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Report of the International Cachalot Assessment Research Planning Workshop, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 1-3 March 2005

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Report of the International Cachalot Assessment Research Planning Workshop, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 1-3 March 2005 Report of the International Cachalot Assessment Research Planning Workshop, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 1-3 March 2005 October 2005 Tim D. Smith Randall R. Reeves John L. Bannister Editors U. S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service Report of the International Cachalot Assessment Research Planning Workshop, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 1-3 March 2005 Tim D. Smith1, Randall R. Reeves2, and John L. Bannister3, Editors 1 National Marine Fisheries Service, 166 Water St., Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA 2 Okapi Wildlife Associates, 27 Chandler Ln., Hudson, Quebec I0P 1H0, CANADA 3 The Western Australia Museum, Francis St., Perth, Western Australia 6000, AUSTRALIA October 2005 NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-F/SPO-72 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Carlos M. Gutierrez, Secretary National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Vice Admiral Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., USN (ret.), Under Secretary for Oceans and Atmosphere National Marine Fisheries Service William T. Hogarth, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries The preparation of this document was supported jointly by the US Marine Mammal Commission and the US National Marine Fisheries Service. MMC support was through Grant No. 19Z007 to the University of New Hampshire, Professor A.A. Rosenberg and Affiliate Professor Tim D. Smith, Principal Investigators. NMFS support was through the Protected Species Branch of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, MA. This document will initially be issued only online. It will be available at: http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/nefsc/publications/online.htm It will be available in PDF format so that a paper copy can be easily printed out. It may subsequently be issued on paper as well. If it is issued on paper, then copies would be available from: Protected Species Branch Northeast Fisheries Science Center National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA 166 Water St. Woods Hole, MA 02543 This document may be cited as: Smith, TD; Reeves, RR; Bannister, JL, Editors. 2005. Report of the International Cachalot Assessment Research Planning Workshop, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, 1-3 March 2005. U.S. Dep. Commerce, NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-F/SPO-72, 45 p. Page iii CONTENTS 1. Welcome ......................................................................................................................................................................1 2. Review Terms of Reference, Agenda, Available Documentation, and Meeting Arrangements ....................................1 3. Introduction of Workshop Chair and Rapporteur ........................................................................................................2 4. Overviews ....................................................................................................................................................................2 5. Population Structure and Movements .........................................................................................................................3 5.1 Tagging ................................................................................................................................................................3 5.2 Individual Identification .......................................................................................................................................4 5.3 Acoustic...............................................................................................................................................................5 5.4 Morphology .........................................................................................................................................................5 5.5 Genetics ...............................................................................................................................................................6 5.6 Historical Evidence ..............................................................................................................................................6 5.7 Other ....................................................................................................................................................................6 6. Abundance and Distribution .......................................................................................................................................6 6.1 Whaling Records .................................................................................................................................................6 6.2 Genetic Diversity ..................................................................................................................................................7 6.3 Sightings and Acoustics Surveys, Including Dive Cycle ....................................................................................7 6.4 Individual Identification .......................................................................................................................................9 7. Life History ..................................................................................................................................................................9 7.1 Age Determination ...............................................................................................................................................9 7.2 Vital Rates .......................................................................................................................................................... 10 7.3 Social Structure .................................................................................................................................................. 10 8. Population Ecology .................................................................................................................................................... 11 8.1 Feeding .............................................................................................................................................................. 11 8.2 Diving Physiology ............................................................................................................................................. 12 9. Human Interactions .................................................................................................................................................... 13 9.1 20th Century Whaling ........................................................................................................................................ 13 9.2 Pre-20th Century Whaling.................................................................................................................................. 14 9.3 Interactions with Fisheries and Shipping ........................................................................................................... 15 9.4 Environmental Issues ......................................................................................................................................... 16 10. Field Programs ........................................................................................................................................................... 17 10.1 Gulf of Mexico .................................................................................................................................................... 17 10.2 Mediterranean Sea ............................................................................................................................................. 18 10.3 Eastern North Pacific .......................................................................................................................................... 18 10.4 Western North Pacific ........................................................................................................................................ 19 10.5 Western North Atlantic and Caribbean .............................................................................................................. 19 10.6 Eastern and Central North America (including Iceland) ..................................................................................... 20 10.7 South Pacific ...................................................................................................................................................... 20 10.8 Odyssey .............................................................................................................................................................. 21 10.9 Indian Ocean ...................................................................................................................................................... 22 10.10 Antarctic ........................................................................................................................................................... 22 11. Future Work ............................................................................................................................................................... 22 11.1 Need to Understand the True, Underlying Structure of Populations ................................................................. 22 11.2 Need to Obtain Accurate Estimates of the Numbers of Whales Removed by Whaling from Each Population .. 23 11.3 Need to Estimate Abundance for a High Proportion of Waters Worldwide ....................................................... 23 11.4 Need to Improve Understanding of the Demographics of Population Growth .................................................
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