Breakout 3: Interactions between human

activities sea land ice and atmosphere.

Hajo Eicken, Victoria Gofman, Sharman Haley, Larry Hamilton,

John Farrell, Mark Parsons

Framing the discussion

Who are the stakeholders? Why do they care about …

Atmosphere Ocean and Sea Ice Hydrology/Cryosphere Terrestrial Ecosystems ?

What do they need to know? How can we provide it? How do Bering Sea Sub Network and ELOKA

integrate with other AON projects?

How do Bering Sea Sub Network and ELOKA integrate with other

AON projects? Research on environmental LTK is directly

about the central Q: how do humans interact with a changing Arctic environment?

LTK informs the natural sciences: Provides AON direction Informs hypotheses Contextualizes findings

The data benefits stakeholders

Some examples

Changing ocean conditions drive changes in fish distribution, run timing and resilience. Fishers observe new opportunities and adapt very quickly– if the regulations allow it. Management and science react more slowly. The observations and behaviors of fishers provide information to managers and research scientists.

Some examples

Uses of ice in the communities: In Bering Strait communities the window of

access appears to be getting smaller. Small lead and lots of ice keeps hunting grounds safe. This past summer only one week of ice conditions for hunting bearded seal and walrus, and bad weather days shortened it further.

At Gambell lost access to cod because of lack of stable shorefast ice fishing platform.

Who are the stakeholders?

Local communities Fishing industry (various scales, inshore to

long-distance) Oil, gas and mining Shipping and transportation Tourism Policy makers, regulators & enforcement Disaster response Broader public interests

Why do local communities care?

Subsistence: animal & plant distribution Subsistence: harvesters’ access Transportation, travel & safety Housing, water supplies, construction

and other infrastructure Cultural value

Why do fishers care?(Various scales, small and local to industrial and long-

distance) resource abundance and distribution access/weather/safety and seasons planning for the future (investments) operating costs Infrastructure (vessels, gear, processing,

transport to markets) How regulations respond to changes Uncertainty of new or more variable conditions

Why do O&G and shipping industries care?

Operating season Infrastructure Operating costs Environmental hazards & risks

Why does the tourist industry care?

Marine access Intact cultures Pristine environments & wildlife Infrastructure Weather & environmental hazards

Why do policy makers, regulators & enforcement agencies care?

Mission to manage resource efficiently for long term social value to multiple stakeholders

Need more real-time information Need ability to detect changing

conditions and adapt quickly when needed

Why do disaster response agencies care?

Environmental hazards & risk data for planning

Real-time information for response Infrastructure and training – preparations

to meet emerging risks

Why does the public care?

Species diversity - charismatic megafauna Romantic notions of wilderness Climate change — Arctic is canary in the

coal mine Global consequences of Arctic change

What do they need to know? How can we provide it?

Example: Sea Ice - bold italics indicate data project is already providing

Fishing travel & safety

Shorefast ice stability and persistence

Remote sensing, mass-balance & tide gauge

data

Oil and Gas operating

season window

Persistence of ice during transition period & open water season

Remote sensing & coastal obs, trend analysis & model

Public managers

Ice regimes from perspective of

access and hazards

Remote sensing & coastal obs, trend analysis & model