COSA Committee Meeting June 23, 2017 Heather A. Crowley Oceanographer Alaska OCS Region heather.crowley@boem.gov / 907-334-5281

Environmental Resource Areas: Using Habitat-Based Density Models and Tagging Data for Analysis of Biological Resources BOEM Information Need: A consistent method for developing and refining Environmental Resource Areas (ERAs) used for BOEM’s OSRA. Date Information is Required: The tools or analyses are needed to assist BOEM in NEPA analyses for potential future lease sales, EPs, and DPPs

Background To facilitate analysis of the vulnerability of different species to contact from a potential oil spill BOEM identifies Environmental Resources Areas (ERAs), which are areas of concern relating to social, environmental, or economic resources, including critical habitat or use areas for different species of concern. Currently, various methods are used to define the location and geographical extent of ERAs, depending on the availability of data.

Environmental Resource Areas in the Chukchi Sea ERA Name Map Vulnerable General Resource Specific Resource Reference 1 Kasegaluk Lagoon Area A-2f May-October Birds, barrier island, seals, whales Birds: BLBR, LTDU, eiders (STEI, COEI), loons (all 3 species) Dau and Larned, 2004; Johnson, 1993; Johnson, Wiggins, and Wainwright, 1993; Laing and Platte, 1994; Lehnhausen and Quinlan, 1981. 2 Point Barrow, Plover Islands A-2d Birds, barrier island Birds: SPEI, LTDU Fischer and Larned, 2004; Troy, 2003. 8 Maguire, Flaxman Islands Birds: nesting COEI, molting LTDU, PALO Fischer and Larned, 2004; Flint et al., 2004; Johnson, Wiggins, and Wainwright, 1993; Johnson, 2000; Johnson et al., 2005; Noel et al., 2005. 9 Stockton Islands, McClure Islands A-2e Birds: nesting COEI, molting LTDU, staging SPEI Fischer and Larned, 2004; Flint et al., 2004; Johnson, Wiggins, and Wainwright, 1993; Johnson, 2000, (Table 2); Johnson et al., 2005; Noel et al., 2005; Troy, 2003. 10 Ledyard Bay SPEI Critical Habitat Unit A-2b July-November Birds Birds: seabirds, molting/staging SPEI, staging YBLO 66 FR 9146-9185; Laing and Platte, 1994; Petersen, Larned, and Douglas, 1999; Piatt and Springer, 2003. 14 Cape Thompson Seabird Colony Area A-2a Birds: seabirds, gulls, shorebirds, waterfowl, staging YBLO Piatt et al., 1991; Piatt and Springer, 2003; Springer et al., 1984; Stephenson and Irons, 2003. 15 Cape Lisburne Seabird Colony Area Birds, marine mammals Birds: seabird breeding colony, staging YBLO Oppel, Dickson and Powell, 2009; Piatt et al., 1991; Piatt and Springer, 2003; Roseneau et al., 2000; Springer et al., 1984; Stephenson and Irons, 2003. 17 Angun and Beaufort Lagoons Birds: molting LTDU, scoters, staging shorebirds Johnson and Herter, 1989. 18 Murre Rearing and Molting Area Birds: murre foraging, rearing, and molting area Piatt and Springer, 2003; Springer et al., 1984. 19 Chukchi Sea Spring Lead System April-June Birds, whales Birds: seabird foraging area; spring migration area for LTDU, eiders (KIEI, COEI), loons Connors, Myers, and Pitelka, 1979; Gill, Handel, and Connors, 1985; Johnson and Herter, 1989; Oppel, Dickson, and Powell, 2009; Piatt et al., 1991; Piatt and Springer, 2003; Sowls, Hatch, and Lensink, 1978; Swartz, 1967. 64 Peard Bay Area Birds: eiders (all 4 species), loons (all 3 species) Fischer and Larned, 2004; Laing and Platte, 1994. 65 Smith Bay Birds, marine mammals, whales Birds: eiders (SPEI, KIEI), YBLO Earnst et al., 2005; Powell et al., 2005; Ritchie, Burgess, and Suydam, 2000; Ritchie et al., 2004; Troy, 2003. 67 Herschel Island (Canada) Birds: LTDU, BLBR, scoters, eiders, loons, shorebirds Johnson and Richardson, 1982; Richardson and Johnson, 1981. 68 Harrison Bay Birds: eiders (KIEI, COEI), scoters (BLSC, SUSC), geese (BLBR, CANG, GWFG), loons, shorebirds Connors, Connors, and Smith, 1984; Dau and Larned, 2004, 2005; Fischer and Larned, 2004. 69 Harrison Bay/Colville Delta Birds: geese (BLBR), eiders (KIEI, COEI), LTDU, scoters (BLSC, SUSC), loons (all 3 species) Bergman et al., 1977; Dau and Larned, 2004, 2005; Fischer and Larned, 2004; Johnson and Herter, 1989.

Environmental Resource Areas in the Chukchi Sea

Background Relationship with Previous Work/Efforts: This study will utilize large datasets amassed by BOEM and others in the last forty-plus years documenting habitat and oceanographic parameters as well as spatial presence and other information for a wide range of species.

Background Relationship with Concurrent/Future Efforts: The tools and methods developed in this study will allow for routine update of ERAs as additional data becomes available.

Study Objectives Assess the utility of different techniques to evaluate distribution, abundance and timing of behaviors of marine mammals or birds Identify one or more representative species or population(s) for assessing methodologies Investigate seasonal patterns of movement of the identified species in Cook Inlet, the Beaufort Sea, or the Chukchi Sea Evaluate spatial variations in seasonal density of identified species in the focus area.

Methods This study will assimilate available monitoring information derived from aerial and ship surveys, satellite tags, monitoring buoys, remote sensing, ocean models, etc. Researchers will develop methods to analyze the biological resource densities to help develop a documented method for refining ERAs to support the OSRA process.

Methods Methodologies considered may include development habitat-based models similar to those used by Roberts et al. (2016) in the Atlantic or estimation of biological resource densities, such as those developed by Citta et al. (2015) to identify core-use areas for bowhead whales.

Relationship to Strategic Science Questions This study is most directly relevant to these questions: How can BOEM best assess cumulative effects within the framework of environmental assessments? How can BOEM better use existing or emerging technology to achieve more effective or efficient scientific results? What affected resources, measures, and systems are best used for long-term monitoring? How are ocean currents and biota affected by reduced sea ice conditions?