Overview
Prince William Sound is a pristine, world-class wilderness ecosystem that hosts a magnificent array of marine mammals, seabirds, and wild shorelines. To preserve this fragile marine environment and avoid heavy federal fines, mariners must practice highly responsible boating ethics, comply with federal wildlife proximity laws, and commit to Leave No Trace and Tread Lightly camping standards.
🐋 Marine Mammal Protection Act Compliance
All marine mammals in the Sound (including sea otters, harbor seals, Steller sea lions, humpback whales, and orcas) are strictly protected under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Harassment, disturbance, or close pursuit is a federal offense.
- The 100-Yard Proximity Rule: Do not approach within 100 yards (300 feet) of any marine mammal. Maintain this buffer zone whether the animal is in the water, on a rocky haul-out, or on glacial ice.
- Pupping Season High Alert (May–July): During the spring and early summer, harbor seals and sea otters are pupping. Sea otter mothers frequently leave pups floating on the surface while diving for food. Maintain extreme vigilance: do not navigate between a mother and pup, and avoid disturbing resting groups on ice floes (e.g., near Columbia or Chenega glaciers).
- Course & Speed Etiquette:
- Neutral Wait: If a whale approaches your vessel, immediately put your engine in neutral, idle your motor, and wait for the whale to pass safely. Never block their path or herd them.
- No Abrupt Changes: Avoid sudden, erratic changes in speed or direction when operating near marine mammals.
- Observation Limits: Limit your close observation time to a maximum of 30 minutes to reduce cumulative stress on the animals.
🦅 Bald Eagle Nesting Protections
Bald eagles are abundant along the coastlines of the Sound and are protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act:
- 330-Foot Buffer: Maintain a minimum distance of 330 feet (100 meters) from any active eagle nest.
- Nesting Season (May–August): During this sensitive period, avoid any loud, disruptive activities (such as sudden engine revving, shouting, or sounding horns) near coastal nesting trees. Disturbances can cause parents to abandon eggs or chicks, exposing them to raven and gull predation.
🐧 Seabird Rookeries & Colony Warnings
The steep cliffs of Prince William Sound host massive, globally important nesting colonies of black-legged kittiwakes, common murres, puffins, and cormorants:
- Flushing Hazard: Never approach a nesting cliff closer than 100 yards. Sounding horns, revving engines, or making loud noises to intentionally “flush” birds from the cliffs is illegal. Flushing causes panicked birds to knock eggs and chicks off narrow rock ledges, resulting in high mortality.
- Shoup Bay Kittiwake Colony Closure: The upper portion of Shoup Bay State Marine Park is a critical kittiwake nesting rookery. The upper bay is strictly closed to personal watercraft (PWC), jet boats, hovercraft, and floatplanes between May 15 and August 31.
🚯 Leave No Trace & Tread Lightly Ethics
Uplands in the Sound are predominantly part of the Chugach National Forest, including extensive Wilderness Study Areas where leave-no-trace camping is legally mandated.
- Pack It In, Pack It Out: You must pack out 100% of your trash. Remote villages (such as Chenega Bay and Tatitlek) do not have trash services for visitors. In Whittier, garbage must only be deposited in dumpsters at the head of the harbor ramps.
- Antifreeze & Batteries: There are no disposal facilities for used antifreeze or marine batteries in Whittier or remote communities. You must carry spent antifreeze and batteries back to road-system recycling centers on the mainland.
- Minimize Campfire Impact: Where campfires are permitted, burn only small driftwood. Do not cut standing timber. Disperse fire-pit rocks and ash before leaving to restore the site to its natural state.
- Tent Platforms & Muskeg: Use established wooden tent platforms at State Marine Parks to prevent the destruction of fragile coastal vegetation. Avoid walking on wet, sensitive muskeg soils, which erode easily and take decades to recover.
⛽ Harbor Zero-Discharge & Bilge Safety
All harbors in Prince William Sound are designated zero-discharge zones:
- Bilge Safety: Never pump oil or oily bilge water into the harbor. Install oil-absorbent pads in your bilge to capture oil before your automated bilge pump triggers. Check that your pump switch is operating properly.
- Sewage Pump-Out: Hold greywater and blackwater on board. Use approved marine sanitation pump-out facilities, such as the station on B Float in Whittier or the mobile pump unit.
- Sheen Reporting: Any oil or fuel discharge that creates a visible sheen on the water is a violation of federal law and must be reported immediately to the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Response Center at 800-424-8802.