Initial population model fits to the humpback breeding stocks D, E1 and Oceania

• Main Authors: Müller, A, Butterworth, Doug S
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: University of Cape Town 2012
• Subjects: Humpback breeding stocks; Oceania; Humpback Whale
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18446; https://open.uct.ac.za/bitstream/11427/18446/1/M%c3%bcller_Initial_population_model_2012.pdf

This document provides initial results of population model fits to the Southern Hemisphere humpback whale breeding stocks D (West Australia), E1 (East Australia) and Oceania. The purpose of this document is to put preliminary results on the table to facilitate further discussion and model runs at IWC 64. The initial results indicate that breeding stock D is near to its pristine abundance, stock E1 is at an intermediate level, and Oceania is still heavily depleted. There are inconsistencies between the model and the various relative abundance indices for stock D, which need further discussion.