Proceedings

On September 3-5, 2003, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) sponsored a workshop in Anchorage, Alaska. The goal of this meeting was to identify components for the development of a comprehensive, long-term polar bear monitoring program in association with the oil and gas industry in Alaska. This workshop was the initial effort to design an effective monitoring strategy that will provide information to help reduce bear/human interactions and help protect polar bear habitat for the Southern Beaufort Sea polar bear population. Potential oil and gas industry impacts on polar bears which were discussed during the workshop included: habitat alteration, chemical contamination, attraction and preclusion of areas, oil spills, industrial noise, and polar bear interactions with humans. Ideally, an improved management plan which identifies information necessary to monitor polar bears of the Southern Beaufort Sea stock will result from the recommendations of this workshop.