RECENT SIGHTINGS OF HARBOR PORPOISES, PHOCOENA-PHOCOENA, NEAR POINT BARROW, ALASKA

Harbour Porpoises occur regularly in the north Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea and occasionally in the Chukchi Sea during the ice-free months. Point Barrow, Alaska is considered to be near the northern limit of distribution for this species. We have obtained nine records from the vicinity of Point Barrow between 1985 and 1991. Harbour Porpoises were found entangled in subsistence fishing nets, seen live or found dead on the beach. These records indicate a regular use of the northeastern Chukchi Sea and extreme western Beaufort Sea. The reasons for their occurrence near Point Barrow are unknown but the relative abundance of fish in coastal arctic lagoons may attract Harbour Popoises northward.