Japan Progrep. SM/2001 JAPAN PROGRESS REPORT ON SMALL CETACEAN RESEARCHES May 2000 to May 2001 (compiled by) Toshihide Iwasaki and Hidehiro Kato National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries, 5-7-1, Orido, Shimizu, Shizuoka 424-8633, Japan This report summarizes small cetacean fisheries and researches conducted during period from May 2000 to May 2001 by the National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries (hereafter NRIFSF) and the Fisheries Agency of Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Government of Japan (hereafter FAJ) with cooperation of other related organizations. This report covers information on small cetaceans which does not included in the Japan Progress Reprot on Cetacean Research May 2000 to May 2001 which is submitted to 53rd IWC/SC meeting. 1. Species and stocks studied Following species and stocks of small cetaceans were studied by NRIFSF and FAJ: Common name Scientific name Area/stock(s) Items referred to Baird’s beaked whale Berardius bairdii Off Pacific coast, Sea of 4.2, 4.4, 7.1, 8 Japan, Okhotsk Sea Short-finned pilot whale Globicephala Off Pacific coast, western 3.2, 4.2, 4.4, macrorhynchus North Pacific 7.1, 8 False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens Off Pacific coast 7.1 Killer whale Orcinus orca Antarctic, North Pacific 4.1, 8 off Pacific coast Striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba Off Pacific coast, Western 3.1.2, 3.2, 4.1, North pacific 4.2, 4.4, 5, 7.1, 8 Dall’s porpoise Phocoenoides dalli Off Pacific coast, 4.2, 4.4, 7.1, 8 Okhotsk Sea, Sea of Japan Bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus Kagoshima Bay, off 2.1.1, 3.1.1, Pacific coast 3.2, 4.2, 4.4, 5, 7.1 Spotted dolphin Stenella attenuata Off Pacific coast 3.2, 4.2, 4.4, 7.1 Finless porpoise Neophocena phocenoides Coastal waters of Japan 7.1, 8 Risso’s dolphin Grampus griseus Western North Pacific 3.2, 4.2, 4.4, 5, 7.1, 8 Additional species taken - Off Pacific coast, Sea of 2.1.1, 2.1.2, or sighted during Okhotsk 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, dolphin fisheries or 4.4, 7.1, small type whaling operation Additional species - North Pacific, Sea of 2.1.1, 2.1.2, sighted during the Okhotsk, Southern 4.1 sighting cruise Hemisphere Additional species - Around Japan 4.3, 8 stranded 1 2.Sighting data (this section overlap with description of sighting data in SC/53/Japan /Progrep.) 2.1 Field work 2.1.1 Systematic Regardless of the target species of sighting cruises, sightings of small cetaceans were recorded. The NRIFSF and FAJ conducted a total of nine sighting and related surveys from May 2000 to March 2001 in the North Pacific and the Southern Hemisphere. Those are seven cruises in the former water and two in the latter. All of the vessels except one vessel are equipped with a top barrel. Names of the vessels, scientists on board, and period of each cruise are given in Table 1. The IWC/SOWER Antarctic sighting cruise was conducted under auspices of the IWC/SOWER (Southern Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research) program from 5 January 2001 to 5 March 2001. This cruise consisted of the blue whale research component, the minke whale assessment component. The main purpose of blue whale component was to obtain scientific information relevant to developing shipboard identification methods for separating “true” blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia) from “pygmy” blue whales (B. m. brevicauda). For this purpose, acoustic survey, skin biopsy, digital video recording and photo-identification were prepared in addition to sighting survey. The government of Japan offered two research vessels (Shonan-maru and Shonan-maru #2) and crew for this program, as has been the case for the last 23 years. H. Kato (NRIFSF) acted as an organizer of the cruise and as a member of the steering group of the program. Weather conditions were about average and good survey coverage was obtained on the constructed cruise tracks of minke whale component in AreaⅥE andⅠW (110-140W) for 38 days. Six sightings (16 animals) of true blue whale were encountered during the survey. P. Ensor (New Zealand) acted as a cruise leader. K. Matsuoka (Japan) participated in the cruise as senior scientist, Marques (Brazil), Murase (Japan), Pitman (USA), Waerebeek (Peru) as researchers. The details of the cruise and results will be separately reported at the 53rd IWC/SC meeting. In the North Pacific, of a total seven cruises, the five cruises mainly engaged in sighting survey with skin biopsy at opportunistic base. Miyashita (NRIFSF) and Shimada worked in planning, track designs, searching methods of all the above cruises. Total searching distances made during the cruises were 6,978 n.miles, 7,243 n.miles and 5,700 n.miles for the Southern Hemisphere, the North Pacific in summer and the North Pacific from autumn