NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NE-120

This series represents a secondary level of scientific publishing. All issues employ thorough internal scientific

review; some issues employ external scientific review. Reviews are -- by design -- transparent collegial

reviews, not anonymous peer reviews. All issues may be cited in formal scientific communications.

Marine Mammal Research Program

of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center

during 1990-95

Janeen M. Quintal and Tim D. Smith

National Marine Fisheries Serv., Woods Hole Lab., Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

William Daley, Secretary

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

D. James Baker, Administrator

National Marine Fisheries Service

Penelope D. Dalton, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries

Northeast Region

Northeast Fisheries Science Center

Woods Hole, Massachusetts

September 1999
Note on Species Names

The NMFS Northeast Region's policy on the use of species names in all technical communications is generally to follow the

American Fisheries Society's lists of scientific and common names for fishes (i.e., Robins et al. 1991a), mollusks (i.e., Turgeon

et al. 1998b), a decapod crustaceans (i.e., Williams et al. 1989c), and to follow the Society for Marine Mammalogy's guidance

on scientific and common names for marine mammals (i.e., Rice 1998d). Exceptions to this policy occur when there are

subsequent compelling revisions in the classifications of species, resulting in changes in the names of species (e.g., Cooper

and Chapleau 1998e).

___________________

a

Robins, C.R. (chair); Bailey, R.M.; Bond, C.E.; Brooker, J.R.; Lachner, E.A.; Lea, R.N.; Scott, W.B. 1991. Common and scientific names

of fishes from the United States and Canada. 5th ed. Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ.20; 183 p.

b

Turgeon, D.D. (chair); Quinn, J.F.; Bogan, A.E.; Coan, E.V.; Hochberg, F.G.; Lyons, W.G.; Mikkelsen, P.M.; Neves, R.J.; Roper, C.F.E.;

Rosenberg, G.; Roth, B.; Scheltema, A.; Thompson, F.G.; Vecchione, M.; Williams, J.D. 1998. Common and scientific names of aquatic

invertebrates from the United States and Canada: mollusks. 2nd ed. Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 26; 526 p.

c

Williams, A.B. (chair); Abele, L.G.; Felder, D.L.; Hobbs, H.H., Jr.; Manning, R.B.; McLaughlin, P.A.; Pérez Farfante, I. 1989. Common

and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: decapod crustraceans. Amer. Fish. Soc. Spec. Publ. 17;

77 p.

d

Rice, D.W. 1998. Marine mammals of the world: systematics and distribution. Soc. Mar. Mammal Spec. Publ. 4; 231 p.

e

Cooper, J.A.; Chapleau, F. 1998. Monophyly and interrelationships of the family Pleuronectidae (Pleuronectiformes), with a revised

classification. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 96:686-726.
Page iii

Contents

Preface ................................................................................................................................................................................. v

Abstract ................................................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction ..........................................................................................................................................................................1

Organization of Research Projects ........................................................................................................................................1

Summary of Research Activities ...........................................................................................................................................2

Summary of Research Results ............................................................................................................................................. 10

Implications for Future Research Directions ....................................................................................................................... 11

Acknowledgments .............................................................................................................................................................. 12

References Cited ................................................................................................................................................................. 12

Appendices

Appendix A. Published scientific papers based on marine mammal research projects

supported by the NEFSC during 1990-95 ................................................................................................... 15

Appendix B. Contract reports, manuscripts, and working papers based on marine

mammal research projects supported by the NEFSC during 1990-95 ......................................................... 19

Appendix C. Abstracts of oral presentations at scientific conferences based on

marine mammal research projects supported by the NEFSC during 1990-95.............................................. 23

Appendix D. Cruise period, area, and objectives of NEFSC sighting surveys during 1990-95 ....................................... 25

Tables

Table 1. Definition of the four research areas into which marine mammal studies

supported by the NEFSC during fiscal years 1990-95 were organized .........................................................2

Table 2. Marine mammal research topics supported by the NEFSC during fiscal

years 1990-95 by research area ....................................................................................................................3

Table 3. Expenditures on marine mammal research supported by the NEFSC during

fiscal years 1990-95 by research topic .........................................................................................................4

Table 4. Publications, reports, and oral presentations prepared for marine mammal

studies supported by the NEFSC during fiscal years 1990-95 by research topic .........................................5

Acronyms

ESA = Endangered Species Act

GIS = geographic information system

ICES = International Council for the Exploration of the Sea

IWC = International Whaling Commission

MMI = [NEFSC’s] Marine Mammal Investigation [predecessor to the NEFSC’s PSB]

MMPA = Marine Mammal Protection Act

NEFSC = [NMFS’s] Northeast Fisheries Science Center

NMFS = [NOAA’s] National Marine Fisheries Service

PBR = potential biological removal

PSB = [NEFSC’s] Protected Species Branch [successor to the NEFSC’s MMI]

SSI = [NEFSC’s] Sea Sampling Investigation [predecessor to the NEFSC’s SSP]

SSP = [NEFSC’s] Sea Sampling Program [successor to the NEFSC’s SSI]

URI = University of Rhode Island

USMMC = U.S. Marine Mammal Commission

WCR = [Gulf Stream] warm-core ring

YONAH = Years of the North Atlantic Humpback Project
Page v

PREFACE

Marine mammal research conducted and supported by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center through 1989 was

summarized in Waring et al. (1994). The present paper extends that summary through 1995, as the focus and scope of

research expanded substantially. This paper was unfortunately delayed in press for more than 3 yr during administrative

reorganization, the manuscript having been completed and accepted for publication in early 1996.

Marine mammal research conducted and supported by the NEFSC since 1995 is reported in the NEFSC Protected

Species Branch website – http://www.wh.whoi.edu/psb. That website includes: this paper and its predecessor, reports

documenting the status of all marine mammal populations off the northeastern United States, reports of marine mammal

surveys and research cruises, and a bibliography of publications. The website, however, does not include budgetary details

as included here.
Page 1

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

In the northeastern United States, marine mammals are

a subject of historical and ecological significance. After

decline of the Northeast’s American whale fishery in the

late 1800s and early 1900s, concern for systematic scientific

study of marine mammal species declined. However, in the

1940s, following taxonomic studies undertaken by

Remington Kellogg at the Smithsonian Institution and William Schevill at Harvard University, cetacean biology began to be investigated more thoroughly. In the early 1970s,

several researchers began studying marine mammals in this

region. With passage of the Marine Mammal Protection

Act (MMPA) in 1972, this effort expanded. In 1979, the U.S.

Marine Mammal Commission (USMMC) sponsored a workshop to address ongoing cetacean studies and to help in

defining research needs for U.S. East and Gulf Coast marine

mammals (Prescott et al. 1980). The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) responded to these needs by funding

a variety of projects on marine mammals and their interactions with commercial fisheries. The program expanded further as a result of information needs mandated by the 1988

amendment of the MMPA (Waring et al. 1994).

Waring et al. (1994) summarized research on marine

mammals conducted and sponsored by NMFS in the northeastern United States in the 1980s. They organized this

research into four broad areas, and within each area organized contract, grants, and in-house activities into several

related topics. For each topic, they described the main

results of the several research activities, and related those

results to the expenditures and resulting publications.

NMFS marine mammal research activity during the first

half of the 1990s was substantially broader and more intensive than that in the 1980s. The focus and conduct of this

research effort began to change following the 1988 amendment to the MMPA. Increased funds became available, and

NMFS staff became increasingly involved in both contracted

and in-house research activities. In 1990, the Marine Mammal Investigation (MMI) was formed within the Northeast

Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) of NMFS. Initially, the

MMI included five members, but by 1995 it had expanded

to a staff of 10 and was renamed the Protected Species

Branch (PSB). In addition, the need for information on bycatch of marine mammals in fishing gear resulted in the

expansion of a program placing observers aboard fishing

vessels. These at-sea observations were conducted as part

of a more general program within the NEFSC by a separate

unit, the Sea Sampling Investigation (SSI), beginning in

1989.

Research effort shifted again following the 1994 reauthorization of the MMPA, as increased emphasis began to

be placed on information needed to implement the specific

management approaches defined therein. In addition, the

PSB became increasingly involved in the work of the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission

(IWC), especially in areas of expertise initially developed to

address domestic research needs.

ORGANIZATION OF RESEARCH

PROJECTS

We summarize the research conducted in the six fiscal

years of 1990 through 1995, that is, from October 1989

through September 1995. This research effort was focused

by the information needs identified under the 1988 amendment to the MMPA, especially those needs relating to fishery bycatch, and by several other more specific information

needs. Planning for this research effort was formally organized into the four broad areas, the same identified by Waring et al. (1994) from retrospective analysis of the work in

the 1980s (Table 1). Theses areas are: 1) ecological roles

and habitat requirements, 2) human interactions, 3) optimum sustainable population size, and 4) research planning

and archiving. While the four major research areas remained,

specific research topics changed somewhat from those in

the 1980s. Of the 18 original research topics, five were

dropped and six were added for a total of 19 (Table 2).

We summarize marine mammal research supported by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) from

1990 through 1995, extending the earlier description of NEFSC-supported research conducted during 1980-89 (Waring et al. 1994). The studies are classified into four broad research areas: ecological roles and habitat requirements,

human interactions, optimum sustainable population size, and research planning and archiving. Each of these four

research areas is then further classified into several research topics for a total of 19 topics. In the 1990-95 period,

research on marine mammals intensified over that in the 1980s (Waring et al. 1994). In particular, population-level

studies moved from population description (e.g., distribution, migration) to population assessment (e.g., abundance, bycatch) as definition and implementation of specific management approaches evolved to meet the changing

requirements of the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act. Approximately 100 contracts, grants, and in-house

projects in the amount of $9.1 KK were supported during 1990-95, and these expenditures are summarized by fiscal

year. Research results that have emerged in the form of formal publications, reports, and oral presentations are

organized into a series of appendices and are numerically sequenced to relate each one to a specific research topic

described in the text. Those projects that appear to fall into more than one research area are classified according to

where the most important results were obtained. The implications for future research directions are discussed.
Page 2

The research area of ecological roles and habitat requirements continued its focus on distribution and abundance of humpback and fin whales, and also on habitat

requirements of the right whale in the North Atlantic. The

focus of study on harbor and gray seals shifted entirely

from this area into that of optimum sustainable population

size. The biological research related to samples and data

provided by the NEFSC Sea Sampling Program (SSP), the

successor to the SSI, was included within the ecological

roles and habitat requirements area under the topic of biological sampling of fishery bycatch. Humpback biopsy sampling was included under the North Atlantic humpback and

fin whales topic. The oceanographic correlation to spatial

distribution topic contains research information previously

listed under the energetic requirements of East Coast cetaceans topic. The satellite tagging and tracking topic was

added as development and testing of this technology continued to expand.

The human interactions research area added a more

topic on bycatch reduction. Methods are being developed

to study the effect of time/area fishing restrictions on harbor porpoise bycatch and fish catch, and also to study the

usefulness of deterrent devices attached to fishing gear to

prevent marine mammal entanglement.

The optimum sustainable population size research area

focuses mainly on the distribution and abundance of harbor and gray seals, harbor porpoise, large marine pelagics,

and the right whale, and on the photographic identification

of North Atlantic humpback and right whales. Research

under the topic of bottlenose dolphin distribution and abundance along the Virginia Capes was taken over by the

NMFS’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center, and our focus

expanded to include a more general topic of large marine

pelagic distribution and abundance. The topic of population dynamics and assessment of status was added to address potential management issues implied by increased

information resulting from current research, especially on

levels of abundance and bycatch. Stock assessments for

all marine mammal populations in the region were completed

(Blaylock et al. 1995) as required under the 1994 reauthorization of the MMPA.

The research planning and archiving research area has

one additional topic on the IWC Scientific Committee. This

topic was added as U.S. involvement in IWC Scientific Committee issues continued to expand.

