SC/65b/BRG11

Recent sightings of the North Pacific Right (Eubalaenajaponica) whales in the western North Pacific based on JARPNand JARPN II surveys (1994 to 2013)
KOJI MATSUOKA1, TAKASHI HAKAMADA1 AND TOMIO MIYASHITA2
1

Institute of Cetacean Research, 4-5, Toyomi, Chuo, Tokyo 104-0055, Japan
National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries, Fisheries Research Agency, 2-12-4, Fukuura, Kanazawa, Yokohama,236-8648, Japan
Contact e-mail:matsuoka@cetacean.jp
2ABSTRACTWe report here the sighting information of North Pacific right whale collected by JARPN and JARPNII from May toSeptember in the period 1994-2013. A total of 189,487.4 n.miles were surveyed in the JARPN and JARPNII researcharea. Monthly maps of the Density Index (DI: individuals / 100 n.miles) by 1oX 1osquare are provided. They weremainly distributed north of 42oN in the research area (55 schools and 77 individuals; observed mean school size: 1.40,including 10 mother and calf pairs. Surface temperature in the location of the sightings ranged from 2.7 to 16.6oC. A
northward migration pattern of whales was observed. A total of 48 individuals photographed and a total of 26 biopsy
samples were collected in the research area. This information is useful to investigate the offshore distribution andmigration pattern of this species in the western North Pacific. Further continuation of the systematic sighting surveys
including in foreign EEZ areas are required to improve information on seasonal distribution of this species.
KEY WORDS: PACIFIC OCEAN, SURVEY VESSEL, DISTRIBUTION, NORTH PACIFIC RIGHT WHALE
INTRODUCTION
The JARPN II (Japanese Whale Research Program under special permit in the western part of North Pacific-Phase II）
was designed with the aim to elucidate the a) feeding ecology and ecosystem studies, b) Monitoring environmental
pollutant in cetaceans and the marine ecosystem, c) Stock structure of large whales (Common minke, Bryde’s, sei andsperm whales).
The JARPN (1994-1999) and JARPN II (2000-2013, ongoing) have been conducted the systematic whalesighting survey with and without the sampling activity. Research area of the JARPN and JARPN II is the Pacific waters
north of 35oN in sub-areas 7, 8 and 9 except the 200 n.miles EEZ of foreign countries. In the Sea of Okhotsk, it coveredonly sub-area 11 also except the Russian EEZ. All whale species sighted are recorded during the sighting surveys.
Details of the outline of the JARPN and JARPN II surveys were reviewed by Fujise (2000), Tamura et al. (2008) andKiwada et al., (2008). Sighting data by JARPN for blue (Balaenoptera musculus), fin (B. physalus), humpback (B.
musculus), right (Eubalaena japonica) and common minke whales (B. acutorostrata) were reported to the JARPN
review meeting which held by the IWC/SC in 1999 (Matsuoka et al., 2000, Okamura et al., 2001). In this paper, we
examined North Pacific right whale distribution patterns using the JARPN and JARPN II sighting data.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Sighting data used in this analysis
In this paper, we used all JARPN (1994-1999) and JARPN II (2000-2013) systematic sighting survey data (effort andprimary sightings) collected by sighting and sampling vessel (SSV) and dedicated sighting vessel (SV). Outline ofsighting survey are followings;

