Hanna Shoal facts for kids
Hanna Shoal is a shallow, natural underwater area. It is located off the coast of northwest Alaska. You can find it in the Chukchi Sea. This area is very important for sea life. Many animals thrive here.
Hanna Shoal is a key spot for marine mammals and seabirds. Local people also hunt here. The Chukchi Sea might have a lot of oil and gas. Because of this, people often talk about protecting Hanna Shoal. They also discuss using its resources.
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What is Hanna Shoal Like?
This shallow underwater area changes how water moves. It pushes warm water away. This warm water comes from the Bering Sea and flows north. Hanna Shoal also keeps colder water around for a long time. This helps sea ice stay in the area longer.
Even though the shoal is not covered by ice all year anymore, it still has the most reliable ice. This makes it a special place on the entire Chukchi shelf.
Amazing Animals of Hanna Shoal
Hanna Shoal is a very important place for wildlife. This is because it has a lot of food. It also has a rich seafloor. Plus, sea ice stays here late into summer.
Marine Mammals and Their Habitats
The floating ice and large ice chunks are vital resting spots. Animals like the Pacific walrus use them. Polar bears, bearded seals, and ringed seals also rest here. These animals need the ice to survive.
Bird Life and Feeding Areas
Hanna Shoal is also a key feeding area for many birds. Birds seen here include the black-legged kittiwake and black guillemot. You can also find crested auklets and glaucous gulls. Other birds are ivory gulls, northern fulmars, and pomarine jaegers. Ross’s gulls also visit this area.
Migration Routes for Wildlife
Many animals travel through the Hanna Shoal region. It is a major migration path. Bowhead whales swim past Barrow Canyon. They cross this area in autumn. They are heading to waters near Russia. Beluga whales also use this route.
Marine birds also migrate through this path. These include Steller’s eiders and king eiders. Ivory gulls and Ross’s gulls also fly through this corridor.
Why Hanna Shoal is So Important
Hanna Shoal helps animals deal with climate change. Its natural features keep water moving in special ways. This helps sea ice stay around. These things create a rich seafloor. They also support many different kinds of wildlife.
The special features of Hanna Shoal will likely last for many years. This makes it a top area for protection. The Hanna Shoal Ecosystem Study was started. This study is part of a program by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). It aims to find out why this area is so productive.
Conservation Efforts and Oil Exploration
In 2008, a group called the Minerals Management Service sold rights to drill for oil and gas. This happened in the Chukchi Sea. It included parts of the Hanna Shoal region. Companies like Shell wanted to drill there.
Conservation groups said Hanna Shoal was an Important Ecological Area. In 2015, a large part of Hanna Shoal was protected. This area was about one million acres. It was removed from future oil and gas drilling plans. Also, a plan for 2017–2022 recognized Hanna Shoal. It called it an "Environmentally Important Area." This was especially for walrus feeding and movement.
So far, attempts to find oil and gas near the shoal have not worked. In 2015, one well was drilled. It was about 10 miles from Hanna Shoal. That well did not find oil. By July 2016, oil companies gave up almost all their drilling rights in the Chukchi Sea.
