Management Of Marine Mammal Tours On The Great Barrier Reef

2002 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Stokes ◽  
K Dobbs ◽  
C Recchia
Keyword(s):  
Great Barrier Reef ◽  
Marine Mammal ◽  
Codes Of Conduct ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Barrier Reef ◽  
Whale Watching ◽  
Balaenoptera Acutorostrata ◽  
Management Regime ◽  
Minke Whales ◽  
Limited Entry

Of the more than 30 species of marine mammal occurring within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP), three are the focus of wildlife-based tours: humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), dwarf minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and dugongs (Dugong dugon). Currently (April 2001), 19 permits, comprising 31 ships and two aircraft, allow whalewatching in the GBRMP. The combined passenger capacity of these craft is 3,238 at any one time (e.g., per day). However, fewer than 15,000 persons were recorded in ?dedicated? whalewatching tours each month during the May - October ?whale-watching? season between 1998 and 2000. Watching M. novaeangliae occurs primarily in the Central and Cairns Sections of the GBRMP, with most activity focused in the Whitsundays. Permitted levels of whale-watching are capped at eight permits in the Cairns Area, and at 11 permits in the Whitsundays. Other tours include: a specialised form of whale-watching involving swimming with B. acutorostrata which is being brought within a limited-entry management regime; one dolphin-watching tour in the Central Section of the GBRMP north of the Whitsundays; and one dugong-watching tour in the Hinchinbrook Region. Because of reported declines in the number of D. dugon on the Great Barrier Reef, this activity is being monitored closely before further permits are granted. Marine mammal watching activities in the GBRMP are managed through a combination of best practices guidelines, codes of conduct, regulations, zoning, wildlife protection areas and permits. The potential for the commercial whale-watching industry to become self-regulating is acknowledged.

scholarly journals Commercial Swim Programs With Dwarf Minke Whales On The Northern Great Barrier Reef, Australia: Some Characteristics Of The Encounters With Management Implications

2002 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 23 ◽  
Author(s):  
RA Birtles ◽  
PW Arnold ◽  
A Dunstan
Keyword(s):  
Great Barrier Reef ◽  
General Principle ◽  
Preliminary Data ◽  
Cumulative Effects ◽  
Barrier Reef ◽  
Balaenoptera Acutorostrata ◽  
Management Implications ◽  
Marine Park ◽  
Minke Whales ◽  
June July

Commercial swim programs with the dwarf minke whale Balaenoptera ?acutorostrata occur seasonally (primarily June - July) within the Cairns and Far Northern sections of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) Marine Park. Observations of whale-swimmer interactions over five seasons indicate that initiation and maintenance of contact with vessel and swimmers is largely voluntary and thus the swim programs can comply with the general principle that the whales control the initiation and nature of interactions. Preliminary data on within-season (13 whales in 1999) and between year (four whales from 1999 in 2000, 2001) re-sightings within the study area suggest that any impacts from swim programs may affect a particular subset of the population. The extent of possible cumulative effects can be assessed by continuation of the existing photo and video-ID program. No signs of aggression have been documented but some behaviour (bubble blasts, jaw gape) could be considered as threat display. More detailed analysis of behaviour is necessary to monitor such behaviour. A risk analysis is given for aspects of the interactions, with suggested research to monitor such risks.

scholarly journals Distribution and Abundance of Cetaceans in Icelandic Waters over 30 Years of Aerial Surveys

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Pike ◽  
Thorvaldur Gunnlaugsson ◽  
Johann Sigurjonsson ◽  
Gisli Vikingsson
Keyword(s):  
Relative Abundance ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Line Transect ◽  
Balaenoptera Acutorostrata ◽  
Aerial Surveys ◽  
Minke Whales ◽  
Abundance Estimates ◽  
Ecosystem Changes ◽  
Common Minke Whale ◽  
Icelandic Waters

