Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook — A Collaboration to Benefit Both Stakeholders and Science

Abstract:

Started in 2010, the Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook (SIWO, http://www.arcus.org/search-program/siwo) is a collaborative effort between stakeholders, forecasters, and researchers. An annual project that runs roughly from April to June, dependent on ice conditions, SIWO serves as a resource for Alaska Native subsistence hunters and coastal communities. It provides weekly reports with information on sea ice conditions relevant to walrus in the Northern Bering Sea and southern Chukchi Sea regions of Alaska.

Weather and ice forecasters at the National Weather Service provide ten-day outlooks on upcoming conditions, climate scientists and sea-ice researchers at NOAA and the University of Alaska contribute their perspectives and in-situ observations, the Eskimo Walrus Commission provides connections with local communities, and Alaska Native sea-ice experts submit on-the-ground observations. The project is managed by the Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS, with funding from the National Science Foundation's Division of Arctic Sciences).

The goal of the SIWO project is to assist village communities while simultaneously evaluating the accuracy of scientific forecasts. Originally conceptualized by stakeholders themselves, various organizations and researchers became involved to fulfill and support its different roles. Stakeholders have used data from the project both to help plan hunting trips and also to assist in obtaining a declaration of emergency status after a particularly poor hunting season.