near Kaktovik, Nuiqsut, and Barrow, Alaska. The primary survey aircraft was a de Havilland Twin Otter Series 300. The aircraft was equipped with three medium-size bubble windows that afforded complete viewing of the track-line. Geographic positions of the aircraft were logged onto a laptop computer from a Global Navigation System (1982-1991) or a Global Positioning System (1992-2000). Prior to 1992, many surveys in Block 12 (See Browse Graphic) were conducted from a Grumman Turbo Goose Model G21G. All bowhead (and beluga) whales observed were recorded, along with incidental sightings of other marine mammals. Particular emphasis was placed on regional surveys to assess large-area shifts in the migration pathway of bowhead whales and on the coordination of effort and management of data necessary to support seasonal offshore-drilling and seismic-exploration regulations. The selection of survey blocks to be flown on a given day was nonrandom, based primarily on criteria such as observed and predicted weather conditions over the study area and offshore oil-industry activities. Otherwise, the project attempted to distribute effort fairly evenly east-to-west across the entire study area. Aerial coverage favored inshore survey blocks (See Browse Graphic), since bowheads were rarely sighted north of these blocks in previous surveys (1979-1986). Surveys were flown at a target altitude of 458 m in order to maximize visibility and to minimize potential disturbance to marine mammals. Flights were normally aborted when cloud ceilings were consistently less than 305 m or the wind force was consistently above Beaufort 4. Daily flight patterns were based on sets of non-repeating transect grids computer-generated for each survey block. Transect grids were derived by dividing each survey block into sections 30 minutes of longitude across. One of the minute marks along the northern edge of each section was selected at random then connected by a straight line to a similarly selected endpoint along the southern edge of that same section. This procedure was followed for all sections of that survey block. These transect legs were then connected alternately at their northernmost or southernmost ends to produce one continuous flight grid within each survey block. Gridlines were occasionally lengthened to cover both an inshore block and the block north of it. Lines were occasionally truncated due to extended poor visibility or to avoid potential interference with subsistence whaling activities. For bowheads encountered "on transect", the aircraft sometimes circled for a brief (< 10 min) period to observe behavior, obtain better estimates of their numbers, and/or determine whether calves were present. Any new groups sighted when circling were recorded as "on search".

The Minerals Management Service (MMS), previously Bureau of Land Management, has funded fall bowhead whale aerial surveys in this area each year since 1978, using a repeatable protocol from 1982 to the present. Bowhead monitoring by MMS Environmental Studies Section, Alaska Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Region, normally overlaps the September-October "open-water" season when offshore drilling and geophysical exploration are feasible and when the fall subsistence hunt for bowhead whales takes place near Kaktovik, Nuiqsut, and Barrow, Alaska. The primary survey aircraft was a de Havilland Twin Otter Series 300. The aircraft was equipped with three medium-size bubble windows that afforded complete viewing of the track-line. Geographic positions of the aircraft were logged onto a laptop computer from a Global Navigation System (1982-1991) or a Global Positioning System (1992-2000). Prior to 1992, many surveys in Block 12 (See Browse Graphic) were conducted from a Grumman Turbo Goose Model G21G. All bowhead (and beluga) whales observed were recorded, along with incidental sightings of other marine mammals. Particular emphasis was placed on regional surveys to assess large-area shifts in the migration pathway of bowhead whales and on the coordination of effort and management of data necessary to support seasonal offshore-drilling and seismic-exploration regulations. The selection of survey blocks to be flown on a given day was nonrandom, based primarily on criteria such as observed and predicted weather conditions over the study area and offshore oil-industry activities. Otherwise, the project attempted to distribute effort fairly evenly east-to-west across the entire study area. Aerial coverage favored inshore survey blocks (See Browse Graphic), since bowheads were rarely sighted north of these blocks in previous surveys (1979-1986). Surveys were flown at a target altitude of 458 m in order to maximize visibility and to minimize potential disturbance to marine mammals. Flights were normally aborted when cloud ceilings were consistently less than 305 m or the wind force was consistently above Beaufort 4. Daily flight patterns were based on sets of non-repeating transect grids computer-generated for each survey block. Transect grids were derived by dividing each survey block into sections 30 minutes of longitude across. One of the minute marks along the northern edge of each section was selected at random then connected by a straight line to a similarly selected endpoint along the southern edge of that same section. This procedure was followed for all sections of that survey block. These transect legs were then connected alternately at their northernmost or southernmost ends to produce one continuous flight grid within each survey block. Gridlines were occasionally lengthened to cover both an inshore block and the block north of it. Lines were occasionally truncated due to extended poor visibility or to avoid potential interference with subsistence whaling activities. For bowheads encountered "on transect", the aircraft sometimes circled for a brief (< 10 min) period to observe behavior, obtain better estimates of their numbers, and/or determine whether calves were present. Any new groups sighted when circling were recorded as "on search".

Aerial photographic surveys for bowhead whales were conducted near Point Barrow, Alaska, from 19 April to 6 June in 2011. Approximately 4,594 photographs containing 6,801 bowhead whale images were obtained (not accounting for resightings). The 2011 field season was very successful: we flew 36 out of 49 available days and conducted 49 flights in that time; we were grounded due to weather on 13 days. The longest period of time that we were grounded due to weather (low ceilings/fog) was three days. This occurred after the migration had slowed down, during a time when few whales passed the ice perches according to the ice-based visual survey. The 2011 migration was steady with several peaks (30 April, 4-5 May, 12 May), and then the migration rate slowed down considerably after 14 May. The photographs taken in 2011 are a significant contribution to the bowhead whale photographic catalogue. They will be used to calculate a population estimate that may be used for comparison with the 2011 ice-based estimate and will provide better precision in estimates of bowhead whale life-history parameters.

As part of an inter-agency agreement between the National Marine Mammal Laboratory and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, aerial surveys of the North Aleutian Basin and southeastern Bering Sea were conducted from 24 July to 28 August 2008 and 14 July to 25 August 2009. Both surveys were conducted from an Aerocommander 690A. In 2008, the survey design consisted of broadscale transects covering the waters from Bristol Bay west to the Pribilof Islands. The survey covered a total of 5,821 nmi (10,782 km) on-effort, 471 nmi (872 km) transit and crosslegs, and off-effort accounted for 837 nmi (1551 km). There were a total of 263 sightings (755 individuals) of 11 confirmed marine mammals species; these included right, humpback, fin and sei whales as well as killer whales, Dall's and harbor porpoises, Pacific white-sided dolphins, fur seals, sea lions, walrus and sea otters. There were 10 sightings (12 individuals) of right whales recorded on 3 separate days. Six unique individuals were photo-identified and 4 matches were made between the aerial and vessel surveys. In 2009, the survey consisted of finescale transects over the critical habitat and an acoustic component was added to complement the visual survey. The survey covered a total of 2,590 nmi (4,800 km) on effort. There were a total of 124 sightings (213 individuals) of 3 confirmed marine mammal species, right, humpback and fin whales. There were 23 sightings (28 individuals) of right whales documented on 9 separate days. Seven unique individuals were photo-identified. Three matches were made to the 2008 survey. In all, the 2 year survey documented 10 unique North Pacific right whales.