THE INSTITUTE OF CETACEAN RESEARCH
4-5 TOYOMI-CHO, CHUO-KU, TOKYO 104-0055 JAPAN
PHONE: +81-3-3536-6521

FAX: +81-3536-6522

MEDIA RELEASE
September 12, 2013

Completion of the 2013 IWC/Japan Joint Cetacean Sighting Survey
Cruise in the North Pacific - IWC-POWER

1. BACKGROUND
IWC-POWER, the IWC/Japan Joint Cetacean Sighting Survey in the North Pacific, is a
research program commonly known at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) as
the Pacific Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research (POWER).
IWC-POWER is based on and applies the achievements, know-how and expertise
acquired during the most successful and highly appraised international collaborative
research effort conducted under the auspice of the IWC, the IWC-SOWER(International Whaling Commission-Southern Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research,
1996/1997-2009/2010) research program which ended in 2009.
The 2013 survey was the fourth cruise since IWC-POWER began in 2010. The researchplan of this program reflects the major research agenda of the IWC ScientificCommittee. During the first three cruises, a number of fin, sei and humpback whales
were sighted in the research area, where a large scale sighting survey had not beenconducted for more than a half century.

2. OUTLINE OF THE 2013 RESEARCH CRUISE
The IWC-POWER program is conducted collaboratively by the IWC and theGovernment of Japan. The IWC Scientific Committee has developed the research
program, and an actual survey cruise plan was jointly planned by associated1institutions such as the National Research Institute of Far Sea Fisheries (Fisheries
Research Agency of Japan) and Alaska Fisheries Science Center (NOAA/NMFS,U.S.A.) under guidance of the IWC-POWER Steering Group (Convener, Dr. Hidehiro
Kato, Professor of Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Japan), whichwas established under auspice of the IWC Scientific Committee. The Institute ofCetacean Research, under the commission of the Fisheries Agency of Japan, hascompleted the survey cruise. Followings are summary of research cruise plan and itsresults.
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Objectives(1) estimation of sei and fin whales abundance (and other species where possible,especially Bryde’s whales);(2) collection of information on stock structure, particularly biopsy samples, withpriority given to sei, fin and sperm whales; and(3) collection of photo-identification data and biopsy samples for rare species
encountered, especially North Pacific right whales and blue whales.
Research Cruise Period
From July 12, 2013 to September 9, 2013 (60 days).
Research Area (Fig. 1)
The research area is north of 30° N, south of 40°N, between longitudes 160° W and135°W (High Sea).
International Researchers
Koji Matsuoka (Cruise leader, Institute of Cetacean Research, Japan)
Hyun-Woo Kim (Cetacean Research Institute, NFRDI, Republic of Korea,)
Sergio Martinez-Aguilar (IWC nominated researcher, Mexico)
Saeko Kumagai (IWC nominated researcher, Japan)
Research Vessel
Yushin-maru No.3 (742 ton, Captain Yasuaki Sasaki)
Total Distance Covered
4,314 nautical miles (about 7,989km)
Main whale sightings
Fin whale: 3 schools; 3 animals
Sei whale: 4 schools; 4 animals
Bryde’s whale: 54 schools; 64 animals
Sperm whale: 67 schools; 99 animals
Striped dolphin: 16 schools; 1,395 animals
Spotted dolphin: 6 schools; 455 animals
Risso’s dolphin: 9 schools; 208 animals
2Common dolphin: 3 schools 175 animals
2.8 Results of sample collections etc.
(1) Photo identification data
Fin whale: 3 animals
Sei whale: 2 animals
Bryde’s whale: 6 animals
These photographs are valuable information to study life history and migration
patterns of each species.
(2) Collection of biopsy samples
Fin whale: 1 animal
Sei whale: 1 animal
Bryde’s whale: 6 animals.
These samples will be used for examination of stock structure of each species.

Fig.1 Research area for the 2013 IWC-POWER survey.

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