Subsistence harvest of beluga or white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in northern and western Alaska, 1987-2006

• Main Authors: Kathryn J Frost, Robert S Suydam
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bering Sea; Chukchi Sea; Beaufort Sea; Beluga; Beluga whale; Beluga Whale Committee; Beluga*; Chukchi; Delphinapterus leucas; Alaska
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.1036.8293; http://www.north-slope.org/assets/images/uploads/Frost%20%20Suydam%202010%20beluga%20harvest.pdf

ABSTRACT Four stocks of beluga or white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) are hunted by Alaska Natives in northern and western Alaska. These are the Beaufort Sea, eastern Chukchi Sea, eastern Bering Sea and Bristol Bay stocks. Since 1987, the Alaska Beluga Whale Committee has monitored the subsistence harvests of belugas from these stocks. During this 20 year period, the total landed harvest for the four stocks combined (adjusted for years with missing data) ranged from 208 in 1995 to 494 in 1988, with a 20 year average of 323 per year. For individual stocks the average annual landed harvests for 1987-2006 were: Beaufort Sea -41; Chukchi Sea -62; eastern Bering . There was no significant longterm trend (p>0.05) in the rate of harvesting for any stock from 1987-2006. Average landed harvests relative to estimated stock size were: 0