Managing Beluga Whale Prey

Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson

The mouth of the Eagle River on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) is a critical late summer feeding area for Cook Inlet’s endangered population of beluga whales. Little is known, however, about the run size and timing of the salmon that the whales prey on.  AERC staff investigate, coordinate, and implement new techniques to measure and monitor salmon diversity and abundance in the Sixmile water system. The techniques and data established during this study allow state and federal wildlife managers to better understand salmon populations in Eagle River and their importance to Cook Inlet’s belugas.

Project goals: Devise new methods of sampling and quantifying salmon populations in Eagle River, review historical data to determine overall trends in salmon populations, and provide senior technical support to JBER fisheries program.