STOCK DEFINITION AND GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2001
• Subjects: Sperm whale
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.294.7324; http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/sars/ao2001whsp-n.pdf

The distribution of the sperm whale in the USA EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) occurs on the continental shelf edge, over the continental slope, and into mid-ocean regions (Figure 1). Waring et al. (1993) suggest that this offshore distribution is more commonly associated with the Gulf Stre am edge and other features. However, the sperm whales that occur in the eastern USA EEZ likely represent only a fraction of the total stock. The nature of linkages of the USA habitat with those to the south, north, and offshore is unknown. Historical whaling records compiled by Schmidly (1981) suggested an offshore distribution off the southeast USA, over the Blake Plateau, and into deep ocean. In the southeast Ca ribbean, both large and small adults, as well as calves and juveniles of different sizes are reported (W atkins et al. 1985). Whether the northwestern Atlantic p opulation is