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SC/69A/ASI/09
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Resource ID
19939
Access
Open
Document Number
SC/69A/ASI/09
Full Title
Cruise report of the 2022 IWC-Pacific Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research (IWC-POWER)
Author
Laura Morse, Jessica Crance, Isamu Yoshimura, Taiki Katsumata And Hidenori Kasai
Authors Summary
This paper reports the results of the 13th annual IWC-POWER cruise, which was conducted between August 2 and September 30, 2022 south of the Aleutian Islands. The cruise was organized as a joint project between the IWC and Japan. The cruise plan was endorsed at the 68D IWC/Scientific Committee (IWC/SC) meeting. Researchers from the IWC, the U.S., and Japan participated in the survey. The survey was conducted using methods based on the guidelines of the IWC/SC. The acoustic survey was included for the 4th time to acoustically monitor for the presence of marine mammals, with particular importance for detecting and locating North Pacific right whales. Survey trackline coverage was 62 % (917.3 n.miles of a planned distance of 1.486.4 n.miles), with a total of 491.2 n.miles in Passing with abeam closing mode (NSP) and 426.1 n.miles in Independent Observer passing mode (I.O.). During the entire the cruise, sightings of: blue (22 schools / 24 individuals), fin (56/78), sei (25/27), common minke (3/3), bryde’s (3/3), humpback (18/53), sperm (41/41), killer (16/76) whales?were observed. No North Pacific right whales were seen or acoustically detected. Photoidentification data were collected for: 16 blue, 7 fin, 8 sei, 6 humpback and 8 killer whales. A total of 16 biopsy samples were collected from 4 blue, 4 fin, 6 sei and 2 humpback whales. A total of 34 sonobuoys were deployed, of which 33 were successful, for a total of over 210 monitoring hours. Species detected include sperm and fin whales, both detected on 31 buoys (93.9%), killer whales (23, 69.6%), blue whales (18, 54.5%), and humpback whales (7, 21.2%). The Estimated Angle and Distance Training Exercise and Experiment were completed. This cruise was successfully completed and provided important information on cetacean distribution in poorly known and logistically difficult areas.
Publisher
IWC
Publication Year
2023
Abstract
IWC-POWER cruises in the North Pacific follow the series of IWC/IDCR-SOWER (Southern Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research) cruises that were conducted in the Antarctic since 1978. The 13th annual IWC-POWER cruise was conducted between 02 August, 2022 and 30 September, 2022 south of the western Aleutian Islands, within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. This area was also surveyed in 2010 on the first POWER cruise. The survey was conducted aboard the Japanese R/V Yushin-Maru No. 2. The cruise was organized as a joint project between the IWC and Japan. The cruise plan was endorsed at the 68D IWC/Scientific Committee (IWC/SC) meeting. Researchers from the IWC, the U.S., and Japan participated in the survey. The cruise had four main objectives: (a) obtain information for in-depth assessments of North Pacific blue, fin, sei, and humpback and in terms of abundance, distribution and stock structure; (b) obtain information on the critically endangered North Pacific right whale population in the eastern Pacific; (c) obtain baseline information on distribution, stock structure and abundance for a poorly known area for several large whale species/populations, including those that were known to have been depleted in the past but whose status is unclear; (d) obtain essential information for the development of the medium-long term international programme in the North Pacific in order to meet the Commission’s long-term objectives. At the pre-cruise meeting, the crew of the vessel and international researchers agreed on the procedures and objectives of this survey. The survey was conducted using methods based on the guidelines of the IWC/SC. The acoustic survey was included for the 4th time to acoustically monitor for the presence of marine mammals, with particular importance for detecting and locating North Pacific right whales. Survey trackline coverage was 62 % (917.3 n.miles of a planned distance of 1.486.4 n.miles), with a total of 491.2 n.miles in Passing with abeam closing mode (NSP) and 426.1 n.miles in Independent Observer passing mode (IO). Additionally, 111.6 n.miles were surveyed during transit between Japan and Dutch Harbor, Dutch Harbor to and from the research area, and transit within the research area. During the entire the cruise, sightings of: blue (22 schools / 24 individuals), fin (56/78), sei (25/27), common minke (3/3), bryde’s (3/3), humpback (18/53), sperm (41/41), killer (16/76) whales, unid. Ziphiid (1/2), unid, Mesoplodon (1/3), and Dall’s porpoise (41/222) were observed. Fin, blue sei, humpback and sperm whales were widely distributed in the research area. Fin was the most frequently sighted large whale species. Sighting numbers for blue and sei were similar and a distinct spatial separation between blue whales and sei whales that maybe associated with sea surface temperatures was noted. No North Pacific right whales were seen or acoustically detected. Photoidentification data were collected for: 16 blue, 7 fin, 8 sei, 6 humpback and 8 killer whales. These data are preliminary, pending further processing and photo-identification confirmation. A total of 16 biopsy (skin and sometimes blubber) samples were collected from 4 blue, 4 fin, 6 sei and 2 humpback whales. A total of 34 sonobuoys were deployed, of which 33 were successful, for a total of over 210 monitoring hours. Species detected include sperm and fin whales, both detected on 31 buoys (93.9%), killer whales (23, 69.6%), blue whales (18, 54.5%), and humpback whales (7, 21.2%). Other signals detected include earthquakes (8, 24.2%), and unknown impulsive signals (2, 6.06%). The Estimated Angle and Distance Training Exercise and Experiment were completed. A total of 8 objects of marine debris were observed. This cruise was successfully completed and provided important information on cetacean distribution, in particular blue, fin and sei whales, in an area where limited survey effort had been conducted in recent decades, in a poorly known and logistically difficult area. These results will contribute to the aforementioned objectives of the IWC/SC.