The NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science Center National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NMML) Marine Mammal Osteology Collection consists of approximately 2500 specimens (skulls and post-cranial skeletons) from 43 species of marine mammals from around the world. Specimens have been collected for life history studies over the past 60 years on projects ranging from pelagic sealing in the 1950s, to collections of marine mammals taken incidentally in commercial fisheries, and those found dead on beaches and rookeries from Alaska to the Antarctic. The NMML Osteology Collection also houses vast numbers of teeth, primarily from northern fur seals taken during the commercial and subsistence harvests on the Pribilof Islands, Steller sea lions taken incidentally in the Alaska fisheries, and sperm whales collected from Pacific coast whaling stations in the 1950s and 60s. The majority of these teeth were initially collected for aging, but many have been used in recent years in stable isotope, nursing and growth layer/growth index studies. This database is an inventory of specimens and associated data contained within the osteological collection.

The Marine Mammal Laboratory (MML) Food Habits Reference Collection, containing over 1000 specimens of cephalopod beaks and fish bones and otoliths, is used to identify undigested prey remains found in scats or stomachs of stranded or incidentally taken pinnipeds and cetaceans. Marine mammal food habits data are used in conjunction with satellite telemetry and dive records to better understand foraging behavior and prey selection. This information is critical to understanding how commercial fisheries and changing environmental conditions impact these animals. The Food Habits Collection includes fish and cephalopod species that are commonly consumed by pinnipeds along the Pacific Northwest coast and in Alaska, but we are in the process of adding other potential prey species and specimens to fill unrepresented size ranges. We are very appreciative of NMFS/AFSC/RACE fisheries biologists, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the University of Washington for their ongoing donations to our collection. With the help and cooperation of researchers such as these, our collection continues to grow in size and usefulness. The Marine Mammal Food Habits Reference Collection is an important research tool within NMML, and is also used several times a year by graduate students and researchers from universities, government agencies and private institutions. These collections have contributed to food habits research on Magister armhook squid, Northern fulmar, Newells shearwater, Hawaiian petrel, river otters and marine mammals. The collections are also used by archeologists to identify fish and mammal bones found in Native American middens from Alaska to Mexico. The database is comprised of a table detailing specimens and associated data and measurements for fish and cephalopod soft tissue and hard parts contained within the reference collection.

This data set contains biological resource data for seals, porpoises, otters, and whales in coastal Southeast Alaska. Vector polygons in this data set represent locations of marine mammal concentrations and haulout sites. Species-specific abundance, seasonality, status, life history, and source information are stored in relational data tables (described below) designed to be used in conjunction with this spatial data layer.This data set comprises a portion of the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) data for Southeast Alaska. ESI data characterize the marine and coastal environments and wildlife by their sensitivity to spilled oil. The ESI data include information for three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources. See also the M_MAMPT (Marine Mammal Points) data layer, part of the larger Southeast Alaska ESI database, for additional marine mammal information.

A comprehensive species list of marine invertebrates of Alaska has been lacking. The checklist of Austin (1985) treated the marine invertebrates of the southern coast of Alaska to California and since then many new species have been described, many range extensions have been discovered, and considerable changes in higher-level systematics have been made. The checklist we compiled lists over 3,500 species and includes the currently accepted scientific name and its significant synonyms, common names, type localities, geographic and depth distributions, a general statement of abundance in Alaska when known (e.g., rare, uncommon, common, abundant), and general remarks. This checklist will serve as a foundation for future species-specific research. Updated species lists are necessary to reflect the current state of biodiversity knowledge and are thus essential for conservation planning and management. To monitor and predict future changes to marine life, the distribution and abundance of marine species need to be better understood, and this can only be achieved with reliable identifications based on a sound taxonomy. The current status and future directions of Alaskan marine invertebrate biodiversity are briefly discussed.

Comprises data from surveys focused on killer whales with opportunistic data from other cetacean species; includes data describing encounters for photo-identifications, biopsy, and acoustic sampling. Data includes surveys conducted by CAEP/NMML, and also contributed data from Alaska Ecosystem Program/NMML, Southwest Fisheries Science Center and other collaborators. Surveys were conducted in the Aleutian Islands, Bering Sea, and western Gulf of Alaska, 2000 to the present.

This dataset contains a summary of available information about 150 Pacific walrus haulouts. The data were compiled from available reports (published and unpublished), interviews with coastal residents and aviators, and the personal observations of the authors. Each record provides summary characteristics, including: location information, maximum haulout size, age-sex composition, season of use, and decade of most recent use. Bibliographic citations to reports are provided in an additional file. Background information about this database is available in a companion publication (USGS Open-File Report 2016-1108): https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20161108

The objectives of these Arctic nearshore fish surveys is to measure seasonal changes in the distribution, demographics, trophic position and nutritional status of forage fish during the partial and complete ice-free season near Pt. Barrow, along the nearshore Chukchi and Beaufort Seas including Elson Lagoon, Alaska. These data will be related to biological and physical conditions observed near the Chukchi and Beaufort coasts and Elson Lagoon. Arctic Cod (Boreogadus saida), Saffron Cod (Eleginus gracilis), Capelin (Mallotus villosus), Sand Lance (Ammodytes hexapterus), Coregonids and sculpins will serve as the primary forage species targeted in the proposed work. The physical features to be measured include salinity, temperature, current direction and speed, wind direction and speed and bathymetry, but most importantly we seek a better understanding of how weather (wind) would affect the transport through the multi-inlet Elson Lagoon and its relation to coastal currents. Biological features include the community composition, abundance, distribution and quality of zooplankton prey available to forage fish. The catch data in this database include sampling efforts from 3 complimentary studies using similar gear in similar areas: ACES (Arctic Coastal Ecosystem Survey) and SHELFZ (Shelf Habitat and EcoLogy of Fish and Zooplankton), Ecology of Forage Fishes in the Arctic Nearshore. Data will be comparable to NOAAs previous efforts in the nearshore near Pt. Barrow (e.g. Thedinga et al. 2013). Combining these historical data with the proposed work will lead to an improved understanding of the relationship between forage fish and their nearshore habitats during the partial and complete ice-free period. The information developed by this proposed project is needed by those engaged in predicting impacts of climate change, developing oil and gas resources, managing foraging habitat of marine mammals, and planning for increased marine transportation.

This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for whales, seals, walruses, and polar bears for the North Slope of Alaska. Vector polygons in this data set represent marine mammal distribution and locations of haul-out sites. Species-specific abundance, seasonality, status, life history, and source information are stored in relational data tables (described below) designed to be used in conjunction with this spatial data layer.This data set comprises a portion of the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) data for North Slope, Alaska. ESI data characterize the marine and coastal environments and wildlife by their sensitivity to spilled oil. The ESI data include information for three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources.

This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for seals, whales, dolphins, walruses, and Steller sea lions in Western Alaska. Vector polygons in this data set represent marine mammal distribution and haul-out sites. Species-specific abundance, seasonality, status, life history, and source information are stored in relational data tables (described below) designed to be used in conjunction with this spatial data layer. This data set comprises a portion of the Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) data for Western Alaska. ESI data characterize the marine and coastal environments and wildlife by their sensitivity to spilled oil. The ESI data include information for three main components: shoreline habitats, sensitive biological resources, and human-use resources.

This database contains counts of Steller sea lion pups on rookeries in Alaska made between 1961 and 2019. Pup counts are conducted in June-July. Pups are counted from the ground (by walking along the rookery), from cliff-side overlooks, and from aerial images (vertical orientation). Pup counts conducted in late June-mid July are considered to represent a complete census of pups produced at each site during the year.