This dataset contains ARGOS location data (latitude and longitude in decimal format) and associated time (date and time) and location quality (as defined by Argos System, www.argos-system.org) information. Data were collected using Wildlife Computers PTT-only SPOT 5 and Archival Mk10A satellite transmitters. Satellite transmitters were deployed on gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) in the Chukchi Sea.

This dataset contains ARGOS location data (latitude and longitude in decimal format) and associated time (date and time) and location quality (as defined by Argos System, www.argos-system.org) information. Data were collected using Wildlife Computers PTT-only SPOT 5 satellite transmitters and PTT identification is also provided with the data. Satellite transmitters were deployed on North Pacific humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the eastern Bering Sea.

This dataset contains ARGOS location data (latitude and longitude in decimal format) and associated time (date and time) and location quality (as defined by Argos System, www.argos-system.org) information. Data were collected using Wildlife Computers PTT-only SPOT 5 satellite transmitters and PTT identification is also provided with the data. Satellite transmitters were deployed on North Pacific humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the eastern Bering Sea.

Gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) survey and sightings data from 1993 - 2014 collected by the Marine Mammal Laboratories' California Current Ecosystem Program (AFSC/NOAA) personnel. Gray whales surveys were conducted along the coasts of California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and British Columbia, Canada. Gray whales were counted and photographed during the surveys. This dataset contains the survey data for the sighted whales, survey effort, and photo logs from the surveys. This dataset does not contain the photographs or identifications of individual whales.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has conducted shore-based counts of the Eastern North Pacific stock of gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) 26 years from 1967 to 2008 at Granite Canyon (or nearby at Yankee Point), 13 km south of Carmel, in central California. Convenient access to the Granite Canyon research station (owned by NOAA but operated by the State of California Department of Fish and Game) and the narrowness of the whales' migratory corridor in this area permitted an efficient counting process at this site. All counts were conducted during the 2-month southbound migration (mid-December to late February) rather than the protracted 3-month northbound migration. The routine nature of these counts and the consistency in research protocol lend themselves to inter-annual trend analyses. Research protocol has been based on single observers independently searching for whales and recording data on environmental conditions and the time, location, count, and direction of travel for each sighting. The counting system and observer performance has been tested through paired, independent observational effort; aerial surveys; thermal imagery; radio-tagging of whales; systematic observations through high-powered (25x) binoculars; and teams of observers tracking specific whale pods through the viewing area.

The North Pacific right whale (NPRW) was heavily hunted between the 17th and the 20th centuries. Protection was supposedly afforded by international treaties in the 1930s and 1940s, but the illegal capture of hundreds of individuals by the Soviet Union, primarily in the 1960s drastically impacted the recovery of the species. Currently, only a small remnant of this population (estimated at approximately 30 individuals) inhabits the southeastern Bering Sea (SEBS). There is an increasing body of evidence suggesting that the middle shelf domain constitutes the primary habitat of NPRWs in the SEBS during the summer. Despite substantial observation effort from various sources in some other areas, the only region in the Bering Sea where NPRWs have been consistently seen is the middle shelf. Vessel surveys were conducted in the summers of 2007 - 2011 in the EBS mostly within the NPRW critical habitat boundary (located on the middle shelf of the SEBS). A total of eight NPRW individuals were identified from photographs taken during the survey.

Adult male and female northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) are sexually segregated in different regions of the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea during their winter migration. Explanations for this involve interplay between physiology, predator-prey dynamics, and ecosystem characteristics, however possible mechanisms lack empirical support. To investigate factors influencing the winter ecology of both sexes, we deployed five satellite-linked conductivity, temperature, and depth data loggers on adult males, and six satellite-linked depth data loggers and four satellite transmitters on adult females from St. Paul Island (Bering Sea, Alaska, USA) in October 2009. Males and females migrated to different regions of the North Pacific Ocean: males wintered in the Bering Sea and northern North Pacific Ocean, while females migrated to the Gulf of Alaska and California Current. Horizontal and vertical movement behaviors of both sexes were influenced by wind speed, season, light (sun and moon), and the ecosystem they occupied, although the expression of the behaviors differed between sexes. Male dive depths were aligned with the depth of the mixed layer during daylight periods and we suspect this was the case for females upon their arrival to the California Current. We suggest that females, because of their smaller size and physiological limitations, must avoid severe winters typical of the northern North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea and migrate long distances to areas of more benign environmental conditions and where prey is shallower and more accessible. In contrast, males can better tolerate often extreme winter ocean conditions and exploit prey at depth because of their greater size and physiological capabilities. We believe these contrasting winter behaviors 1) are a consequence of evolutionary selection for large size in males, important to the acquisition and defense of territories against rivals during the breeding season, and 2) ease environmental/physiological constraints imposed on smaller females.

Gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) survey and sightings data from 1993 - 2014 collected by the National Marine Mammal Laboratories' California Current Ecosystem Program (AFSC/NOAA) personnel. Gray whales surveys were conducted along the coasts of California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and British Columbia, Canada. Gray whales were counted and photographed during the surveys. This dataset contains the survey data for the sighted whales, survey effort, and photo logs from the surveys. This dataset does not contain the photographs or identifications of individual whales.

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 sourtheastern 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 porpoise, Pacific white-sided dolphins, fur seals, sea lions, walrus and sea otters. There were 10 sightings (12 individulas) 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.

This data set is comprised of satellite-linked telemetry data collected to investigate winter migration patterns and foraging strategies of adult male northern fur seals as published by Sterling et al. (2014). Satellite-linked and data-logging instruments were deployed on five adult males from St. Paul Island (Bering Sea, Alaska, USA) in October 2009. Information for the raw telemetry data used in this analysis can be found at InPort Catalog Item ID 27455 (Alaska Steller Sea Lion and Northern Fur Seal Argos Telemetry Data Archive).