SUMMARY OF RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

During 1990-95, approximately 100 contracts, grants,

and in-house projects in the amount of $9.1 KK were supported. Expenditures for each research topic within each of

the four areas of research are summarized by fiscal year

(Table 3). These values reflect all costs to NMFS and the

NEFSC (exclusive of SSP contracts), including equipment

and supplies, staff, salaries and related costs, contracts,

charters, and travel. Salary expenditures for staff members

were distributed proportionately among those topics according to the level of work responsibility. Results of this

research were communicated in many forms, including formal publications, research reports, contract reports, cruise

reports, and oral presentations to scientific bodies. These

communication products have been organized in a series of

four appendices depending on the degree of formality. Primary peer-reviewed scientific papers are listed alphabetically by author in Appendix A. Contract reports, working

papers, and unpublished manuscripts are listed alphabetically by author in Appendix B. Oral presentations at scientific conferences are listed in Appendix C, alphabetically by

author within conference. Finally, brief summaries of ship

and aerial sighting surveys are listed chronologically in

Appendix D.

Table 1. Definition of the four research areas into which marine mammal studies supported by the NEFSC during fiscal years 1990-95

were organized

Research Area Definition

Ecological roles and habitat requirements Focus is on seasonal and spatial distribution patterns, on feeding habits, and on

basic population biology, including indirect interactions with human activities through

the food chain

Human interactions Focus is on those areas where human activities have a direct impact on marine

mammals, including bycatch, entanglement, ship strikes, and whale watching

Optimum sustainable population size Focus is on abundance of marine mammals, addressing their historic levels especially relative to information needs under the MMPA and Endangered Species Act

(ESA)

Research planning and archiving Focus is on identifying longer-term research planning methods, and on documenting

and archiving results of previous research
Page 3

Table 2. Marine mammal research topics supported by the NEFSC during fiscal years 1990-95 by research area

Topic Activities and Issues

Ecological Roles and Habitat Requirements

Oceanographic correlation to spatial distribution Respiration characteristics; predator-prey relationships; food habits; trophic interactions; marine mammal - fisheries interactions; geographic information system (GIS)

program development for habitat and environment analyses

North Atlantic humpback and fin whales Seasonal distribution and abundance; Years of the North Atlantic Humpback (YONAH)

Project; photographic identification; habitat use; demographics

Biological sampling of fishery bycatch Incidental takes of marine mammals in commercial fishery; laboratory necropsy and

subsequent analyses including genetics, contaminants, fatty acids, feeding habits, and

health assessment

Northern right whale habitat requirements Detection of changes in population distribution and size

Satellite tagging and tracking Development and testing of the application of satellite tags to cetaceans

Human Interactions

Marine mammal - fishery interactions Documentation of marine mammals incidentally taken in commercial fisheries; bycatch

estimation; sea sampling design for observer program

Whale - vessel interactions Mitigation of ship strikes; interactions with whale-watch vessels

Bycatch reduction Research and development of techniques to help prevent bycatch of marine mammals;

GIS program development

Optimum Sustainable Population Size

Harbor and gray seal distribution and abundance Aerial abundance survey; expansion of population distribution; incidental mortalities

Harbor porpoise distribution and abundance Shipboard and aerial sighting surveys; seasonal movements; population structure; winter

distribution; abundance estimates

Harbor porpoise survey methodology Vessel avoidance; aerial-vessel survey calibration experiment; development of handheld, at-sea computer data entry device; adaptive sampling design

Large marine pelagics distribution and abundance Pelagic delphinid surveys conducted by NEFSC along shelf edge and slope waters from

southern edge of Georges Bank to the Scotian Shelf

Humpback photographic identification catalog Western North Atlantic humpback photographic identification catalog with over 4,500

individual photos (maintained at College of the Atlantic)

Northern right whale photographic identification Aerial and shipboard photographic identification catalog with approximately 6,800

photo records of 340 right whales (maintained at New England Aquarium); tracking of

individuals; documentation of calving intervals; scars and wounds

Northern right whale distribution and abundance Calving rates; population estimation and seasonal distribution; demographics; behavior;

social groups

Population dynamics and assessment of status Possible unsustainable bycatch levels of harbor porpoise; population dynamics of pilot

whales; assessment of all marine mammal populations; performance study of IWC management procedures

Research Planning and Archiving

IWC Scientific Committee Overall coordination of U.S. research for submission to IWC Scientific Committee; U.S.

annual progress report

Workshop support Workshops conducted to address harbor porpoise research needs and accomplishments;

tag and tracking technology; gear modification for bycatch reduction; NMFS-supported

right whale research

Documentation and archiving Archiving of fisheries observer and port sampling data; right whale database [maintained

at the University of Rhode Island (URI)]; survey effort and sighting data; bibliographic

system for cetacean literature
Page 4

Table 3. Expenditures on marine mammal research (thousands of dollars) supported by the NEFSC during fiscal years 1990-95 by

research topic. (Research topics have been numerically sequenced only for cross-referencing purposes with Appendix B.)

Year

Topic 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995

1. Oceanographic correlation to 153 114 136 40 53 58

spatial distribution

2. North Atlantic humpback and 6 10 202 185 236 61

fin whales

3. Biological sampling of fishery 68 70 49 291 144 269

bycatch

4. Northern right whale habitat 126 126 100 190 40 89

requirements

5. Satellite tagging and tracking - - - 117 98 82

6. Marine mammal - fishery 116 105 50 60 44 120

interactions

7. Whale - vessel interactions - - 48 24 - 20

8. Bycatch reduction - - - 45 69 71

9. Harbor and gray seal distribution - - 109 - - 23

and abundance

10. Harbor porpoise distribution and 146 316 237 384 319 453

abundance

11. Harbor porpoise survey 94 45 40 50 31 177

methodology

12. Large marine pelagics distribution 45 468 - 129 110 288

and abundance

13. Humpback whale photographic 23 20 30 30 113 50

identification catalog

14. Northern right whale photographic 79 79 50 35 - 36

identification catalog

15. Northern right whale distribution 30 34 37 45 10 86

and abundance

16. Population dynamics and 90 55 12 20 30 82

assessment of status

17. IWC Scientific Committee 45 45 18 25 104 104

18. Workshop support - - 140 25 18 17

19. Documentation and archiving - - - 30 50 74

Total 1,021 1,487 1,258 1,725 1,469 2,160
Page 5

Table 4. Publications, reports, and oral presentations prepared for marine mammal studies supported by the NEFSC during fiscal

years 1990-95 by research topic. (Numbers refer to numbered items in the corresponding appendices.)

 Appendix

Topic A B C D

Oceanographic correlation 28,48,49,51 33 1,7,15,18,23,28

to spatial distribution

North Atlantic humpback 3,14,16 2,3,4,5,9,32,49 3 18

and fin whales

Biological sampling 23,24,40,43 21,37,36 21,26

of fishery bycatch

Northern right whale

habitat requirements

Satellite tagging and 36 25

tracking

Marine mammal - fishery 4,8,38,39,41,42, 7,22,24 11

interactions 45,47,50,52

Whale - vessel interactions 12,15 19 16

Bycatch reduction 20 22

Harbor and gray seal 18

distribution and abundance

Harbor porpoise distribution 27,34,37 23,25,26,30,31, 20 2,4,6,8,10,14-17,

and abundance 38,51 20

Harbor porpoise survey 26,31-33 13,28,29,34,35, 8,19,27

methodology 44

Large marine pelagics 14,16,17,41 4,17,29 1,3,5,7,9,11-13

distribution and abundance

Humpback whale photographic 2

identification catalog

Northern right whale photographic

identification catalog

Northern right whale 11,18,19,22 5,6,9,12,30,31,32 19

distribution and abundance

Population dynamics 1,2,5,6,9,30,44, 1,8,10,15 10,13,24

and status of assessment 46

IWC Scientific Committee 7,10,35,36 6,12,40,42,43,

45-48,50

Workshop support 13,17,20,21,25,29 27

Documentation and archiving 53 14
Page 6

The individual research results listed in the four appendices relate to one or more of the specific research topics. This relationship is summarized in Table 4, where the

sequence numbers from each of the four appendices are

tabulated for each research topic. From this table, it is apparent that the research results pertaining to each specific

topic appear in several types of publications and reports.

ECOLOGICAL ROLES AND HABITAT

REQUIREMENTS

Oceanographic Correlation to Spatial

Distribution

Beginning in 1990, research surveys along the Gulf

Stream wall and associated warm-core rings and in several

major canyon areas were conducted, focusing on the associations of these features with the sperm whale and pelagic

delphinid and beaked whale species. GIS techniques were

used to analyze spatial and temporal data to determine overlap between the Mid-Atlantic/New England delphinid complex and its potential pelagic prey resources. Such studies

were augmented by expansion of the scope of shipboard

sighting surveys to include additional measurements of the

water column’s oceanographic regime and biological community.

Similar analyses were undertaken to determine better

the seasonal habitat of harbor porpoise.

Considerable effort was devoted to developing more

powerful statistical methods for analyzing spatial distribution patterns. As support for this work, GIS procedures

were developed to describe the bathymetry and sea surface

temperatures of the region. These procedures will allow

researchers to develop habitat models for cetaceans and

their prey, based on oceanographic features.

North Atlantic Humpback and Fin Whales

Beginning in 1984, researchers conducted transect surveys to document seasonal distribution and abundance of

both fin and humpback whales in Cape Cod Bay and the

Provincetown Slope. These surveys later expanded to the

Great South Channel and the northern ridge of Georges

Bank.

The YONAH Project began in January 1992 with a largescale study of the humpback whale in its principal West

Indies breeding range. The project continued in summer

1992 with sampling in all known North Atlantic feeding

grounds from the Gulf of Maine to Norway. Sampling continued in 1993, and upon completion of the project’s field

work, the project had photographically identified approximately 4,000 humpback whales, and biopsied almost 2,600.

While matches between areas (notably breeding and feeding grounds) will inevitably reduce these totals, these

sample sizes remain unprecedented for a marine mammal

study. The third year of the YONAH Project, 1994, was

devoted to analysis of the huge volume of photographs,

data, and tissue samples. All photographs were submitted

to the College of the Atlantic (Bar Harbor, Maine) where

they were compared and matched.

DNA has been extracted from virtually all YONAH tissue samples by the Institute of Population Biology at the

University of Copenhagen, and sex determinations (using a

molecular technique) were completed. Principal genetic

analyses included an assessment of population structure

using mitochondrial DNA and microsatellite systems. A

variety of analyses of this data set are underway, including

estimates of abundance, genetic relationships, and behavior patterns.

Biological Sampling of Fishery Bycatch

Marine mammals taken incidentally in directed fishery

operations were collected by observers aboard U.S. East

Coast foreign fishing/processing vessels beginning in 1986,

and by observers aboard domestic fishing vessels beginning in 1989. These specimens provided new information

on food habits, morphometrics, reproductive biology, physiology, and parasitology.

Bycaught animals continued to be collected by observers under the SSP for use in NEFSC necropsy sessions.

These sessions, conducted in cooperation with other organizations such as the U.S. National Museum of Natural History and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, serve to

train new observers and also to provide a wide variety of

information for studies of life history of small cetaceans.

All biological samples collected by the SSP and stored at

NEFSC were processed and cataloged.

Northern Right Whale Habitat Requirements

The NEFSC has administered an integrated research

program on the northern right whale since the mid-1980s

which has yielded findings on the species’ abundance, distribution, stock structure, and behavior. Methods have

included vessel and aerial surveys, radio-satellite tagging,

photographic identification, and genetic analysis.

As a result of a Congressional initiative supporting

northern right whale research, the NEFSC increased ongoing research on habitat requirements in 1987. Five major

habitats were identified: 1) coastal waters of the southeastern United States, 2) Great South Channel, 3) Cape Cod Bay,

4) Bay of Fundy, and 5) Scotian Shelf.

Genetic analysis, based on mitochondrial DNA, suggests that the population is based on three “matrilines,” or

distinct lineages, stemming from reproductive females.