1Sighting procedure
The sighting procedure of JARPN II (2000-2013) was not largely changed during the JARPN (1994-1999) surveys withsome minor changes of the sighting procedure, which were reviewed by Fujise (2000), Tamura et al. (2008) and Kiwada
et al. (2008). The research vessels equipped with barrel, where three top men conducted sighting observation. On theupper bridge, a captain, a gunner, a helmsman and a researcher also conducted the sighting. The sighting activity wascontinued if weather permitted during daytime from 30 minutes after sunrise to 30 minutes before the sunset.
Survey modes
Searching was conducted under closing mode. Furthermore, two survey modes were adopted as NSC (Normal SearchClosing, effort code was BC) mode and NSS (Normal Search closing with Special, effort code was BS) modes bytaking into consideration the sea condition at the time of the searching. The NSC (BC) mode was under the normal
weather conditions defined as visibility of 2 n.miles or more and wind velocity 4 or below. The NSS (BS) was under theunfavorable conditions defined as except the BC mode, but under which, the collection of whale samples was possible(Tamura et al. ,2008). Searching was conducted two survey modes (closing (ASP) and passing (NSP) modes) by thededicated sighting vessel (SV) (Kiwada et al. 2008).
Confirmation of the sightings
When the cetacean school of which species seemed to be minke whales or other large cetaceans was sighted in theresearch area, the ship closed to the school in order to identify the species, estimate the school size and get otherbiological information (number of calf, estimated body length etc.). To improve the estimation of the distance to theschool and the angle from the bow, the training was conducted in the early time of each cruise by each vessel. Distancewas estimated by referring the scale in the binocular and angle was also estimated referring the angle board. Surface
temperatures were recorded by each whale sighting.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Primary searching efforts
A total of 189,487.4 n.miles were surveyed in the research area between 1994 and 2013. Figure 1 show the researcharea and the primary searching effort (n,mile) of JARPN and JARPN II by Lat.1°× Long.1°square. Research area wascovered completely during the surveys from mainly May to September (Figure 1).
North Pacific Right whale sightings
This species was most rare baleen whale sighted in the research area. Table 1 shows the summary of the primary whalesightings during 1994 to 2013. Table 2 shows the summary of primary whale sightings in each sub-area. Figure 2 shows
the distribution of the density index (number of the primary sightings of individuals / 100 n.miles) using all primary
searching efforts and number of primary sightings (individuals) of whales from May to September. This species weremainly distributed north of 39oN in the research area from May to September (55 schools and 77 individuals). Observed
mean schools size was 1.40 individuals including 10 mother and calf pairs. Surface temperature was ranged from 2.7oC
to 16.6oC (Table 1).The main distribution area was north of 42oN during May to August in the eastern part of theresearch area (Table 2, Figure 2). Photo-ID data and biopsy samples were opportunistically collected during the surveys.
A total of 48 individuals were photographed and 26 biopsy samples were collected (Table1, Figures 3a to 3c).
The monthly changes of the whale distributions with the search effort from April to September were calculated.
Although the sighting effort of the northern part of the research area was not enough in June, a northward migration
pattern of whales were observed from May to August. The sighting areas of this species were seemed moving fromcoastal region to the offshore regions and number of sighting areas was decreasing from May to September (Figure 4).

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New information and further survey requirements
For the western North Pacific, recent information is limited. Distribution pattern of this species were reported using
historical catch record (e.g. Nishiwaki, 1966, Omura, 1986, Clapham et al., 2006) and JSV data (5oX 5o square analyses;
Miyashita et al., 1995, Miyashita and Kato, 1998). There are two migration routes along both sides of Japanese main
Island, based on historical whaling data (Omura, 1986). And several scientists have suggested that the Kuril Islands andKamchatka coasts are likely to be major summer feeding regions, based on historical and recent new information(Matsuoka et al., 2000 and 2009, Brownell et al., 2001. Clapham et al., 2004, Jefferson et al., 2008, Sekiguchi et al.,2014). Present information of whale distributions provided by JARPN and JARPN II during 1994 to 2013 is support
these feeding regions and valuable as new information for this species. Overall, this information is more detailed rather
than previous data. This result confirmed that existence of this species in the offshore region during 1994-2013
especially outside of Okhotsk Sea in July to August. According to Miyashita et al. (1995), there were no sightings in
outside of the Okhotsk Sea in August. As a whole, the main distribution areas of this species were moved northwardfrom 39oN to 49oN from April to September in the western North Pacific, which coincided with previous large-scale
distribution pattern by Miyashita et. al. (1995).
The latest sighting data of the foreign 200 n.miles EEZ in the Sea of Okhotsk and the east of Kurile Islands during Julyand August were reported by Buckland et al., (1992) using Japanese whale sighting survey data conducted by theNational Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries in Japan. Sightings information near the foreign 200 n.miles EEZ
boundary in the east of Kurile Islands in June was also reported by Japanese University research vessel (HokkaidoUniversity, Oshoro-Maru) in 2012 and 2013 (Sekiguchi et al., 2014). Further survey and analysis includinginternational collaboration research are required to improve for seasonal distribution of this species.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We would like expressing our thanks to all Cruise leaders, Captains, officers, crew and researchers involved on theJARPN and JARPN II surveys. Our gratitude also to Hiroshi Hatanaka, Seiji Ohsumi, Hidehiro Kato, Yoshihiro Fujise,
Luis Pastene, Shigetoshi Nishiwaki and Tsutomu Tamura for their help in the preparation of this paper.
REFERENCES
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Brownell, R.L., Jr., Clapham, P.J., Miyashita, T. and Kasuya, T. 2001. Conservation status of North Pacific right whales.
J. Cetacean Res.Manage. (Special issue) 2:269-286.
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Cetacean Res.Manage. 6 (1):1-6.
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the North Pacific (JARPN) from 1994 to 1999. Document SC/F2K/J8 submitted to JARPN review meeting.
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Kiwada, H., Kumagai, S. and Matsuoka, K., 2009. Methodology and procedure of the dedicated sighting surveys inJARPN II –Offshore and coastal component of Sanriku and Kushiro-. Paper SC/J09/JR2. 16pp.
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data during the JARPN 1994-1999. Paper SC/F2K/J16 presented at the JARPN Review Meeting, 7-10 February 2000
(unpublished). 17pp. [Paper available from the Office of this Journal].
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physalus), humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) and north pacific right (Eubalaena japonica) whales in the western
North Pacific based on JARPN and JARPN II sighting surveys (1994 to 2007). 12pp. SC/J09/JR35 presented at the3

