Environmental Resource Areas (ERAs) are areas of special concern regarding social, biological, or economic resources, which Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) managers use for assessing the vulnerability of species to oil spills and offshore energy development. Species distributions in these areas are dynamic, influenced by seasonal and environmental factors. For seabirds, at-sea surveys compiled in the North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database (NPPSD) provide the most comprehensive spatial and temporal information available in Alaska, with data spanning 1973 to 2022. As part of this study, we updated the NPPSD with new datasets and made improvements to the database structure. Working with Department of the Interior (DOI) and other partners, we developed new at-sea marine bird and marine mammal survey data logging software, tools to standardize data processing workflows, and a web-based application to filter and visualize NPPSD by location, time period, and/or taxa. We also developed joint dynamic species distribution models to assess distribution and abundance of seabird communities across spatial planning areas in Cook Inlet, Alaska and the Pacific Arctic. To facilitate ERA and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) assessments by DOI managers in Alaska, we published gridded monthly seabird density predictions in the Cook Inlet lease sale area for current and future research, conservation, and management. Lastly, for forage fish in Alaska, where data gaps have hindered research and management for decades, we compiled and released the Alaska Forage Fish Database (AFFD) to better understand and portray the distribution of key marine forage species in Alaska. These improvements in data availability and reproducible spatiotemporal models will expand spatial planning capabilities and inform offshore energy management by the DOI.

USD: $400,000

2019-11-19 → 2024-01-14