8. Sea mammals, fish, and migratory birds, all of which constitute 

 a significant subsistence resource, will be vulnerable to 

 depletion via oil contamination, excessive human activity, or 

 onshore facilities. 111 



5.2.9 Southern Aleutian Shelf 



Information regarding the southern Aleutian Shelf is quite scarce 

 (except for individual fishery and oceanography studies). A lease sale 

 originally scheduled for October 1978 has now been indefinitely postponed 

 by the BLM. 



The southern Aleutian shelf is characterized by intense storms, 

 high precipitation, moderate temperatures and a fjord coastline. The 

 Aleutian Islands are sparsely populated by Aleuts and Eskimos who rely 

 on subsistence hunting and fishing. Cold Bay is the major town and 

 transportation hub for the Aleutian chain. 



5.2.10 Bristol Bay 



Description of the Region 1 l 2 



Bristol Bay is a large, comparatively shallow bay surrounded by a 

 combination of lowlands and various mountain systems. The coastline is 

 characterized by sandy beaches but includes a few cliffs, hills and 

 ridges along the shore between Cape Newenham and Kulukak Bay. 



Ice is a problem in this area, particularly close to shore. Ice 

 formation begins in mid-October and often persists into late spring. 



The frequency of storms and gales is comparable to that in the Gulf 

 of Alaska. However, due to a limited fetch, Bristol Bay waves do not 

 generally attain the height of those in the Gulf of Alaska. 



68 