The population is estimated to number between 300

and 350, and is thought to be recovering at a rate of 3-4%

annually. The “Final Recovery Plan for the Northern Right

Whale” was released in spring 1992. Science and manage-
Page 7

ment workshops were held in April 1992 and October 1994

to review research and to identify recovery plan implementation priorities. Recent observations of a drop in calf counts,

a possible increase in the average calving interval, longer

calving intervals on average than for the southern right

whale, and a proportion of apparently nonreproducing mature females, give cause for concern.

Satellite Tagging and Tracking

Beginning in 1992, the NEFSC, working jointly with the

Office of Naval Research, supported contract studies to

develop and test application of satellite tags to large and

small cetaceans. Studies included biocompatibility of attachment materials, hydrodynamic aspects of tag design,

and the dorsal fin’s morphology and role in temperature

regulation.

Increased field testing of satellite tags on harbor porpoise occurred during summer 1995 on Grand Manan Island at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy. Six harbor porpoise

were tagged with ARGOS transmitters redesigned for a lower

profile. Data were collected on movement and diving patterns as these animals undertook their annual migration.

HUMAN INTERACTIONS

Marine Mammal - Fishery Interactions

Marine mammals in New England and Mid-Atlantic

waters are taken incidentally in several fisheries. These

fisheries are described in the “List of Fisheries” published

annually by the NMFS Office of Protected Resources.

Data were collected by the SSP and other programs on

bycatches of marine mammals, and were used with fishing

effort information to estimate total annual bycatch levels.

Scientific workshops reviewed data collection techniques

for use by the SSP, and sought to optimize data collection

by changing from random sampling to sampling proportional to fishing effort.

Focus of this work involved the harbor porpoise because of its high incidental take relative to its potential

biological removal (PBR) in the Gulf of Maine sink gillnet

fishery. The initial focus on harbor porpoise was gradually

replaced by an emphasis on all species. Trawl fisheries for

Atlantic mackerel and squids and drift gillnet fisheries for

swordfish and tunas also take marine mammals in the western North Atlantic. Twenty-one species of marine mammals

have been reported as bycatch in these fisheries. These

bycatch data are included in the “U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of

Mexico Marine Mammal Stock Assessments” published

annually by NMFS (Blaylock et al. 1995). Bycatch and

abundance data from these assessments classify stocks as

strategic or nonstrategic as defined by the MMPA.

Whale - Vessel Interactions

The northern right whale population is threatened by

human impacts, specifically ship strikes and gear entanglement. In 1992 and 1993, the NEFSC participated in a multiagency mitigation effort with the states of Florida and Georgia as major participants. The effort included an assessment of vessel traffic, education of mariners, development

of an early warning network to alert vessel operators in and

near shipping areas, and research on right whale distribution, behavior, and habitat. A Southeastern U.S. Implementation Team for the Recovery of the Northern Right Whales

became active and based much of its effort on work from

the 1992 and 1993 wintering seasons.

Funding was also provided for modeling the dynamics

of interactions between cetacean size and ship hull design

in order to determine the likelihood of ship strikes of marine

mammals, especially large whales.

Bycatch Reduction

The high incidental take -- relative to PBR -- of harbor

porpoise in the Gulf of Maine caused much concern about

the status of this species. As a result, the NEFSC investigated bycatch reduction methods during 1992 and 1993. To

investigate the effect of time-area fishing restrictions on

harbor porpoise bycatch and fish catch, a computer program was developed that uses GIS and the 1990-92 sea sampling and commercial weighout databases. The program

was designed to link at-sea observer and fisheries port sampling data to estimate the proportion of harbor porpoise

bycatch that may be associated with different seasons and

areas in sink gillnet fishing operations in the Gulf of Maine.

In September 1993, the NEFSC hosted a bycatch reduction

workshop which considered net modifications that might

make the nets more detectable or otherwise less likely to

entangle harbor porpoise. The NEFSC also supported or

participated in several experiments to test acoustic deterrent devices for use in the sink gillnet fishery. The 1994

definitive experiment by Kraus et al. (1995) was supported

with SSP observer coverage.

OPTIMUM SUSTAINABLE POPULATION SIZE

Harbor and Gray Seal Distribution and

Abundance

Two major species of pinnipeds occur in New England

waters. The harbor seal is a year-round inhabitant of coastal

waters of Canada and Maine, and occurs seasonally in

Southern New England. The population is subject to influenza outbreaks and incidental mortality in several fisheries.

Since 1972, harbor seal abundance along the New England
Page 8

coast appears to have more than tripled, and range has

expanded southward. Pupping ledges along the Maine coast

have increased in number and expanded further offshore.

An aerial survey was conducted during pupping season in

1993 along the coast of Maine. The number of harbor seal

counted was more than double that counted in a 1986 aerial

survey.

The gray seal has established breeding colonies on

islands in Nantucket Sound and off the Maine coast in recent years.

Harbor Porpoise Distribution and Abundance

In the Northwest Atlantic, harbor porpoise are found

from North Carolina to Labrador. The simultaneous timing

of reproduction in widely separated geographical areas suggests that there are four populations in the Northwest Atlantic: 1) western Greenland, 2) Newfoundland-Labrador, 3)

Gulf of St. Lawrence, and 4) Gulf of Maine (Gaskin 1984).

Populations, seasonal movements, and the degree of mixing between putative populations are largely unknown.

To document seasonal distribution of harbor porpoise

in the Gulf of Maine region, researchers began by using

harbor porpoise sightings made aboard whale-watch and

research vessels. In 1982, a shipboard survey was conducted along the Maine coast to estimate coastal distribution patterns and to estimate population size using linetransect methods. After survey methodology experiments

that began in 1987, NEFSC researchers conducted aerial

and shipboard line-transect surveys from the Gulf of Maine

to Florida to improve documentation of seasonal distribution, the southern edge of summer range, and the northeastern distribution pattern of the species. Shipboard surveys were conducted during each August of 1990-93, March

1995, and July-August 1995. Aerial surveys were conducted

during October 1991, December 1992, February 1993, April

1993, November 1993, and August-September 1995. Large

numbers of harbor porpoise were seen in the Gulf of Maine

- lower Bay of Fundy region in summer, but nearly none in

the same region in winter. Winter distribution is largely

unknown, except that some harbor porpoise have been

found stranded on beaches from New York to North Carolina in winter and spring. There is little information on distribution of harbor porpoises in nonsummer months in Canadian waters off Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, and

within the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

The best available estimates of population size based

on summer survey work are 37,500 (95% confidence interval of 26,700-86,400) animals for 1991, 67,500 (32,900-104,600)

animals for 1992, and 74,000 (40,900-109,100) animals for

1995.

Harbor Porpoise Survey Methodology

In 1987, the NEFSC conducted an experimental linetransect survey for harbor porpoise in the Gulf of Maine.

Results indicated that harbor porpoise elicited a negative

response to the vessel, that a large fraction of animals along

the survey track were missed, and that observer elevation

above sea surface had little effect on sighting rate.

Another experimental sighting survey for harbor porpoise was conducted during August 3-23, 1993, to test for

vessel avoidance. The analysis of survey data suggested

that, although harbor porpoise do appear to avoid survey

ships, this does not occur at distances greater than can be

detected by observers searching with the unaided eye.

In March 1995, a hand-held, pen-based computer system for at-sea data entry of line-transect data was developed and successfully tested at sea.

During August-September 1995 line-transect surveys,

a comparison study was conducted of sighting rates, distribution, and estimated abundance of harbor porpoise as

detected by an airplane versus a ship sighting platform.

Also, methods were used to further study the calculation of

g(0), the probability of detecting a group of animals on the

track line.

Studies were started on an adaptive sampling design in

which a planned transect line is diverted in order to explore

an outside area where animals seem plentiful. With development of a proper accountability for bias, this method may

be more useful than the systematic sampling method used

thus far.

Large Marine Pelagics Distribution and

Abundance

Shipboard surveys of pelagic delphinids were conducted along the shelf edge and slope waters from the southern edge of Georges Bank to the Scotian Shelf. Surveys

were conducted in August 1990, June-July 1991, MarchApril 1992, June-July 1993, August-September 1994, and

July-August 1995. These surveys investigated beaked whale

and pelagic delphinid fine-scale distribution in shelf edge

and Gulf Stream warm-core rings. These distribution studies are essential for accurate determination of population

abundance as required by the MMPA. Line-transect survey data were also collected and photographic identification studies were done using a rigid-hulled inflatable boat.

Humpback Photographic Identification Catalog

During the 1980s, mark-recapture methods were used

to derive population estimates for the five Northwest Atlantic substocks of the humpback whale. Also, researchers

conducted a study on the stability of humpback fluke patterns over time using a time series of archived photographs.

The study supported the validity of using fluke patterns for

long-term studies of individual animals.

Several organizations were funded in the 1980s to conduct song recordings and photographic identification studies which provided information on breeding behavior, stock

intermixing, individual identification, and habitat use.
Page 9

Since 1976, the College of the Atlantic has curated the

“North Atlantic Humpback Whale Catalog,” the central

collection of photographs of the flukes of humpback whales

obtained from the North Atlantic region. The collection

contains material on more than 4,500 cataloged humpback

whales from 1952 to 1992.

Northern Right Whale Photographic

Identification Catalog

Beginning in 1987, as a result of a Congressional initiative supporting northern right whale research, individual

identification photographs were taken and integrated into a

single database. This effort resulted in an improved count

of individually known animals in a published catalog and

an ongoing system for archiving new photographs. The

New England Aquarium (Boston, Massachusetts) maintains

the “North Atlantic Right Whale Photographic Identification Catalog.” The catalog contains 6,795 photographed

records of 340 right whales taken between 1935 and 1994.

One component of this catalog documents scars and

wounds resulting from human impacts, principally ship

strikes and net entanglement.

Northern Right Whale Distribution and

Abundance

During the 1980s, the NEFSC administered funding for

several northern right whale studies focusing on photographic identification, calving rates, population estimation,

demographics, and habitat use. Studies for documenting

historic right whaling activities along the southeastern U.S.

coast were also supported. Through the earlier-mentioned

Congressional initiative, an integrated study of the North

Atlantic right whale was implemented in 1987 through a

cooperative agreement with the URI with the overall goal of

detecting changes and causes of changes in population

distribution and size.

In 1992, an airship donated by Sea World, Inc., surveyed winter nursery grounds off the Florida and Georgia

coasts and observed distributional overlap between whales

and U.S. Navy submarines. A similar project was conducted

in 1993, and included ship traffic characterizations in two

shipping channels and an education and awareness program for mariners. In August 1993, airship research flights

were conducted using airship-mounted, high-resolution

camera equipment for studying whale behavior and

sightability relative to abundance estimation correction factors.

Population Dynamics and Assessment of Status

Throughout the 1980s, marine mammal research supported by the NEFSC focused on determining basic biology, distribution, and migration of cetaceans, and on primary human impacts. There was a broader emphasis in the

1990s as information increased, especially relative to levels

of abundance and fishery bycatch. Research shifted more

towards population dynamics and assessments of stock

status and associated management implications.

An initial focus on harbor porpoise resulted in identification of possibly unsustainable levels of bycatch for this

species. Subsequently, the status of other species was

determined by comparing estimates of bycatch and abundance. PBR levels were computed for all species and compared to annual estimates of incidental take. These comparisons identified several species of concern, including

harbor porpoise, long-finned pilot whale, shortbeaked common dolphin, whitesided dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, and

five species of beaked whales (Mesoplodon spp.).

Studies of the population dynamics of pilot whales, in

conjunction with the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), were also conducted.

Assessments of the status of all marine mammal populations in the region were conducted as mandated under

the 1994 MMPA reauthorization (Blaylock et al. 1995).

Studies of the performance of management procedures

were also undertaken to meet information needs of the IWC

Scientific Committee.

RESEARCH PLANNING AND ARCHIVING

IWC Scientific Committee

U.S. scientists have been involved in the work of the

IWC Scientific Committee since its beginning in the 1950s.

