A small Western Gray Whale population inhabits the area off the northeast coast of Sakhalin Island in Russia during the summer and fall months.
Since 1997, the Sakhalin-1 Consortium has conducted a study program in partnership with Sakhalin Energy, prominent whale experts from Russia and abroad have acquired significant data on this endangered marine mammal species. This research program is conducted in close cooperation with Russian scientific institutes affiliated with the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Other areas of research include studies on acoustics work led by the Pacific Oceanographic Institute. This work enables us to evaluate the potential for sound from construction activities to have an effect on the behavior of the whales and for those effects to be mitigated.
Each year, the data from these programs is evaluated and combined to better understand the Western Gray Whale population. Based on data compiled through these multi-year cooperative research efforts, measures taken to protect Western Gray Whales appear to be effective, and there is evidence that the Western Gray Whale population is growing.
The Sakhalin-1 Consortium will continue to co-sponsor these successful whale research and monitoring programs to ensure that the Western Gray Whale population is protected and that habitat conservation requirements are met.