Abundance of baleen whales in the European Atlantic
Authors
Hammond, P.S. (Philipp); MacLeod, K. (Kelly); Burt, L. (Louise); Cañadas, A. (Ana); Lens, S. (Santiago); Mikkelsen, B. (Bjarni); Rogan, E. (Emer); Santos, M.B. (María Begoña); Uriarte, A. (Ainhize); Van-Canneyt, O. (Olivier); Vázquez, J.A. (José Antonio)Date
2011Type
workingPaperKeywords
Fin whaleMinke whale
Sei whale
Abundance estimate
Ship-board surveys
Northeast Atlantic
Abstract
The abundance of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), sei whales (B. borealis) and minke whales (B. acutorostrata) was estimated
from data collected during shipboard sightings surveys conducted as part of CODA and TNASS (Faroese block) in July 2007 in
offshore waters of the European Atlantic west of the UK, Ireland, France and Spain, combined with data collected from shipboard and
aerial surveys of European Atlantic continental shelf waters conducted as part of SCANS-II in July 2005. Double platform methods
employing the trial-configuration method (BT-method) were used in all shipboard surveys. Analysis used Mark-Recapture Distance
Sampling to account for animals missed on the transect line. Density surface modelling was undertaken to generate model-based
abundance estimates and maps of predicted density. Estimates are presented for the SCANS-II and CODA survey areas. Estimates for
the Faroese block of TNASS have been presented elsewhere.
The abundance of fin whales in the CODA ...