In recent years, scientists from the Alaska, Southwest, and

Northeast Fisheries Science Centers, NMFS headquarters,

and from several academic institutions have been involved.

NMFS scientists were involved primarily because their research was relevant to issues being addressed by the IWC

Scientific Committee.

Beginning in 1992, U.S. scientists began to conduct

research which directly addressed some Scientific Committee issues, and NEFSC involvement expanded to include:

1) coordination of U.S. research interaction with the Scientific Committee, 2) preparation with other U.S. scientists of

an annual progress report for the Scientific Committee, and

3) specific research on population dynamics, management

methods, and methods of estimating abundance.

Workshop Support

A harbor porpoise workshop was hosted by the NEFSC

during May 5-8, 1992, to evaluate the status of harbor porpoise populations in eastern North America. Information

was reviewed on population structure, reproductive rates,

population size, bycatch levels, and ecological relationships.

The NEFSC also hosted a follow-up harbor porpoise work-
Page 10

shop during February 23-25, 1994, where scientists from the

United States, Canada, and England assessed the status of

harbor porpoise by reviewing information on population

structure, as well as estimates of abundance, bycatch, and

population growth rates. Also, habitat requirements were

hypothesized by investigating physical, biological, and

anthropogenic factors correlated with the distribution and

abundance of harbor porpoise.

A workshop on tagging and tracking technology, supported by the NEFSC, was held during February 11-13, 1992,

in Warrenton, Virginia. The workshop was jointly sponsored by the Office of Naval Research, Minerals Management Service, NMFS, and USMMC. Participants included

researchers from the United States, Canada, Great Britain,

Norway, and Japan, and representatives of engineering and

consulting firms involved in developing radio tags. The

meeting provided a forum to review past approaches, to

describe state-of-the-art technology, and to identify further

research and development requirements.

A workshop was hosted by the NEFSC during September 20-23, 1993, to identify possible modifications to sink

gillnet fishing gear to reduce harbor porpoise bycatch rates.

Participants included representatives from the gillnet fishing industry and research scientists and statisticians from

Japan, New Zealand, Great Britain, Canada, and NMFS. The

workshop considered modifications which might make nets

more acoustically detectable and less likely to entangle animals.

“Right Whales in the Western North Atlantic: A Science and Management Workshop” was conducted on April

14 and 15, 1992, in Silver Spring, Maryland.

In October 1994, an independent peer review of North

Atlantic right whale research supported by the NEFSC was

conducted in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. A five-member

international panel reviewed and evaluated past right whale

research and made recommendations for future research

and a long-term monitoring program.

Documentation and Archiving

A database documenting right whales in the Northwest Atlantic is kept by URI. Humpback whale photo and

biopsy samples from the YONAH Project are being documented and stored in a comprehensive YONAH archive.

Data transfer from a VAX computer to an ORACLE database management system was begun at the NEFSC in

1995. Included in this exercise was the entering of marine

mammal bycatch data from the sink gillnet fishery collected

by the SSP.

SUMMARY OF RESEARCH RESULTS

The 16 yr of research on marine mammals documented

here and in Waring et al. (1994), in conjunction with other

research programs sponsored by other agencies (e.g., U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers, Minerals Management Service,

State of Massachusetts), have established a broad general

understanding of the distribution, abundance, and ecological roles of the 34 species using the waters off the Northeastern United States. This research has addressed and

gone well beyond recommendations of the initial USMMC

research planning workshop in 1979 (Prescott et al. 1980;

see Table 1 of Waring et al. 1994).

The spatial scale of the research has expanded to cover

more of the ranges of most of the species which are more

than intermittent visitors to the region. Sighting and individual identification surveys have been conducted south

to the northern wall of the Gulf Stream, east along the southeastern coast of Nova Scotia, and north well into the Bay of

Fundy. Further, for selected species, international efforts

have been developed which effectively expand the geographic area of research coverage across the Atlantic. These

efforts have been facilitated by increased involvement internationally. For example, the geographic scope of harbor

porpoise studies has been expanded to address issues of

population discreteness through the IWC Scientific Committee and the “Agreement on the Conservation of Small

Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas.” Studies of pelagic

delphinids have also been expanded in scope under auspices of ICES. Less formal international efforts have been

conducted bilaterally, with both government and academic

Canadian researchers focusing on harbor porpoise, and with

researchers in Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Great

Britain, and Puerto Rico working on the YONAH Project.

Research activities have involved the application of

existing methods and the development and adaptation of

new techniques. The 1885 recommendation of Frederick

True (True 1885) of collecting and analyzing stranded animals has been generalized to include samples collected by

trained observers from fishery bycatch, and has become a

well organized and critically important basis for the study

of marine mammals in this region. Through such programs,

tissue samples have been made available routinely to researchers around the world for a variety of basic research

studies. Increasingly sophisticated methods for field collection and for laboratory analysis of these samples have

been applied, providing valuable information on population discreteness and vital rates.

Related information has been obtained from individual

animal identification studies of some species. These have

become a mainstay of studies of humpback and northern

right whales. Long-term investments have been made in

the annual sampling required for these methods, and in establishing and supporting photographic catalogs and their

associated field sampling databases. This effort has provided an improved understanding of movements and improved estimates of vital rates.

Additional information has been obtained from tissue

samples using biochemical and molecular genetic analyses.

Collection of a variety of tissue samples for this purpose

has become routine, both from stranded and bycaught ani-
Page 11

mals and from biopsy samples collected with increased frequency during photographic identification studies. Such

methods have begun to allow strong inferences about population genetic structure and ecological roles.

Aerial and shipboard sighting survey methods have

been applied since 1979, first in a major study to determine

overall distribution patterns and subsequently for other

purposes. These methods have been markedly improved

and have received increasing interest in the United States

and elsewhere in managing cetacean populations based on

abundance estimates derived from fishery-independent

data. At-sea data collection methods have been improved

through use of better electronics for data collection and

automated recording. In addition, the scope of the data

collected during sighting surveys has been expanded in

this region to include various forms of oceanographic and

fishery-related data. This expansion has allowed more specific study of habitat requirements and correlated factors.

Development of increasingly sophisticated electronic

tags, communicating radio frequencies, has been matched

with a strong effort at development of methods of attaching

these tags to cetaceans. Focus has been on methods of

attaching tags to captured living animals such as rehabilitated stranded animals (e.g., pilot whale) and fishery-caught

animals (e.g., harbor porpoise), and of directly implanting

them in larger cetaceans, especially northern right whales.

This research effort has increased information on individual

animal movement patterns and ecological behavior.

Over the past 16 yr, a large amount of data on a wide

variety of aspects of marine mammal biology have been

collected. Although the data were collected to answer specific questions, they have also become very useful for new

research applications, including identification of longer-term

patterns. Spatial aspects have increasingly been addressed

using GIS technology, especially in linking the data with

other data collected by other elements of NMFS and by

other agencies. The application of this technology has

been made more effective by developing improved statistical methods for analyzing spatial data.

Focus of the research conducted within each of the

four areas has shifted over time as our understanding has

increased and as priorities and questions have shifted. The

level of activities related to research planning and data

archiving has varied over the 16 yr. Initially, general longterm plans were developed, followed in the 1980s by implementation of those plans. More specific long-term planning was undertaken in the late 1980s, followed in 1993 and

1994 by very specific assessment, methodology, and species-oriented planning. A new role began in coordinating

the scientific work done by several elements of NMFS in

support of the Scientific Committee of the IWC. Strong

emphasis was given towards archiving the developing photographic identification and sighting survey databases.

Research on ecological roles and habitat requirements

have focused on cetaceans, and increasingly (in the 1990s)

on spatial distribution patterns. The long-term focus on

the endangered northern right whale and humpback whale

has continued, and there has been increased focus on the

laboratory analysis of samples obtained from fishery bycatch. In 1992, a major effort to develop methods for satellite tagging and tracking was begun, culminating with the

successful tagging of harbor porpoise in 1994 and 1995.

Research on human interactions with marine mammals

has been expanded since the early 1980s in response to the

increased focus on fishery bycatch in the 1988 and 1994

amendments of the MMPA. Data collected under the NEFSC

observer program were used to estimate levels of bycatch,

focusing initially on harbor porpoise, but gradually expanding to include all species of marine mammals. This bycatch

estimation effort was associated with an increase in emphasis on bycatch reduction methods in response to the identified high bycatch levels for some species. Human impacts

on large whales were also studied and research was supported to mitigate ship strikes on right whales through mathematical modeling of ship hulls, with such modeling serving as a tool for evaluating the potential for collisions with

right whales on their calving and wintering grounds in the

coastal waters of the southeastern United States. This study

addressed an issue first identified in the mid-1980s.

Research on optimum sustainable population size increased markedly for harbor porpoise, and was continued

for humpback and northern right whales. Surveys to document the expansion of pinniped abundance were repeated

in the 1990s. The ecology of pinnipeds has continued to

receive little or no attention. The abundance of other cetacean species, especially in the southern portions of the

areas, has received increased attention in recent years. The

1994 reauthorization of the MMPA increased the focus on

determining the status of all marine mammal populations.

This population status work included both preparation of

routine summaries of abundance and bycatch estimates,

and more basic research into population dynamics of cetaceans. Work was also done here in conjunction with ICES

and the IWC.

The results of this research have been used to provide

information within NMFS and to other management and

scientific bodies, including the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils, Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, USMMC, ICES, and IWC.

IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE

RESEARCH DIRECTIONS

Priorities for research in the 1990s increased the focus

on a selected set of issues, especially the impacts of fishery

bycatch and the status of endangered large whales. During

the process of conducting this research, substantial data

sets have been accumulated and many new methods have

been developed and applied. This is especially true relative

to the areas of human interactions and optimum sustainable population levels. We are in a position to be able to

answer many questions that are likely to arise in these areas.
Page 12

To ensure our ability to respond efficiently to future

management needs, it is essential that several sets of data

collected over the past 16 yr be made more easily accessible. The progress made in working up the Cetacean and

Turtle Assessment Program sighting data, and more recently

the bycatch and photographic identification data, needs to

be continued in order to access efficiently many other sets

of data, many collected with evolving field methods.

Many aspects of the ecology of marine mammals remain to be addressed. The need for understanding the

ecological role of marine mammals, especially in relation to

the heavily exploited fisheries in this region, can be expected to increase. To address such questions will require

integration of what we have learned over the past 16 yr, and

the development and application of additional new research

methods.

Other areas in need of additional attention are feeding

ecology, habitat use, and population migration and genetic

patterns. These areas are difficult to study, and will require

more intense field studies using increasingly sophisticated

research methods. The issue of feeding ecology, especially,

must be jointly conducted with studies of the principal prey

species involved. This will clearly require increasing interaction with other elements of the NMFS, and with other

agencies and institutions. It is less clear, however, how

priorities for this additional research should be determined.

For example, much needs to be learned about feeding ecology of pinniped populations, but determination of the

proper balance between dedicated studies of pinniped distribution and abundance and dedicated studies of pinniped

feeding ecology will be difficult. Similarly, both direct observation of movements and genetic analyses will be useful

in studying population migration and genetic patterns, but

the best balance between these issues will be difficult to

determine.

The priorities and direction of marine mammal research

in the northeastern United States were initially determined

by the 1979 workshop (Prescott et al. 1980). Beginning in

the late 1980s, the priorities were increasingly determined

by questions in support of the management of these populations. The management issues have been determined by

the focus of successive amendments to the MMPA and the

ESA. Those priorities ensure that the most pressing management questions are addressed, but will not necessarily

ensure that the knowledge base required into the next century will be developed. To ensure a proper balance in future

research activities, it would be timely to once again develop

a broad general research agenda, much like that developed

in 1979. Such a broad agenda could be used, in conjunction

with the likely changing management priorities, to determine the best mix of research programs over the next decade. The scope of the research required and the problem

of balancing competing research priorities make developing such an agenda difficult. Obtaining an agreed agenda

can most easily be done in the context of a workshop, with

broad representation across disciplinary lines. Without the

development of such an agenda, the focus of research in

this region will tend to drift with management priorities, and

the long-term studies required to understand fully the ecological role and human interactions of marine mammals will

be difficult to carry out.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We acknowledge all of our co-workers in the NEFSC

Protected Species Branch (formerly known as the Marine

Mammals Investigation) who, from the beginning, have

devoted countless hours to the success of this program.

