Document Author: Prince William Sound Science Center

2019 Prince William Sound Forage Fish Observations

This project provided funding for aerial surveys of juvenile forage fish in Prince William Sound (PWS) in June 2019. The project identifies areas where various species of forage fish congregate,? including the species Pacific herring, Pacific sand lance, capelin, and candlefish. The aerial surveys allow for identifying juvenile forage fish schools that are in water too shallow for a survey vessel. The project builds upon previous aerial forage fish surveys conducted in PWS in the late 1990?s through 2016 and is planned to continue until 2022. The primary objectives of the work is to map and count forage fish schools in PWS to allow prioritization of their protection during a spill response, and improve a population model of PWS herring ? which can be used by fisheries managers.

Circulation in Port Valdez, Alaska

The Prince William Sound Science Center conducted a study of circulation for the Council to describe and quantify the currents within Port Valdez, Alaska, and to address concerns regarding the potential dispersal of contaminants, such as spilled oil, within the fjord basin.

Winter Species In Prince William Sound, Alaska, 1989-2016

The Prince William Sound Science Center conducted a literature search and developed a bibliography of research conducted on biological resources during winter in Prince William Sound (PWS) since the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. The literature search returned 133 unique results documenting the presence of 188 species, including 61 zooplankton, 1 mollusk, 1 echinoderm, 7 crustaceans, 61 fish, 50 birds, and 6 mammal species. However, the species list included with the bibliography is by no means a comprehensive list of all species present in PWS during winter. We were unable to find any published studies or reports documenting sea cucumbers, sea urchins, jellyfish, octopus, and several marine mammal species known to occur in PWS throughout the year. Our bibliography is useful for identifying sensitive biological resources in the Sound and can be used as a tool to inform and update oil spill contingency plans.

Skip to content