Abstract

The Beaufort Sea Project is a group of environmental and ecological studies being carried out in the southern Beaufort Sea, in the general area defined by the historic extent of summer open water between the Alaska-Yukon border and Cape Parry. A description is given of the types of studies and their importance relative to offshore exploratory drilling programs. The studies complement those already carried out and those currently in process under the auspices of the Arctic Petroleum Operators Association and include studies of wildlife, fisheries, baseline pollutants, physical oceanography, climatology, sea-ice, and oil spill detection and clean-up. The studies are to be completed by the end of 1975. The Project is unusual in that the studies were specified by the Department of the Environment and remain its responsibility while the major funding and considerable management input is being provided by the offshore permit holders.