These co-workers include Kathryn Bisack, Mark Bravington,

Solange Brault, Jim Hain, Joanne Harrington, Nan Logan,

Mike Maxwell, Simon Northridge, John Nicolas, Debbie

Palka, Tom Polacheck, Dave Potter, Sue Schell, and Gordon

Waring. We also acknowledge and thank all of the crews

and scientific observers aboard the various research vessels and aircraft that have supported us in our extensive

field work, and the commercial fishermen who have participated and cooperated in the Marine Observer Program.

They have all been an integral part of our research. We also

acknowledge and thank the many graduate students, volunteers, contractors, fishing vessel observers, and all our

scientific colleagues, both national and international, whose

collaboration has always been with a spirit of cooperation,

determination, and integrity. The authors also wish to thank

Jon Gibson for his expertise with the final editing and publication of this paper. This publication and its predecessor,

Waring et al. 1994, summarize the hard work and commitment of all these people over the last 15 yr.

REFERENCES CITED

Blaylock, R.A.; Hain, J.H.W.; Hansen, L.J.; Palka, D.L.; Waring, G.T. 1995. U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico marine

mammal assessments. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-SEFSC363; 211 p.

Gaskin, D.E. 1984. The harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena

(L.): regional populations, status, and information on direct and indirect catches. Rep. Int. Whaling Comm. 34:569-

586.

Kraus, S.; Read, A.; Anderson, E.; Baldwin, K.; Solow, A.;

Spradlin, T.; Williamson, J. 1995. A field test of the use of

acoustic alarms to reduce incidental mortality of harbor

porpoises in gillnets. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/47/

SM17; 28 p.

Prescott, J.H.; Kraus, S.D.; Gilbert, J.R. 1980. East Coast/Gulf

Coast cetacean and pinniped research workshops. U.S.

Mar. Mammal Comm. Rep. No. 79/02; 142 p.

True, F.W. 1885. Suggestions to keepers of the U.S. lifesaving stations, light-houses, and light-ships, and to other

observers, relative to the best means of collection and

preserving specimens of whales and porpoises. Rep. U.S.

Comm. Fish & Fish. 11(App. F):1157-1182.

Waring, G.T.; Quintal, J.M.; Smith, T.D. 1994. Marine mammal

studies supported by the Northeast Fisheries Science

Center during 1980-89. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-F/

NEC-103; 27 p.
Page 13

APPENDICES
Page 14
Page 15

APPENDIX A

Published Scientific Papers

Based on Marine Mammal Research Projects

Supported by the NEFSC during 1990-95

1. Abend, A. 1993. Long-finned pilot whale distribution

and diet as determined from stable carbon and nitrogen

ratio isotope tracers. M.S. thesis. Amherst, MA: Univ.

of Massachusetts; 147 p.

2. Abend, A.; Smith, T. 1995. Differences in ratios of

stable isotopes of nitrogen in long-finned pilot whales

(Globicephala melas) in the western and eastern North

Atlantic. Int. Counc. Explor. Sea J. Mar. Sci. 52:837-

841.

3. Allen, J.A.; Rosenbaum, H.; Katona, S.K.; Clapham,

P.J.; Mattila, D.K. 1994. Regional and sexual differences in fluke pigmentation of humpback whales

(Megaptera novaeangliae) from the North Atlantic

Ocean. Can. J. Zool. 72:274-279.

4. Bisack, K. 1993. Estimates of total by-catch in the Gulf

of Maine sink gillnet fishery. Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent.

Ref. Doc. 93-11; 23 p.

5. Blaylock, R.A.; Hain, J.W.; Hansen, L.J.; Palka, D.L.;

Waring, G.T. 1995. U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico

marine mammal stock assessments. NOAA Tech. Memo.

NMFS-SEFSC-363; 211 p.

6. Brault, S.; Caswell, H. 1993. Pod-specific demography

of resident killer whale (Orcinus orca) in the coastal

waters of British Columbia and Washington State. Ecology 74(5):1444-1454.

7. Bravington, M.[V.] 1996. An appraisal of Bayesian

synthesis, with suggested modifications and diagnostics. Rep. Int. Whaling Comm. 46:531-540.

8. Bravington, M.V.; Bisack, K.D. 1996. Estimates of

harbour porpoise bycatch in the Gulf of Maine sink

gillnet fishery, 1990-1993. Rep. Int. Whaling Comm.

46:567-574.

9. Fox, W.W., Jr. 1990. Statement of concerned scientists

on the reauthorization of the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Nat. Resour. Model.

4(2):133-142.

10. Frady, T.; Northridge, S.; Smith, T., editors. 1994. Identifying potential modifications to sink gillnet gear to

reduce harbor porpoise bycatch: report of a workshop

held September 20-23, 1993, Falmouth, Massachusetts.

Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 94-14; 55 p.

11. Hain, J.H.W. 1991. Airships for marine mammal research: evaluation and recommendations. Available

from: National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port

Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161 (NTIS Access. No.

PB92-128271); 34 p.

12. Hain, J.H.W. 1992. Mitigating the effects of ship strikes.

In: Hain, J.H.W., ed. The right whale in the western

North Atlantic: a science and management workshop,

14-15 April 1992, Silver Spring, MD. Northeast Fish.

Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 92-05:54-57.

13. Hain, J.[H.W.], editor. 1992. The right whale in the

western North Atlantic: a science and management

workshop, 14-15 April 1992, Silver Spring, MD. Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 92-05; 88 p.

14. Hain, J.H.W.; Ellis, S.L.; Kenney, R.D.; Clapham, P.J.;

Gray, B.K.; Weinrich, M.T.; Babb, I.G. 1995. Apparent

bottom feeding by humpback whales on Stellwagen

Bank. Mar. Mammal Sci. 11(4):464-479.

15. Hain, J.H.W.; Ellis, S.; Seward, P. 1994. Characterization of vessel traffic at the St. Johns and St. Marys

Channel entrances, Northeast Florida, January 1993. A

report to: Army Corps of Engineers, Marine Mammal

Commission, National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S.

Navy. Available from: National Technical Information

Service, 5285 Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22161

(NTIS Access. No. PB94-204229); 56 p.

16. Hain, J.H.W.; Ratnaswamy, M.J.; Kenney, R.D.; Winn, H.E.

1992. The fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus, in the waters of the northeastern United States continental shelf.

Rep. Int. Whaling Comm. 42:653-669.

17. Haley, N.J.; Read, A.J. 1993. Summary of the Workshop

on Harbor Porpoise Mortalities and Human Interactions:

19-20 May 1993, Smithsonian Institution, Washington,

DC. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-F/NER-5; 32 p.

18. Knowlton, A.R.; Kraus, S.D.; Kenney, R.D. 1994. Reproduction in North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena

glacialis). Can. J. Zool. 72:1297-1305.
Page 16

19. Kraus, S.D. 1990. Rates and potential causes of mortality

in North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis). Mar.

Mammal Sci. 6(4):278-291.

20. Marine Mammal Investigation[, Northeast Fisheries Science Center]. 1995. An independent scientific peer review of North Atlantic right whale research sponsored by

the Northeast Fisheries Science Center: a workshop held

in Woods Hole, MA, October 3-7, 1994. Northeast Fish.

Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 95-01; 30 p.

21. Marine Mammal Investigation, Conservation and Utilization Division[, Northeast Fisheries Science Center]. 1993.

Workshop on tagging and tracking technology: report of

a scientific workshop held February 11-13, 1992, Airlie

House, Warrenton, Virginia. Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent.

Ref. Doc. 93-08; 50 p.

22. Moses, E. 1995. Distribution of North Atlantic right

whales (Eubalaena glacialis) in relation to oceanographic

features of the Scotian Shelf. M.S. thesis. Amherst, MA:

Univ. of Massachusetts; 53 p.

23. Nicolas, J.R. 1993. Summarized results of two necropsy

sessions of harbor porpoise, Phocoena phocoena, incidentally taken during commercial fishing operations in

the Gulf of Maine. Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc.

93-26; 19 p.

24. Nicolas, J.R. 1994. Results of the third necropsy session

of harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) incidentally

taken during commercial fishing operations in the Gulf of

Maine. Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 94-26; 30 p.

25. Northeast Fisheries Science Center. 1992. Harbor porpoise in eastern North America: status and research needs:

results of a scientific workshop held May 5-8, 1992 at the

Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, MA.

Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 92-06; 28 p.

26. Palka, D.L. 1993. Estimating density of animals when

assumptions of line-transect surveys are violated. Ph.D.

dissertation. San Diego, CA: Scripps Inst. of Oceanography, Univ. of California; 169 p.

27. Palka, D.[L.] 1995. Abundance estimate of the Gulf of

Maine harbor porpoise. Rep. Int. Whaling Comm. Spec.

Iss. 16:27-50.

28. Palka, D.[L.] 1995. Influences on spatial patterns of Gulf

of Maine harbor porpoises. In: Blix, A.S.; Walløe, L.;

Ulltang, Ø., eds. Whales, seals, fish and man. Amsterdam,

The Netherlands: Elsevier Science; p. 69-75.

29. Palka, D.[L.], editor. 1994. Results of a scientific workshop to evaluate the status of harbor porpoises (Phocoena

phocoena) in the western North Atlantic. Northeast Fish.

Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc 94-09; 30 p.

30. Payne, P.M.; Wiley, D.N.; Young, S.B.; Pittman, S.;

Clapham, P.J.; Jossi, J.W. 1990. Recent fluctuations in the

abundance of baleen whales in the southern Gulf of Maine

in relation to changes in selected prey. Fish. Bull. (U.S.)

88:687-696.

31. Polacheck, T. 1995. Double team field tests of line transect

methods for shipboard sighting surveys for harbor porpoises. Rep. Int. Whaling Comm. Spec. Iss. 16:51-68.

32. Polacheck, T. 1995. The effect of increasing observer trackline

effort in shipboard line transect surveys for harbor porpoise.

Rep. Int. Whaling Comm. Spec. Iss. 16:69-88.

33. Polacheck, T.; Thorpe, L. 1990. The swimming direction

of harbor porpoise in relationship to a survey vessel. Rep.

Int. Whaling Comm. 40:463-470.

34. Polacheck, T.; Wenzel, F.W.; Early, G. 1995. What do

stranding data say about harbor porpoise (Phocoena

phocoena)? Rep. Int. Whaling Comm. Spec. Iss. 16:169-

180.

35. Quintal, J., editor. 1994. United States progress report on

cetacean research, May 1993 to April 1994. Rep. Int. Whaling Comm. 45:260-267.

36. Quintal, J., editor. 1996. United States progress report on

cetacean research, May 1994 to April 1995. Rep. Int. Whaling Comm. 46:280-289.

37. Read, A.J. 1990. Reproductive seasonality in harbor porpoises, Phocoena phocoena, from the Bay of Fundy. Can.

J. Zool. 68:284-288.

38. Read, A.J. 1994. Interactions between cetaceans and

gillnet and trap fisheries in the Northwest Atlantic. Rep.

Int. Whaling Comm. Spec. Iss. 15:133-147.

39. Read, A.J.; Gaskin, D.E. 1988. Incidental catch of harbor

porpoises by gillnets. J. Wildl. Manage. 52:517-523.

40. Read, A.J.; Hohn A.A. 1995. Life in the fast lane: the life

history of harbour porpoises from the Gulf of Maine. Mar.

Mammal Sci. 11(4):423-440.

41. Read, A.J.; Kraus, S.; Bisack, K.; Palka, D. 1993. Harbor

porpoises and gillnets in the Gulf of Maine. Conserv.

Biol. 7(1):189-193.

