Document Author: Mary Anne Bishop

Marine Bird Hotspots in Prince William Sound

A Pacific Loon, or gavia pacifica, swims on calm water, The bird has black, grey, and white coloring in varying patterns.
The Pacific Loon was the most-sighted of the loon species group. Photo by Kevin Cole.

Researchers Bishop and Schaefer combined 14 years of data from at-sea marine bird surveys, collected during March 2007-2014 and 2018-2023, to identify areas of Prince William Sound where marine birds tend to gather. They identified 12 marine bird species groups and created a series of hot spot maps showing the high-use areas in Prince William Sound. Primary areas identified for prioritized protection were Hinchinbrook Entrance, the head of Port Valdez, the Knowles Head anchorage area, and the Southwest Passages.

This information will be useful to help identify areas that may need extra protection in the event of an oil spill.

LTEMP Ecology Of Tidal Flat Communities of the Copper River Delta

Vast expanses of intertidal sand/mudflats serve as a critical link in the food web of nearshore biological communities in many coastal areas of Alaska. The rich abundance of benthic invertebrates residing within the sediments of intertidal flats and the large network of subtidal channels that bisect these flats provide a significant prey resource for numerous species of fish, crabs, birds, and marine mammals.

One of the largest expanses of intertidal mud/sand flats occurs in the Copper River Delta and southeastern Prince William Sound (Orca Inlet). The estuarine nature of this system results in mixing of nutritional sources from riverine, estuarine and marine ecosystems, which fuel secondary productivity.

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