Gulf of Alaska Line-Transect Survey (GOALS)

Researchers from Cascadia, the National Marine Mammal Lab, Biowaves and HDR conducted a line-transect survey in the Gulf of Alaska from June to July 2013. The primary mission of this project was to determine distribution and abundance of marine mammals within the Gulf of Alaska Navy operating area. The 2013 survey was planned to cover the tracklines shown in the map below. Cascadia Research personnel on the survey include Brenda Rone, Annie Douglas, and Jeff Foster.

GOALS 2 planned track lines.
GOALS II planned track lines

The 2013 effort was a follow up of a 2009 project to determine the occurrence and distribution of marine mammals in and around the Navy training area in the northern Gulf of Alaska. A line-transect visual and acoustic survey was conducted from April 10 through April 20, 2009 from the NOAA R/V Oscar Dyson and covered a total of 432 nautical miles (800 km) on-effort and had 96 sightings (453 individuals) of 11 confirmed marine mammal species; these included fin, humpback, gray, and minke whales as well as killer whales, Dall’s and harbor porpoise, Pacific white-sided dolphins and Steller sea lions, harbor seals and sea otters.  See NOAA Technical Memorandum on results of the 2009 cruise.