42. Read, A.J.; Nicolas, J.R.; Craddock, J.E. 1996. Winter

capture of a harbor porpoise in a pelagic drift net off North

Carolina. Fish. Bull. (U.S.) 94(2):381-383.
Page 17

43. Rommel, S.; Papst, A.; McClelland, W.; Williams, T.; Friedal,

G. 1994. Temperature regulation of the dolphin testes:

evidence from colonic temperatures. J. Comp. Physiol.

164:130-134.

44. Smith, T.D. 1994. Scaling fisheries. The science of measuring the effects of fishing, 1855-1955. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press; 392 p.

45. Smith, T.D. 1995. Interactions between marine mammals

and fisheries: an unresolved problem for fisheries research.

In: Blix, A.S.; Walløe, L.; Ulltang, Ø., eds. Whales, seals,

fish and man. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Elsevier Science; p. 527-536.

46. Smith, T.D.; Griffin, R.B.; Waring, G.T.; Casey, J.G. 1996.

Multispecies approaches to management of large marine

predators. In: Sherman, K.; Jaworski, N.A.; Smayda, T.,

eds. The northeast shelf ecosystem: assessment,

sustainability, and management. Cambridge, MA:

Blackwell Science; p. 467-490.

47. Smith, T.[D.]; Palka, D.; Bisack, K. 1993. Biological significance of bycatch of harbor porpoise in the Gulf of

Maine demersal gillnet fishery. Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent.

Ref.Doc. 93-23; 15 p.

48. Smith, T.D.; Payne, P.M.; Heinemann, D.; Waring, G.T.;

Lange, A. 1990. Simultaneous fishery resource and seabird and cetacean sighting surveys: advantages and disadvantages. N. Atl. Stud. 2(1-2):90-101.

49. Waring, G.T. 1995. Fishery and ecological interactions for

selected cetaceans off the northeast USA. Ph.D. dissertation. Amherst, MA: Univ. of Massachusetts; 260 p.

50. Waring, G.; Clark, S. 1994. Estimating harbor porpoise

bycatch in the Gulf of Maine sink gillnet fishery. Northeast Fish. Sci. Cent. Ref. Doc. 94-24; 5 p.

51. Waring, G.T.; Fairfield, C.P.; Ruhsam, C.M.; Sano, M. 1993.

Sperm whales associated with Gulf Stream features off the

northeastern USA shelf. Fish. Oceanogr. 2(2):101-105.

52. Waring, G.T.; Gerrior, P.; Payne, P.M.; Parry, B.L.; Nicolas,

J.R. 1990. Incidental take of marine mammals in foreign

fishery activities off the northeast United States, 1977-

1988. Fish. Bull (U.S.) 88(2):347-360.

53. Waring, G.T.; Quintal, J.M.; Smith, T.D. 1994. Marine

mammal studies supported by the Northeast Fisheries

Science Center during 1980-89. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFSF/NEC-103; 27 p.
Page 18
Page 19

APPENDIX B

Contract Reports, Manuscripts, and Working Papers

Based on Marine Mammal Research Projects

Supported by the NEFSC during 1990-95

1. Abend, A.; Smith, T.D. 1995. Using ratio of stable

isotopes of carbon and nitrogen to determine dietary

changes in long-finned pilot whales. Available from: T.

Smith, National Marine Fisheries Service, 166 Water

Street, Woods Hole MA 02543. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 16; see Table 3.]

2. Allen, J.; Clapham, P.; Hammond, P.; Katona, S.; Larsen,

F.; Lien, J.; Mattila, D.; Øien, N.; Palsbøl, P.;

Sigurjònsson, J.; Smith, T.[D.] 1993. Years of the North

Atlantic humpback (YONAH) progress report. Int.

Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/44/PS2. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 2; see Table 3.]

3. Allen, J.; Clapham, P.; Hammond, P.; Katona, S.; Larsen,

F.; Lien, J.; Mattila, D.; Øien, N.; Palsbøl, P.;

Sigurjònsson, J.; Smith, T.D. 1994. Years of the North

Atlantic humpback (YONAH) progress report. Int.

Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/45/NA6. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 2; see Table 3.]

4. Allen, J.; Clapham, P.; Hammond, P.; Katona, S.; Larsen,

F.; Lien, J.; Mattila, D.; Øien, N.; Palsbøl, P.;

Sigurjònsson, J.; Smith, T.[D.]; Stevick, P. 1995. Years

of the North Atlantic humpback (YONAH) progress

report. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/46/NA9. [Work

primarily related to research topic no. 2; see Table 3.]

5. Beard, J.; Clapham, P.; Hammond, P.; Katona, S.; Larsen,

F.; Lien, J.; Mattila, D.; Mayo, C.; Øien, N.; Palsbøl, P.;

Polacheck, T.; Sigurjònsson, J.; Smith, T. 1991. YONAH:

Years of the North Atlantic humpback whale -- a proposal for discussion. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/42/

O25. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 2;

see Table 3.]

6. Bravington, M. 1995. An appraisal of Bayesian synthesis, with suggested modifications and diagnostics.

Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/47/AS18. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 17; see Table 3.]

7. Bravington, M.V.; Bisack, K.D. 1995. Estimates of harbor porpoise bycatch in the Gulf of Maine sink gillnet

fishery, 1990-1993. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/47/

SM24. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 6;

see Table 3.]

8. Caswell, H.; Brault, S.; Read, A.; Smith, T.; Barlow, J.

1995. Uncertainty analysis of harbor porpoise population growth rate and bycatch mortality. Int. Whaling

Comm. Pap. SC/47/SM28. [Work primarily related to

research topic no. 16; see Table 3.]

9. DeKing, D.; Clapham, P.; Mattila, D. 1994. YONAH

(years of the North Atlantic humpback): final report on

field work and preliminary data analysis. Int. Whaling

Comm. Pap. SC/46/NA5. [Work primarily related to

research topic no. 2; see Table 3.]

10. Desportes, G.; Brault, S. 1993. Analysis of reproductive status of long-finned pilot whales from the North

Atlantic. Final report. NOAA Contract No. 40-EANF2-01695. [Work primarily related to research topic no.

16; see Table 3.]

11. Friday, N. 1995. Heterogeneity and capture-recapture

estimates of abundance of the North Atlantic humpback whale. Dissertation proposal. Kingston, RI: Univ.

of Rhode Island. [Work primarily related to research

topic no. 2; see Table 3.]

12. Garrett-Logan, N.; Smith, T.D. 1995. Pingle: a penbased computer system for data entry on line-transect

surveys. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/47/O9. [Work

primarily related to research topic no. 11; see Table 3.]

13. Givens, G.H.; Bravington, M.V. 1995. Borel’s paradox

and sensitivity analysis. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/

47/AS21. [Work primarily related to research topic no.

17; see Table 3.]

14. Griffin, R. 1995. Distributional ecology of large marine

predators in the North Atlantic: physical and biological interactions. Dissertation proposal. Kingston, RI:

Univ. of Rhode Island. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 12; see Table 3.]

15. Heltshe, J.F.; Wentworth, C.; Peng, L. 1995. Alternative sampling plans to estimate abundance of clumped

individuals. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/47/SM31.

[Work primarily related to research topic no. 16; see

Table 3.]

16. International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.

1992. Report of the Study Group on Pilot Whales,

Montreal, 3-4 Dec. 1991. Int. Counc. Explor. Sea C.M.

1992/N:3; 24 p. [Work primarily related to research topic

no. 12; see Table 3.]
Page 20

17. International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. 1993.

Report of the Study Group on Long-finned Pilot Whales,

Copenhagen, 30 August - 3 September 1993. Int. Counc.

Explor. Sea C.M. 1993/N:5 Ref. A. [Work primarily related

to research topic no. 12; see Table 3.]

18. Kenney, M.K.; Gilbert, J.R. 1994. Increase in harbor and

gray seal populations in Maine. Final report. NOAA

Contract No. 50-EANF-2-00064. [Work primarily related

to research topic no. 9; see Table 3.]

19. Knowlton, A.R.; Korsmeyer, F.T.; Kerwin, J.E.; Wu, H.Y.;

Hynes, B. 1995. The hydrodynamic effects of large vessels on right whales. Final report. NOAA Contract No.

40-EANF-FF-4-00534. [Work primarily related to research

topic no. 7; see Table 3.]

20. Kraus, S.; Read, A.; Anderson, E.; Baldwin, K.; Solow, A.;

Spradlin, T.; Williamson, J. 1995. A field test of the use of

acoustic alarms to reduce incidental mortality of harbor

porpoises in gillnets. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/47/

SM17. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 8; see

Table 3.]

21. McLellan, W.A.; Pabst, D.A.; Westgate, A.J.; Koopman,

H.N.; Read, A.J. 1995. Postmortem cooling rates of harbor porpoises, Phocoena phocoena. Int. Whaling Comm.

Pap. SC/47/SM21. [Work primarily related to research

topic no. 3; see Table 3.]

22. Northridge, S. 1995. Estimation of cetacean mortality in

the U.S. Atlantic swordfish and tuna driftnet and pair

trawl fisheries. Final report. NOAA Contract No. 40-

ENNF-5-00045. [Work primarily related to research topic

no. 6; see Table 3.]

23. Northridge, S. 1995. Seasonal distribution of harbour

porpoises in U.S. Atlantic waters. Int. Whaling Comm.

Pap. SC/47/SM43. [Work primarily related to research

topic no. 10; see Table 3.]

24. Northridge, S.; Smith, T. 1994. The use of a geographical

information system in analyzing and representing catch

and sightings data. Int. Counc. Explor. Sea C.M. 1994/

N:6. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 6; see

Table 3.]

25. Palka, D. 1992. Abundance estimate of the Gulf of Maine

harbor porpoise. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/44/SM24.

[Work primarily related to research topic no. 10; see Table

3.]

26. Palka, D. 1993. Aerial survey results. Evidence of harbor

porpoise seasonal movements. Available from: D. Palka,

National Marine Fisheries Service, 166 Water Street,

Woods Hole MA 02543. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 10; see Table 3.]

27. Palka, D. 1994. Summary of a scientific workshop to

evaluate the status of harbor porpoise (Phocoena

phocoena) in the western North Atlantic and an international proposal to investigate population structure. Int.

Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/46/SM18. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 18; see Table 3.]

28. Palka, D. 1995. Effects of Beaufort sea state on the

sightability of harbor porpoises in the Gulf of Maine. Int.

Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/47/SM26. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 11; see Table 3.]

29. Palka, D. 1995. Evidence of ship avoidance from harbor

porpoises during line-transect sighting surveys in the

Gulf of Maine. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/47/SM27.

[Work primarily related to research topic no. 11; see Table

3.]

30. Palka, D.; Hammond, P. 1994. Summary of research on

harbour porpoises in the North Atlantic and Baltic Sea.

Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/46/SM17. [Work primarily

related to research topic no. 10; see Table 3.]

31. Palka, D.; Read, A. 1995. Summary of current knowledge

of harbor porpoises in US and Canadian waters of the

NW Atlantic. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/47/SM23.

[Work primarily related to research topic no. 10; see Table

3.]

32. Palsbøll, P. 1995. YONAH: the genetic analysis subproject. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/47/NA10. [Work

primarily related to research topic no. 2; see Table 3.]

33. Payne, P.M.; Heinemann, D.W.; Smith, T.D. 1990. Seasonal distribution of minke whales in the shelf and shelfedge waters of the northeastern US. Int. Whaling Comm.

Pap. SC\42\NHMi32. [Work primarily related to research

topic no. 1; see Table 3.]

34. Polacheck, T.; Smith, T.D. 1990. Simulation results on the

effects of dive time and movements on line-transect estimates. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/42/NHMi31. [Work

primarily related to research topic no. 11; see Table 3.]

35. Polacheck, T.; Smith, T.D.; Waring, G.T. 1990. Review of

methods for assessing the status of the harbor porpoise

population in the Gulf of Maine and Bay of Fundy region.

Results of an at-sea workshop. Available from: T. Smith,

National Marine Fisheries Service, 166 Water Street,

Woods Hole MA 02543. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 11; see Table 3.]