JARPNII Review Meeting, 26-30 January 2009 (unpublished). 17pp. [Paper available from the Office of thisJournal].
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Sighting Data (Volume 1). National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries, Shimizu, Shizuoka, Japan.140pp.
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presented to the IWC Special Meeting of the Scientific Committee towards a Comprehensive Assessment of Right
Whales Worldwide, 16-25 March, Cape Town, South Africa.
Nishiwaki, M., 1966. Distribution and migration of the larger cetaceans in the North pacific as shown by Japanesewhaling results. In K. S. Norris, ed., Whales, dolphins, and porpoises. University of California Press, Berkely. CA.
pages 171-191.
Okamura, H, Matsuoka K, Hakamada T, Okazaki M, and Miyashita, T., 2001. Spatial and temporal structure of thewestern North Pacific minke whale distribution inferred from JARPN sightings data. J. Cetacean Res. Manage. 3:
193-200.
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Table. 1. Summary of North Pacific right whale sightings during the JARPN and JARPNII (1994-2013). Sch.: Numberof the primary sightings of schools. Ind.: Number of the primary sightings of individuals. Calf: Number ofcalves including Ind.. Mss: observed mean school size (Ind. / Sch.). DIS: Density Index (schools / 100 n.miles).
DIW: Density Index (individuals / 100 n.miles). WT: Range of surface temperature of the sighting position.
Photo-ID: number of individuals, Biopsy sample: number of samples.
Western North pacific
Year
1994

Sch.

Ind.

CalfMss

WT

1212.00

17.0oC

1Biopsysample
00

Photo-IDo

1995

220

1.00

6.8 - 13.2 C1

1996

000----

1997

230

1.50

3.5 - 7.5oC

00

1998

462

1.50

3.3 - 13.3oC

00

1999

000----

2000

000----

2001

231

1.50

12.0 - 16.9oC

202002220

1.00

13.4 - 16.0oC002003

561

1.20

3.0 –-15.7oC

412004240

2.00

10.3 - 12.7oC

2220052422.00

12.3 - 16.6oC

222006

10140

1.40

7.8 - 10.3oC

9220071101.00

13.3oC

00o2008561

1.20

8.8 - 15.1 C

4420091

101.00

7.5oC

10

2010

000----

2011

1320

21.54

2.7 - 4.2oC

20142012

220

1.00

8.3 - 13.9oC

112013

1

10

1.00

13.4oC

10Total55

77

101.402.7 - 16.6 oC

48

26

Table. 2. Summary of North Pacific right whale sightings by sub-area during the JARPN and JARPNII (1994-2013).
Sea

Western North pacific

Latitude35N-43N

35N - 45N

35N - 51N

Longitude

Japanese coast - 150E

150E - 157E

157E - 170E

Depth (m)200-4000m<4000 m <4000 m <Species

Sch.

Ind.

Sch.

Ind.

Sch.

Ind.

N. P. Right whale

111281236

535

Figure 1. Distribution of the primary searching effort (n.mile) during JARPN and JARPN II (1994 to 2013) surveys by
Lat.1°× Long.1°square.

Figure 2. Distribution of the Density Index (number of primary sightings of individuals / 100 n.mile ) of North Pacificright whales during April to September of JARPN and JARPN II from 1994 to 2013 surveys by Lat.1°×
Long.1°square.

6Figure 3a. A mother and calf pair of North Pacific right whale, sighted in the western North Pacific on 2 August 2008.

Figure 3b. Surfacing of North Pacific right whale, sighted in the western North Pacific on 31 May 2012.

Figure 3c. Scars on back of North Pacific right whale, sighted in the western North Pacific on 6 June 2012.

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Figure 4. Monthly change of the Density Index (number of primary sightings of whales / 100 n.mile ) of North Pacificright whales during JARPN and JARPN II from 1994 to 2013 surveys by Lat.1°× Long.1°square.

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