Beginning in 1986, 7 aerial surveys covering the coastal waters of Iceland have been conducted up to 2016. In addition, several partial surveys covering portions of the same area and at different times of the year have been flown in the same 30 year time span. We present previously unpublished abundance estimates, corrected to the extent feasible for known biases, for common minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), white-beaked dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) and harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from some or all of the 2007, 2009 and 2016 surveys. The relative abundance of most species was comparatively low in the spring and fall, and peaked June and July when all of the main surveys have been carried out. An analysis of changes in line transect density as an index of relative abundance from all surveys indicates that common minke whale abundance decreased by 75% after 2001 and has remained at a relatively low level since then. Relative abundance of humpback whales and white-beaked dolphins has increased over the period 1986-2016. We place these observed changes in context with oceanographic and ecosystem changes documented over the same period.

scholarly journals Trends in the distribution and abundance of cetaceans from aerial surveys in Icelandic coastal waters, 1986-2001

2009 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel G Pike ◽  
Charles GM Paxton ◽  
Thorvaldur Gunnlaugsson ◽  
Gísli A Víkingsson
Keyword(s):  
Relative Abundance ◽  
Minke Whale ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Line Transect ◽  
Survey Area ◽  
Balaenoptera Acutorostrata ◽  
The North ◽  
Aerial Surveys ◽  
Minke Whales ◽  
Abundance Estimates

Aerial surveys were carried out in coastal Icelandic waters 4 times between 1986 and 2001 as part of the North Atlantic Sightings Surveys. The surveys had nearly identical designs in 3 of the 4 years. The target species was the minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) but all species encountered were recorded. Sighting rate and density from line transect analysis were used as indices of relative abundance to monitor trends over the period, and abundance estimates corrected for perception biases were calculated for some species from the 2001 survey. More than 11 species were sighted, of which the most common were the minke whale, humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), dolphins of genus Lagenorhychus, and the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Minke whales anddolphins showed little change in distribution or abundance over the period. There were an estimated 31,653 (cv 0.30) dolphins in the survey area in 2001. Humpback whales increased rapidly at a rate of about 12%, with much of the increase occurring off eastern and northeastern Iceland. In 2001 there were an estimated 4,928 (cv 0.463) humpback whales in the survey area. The relative abundance of harbour porpoises decreased over the period, but estimates for this species were compromised by uncorrected perception biases and poor coverage. The ecological and historical significance of these findings with respect to previous whaling activities and present-day fisheries is discussed.

Net Entanglements of Baleen Whales in the Inshore Fishery of Newfoundland

1979 ◽  
Vol 36 (5) ◽  
pp. 521-528 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Perkins ◽  
P. C. Beamish
Keyword(s):  
Key Words ◽  
Newfoundland And Labrador ◽  
Megaptera Novaeangliae ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Balaenoptera Acutorostrata ◽  
Balaenoptera Physalus ◽  
Baleen Whales ◽  
Minke Whales ◽  
Capelin Mallotus Villosus ◽  
Inshore Waters

This paper documents net entrapments of baleen whales in the inshore waters of Newfoundland and Labrador. The species involved are principally minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Finback whales (Balaenoptera physalus) are also caught in nets but far less frequently. The timing of these entrapments corresponds with the spawning season for capelin (Mallotus villosus) on the beaches around the province. The magnitude and implications of this problem, both to the whales and the fisherman, are assessed. Key words: baleen whales, net entrapments, mortality assessment, capelin, Balaenoptera acutorostrata, B. physalus, Megaptera novaeangliae

scholarly journals Temporal Variability of Cetaceans near Halifax, Nova Scotia

2006 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Simard ◽  
Jennifer L. Lawlor ◽  
Shannon Gowans
Keyword(s):  
Nova Scotia ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Eubalaena Glacialis ◽  
Balaenoptera Acutorostrata ◽  
Minke Whales ◽  
North Atlantic Right Whales ◽  
Early Fall ◽  
Large Groups ◽  
Blue Whales