36. Read, A.J.; Craddock, J.E. 1993. Life history analysis of

small cetaceans taken in commercial fishing operations.

Final report, phase I. NOAA Contract No. 50-EANE-2-

00082. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 3;

see Table 3.]
Page 21

37. Read, A.J.; Craddock, J.E.; Gannon, D. 1994. Life history of harbour porpoises and pilot whales taken in

commercial fishing operations off the northeastern

United States. Final report, phase II. NOAA Contract

No. 50-EANE-2-00082. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 3; see Table 3.]

38. Read, A.J.; Kraus, S.D. 1991. Harbour porpoise distribution and relative density in the waters of coastal

Maine. Final report. NOAA Contract No. 40-EANF-1-

01538. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 10;

see Table 3.]

39. Read, A.J.; Westgate, A.J. 1995. Monitoring the movements of harbour porpoises in the Bay of Fundy with

satellite telemetry. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/47/

SM19. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 5;

see Table 3.]

40. Smith, T.[D.]; Bravington, M.; Givens, G. 1995. The

basis for the Scientific Committee’s 1994 management

advice on aboriginal subsistence whaling on the

Bering-Beaufort Seas stock of bowhead whales. Int.

Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/47/AS19. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 17; see Table 3.]

41. Smith, T.D.; Casey, J. 1992. The distribution and ecological role of large marine predators in the North Temperate Atlantic: a proposal for coordinated study. Int.

Counc. Explor. Sea C.M. 1992/N:23 Ref. H. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 12; see Table 3.]

42. Smith, T.D.; Friday, N.; Palka, D. 1994. Explorations of

the behavior of Cooke’s catch limit algorithm. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/46/Mg7. [Work primarily related to

research topic no. 17; see Table 3.]

43. Smith, T.[D.]; Givens, G.; Bravington, M. 1995. Developing an aboriginal subsistence whaling management procedure: outline of a process. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap.

SC/47/AS17. [Work primarily related to research topic no.

17; see Table 3.]

44. Smith, T.D.; Polacheck, T. 1991. The development of linetransect methods for estimating cetacean abundance. Int.

Counc. Explor. Sea C.M. 1991/N:10. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 11; see Table 3.]

45. Smith, T.D.; Polacheck, T. 1994. Information requirements

for multi-population application of the catch limit algorithm. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/46/Mg8. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 17; see Table 3.]

46. Smith, T.[D.]; Polacheck, T.; Swartz, S. 1994. The role of

science in resource management: the International Whaling Commission’s revised management procedure. Int.

Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/46/Mg9. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 17; see Table 3.]

47. Smith, T.D.; Reilly, S.B.; Swartz, S.; Jones, L. 1992. Data

standards for management of commercial whaling under

the IWC’s revised management procedure. Int. Whaling

Comm. Pap. SC/44/O25. [Work primarily related to research topic no. 17; see Table 3.]

48. Smith, T.D.; Stokes, K. 1993. Requirements for the

revised management scheme. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap.

SC/45/Mg11. [Work primarily related to research topic

no. 17; see Table 3.]

49. Stevick, P.T.; Øien, N.; Mattila, D.K. 1995. Migration

of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) between Norway and the West Indies. Int. Whaling

Comm. Pap. SC/47/NA12. [Work primarily related to

research topic no. 2; see Table 3.]

50. Taylor, B.L.; Smith, T.D.; Palka, D. 1994. Towards understanding the performance of the catch limit algorithm. Int. Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/46/Mg6. [Work

primarily related to research topic no. 17; see Table 3.]

51. Williams, A.S.; Nicolas, J.N. 1995. The seasonal distribution of harbor porpoises in the Gulf of Maine. Int.

Whaling Comm. Pap. SC/47/SM25. [Work primarily

related to research topic no. 10; see Table 3.]
Page 22
Page 23

APPENDIX C

Abstracts of Oral Presentations at Scientific Conferences

Based on Marine Mammal Research Projects

Supported by the NEFSC during 1990-95

[All listed abstracts available from: Protected Species Branch, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, 166 Water Street, Woods

Hole MA 02543.]

Ninth Biennial Conference on the Biology of

Marine Mammals; Chicago, Illinois; December 5-

9, 1991

1. Abend, A.; Smith, T.D.; Fry, B. 1991. Ecology of pilot

whales studied with stable isotope tracers in whale tissues and stomach contents.

2. Allen, J.; Rosenbaum, H.; Katona, S.; Clapham, P.;

Mattila, D. 1991. Regional and sexual differences in

fluke pigmentation of humpback whales (Megaptera

novaeangliae) from the North Atlantic Ocean.

3. Ellis, S.; Gray, B.; Clapham, P.; Hain, J. 1991. Apparent

bottom-feeding by humpback whales in Massachusetts

Bay.

4. Fairfield, C.; Waring, G.; Sano, M.; Nicolas, J. 1991.

Cetaceans on the edge.

5. Hain, J.H.W.; Ellis, S.L.; Kenney, R.K. 1991. Airships,

a new platform for marine mammal research: early results.

6. Kraus, S.; Kenney, R.; Knowlton, A. 1991. North Atlantic right whales in the southeastern United States:

1984-1991.

7. Mayo, C.; Goldman, L. 1991. Right whale foraging

decisions at the patch margin.

8. Palka, D.; Smith, T. 1991. Line-transect surveys used

to describe ship avoidance of harbor porpoise in the

Gulf of Maine.

9. Smith, T.; Mayo, C.; Marx, M. 1991. How crooked is a

right whale’s path?

Tenth Biennial Conference on the Biology of

Marine Mammals; Galveston, Texas; November

11-15, 1993

10. Abend, A.; Finn, J.; Smith, T.D. 1993. Diet prediction

of the long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas)

using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope tracers.

11. Bisack, K.; Northridge, S.P. 1993. Factors affecting

harbor porpoise catch rates in the Gulf of Maine sink

gillnet fishery.

12. Brault, S.; Desportes; G.; Caswell, H. 1993. Estimation

of foetus mortality in North Atlantic long-finned pilot

whales (Globicephala melas).

13. Ellis, S.; Hain, J.; Kenney, R. 1993. Sightability of right

whales based on dive and respiration patterns observed

from a blimp.

14. Garrett-Logan, N.; Smith, T.D.; Palka, D.; Potter, D. 1993.

Prototype pen-based computer system for recording

line-transect sighting data.

15. Griffin R.B.; Griffin, N.J. 1993. From plankton to whales:

a study in identifying characteristics of cetacean habitat.

16. Hain, J.H.W. 1993. Ship strikes on right whales in the

coastal waters of the SE United States: a paradigm for

action.

17. Nicolas, J.; Williams, A.; Repucci, G. 1993. Observations of beaked whales (Mesoplodon sp.) in the western North Atlantic Ocean.

18. Northridge, S. 1993. The use of a geographical information system (GIS) in exploring cetacean habitat use.

19. Palka, D. 1993. The presence of ship avoidance during

a line-transect survey of harbor porpoise in the Gulf of

Maine.

20. Potter, D.C.; Palka, D.L.; Read, A.J.; Nicolas, J.R. 1993.

A field study of the spring migration and habitat use of

harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in the Penobscot

Bay area of central Maine.

21. Read, A.J.; Craddock, J.E.; Hohn, A.A.; Nicolas, J.R.

1993. Life history and diet of harbor porpoises in the

Gulf of Maine.

22. Smith, T.D.; Bisack, K.; Garrett-Logan, N.; Kander, M.;

Mayo, R.; Northridge, S.; Palka, D.; Sheehan, D.;

Walden, J. 1993. Estimating the effects of season-area

controls on fishing on by-catch and landings.
Page 24

23. Waring, G.T. 1993. Spatial patterns of six cetaceans

along a linear habitat.

Eleventh Biennial Conference on the Biology of

Marine Mammals; Orlando, Florida; December

14-18, 1995

24. Caswell, H.; Brault, S.; Read, A.; Smith, T. 1995. Uncertainty analysis of population growth rate and the significance of bycatch mortality in Northwest Atlantic

harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena).

25. Hohn, A.; Scott, M.; Westgate, A.; Nicolas, J.;

Whitaker, B. 1995. Radiotracking of a rehabilitated

pygmy sperm whale.

26. McLellan, W.A.; Pabst, D.A.; Read, A.J.; Nicolas, J.R.;

Potter, C.W. 1995. Mass composition of stranded and

incidentally taken harbor porpoises (Phocoena

phocoena) from the western North Atlantic Ocean.

27. Palka, D.L. 1995. The sightability of Gulf of Maine

harbor porpoises.

28. Rubenstein, B.L.; Waring, G.T. 1995. Spatial and temporal patterns in pinniped entanglements in the Gulf of

Maine sink gillnet fishery and relation to prey availability and consumption.

29. Sheehan, D.; Waring, G.T.; Williams, A.S. 1995. Sperm

whale and beaked whale distribution and habitat use in

shelf-edge and oceanic waters off the northeast U.S.

coast.

Lighter-Than-Air Technical Workshop;

Weeksville, North Carolina; June 9-11, 1992

30. Hain, J.H.W. 1992. Airships as a platform for whale

research.

Tenth Lighter-Than-Air Systems Technology

Conference; Scottsdale, Arizona; September 14-

16, 1993

31. Hain, J.H.W. 1993. Airships for whale research: 1993

update.

Fifth Biennial Conference of the American

Cetacean Society; Monterey, California;

November 6-8, 1992

32. Hain, J.H.W. 1992. Whale research from airships: a

new perspective.
Page 25

APPENDIX D

Cruise Period, Area, and Objectives

of NEFSC Marine Mammal Sighting Surveys

during 1990-95

SHIPBOARD SURVEYS

1. NOAA R/V Chapman Cruise No. CH 90-05:

Marine Mammal Survey

The cruise period was August 5-18, 1990. The area of

operation was the shelf edge break to the Gulf Stream wall

from Cape Hatteras to Lydonia Canyon on Georges Bank.

Cruise objectives were to: 1) determine summer distribution, and if it is continuous between these two areas; 2)

determine how the composition of marine mammal species

varies latitudinally and between shelf edge and Gulf Stream

wall habitats; and 3) investigate fine-scale distribution and

habitat utilization within and between canyons on the shelf

edge break. Observations were also made on the association of marine mammals within a warm-core ring (WCR).

2. R/V Abel-J Cruise No. AB 90-01: Harbor

Porpoise Survey and Line-Transect Methods

The cruise period was August 13-30, 1990. The area of

operation included line-transect surveys in the lower Bay

of Fundy, on the Scotian Shelf as far east as St. Margarets

Bay, and on and around the waters of Lahave, Roseway,

Browns, German, and Grand Manan Banks. Extensive experiments testing various aspects of line-transect methods

were conducted in Owen Basin (east of Campobello Island), in nearshore waters east of Grand Manan Island, and

in the channel between Deer and Campobello Island.

Cruise objectives were to: 1) determine distribution

and relative density of harbor porpoise along the southwestern coast of Nova Scotia, 2) test a prototype electronic

instrument for measuring radial sighting distances, 3) test

for vessel avoidance behavior, 4) test efficiency of different-size observer teams for density estimates for harbor

porpoise based on line-transect methods [both in terms of

f(0) and g(0)], 5) collect information on summer distribution

of other marine mammals in offshore Gulf of Maine and

Scotian Shelf waters, and 6) train and test observers in distance estimation.

3. NOAA R/V Chapman Cruise No. CH 91-03:

Marine Mammal Survey

The cruise period was June 5 - July 16, 1991. The area

of operation was principally shelf edge waters between 100-

and 1000-fathom isobaths from Cape Hatteras to Georges

Bank. Also, some transect lines were run out to the Gulf

Stream north wall, across WCRs, and through the Great

South Channel.

