Seals, polar bears, and polar bear track counts were summarized from U.S. and Russian survey flights over the Chukchi Sea during aerial surveys in April and May of 2016. Seal detections were made using using infrared imagery, with corresponding digital photographs providing information on species identification, where possible. Polar bear detections were made using a variety of methods, including infrared (thermal) detections, in situ observations by human observers, and through post hoc searching of photographs. These observations are summarized within a discretized study area, where grid cells are approximately 625 km^2, with the intention of estimating the distribution and abundance of all three species (bearded seals, Erignathus barbatus; ringed seals, Pusa hispida; and polar bears, Ursus maritimus). Data are provided in 5 .csv (comma delimited text) files, summarizing (1) the location of grid cells, and some associated environmental and physiographic covariates (CHESS_grid_axiom.csv), (2) survey effort per grid cell in U.S. airspace, including counts of seals and information on polar bear tracks (effort_us.csv), (3) survey effort per grid cell in Russian airspace, including counts of seals and polar bear tracks (effort_russia.csv), (4) locations, group sizes, and detection types for polar bear groups encountered in surveys within U.S. airspace (pb_encounters_us.csv), and (5) locations, group sizes, and horizontal distances for polar bear groups detected in surveys over Russian airspace. Owing to differences in detection methods for polar bears, we advocate using a distance sampling approach for analyzing Russian polar bear detections, and a strip transect approach to analyzing seal and U.S. polar bear detections.

This dataset consists of around 80,000 color and IR (thermal) images, associated with flights conducted in Alaska by the NOAA Alaska Fisheries Science Center in 2019. Images have been annotated with around 28,000 bounding boxes (14,000 on color images, 14,000 on thermal images) on ice seals.

The Nutritional Ecology Laboratory maintains a database containing all of the biochemical data we collect. The database includes seasonal information regarding size, age, location, date, developmental stage, and maturity status of all the specimens we have examined. Samples range from phytoplankton to whales and seals. Depending on the objectives of specific studies, these data can be matched to measures of energy content, proximate, lipid class, and fatty acid composition.

Scientists at the Auke Bay Laboratory have conducted marine debris surveys on select beaches in Alaska periodically since 1972. Some of the beaches previously sampled have been identified as marine debris hot spots due to their increased debris accumulation. At each location, multiple 1 km beach segments were sampled by people walking the beach and enumerating all anthropogenic marine debris found. The beach area surveyed was from the waters edge up to the base of the storm berm or log piles. Individual beach segments have been walked multiple times in the since 1972 allowing for a direct comparison with prior years. Sampling occurred in late spring and summer to test the hypothesis of change in marine debris sources due to increased summer boat traffic and the diminished occurrence and severity of storms.

Scientists at the Auke Bay Laboratory have conducted marine debris surveys on select beaches in Alaska periodically since 1972. Some of the beaches previously sampled have been identified as marine debris hot spots due to their increased debris accumulation. At each location, multiple 1 km beach segments were sampled by people walking the beach and enumerating all anthropogenic marine debris found. The beach area surveyed was from the waters edge up to the base of the storm berm or log piles. Individual beach segments have been walked multiple times in the since 1972 allowing for a direct comparison with prior years. Sampling occurred in late spring and summer to test the hypothesis of change in marine debris sources due to increased summer boat traffic and the diminished occurrence and severity of storms.

SECM research was initiated in the spring of 1997, just prior to the onset of a strong El Nio event, and has continued annually. SECM sampling occurs around Icy Strait (58N, 136W) in the northern region and have been sustained for 18 years. This is a principal migration corridor for salmon that transit dynamic tidal and oceanographic features to offshore waters as juveniles and return in subsequent years as adults. SECM researchers have compiled a multi-year time series of biophysical data associated with juvenile salmon culled from monthly sampling intervals in May, June, July, and August. Juvenile salmon and ecologically-related species are sampled with a surface trawl and associated oceanographic measurements are taken. This time series includes data on: Temperature and salinity profiles, Surface nutrients and chlorophyll, Zooplankton (upper 20-m and integrated), Size, abundance, and origin of salmon

Potential predators of juvenile salmon, Some of these biophysical data are being used to forecast pink salmon returns to Southeast Alaska and to evaluate recent trends in commercial salmon harvest and ocean survival within the region. These analyses also explore the impact of large-scale, climate-driven processes on salmon year-class strength.

SECM research was initiated in the spring of 1997, just prior to the onset of a strong El Nio event, and has continued annually. SECM sampling occurs around Icy Strait (58N, 136W) in the northern region and have been sustained for 18 years. This is a principal migration corridor for salmon that transit dynamic tidal and oceanographic features to offshore waters as juveniles and return in subsequent years as adults. SECM researchers have compiled a multi-year time series of biophysical data associated with juvenile salmon culled from monthly sampling intervals in May, June, July, and August. Juvenile salmon and ecologically-related species are sampled with a surface trawl and associated oceanographic measurements are taken. This time series includes data on: Temperature and salinity profiles, Surface nutrients and chlorophyll, Zooplankton (upper 20-m and integrated), Size, abundance, and origin of salmon

Potential predators of juvenile salmon, Some of these biophysical data are being used to forecast pink salmon returns to Southeast Alaska and to evaluate recent trends in commercial salmon harvest and ocean survival within the region. These analyses also explore the impact of large-scale, climate-driven processes on salmon year-class strength.

SECM research was initiated in the spring of 1997, just prior to the onset of a strong El Nio event, and has continued annually. SECM sampling occurs around Icy Strait (58N, 136W) in the northern region and have been sustained for 18 years. This is a principal migration corridor for salmon that transit dynamic tidal and oceanographic features to offshore waters as juveniles and return in subsequent years as adults. SECM researchers have compiled a multi-year time series of biophysical data associated with juvenile salmon culled from monthly sampling intervals in May, June, July, and August. Juvenile salmon and ecologically-related species are sampled with a surface trawl and associated oceanographic measurements are taken. This time series includes data on: Temperature and salinity profiles, Surface nutrients and chlorophyll, Zooplankton (upper 20-m and integrated), Size, abundance, and origin of salmon

Potential predators of juvenile salmon, Some of these biophysical data are being used to forecast pink salmon returns to Southeast Alaska and to evaluate recent trends in commercial salmon harvest and ocean survival within the region. These analyses also explore the impact of large-scale, climate-driven processes on salmon year-class strength.