Annual and seasonal trends in sightings of coastal cetaceans near Halifax, Nova Scotia, were studied using observations from whale watching and dedicated research vessels from late spring to early fall of 1996 to 2005. Four species of cetaceans routinely used the area during the summer: White-beaked and Atlantic White-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus albirostris and L. acutus), Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), and Minke Whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata). The dolphin species were temporally separated, with White-beaked Dolphins being common earlier in the summer than White-sided Dolphins. White-sided Dolphins were unusually abundant in 1997, and were found in larger groups (mean = 46.5 ± 46.19 sd) than Whitebeaked Dolphins (mean = 9.1 ± 5.19 SD). The area also appears to be an important habitat for dolphin calves and juveniles of both species. Fin Whales (B. physalus) were commonly observed in relatively large groups in 1997, but were uncommon or absent in other years. Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), Blue Whales (B. musculus) and North Atlantic Right Whales (Eubalaena glacialis) were uncommon in the area, although Humpback Whales were sighted frequently in 1997. Increased numbers of White-sided Dolphins, Fin and Humpback whales in 1997 may be explained by increased prey abundance and decreased sea-surface temperatures.

Pilot cetacean survey of the sub-Arctic North Atlantic utilizing a cruise-ship platform

2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 321-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross Compton ◽  
Aaron Banks ◽  
Lissa Goodwin ◽  
Sascha K. Hooker
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
North Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Distance Sampling ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Cruise Ship ◽  
Balaenoptera Acutorostrata ◽  
Cetacean Species ◽  
Minke Whales

Using a large passenger cruise-ship (MV ‘Discovery’) as a platform, a cetacean survey was conducted between 1 August and 3 September 2005 across the northern North Atlantic Ocean and back, covering waters between the UK, Iceland, Greenland and Canada. The objective was to collect sightings data for all cetacean species encountered to begin to collate information for a large-scale sightings database. Two observers employed standard-distance sampling techniques and visual observations (naked eye) to scan for cetaceans during daylight hours and favourable weather conditions. Approximately 112 h were spent surveying over 23 d. A total of 13 cetacean species were encountered, with 173 separate sightings recorded, totalling over 2000 animals. The most commonly sighted species were minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata: N=44), Atlantic white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus acutus: N=34, with group sizes of up to 600), and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae: N=31). The distribution of minke whales, Atlantic white-sided dolphins and fin whales was linked to underlying oceanographic variables. Overall patterns of distribution were consistent with our understanding of the summer distributions for the species encountered. The survey highlighted the cetacean diversity of the northern North Atlantic region. Repeat work using this methodology will allow an examination of species' distributions and estimation of their relative abundance.

scholarly journals Effect of the Queensland Shark Control Program on non-target species: whale, dugong, turtle and dolphin: a review

1998 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 645 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. A. Gribble ◽  
G. McPherson ◽  
B. Lane
Keyword(s):  
Great Barrier Reef ◽  
Loggerhead Turtle ◽  
Control Program ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Population Estimates ◽  
Barrier Reef ◽  
Marine Animals ◽  
Leatherback Turtles ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Turtle Population

The Queensland Shark Control Program (QSCP) has recorded a long-term annual mortality of 0.1 humpback whale, 2 ‘small whales’ (species uncertain), 20 dugong, <78 turtles (species and number released uncertain), and <19 dolphin (species and number released uncertain). Available population estimates suggest that the historic impact of the QSCP would have been negligible on whales, 0.5% per year of the dugong population in the southern Great Barrier Reef, minor on green and loggerhead turtle populations, and unknown but probably minor on leatherback turtles and dolphin populations. In response to improved methods between 1992 and 1995 the average yearly mortality fell to 0 humpback whales, 4 dugong, 3 loggerhead turtles (11 turtles in total), and 10 dolphin (species uncertain); this suggests no impact on whales, 0.1% per year of the dugong population of the southern Great Barrier Reef, 1.6% of the yearly indigenous harvest of green turtles in eastern Australia, and 0.2% per year of the loggerhead turtle population in Queensland. Lack of population estimates and species identification precluded impact calculations for dolphin. The number of rare, vulnerable and endangered marine animals killed in the QSCP gear each year is in tens rather than thousands and the effect of this incidental mortality on their populations is probably minor.

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