Chukchi Sea Shelf facts for kids

The Chukchi Sea Shelf is a wide, shallow area of the ocean floor. It's like an underwater ledge that extends from the land. This shelf is located in the Arctic Ocean, between Alaska in the United States and Russia. A very important part of this shelf is the 50-mile wide Chukchi Corridor. It's a busy pathway for many marine animals. They use it for one of the biggest migrations in the world.

The Chukchi Shelf has some cool underwater features. One is the Hope Basin, which is like a big dip in the ocean floor. Another is the Herald Thrust. This is an uplifted area caused by ancient faults in the Earth's crust. It's named after Herald Island. Near the coast of northwestern Alaska, there's also a deep valley called the Hannah Trough. North of Alaska, the Chukchi Shelf connects to the Chukchi Plateau. This plateau sticks out into the Arctic Ocean.

The waters of the Chukchi Shelf are shared. Both Russia and the United States have rights to parts of it. This was decided by an agreement in 1990.

The Amazing Chukchi Corridor

The Chukchi Corridor is a 50-mile wide strip of ocean. It's located off the coast of Northwest Alaska. This corridor is a vital pathway for many ocean animals. It's used for one of the largest animal migrations on Earth.

Where is the Chukchi Corridor?

The Chukchi Corridor follows the coast of the Chukchi Sea. It stretches from Point Hope, Alaska, all the way to Utqiagvik, Alaska. During winter and early summer, this area is covered in thick sea ice. But there are often openings in the ice. These openings allow wildlife to travel north. They move from the Bering Sea to the Chukchi or Beaufort seas. This happens mostly in spring and early summer.

Animals That Use the Corridor

The Chukchi Sea coastline is a super important path for marine mammals. These include bowhead whales, beluga whales, Pacific walrus, and bearded seals. Many different bird species also use the Chukchi Corridor. They fly through it to reach the North Slope for summer breeding.

This region is also a key hunting area for local people. These are indigenous subsistence hunters. The area also has important feeding and breeding spots for gray whales.

The Chukchi Corridor's seafloor is very productive. This means it's a great place for small fish to grow. It's an important nursery for forage fish species. These include Arctic cod and Saffron cod. Arctic and Saffron cod are super important. They are a critical part of the Arctic ocean's food web. Many other animals depend on them for food.

Why This Area Matters

The Chukchi Corridor is extremely important for local communities. People in Point Hope, Point Lay, Wainright, and Utqiagvik, Alaska, rely on it. They use it for subsistence hunting. This means they hunt animals there for food and survival. Studies show that Inupiaq people hunt in the Chukchi Corridor all year round.

The National Marine Fisheries Service has marked parts of the Chukchi coast as special. Areas out to 15–30 miles offshore are "Essential Fish Habitat" (EFH) for saffron cod. This means they are vital for these fish. In 2001, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also named Ledyard Bay as a critical habitat. This is for a bird called the spectacled eider.

Today, some parts of the corridor are protected. They are safe from oil and gas drilling. On January 27, 2015, President Obama took action. He used his power under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. He permanently stopped new oil and gas leases. This applies to waters 3 to 25 miles offshore. However, the valuable waters 25 to 50 miles offshore are not yet protected.