Determined by Satellite Telemetry

• Main Authors: Scott A. Hatch, Paul M. Meyers, Daniel M. Mulcahy, David C. Douglas
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chukchi Sea; Gulf of Alaska; Chukchi; Alaska
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.376.1819; http://www.arlis.org/docs/vol1/36790147.pdf

Study History: In 1994, the National Biological Service (NBS) used in-house funds to conduct a feasibility study of satellite telemetry in common murres on Middleton Island, north-central Gulf of Alaska. Results of that effort formed the basis of a proposed 3-year study at the Barren Islands as an Exxon Valdez Oil Spill (EVOS) Restoration Project beginning in 1995. EVOS finding in 1995 ($53,800) supported technician and part-time veterinarian salaries through September 30, purchase of 6 satellite transmitters, contractual data-processing fees, and equipment, commodities, and travel costs associated with field work at the Barren Islands. NBS contributions in 1995 ($24,300) and 1996 ($27,500) supported purchase and deployment of 9 additional transmitters at the Barren Islands (4 common murres, 5 tufted puffins) and salary costs for a technician ($21,500) and principal investigator ($6,000) during preparation of this report. In 1995, NBS also deployed 20 transmitters ($93,600 in-house funding) on common and thickbilled murres at two colonies in the Chukchi Sea. Because the application of satellite telemetry to marine birds is developmental, results from all three study sites are mutually informative. Work at the Barren Islands was not funded by the Enon Vuldez Oil Spill Trustee Council for continuation in 1996. The following account of work conducted at three colonies in 1995 is