Predicting Inshore Whale Abundance — Whales and Capelin off the Newfoundland Coast
Inshore abundance of baleen whales along the Newfoundland coasts changed considerably during the period 1973–83. In particular, large numbers of humpbacks were present along the northeast coast each summer between 1977 and 1980. This influx led to entrapment of whales in fishing gear. Counts of hump...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences |
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Canadian Science Publishing
1985
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f85-122 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f85-122 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/f85-122 2023-12-17T10:27:40+01:00 Predicting Inshore Whale Abundance — Whales and Capelin off the Newfoundland Coast Whitehead, Hal Carscadden, J. E. 1985 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f85-122 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f85-122 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences volume 42, issue 5, page 976-981 ISSN 0706-652X 1205-7533 Aquatic Science Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 1985 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/f85-122 2023-11-19T13:38:44Z Inshore abundance of baleen whales along the Newfoundland coasts changed considerably during the period 1973–83. In particular, large numbers of humpbacks were present along the northeast coast each summer between 1977 and 1980. This influx led to entrapment of whales in fishing gear. Counts of humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), finback (Balaenoptera physalus), and minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) whales during standard surveys along the coast are used as indices of inshore abundance, and are related to the year-class strengths of capelin (Mallotus villosus), their major food in the Newfoundland region. Whales are found inshore when there are few immature capelin offshore. Minke whale distributions seem more closely related to the abundance of 1- to 2-yr-old, immature capelin, but humpback and finback whales are found inshore with low abundances of 2- to 3-yr-old, mainly immature capelin. We suggest that estimates of capelin year-class strength predicted from abiotic variables can be used to predict inshore whale abundance, at least 1 yr in advance. The extreme influx of humpbacks of the late 1970s is unlikely to recur in the short term. The analysis suggests that finback populations in the area are declining. Article in Journal/Newspaper Balaenoptera acutorostrata Balaenoptera physalus baleen whales Megaptera novaeangliae minke whale Newfoundland Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 42 5 976 981 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Canadian Science Publishing (via Crossref) |
op_collection_id |
crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
topic |
Aquatic Science Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Aquatic Science Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Whitehead, Hal Carscadden, J. E. Predicting Inshore Whale Abundance — Whales and Capelin off the Newfoundland Coast |
topic_facet |
Aquatic Science Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
Inshore abundance of baleen whales along the Newfoundland coasts changed considerably during the period 1973–83. In particular, large numbers of humpbacks were present along the northeast coast each summer between 1977 and 1980. This influx led to entrapment of whales in fishing gear. Counts of humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), finback (Balaenoptera physalus), and minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) whales during standard surveys along the coast are used as indices of inshore abundance, and are related to the year-class strengths of capelin (Mallotus villosus), their major food in the Newfoundland region. Whales are found inshore when there are few immature capelin offshore. Minke whale distributions seem more closely related to the abundance of 1- to 2-yr-old, immature capelin, but humpback and finback whales are found inshore with low abundances of 2- to 3-yr-old, mainly immature capelin. We suggest that estimates of capelin year-class strength predicted from abiotic variables can be used to predict inshore whale abundance, at least 1 yr in advance. The extreme influx of humpbacks of the late 1970s is unlikely to recur in the short term. The analysis suggests that finback populations in the area are declining. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Whitehead, Hal Carscadden, J. E. |
author_facet |
Whitehead, Hal Carscadden, J. E. |
author_sort |
Whitehead, Hal |
title |
Predicting Inshore Whale Abundance — Whales and Capelin off the Newfoundland Coast |
title_short |
Predicting Inshore Whale Abundance — Whales and Capelin off the Newfoundland Coast |
title_full |
Predicting Inshore Whale Abundance — Whales and Capelin off the Newfoundland Coast |
title_fullStr |
Predicting Inshore Whale Abundance — Whales and Capelin off the Newfoundland Coast |
title_full_unstemmed |
Predicting Inshore Whale Abundance — Whales and Capelin off the Newfoundland Coast |
title_sort |
predicting inshore whale abundance — whales and capelin off the newfoundland coast |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
1985 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f85-122 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f85-122 |
genre |
Balaenoptera acutorostrata Balaenoptera physalus baleen whales Megaptera novaeangliae minke whale Newfoundland |
genre_facet |
Balaenoptera acutorostrata Balaenoptera physalus baleen whales Megaptera novaeangliae minke whale Newfoundland |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences volume 42, issue 5, page 976-981 ISSN 0706-652X 1205-7533 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/f85-122 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences |
container_volume |
42 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
976 |
op_container_end_page |
981 |
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1785579584146636800 |