ALASKA AND INUVIALUIT BELUGA WHALE COMMITTEE (AIBWC) - AN INITIATIVE IN AT HOME MANAGEMENT

The Alaska and Inuvialuit Beluga Whale Committee (AIBWC) was formed in 1988 to facilitate and promote the wise conservation, management and utilization of beluga whales in Alaska and the western Canadian Arctic . The membership of the committee consists of representatives from coa stal beluga whale hunting regions and communities in Alaska and the Ma ckenzie River Delta in Canada, U.S. federal, state arid local governme nt agencies, and others, such as researchers and technical advisors. O nly representatives from beluga whale hunting communities vote on matt ers related to hunting, while the committee as a whole votes on other issues. Harvest monitoring programs are planned and coordinated at the spring meeting, implemented during the whaling season by hunters and others and reported upon during the fall meeting. To date, the AIBWC h as 1) established beluga whale research priorities, 2) coordinated or assisted with the collection of samples for genetic, contaminant and b asic biological studies, 3) provided funding for DNA studies. 4) comme nted on federal actions (e.g., relating to oil and gas exploration act ivity) with the potential to affect beluga whales, beluga habitat or b eluga hunting, 5) collected the most complete harvest data ever availa ble for Alaska, 6) produced a newsletter highlighting important marine mammal issues for coastal residents of Alaska, and 7) sponsored the a ttendance of committee members at meetings of the International Whalin g Commission. The AIBWC recently ratified its draft Alaska beluga whal e management plan, a counterpart to the existing plan for beluga whale management in the western Canadian Arctic, and has initiated discussi ons on a joint Inupiat-Inuvialuit plan for management of the shared Be aufort Sea beluga whale stock.