to winter, respectively. During these cruises, minke whale cruise was oversighted by Miyashita and S.Nishiwaki, (ICR) and Bryde's whale by Shimada. In addition, systematic sighing data were also obtained from the other two cruises for biopsy and marking. The results from the offshore sighting cruises are given in Tables 2, 3 (surveys in summer season) and 4 (in winter season). Under cooperative program with the Republic of Korea, two cruises were conducted by both countries; one by R/V Kurosaki and another by R/V Tamgu 3 (Korea). Kurosaki investigated coastal waters off the western Japan in the Sea of Japan from 4 May to 12 June. On the other hand, Tamgu 3 investigated coastal waters off southeast coast of the Korean Peninsula, 9 May – 2 June. The cruises were conducted under Z.G. Kim (National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, Republic of Korea), Yoshida, H.(ICR) joined the cruise from 20 May to 2 June. Under the cooperation among the NRIFSF, Kochi prefecture government (KPG) and the Whale Watching Association in Tosa Bay (WATB), the sighting surveys on Bryde’s whales were conducted in the coastal waters off Kochi in October 2000, using 20 whale watching boats that belong to the WATB. The survey lasted ten days and T. Kishiro (NRIFSF), three research assistants (Kagoshima University and Tokyo University of Fisheries) and the total of 20 members of WATB acted as the researchers on board. A total of eight schools (16 individuals) of Bryde’s whales were detected during the survey. The sighting surveys on Bryde’s whales were also conducted in the coastal waters off 2 Kasasa, Southwest end of Kyushu, in September 2000, under the cooperation among the NRIFSF, Kagoshima prefecture government (KAPG), and Nomaike Fishery Cooperative Union (NFCU). Two to three whale watching boats (belong to the NFCU) were used as the research vessels. The surveys lasted 6 days. Kishiro and 12 research assistants (Kagoshima University) acted as the researchers on board. A total of 13 schools (40 individuals) of Bryde’s whales were detected during the surveys. The coastal sighting surveys were also conducted for bottlenose dolphins in Kagoshima Bay in October 2000 and February 2001 (using 2-6 boats in each day, Kishiro, N. Kubo (Kagoshima Aquarium) and 22 research assistants (Kagoshima University and Kagoshima Aquarium) acted as the researchers on board. Each survey lasted 5-6 days. A total of 3 schools (110 individuals) of bottlenose dolphins and nine schools (483 individuals) of Delphinus species were detected during the two surveys. The Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR) and NRIFSF conducted the non-lethal survey using R/V Torishima in waters surrounding Ogasawara Islands, Japan during 10 November-25 December 2000, in order to obtain information on winter feeding and breeding ecology of large cetaceans, i.e., sperm, Bryde’s, and minke whales which are target species of JARPN II. H. Yoshida (ICR) joined the survey and sighted 49 schools of cetaceans including 15 of sperm whales and one of sei whales during research of 2266.9 n.miles, though Bryde’s and minke whales were not detected. For the sperm and sei whales, swimming behavior was observed for total of 17 hours and 58 minutes. To attach satellite tags, three sperm whale schools were pursued and tags were launched 13 times, whereas no tags were attached successfully. For skin biopsy, darts were launched 16 times to five schools of sperm and one of sei whales, which resulted in two samples of sperm whales. The ICR and NRIFSF conducted sighting surveys with Caribbean scientists in the Caribbean Sea, in order to obtain information on distribution of cetaceans, especially humpback whales. H. Yoshida (ICR) participated in pre-survey meetings held in Dominica and St. Lucia and then joined in sighting survey conducted in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada during 3 -11 April 2001. Four schools of cetaceans (three schools of bottlenose dolphins and a solitary humpback whale) were sighted during the research of 349 n.miles. The humpback whale went to the north at high speed. Acoustic survey using a hydrophone was conducted at 30 points and sound of humpback whales was recorded successfully at two points. The results from the offshore sighting cruises and the coastal whale sighting surveys off Kochi and Kasasa are given in Tables 2, 3 (surveys in summer season) and 4 (in winter season). 2.1.2 Opportunistic, platforms of opportunity Opportunistic sighting data have been collected during operations by the small type whaling and by dolphin fisheries. Under the cooperation among NRIFSF, Nomaike Fishery Cooperative Union (NFCU) and Faculty of Fisheries, Kagoshima University opportunistic sighting data of Bryde’s whales have been collected during the whale watching operations in the coastal waters off Kasasa, southwest end of Kyushu.