Cruise objectives were to: 1) investigate fine-scale distribution and habitat utilization within WCRs, canyons, and

the shelf edge break; 2) determine if distribution of marine

mammals, especially beaked whales, is continuous between

several major canyons and the Gulf Streamwall; 3) conduct

line-transect population surveys along the shelf edge break

and out to the Gulf Stream wall; and 4) determine how composition of species varies latitudinally and between the shelf

edge and Gulf Stream wall habitats.

4. R/V Abel-J Cruise No. AJ 91-02: Harbor

Porpoise Survey

The cruise period was July 22 - August 30, 1991. The

area of operation was from Port Clyde, Maine, to St. John,

New Brunswick, and then over to the Nova Scotian coast

and up to Liverpool, Nova Scotia.

A supplementary survey using the 48-ft M/V Sneak

Attack was conducted during August 3-22. The study area

of the supplementary survey was the inland bays from

Penobscot Bay (Maine) to Machias Bay (Maine).

Objectives of the R/V Abel-J cruise were to: 1) estimate

abundance of harbor porpoise in the Gulf of Maine, Bay of

Fundy, and Nova Scotia area; and 2) investigate if there are

spatial distribution patterns of harbor porpoise, and if those

patterns are correlated with water depth or harbor porpoise

group size.

5. NOAA R/V Delaware II Cruise No. DE 92-05:

Marine Mammal Survey

The cruise period was March 16 - April 2, 1992. The

area of operation was offshore Mid-Atlantic and Southern

New England waters between 30- and 1000-fathom isobaths.

Cruise objectives were to: 1) investigate small cetacean fine-scale distribution in the vicinity of Atlantic mackerel fishing operations; 2) determine if the distribution of

marine mammals, especially delphinid species, is continuous between fishing areas and several major canyons within

the study area; 3) determine if marine mammal distribution

is associated with prey concentrations away from fishing

areas; and 4) conduct line-transect population surveys

within the study area.
Page 26

6. R/V Abel-J Cruise No. AJ 92-01: Harbor

Porpoise Survey

The cruise period was July 29 - September 6, 1992. The

area of operation was from Portland, Maine, to St. John,

New Brunswick, and then over to Port Joli, Nova Scotia, on

the southeast side of Nova Scotia.

Primary objective was to estimate abundance of harbor

porpoise in the Gulf of Maine, Bay of Fundy, and Scotian

Shelf area.

7. NOAA R/V Delaware II Cruise No. DE 93-06:

Marine Mammal Survey

The cruise period was June 1 - July 2, 1993, conducted

in two parts: June 1-18 and June 21 - July 2. The area of

operation was shelf edge and slope waters of the southern

edge of both the Scotian Shelf and Georges Bank.

Survey objectives were to: 1) investigate beaked whale

and pelagic delphinid fine-scale distribution in shelf edge

and Gulf Stream WCR features, 2) determine if the distribution of beaked whales and delphinid species is continuous

along the Georges Bank shelf edge to the Scotian Shelf, 3)

determine if beaked whales are associated with a WCR that

is usually present in the survey region, and 4) conduct linetransect population surveys within the study area.

8. R/V Abel-J Cruise No. AJ 93-01: Harbor

Porpoise Survey

The cruise period was August 3-22, 1993. The area of

operation was from Boothbay Harbor, Maine, to Grand

Manan, New Brunswick, and then south to Yarmouth, Nova

Scotia.

Cruise objectives were to: 1) investigate two questions associated with the line-transect sighting survey assumptions (i.e., Do harbor porpoise alter their behavior before observers on the R/V Abel-J detect them?, and, How

do dive time patterns of individual and groups of harbor

porpoise which are around the sighting platform affect estimates; 2) determine the spatial distribution patterns of harbor porpoise within the study area and if patterns are correlated with hydrographic features; 3) compare spatial distribution patterns of harbor porpoise with those of previous

years; 4) determine if there is a spatial distribution pattern

of mother-calf pairs of harbor porpoise; 5) determine spatial

distribution patterns of other cetaceans; 6) investigate utility of a new electronic, hand-held, pen-based, data entry

system; and 7) collaborate with scientists from other laboratories who are interested in harbor porpoise and survey

methodology.

9. NOAA Ship Relentless Cruise No. RS 94-02:

Marine Mammal Survey/Warm-Core Ring

Study

The cruise period was August 22 - September 2, 1994,

and covered 534 km of tracklines. The area of operation

was shelf edge and slope waters of Georges Bank, principally across a Gulf Stream WCR, including areas within the

Canadian Exclusive Economic Zone.

Cruise objectives were to: 1) investigate fine-scale cetacean distribution in a WCR feature; 2) determine if the

distribution of cetaceans, especially beaked whales and

delphinid species, is continuous through a WCR; and 3)

conduct line-transect population surveys within the study

area.

10. NOAA Ship Relentless Cruise No. RE 95-01:

Spring Harbor Porpoise Distribution Survey

The cruise period was March 8-28, 1995. The cruise

started and ended in Norfolk, Virginia, and covered approximately 1,190 nm of tracklines. The study area was from

Cape Hatteras to Long Island (New York), and from the

coastline out to about 72°W (i.e., about 150 nm).

Cruise objectives were to: 1) determine distribution

and habitat preferences of harbor porpoise in the Mid-Atlantic during March, a time when harbor porpoise have

stranded on beaches from North Carolina to Massachusetts; 2) determine distribution and habitat preferences of

other marine mammals; 3) field test and improve a computerized data entry system; and 4) evaluate the NOAA Ship

Relentless as a sighting platform for future marine mammal

sighting surveys.

11. R/V Pelican Cruise No. PE 95-01: Marine

Mammal Abundance and Distribution Survey

The survey was performed from July 9 to August 3,

1995, beginning in Norfolk, Virginia, and ending in Woods

Hole, Massachusetts. The study covered approximately

1,704 nm of tracklines in the slope waters from Chesapeake

Bay to Cape Cod, between 10 nm inshore of the 50-fathom

contour and 10 nm offshore of the 1,000-fathom contour.

This survey was part of a large-scale marine mammal

sighting survey which consisted of two legs (each approximately 1-mo long) where two ships were used during each

leg, with an additional leg in which a plane was used to

survey for 6 wk. The entire study area was from Chesapeake Bay to the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Objectives of this leg of the survey were to: 1) determine spatial distribution and estimate abundance of marine
Page 27

mammals found in the study area; and 2) determine if spatial

distribution patterns are correlated with hydrographic features such as water depth, temperature, or salinity, or with

biological features such as zooplankton distribution.

12. R/V Pelican Cruise No. PE 95-02: Marine

Mammal Abundance and Distribution Survey

The survey was performed during August 6 - September 7, 1995, on Georges Bank and in waters east of Cape

Cod.

Principal objectives of the survey, which covered 2,160

km of tracklines, were to conduct line-transect populations

surveys within the study area and to investigate cetacean

distribution on the southern portion of Georges Bank, especially between the 30-fathom isobath and 10 nm beyond

the 1,000-fathom isobath. Biopsy samples, conductivitytemperature-depth data, and photographic data were also

collected.

13. R/V Abel-J Cruise No. AJ 95-01, Part I:

Marine Mammal Abundance and Distribution

Survey

The survey was performed during July 9 - August 2,

1995, in the Gulf Stream and slope waters between Chesapeake Bay and Southern New England.

Primary objective of the cruise, which covered 2,607

km of tracklines, was to conduct a line-transect population

survey and to investigate if the distribution of cetaceans,

especially “strategic species,” is continuous in Gulf Stream

and slope water habitats. Biopsy samples, conductivitytemperature-depth data, and photographic data were also

collected.

14. R/V Abel-J Cruise No. AJ 95-01, Part II:

Marine Mammal Abundance and Distribution

Survey

The survey was performed during August 6 - September 5, 1995, beginning and ending in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The study covered approximately 1,564 nm of

tracklines from Portland, Maine, to St. John, New Brunswick,

and from the Maine coast to the southern tip of Nova Scotia.

Survey objectives were to: 1) estimate abundance of

harbor porpoise in the Gulf of Maine, Bay of Fundy, and

Scotian Shelf area using two different field collection and

analysis methods; 2) determine spatial distribution and estimate abundance of other cetaceans found in the area; 3)

compare sighting rates and spatial distribution of harbor

porpoise as seen by two different sighting platforms -- ship

and plane; 4) determine spatial distribution patterns of harbor porpoise, and investigate if the patterns are correlated

with hydrographic or biological features; 5) determine if

harbor porpoise avoid the ship, and if so, at what distance;

and 6) compare abundance estimates and spatial distribution of harbor porpoise as seen in this year with that seen in

previous years.

AERIAL SURVEYS

15. NOAA DeHavelin Twin Otter: 1991 Aerial

Harbor Porpoise Survey

The aerial survey period was October 11-24, 1991. The

survey was completed in 14 days with 8 flight days. The

survey was based out of Bangor International Airport in

Maine, and covered the Gulf of Maine and Massachusetts

Bay area. A total of 42.2 hr were flown, covering over 4,600

mi of trackline.

The survey covered the area of the 1991 harbor porpoise shipboard survey in order to get an indication of the

fall distribution of harbor porpoise, and surveyed Massachusetts Bay primarily to determine distribution and density of pilot whales during the time of mass strandings on

Cape Cod.

16. Beechcraft AT-11 Aircraft: 1992/93 Aerial

Harbor Porpoise Survey

The aerial survey was conducted in two parts: the first

part was conducted on December 2, 9, and 10, 1992, and the

second part on February 11, 1993. Part 1 covered the area

from the southern Bay of Fundy to the center of Georges

Bank. Part 2 covered the same area as previously surveyed

on December 2 -- from Cape Ann (Massachusetts) to Grand

Manan Island (New Brunswick). A total of 2,615 nm were

covered in 20 hr of flight time.

Objectives were to determine the seasonal distribution

of harbor porpoise in the Gulf of Maine region.

17. NOAA DeHavelin Twin Otter: 1993 Aerial

Harbor Porpoise Survey

Aerial surveys were conducted on November 17, 23,

24, 26, and 27, and on December 3, 8, and 14, 1993. Over

4,200 nm were surveyed in waters from North Carolina to

Sable Island (Nova Scotia).

The survey objective was to determine seasonal movements of harbor porpoise in the Gulf of Maine region.
Page 28

18. Gulf Airship: 1994 Marine Mammal Research

Flight

Three flights aboard the 197-ft, 7,000-m3 volume, WDL

1-B helium airship were made from June 5 to 9, 1994. The

area of operation was coastal waters north and east of Cape

Cod.

Survey objectives were to continue research on the

sightability of fin whales. Previous observations revealed

that fin whales spend some percentage of their time “gliding” just under the surface, visible to aircraft but not to a

surface vessel. As a result, it was hypothesized that currently used correction factors for “dive time” needed improvement.

19. Westinghouse S-1000 Airship: 1994 Marine

Mammal Research Flight

A 5-hr flight aboard the 222-ft, 10,000-m3

 volume,

Westinghouse S-1000 helium airship was made on September 28, 1994. The area of operation was coastal waters of

northeastern North Carolina, from Duck to Oregon Inlet.

Survey objectives were to demonstrate the capability

of the airship to conduct long-endurance offshore flights,

and to establish a precedent and guidelines for offshore

scientific airship operations. Because of its capability for

increased range, endurance, and lift, the Westinghouse S1000 airship has been proposed for use in a validation experiment for the U.S. Navy’s Marine Mammal/SOSUS

(Sound Surveillance System) Program.

20. NOAA DeHavelin Twin Otter: 1995 Marine

Mammal Aerial Survey

The 1995 marine mammal distribution and abundance

aerial survey was conducted from August 4 to September

20, 1995. Approximately 17,000 nm of trackline were flown.

The area of operations included both inshore and offshore

waters extending north from the Mid-Atlantic, through

Georges Bank, the Gulf of Maine, and into Canadian waters

up to the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Survey objectives were to determine seasonal movements of harbor porpoise and other marine mammals in and

around the Gulf of Maine region, and to compare sighting

rates and spatial distribution of harbor porpoise as seen by

two different sighting platforms -- ship and plane.