MINKE WHALE (Balaenoptera acutorostrata): Canadian East Coast Stock
Minke whales have a cosmopolitan distribution in polar, temperate and tropical waters. In the North Atlantic there are four recognized populations — Canadian east coast, west Greenland, central North Atlantic, and northeastern North Atlantic (Donovan 1991). These four population divisions were defin...
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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1999
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.294.8974 http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/sars/ao1999whmi-cneco.pdf |
| Summary: | Minke whales have a cosmopolitan distribution in polar, temperate and tropical waters. In the North Atlantic there are four recognized populations — Canadian east coast, west Greenland, central North Atlantic, and northeastern North Atlantic (Donovan 1991). These four population divisions were defined by examining segregation by sex and length, catch distributions, sightings, marking data and preexisting ICES boundaries; however, there are very few data from the Canadian east coast population. Minke whales off the eastern coast of the United States are considered to be part of the Canadian east coast population, which inhabits the area from the eastern half of Davis Strait out to 45EW and south to the Gulf of Mexico. The relationship between this and the other three populations is uncertain. It is also uncertain if there are separate stocks within the Canadian east coast population. The minke whale is common and widely distributed within the USA Atlantic Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) (CETAP 1982). There appears to be a strong seasonal component to minke whale distribution. Spring and summer are times of relatively widespread and common occurrence, and during this time they are most abundant in New England waters. During fall, in New England waters, there are fewer minke whales, while during winter, the species appears to be largely absent. Like most other baleen whales, the minke whale generally occupies the continental shelf proper, rather Figure 1. Distribution of minke whale sightings from NEFSC shipboard and aerial surveys during the summer in 1990-1995. Isobaths are at 100 m and 1,000 m. than the continental shelf edge region. Records summarized by Mitchell (1991) hint at a possible winter distribution in the West Indies and in mid-ocean south and east of Bermuda. As with several other cetacean species, the possibility of a deep-ocean component to distribution exists but remains unconfirmed. POPULATION SIZE The total number of minke whales in the Canadian East Coast population is unknown. However, four ... |
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