An objective of this research program is to document local patterns of gray whale spatial distribution and determine what environmental factors are critical in defining suitable whale habitat. With a growing whale watching industry in Clayquot Sound, gray whale habitat may be potentially disturbed. Therefore, a clear and quantified picture of gray whale habitat use is vital if the need for management arises in the future. The primary behavior of gray whales during the summer months is feeding, therefore the spatial distribution of whales is a function of the spatial distribution of their prey. Coastal community structures such as kelp beds, bottom substrate type, and depth define the habitat boundaries for benthic and pelagic prey types.
Gray whales feed on both benthic and pelagic invertebrates.
Benthic prey include amphipods and ghost shrimp, whereas pelagic prey include porcelain crab larvae and mysids. These prey types occur in differing microhabitats and gray whales have been observed switching between these various prey items within and between summer seasons. As a result of this switching between prey types, gray whales differentially distribute spatiotemporally in relation to prey location. The first objective of this study is to quantify intraseasonal and interseasonal changes in the spatial distribution of summering gray whales. The third objective is to evaluate the significance of such community variables in determining the spatial distribution of gray whales.