Amanda Bradford

Bradford participating in field work studying western gray whales in 2002. Dr. Amanda Bradford is a marine mammal biologist who is currently researching cetacean population dynamics for the National Marine Fisheries Service of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Bradford is currently a Research Ecologist with the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center's Cetacean Research Program.

Education

Undergraduate education Bradford received her Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology from Texas A&M University in Galveston, Texas in 1998. She worked in the lab of Bernd Würsig.

During her senior year, Bradford began analyzing photo-identification data from the western North Pacific population of gray whales. anthropogenic impacts, and body condition of these whales. Her results showed that calf survival in the population was notably low, the population numbered only around 100 whales in the early 2000s, whales were vulnerable to fishing gear entanglement and vessel collisions, and that body condition varied by season and year.

Bradford spent a lot of time as a graduate student working on photo-identification of the western gray whale population and published a paper on how to identify calves based on their barnacle scars and pigmentation patterns.

Academic awards and honors + Year Award Affiliation 2009 Faculty Merit Award University of Washington 2009, 2005 H. Mason Keeler Endowment for Excellence University of Washington 2006 National Marine Fisheries Service - Sea Grant Fellowship University of Washington 2005 W.F Thompson Scholarship University of Washington 2004, 1999 Claire L. & Evelyn S. Egtvedt Fellowship Much of what is known about the western gray whales is a result of the work of Bradford and her international colleagues.

Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel - International Union for Conservation of Nature Bradford was responsible for synthesizing data and assisting with population analyses for the Western Gray Whale Advisory Panel between 2007 and 2011. Bradford also participated in two ship-based western gray whale satellite tagging surveys off Sakhalin Island, Russia.

Western Gray Whale Project, Russia-U.S. Collaboration Bradford participated and eventually lead western gray whale boat-based photo-identification and genetic-monitoring surveys between 1998 and 2010, which included her putting in over 1,500 hours of small boat work. Further, Bradford collected gray whale behavioral data and theodolite-tracked movement data. In addition to the gray whale work, Bradford collected information on spotted seals in the early years of the collaboration.

Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Shortly before graduating with her PhD, Bradford took a position at the Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, a part of NOAA Fisheries. False killer whales are known for depredating catch and bait in this fishery and due to this behavior, they are one of the most often accidentally caught marine mammals. Bradford was involved in a study of false killer whale behavior and interactions with the fisheries in an effort to try and reduce the bycatch of this species and achieve conservation goals. In order to promote the recovery of this population, it is vital to know the full extent of their breeding grounds to be able to assess and eliminate threats.

Bradford regularly participates in ship-based and small boat surveys for cetaceans in the Pacific Islands region. She also plays a leading role in efforts to incorporate unmanned aircraft systems, automated photo-identification using machine learning, and open data science practices into the data collection and analysis workflows of the Cetacean Research program. She regularly gives presentations, contributes to web stories, and otherwise communicates to stakeholders and members of the public.

Society for Marine Mammalogy Bradford served as the Student-Member-at-Large for the Society for Marine Mammalogy's Board of Governors from 2006 to 2008. Bradford served as the student representative, facilitated student participation in the Society, and promoted the growth of the student chapters. Hill M. and Bradford A. et al.(2020). Found: a missing breeding ground for endangered western North Pacific humpback whales in the Mariana Archipelago. Endangered Species Research. 91–103. 10.3354/esr01010. Weller D. and Bradford A. et al. (2018). Prevalence of Killer Whale Tooth Rake Marks on Gray Whales off Sakhalin Island, Russia. Aquatic Mammals. 44. 643–652. 10.1578/AM.44.6.2018.643. Bradford A. Forney K, Oleson E, Barlow J. (2017). Abundance estimates of cetaceans from a line-transect survey within the U.S. Hawaiian Islands Exclusive Economic Zone. Fishery Bulletin 115:129-142. Bradford A. Forney K, Oleson E, Barlow J. (2014). Accounting for subgroup structure in line-transect abundance estimates of false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) in Hawaiian waters. PLoS ONE 9:e90464. Bradford A. et al. (2012). Leaner leviathans: Body condition variation in a critically endangered whale population. Journal of Mammalogy. 93. 251–266. 10.1644/11-MAMM-A-091.1. Bradford A, Weller D, Burdin A, Brownell R. (2011). Using barnacle and pigmentation characteristics to identify gray whale calves on their feeding grounds. Marine Mammal Science - MAR MAMMAL SCI. 27. 10.1111/j.1748-7692.2010.00413.x. Bradford A. et al. (2009). Anthropogenic scarring of western gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus). Marine Mammal Science 25:161-175.