Narwhal Surveys and Associated Marine Mammal Observations in Admiralty Inlet, Nav~ Board Inle!; .and Eclipse Sound, Baffin Islana, . N.W.T., During 1974 -1976 B. W. Fallis, W. E. Klenner and J. B. Kemper ~ Western Regio 'P\ H~", t Department otr heries ana~~ eans Winnipeg, Ma ' tob ~1A fR{£TI9~<N6 ~ ~;f/.,. , ~ ~.. "'Al BRAn, \\\~ • December 1983 --~ Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries & Aquatic Sciences No. 1211 Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences These report s co ntain sc ientific and techni ca l inform ation that rep rese nts an import ant co ntribution to ex istin g knowledge but which for so me reason ma y not be appropriate for primary scientific (i .e. Journal) publication. Technical Reports are directed primarily towards a wo rldwide a udience and have a n international distribution. 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Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 1211 December 1983 NARWHAL SURVEYS AND ASSOCIATED MARINE MAMMAL OBSERVATIONS IN ADMIRALTY INLET, NAVY BOARD INLET, AND ECLIPSE SOUND, BAFFIN ISLAND, N.W.T., DURING 1974 - 1976 by B. W. Fallis, W. E. Klenner a~d J. B. Kemper Western Region Department of Fisheries and Oceans Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N6 This is the 162nd Technical Report from the Western Region, Winnipeq ii © Minister of Supply and Services Canada 1983 Cat. no. Fs 97-6/1211 ISSN 0706-6457 Correct citation for this publication is: Fallis, B.W., W.E. Klenner, and J.B. Kemper. 1983. Narwhal surveys ann associated marine mammal observations in Admiralty Inlet, Navy Board Inlet, and Eclipse Sound, Baffin Island, N.W.T., dlJrinq 1974-1976. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 1211: iv + 20 p. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Fiaure Pilqe 6 Transects used to sample Admiral­ ty Inlet durinQ systematic aerial ABSTRACT/RESUME iv in Auqust 1976 ........ " 18 7 Fliqht paths of reconnaissance I NTRODUCTI ON 1 surveys flown in Nav.v Board Inlet and Eclipse Sound durinQ July and STUDY AREA 1 Auqust 1975 . .. 19 8 Fliqht paths of reconnaissance METHODS 1 surveys flown in Navy Board Inlet and Ecl ipse Sound durinCJ AUQust RESULTS 2 1976 . .. 20 Ice conditions 2 Systematic surveys 2 Reconnaissance surveys •. .. 3 Narwhal movement into Admiralty Inlet 3 Narwhal distribution in Admiralty Inlet 3 Narwhal behaviour 4 Other speci es 4 Beluqa .. 4 Bowhead .. 4 Rinaed seal . 4 Bearded seal 4 Harp seal . 4 DISCUSSION . 5 Survey desiqn . 5 Systemat i c surveys . ...... 5 Narwhal movement patterns and distribution 6 Other species 6 RECOMMENDATIONS 7 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 8 REFERENCES . 8 LIST OF TABLES Table PaQe 1 Narwhal densities and popu 1at i on indices for systematic surve,Vs flown in Admiralty Inlet. 1975-76 10 2 Reconnaissance surveys flown in the study area durin9 1975 . 11 3 Reconnaissance surveys flown in the study area durinQ 1976 . 12 LIST OF FIGURES Fiqure Paoe 1 The study area on northern Baffin Island. N.W.T. 13 2 Transects used to sample Admiral- ty Inlet durinq systematic aerial surveys in 1975 14 3 FliQht paths of reconnaissance surveys flown in Admiralty Inl et durinQ July 1975 15 4 FliCJht paths of reconnaissance surveys flown in Admiralty Inlet durinQ August 1975 16 5 Fl i Qht paUls of reconnaissance surveys flown in Admiralty Inlet durinq Auoust 1976 17 iv AflSHACT qui ont emprunt~ l'inlet de l'Amiraute pendant, avant et apres 1a sa i son d' eau 1 i bre. Tres pell Fallis, 8.1>/., '>I.E. Klenner, anrl J.B. Kemper. de b~lougas (!Jelphinapterus leucas) ont ~te 1qiB. tJanll1a 1 surveys and associ ated aper~lIs au cours des deux anneescretude. Le 28 narine maMmal observations in Admi ral ty juillet 1975, on a observe trois baleines Inlet, ~Javy [loard Inlet, and Eclipse boreales (Balaena r.1ysticetus) au centre de Sound, Raffin Island, N.W.T., during 1974- l'inlet de l'Amraute. Les narvals n'ont pas 1971). Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. souvent frequente les baies et les anses du cote 1211 : iv+20p. est de l'inlet en 1975 et en 1976, mais on en a aper~us a quelques reprises dans la partie Reconnaissance and systematic surveys were centrale des d~troits Strathcona et Adams. flown in Admiralty Inlet and adjacent waters Alors que le phoque du Groenland (Phoca groen­ during the open water season from 1974 to 1976 landica) abondait dans l'inlet de ~a~ to determine marine namal utilization pat­ 1975, on a note une diminution dans le nombre et terns. An estimate of Q 6R3 narwhal Ulonodon la taille des groupes de phoques dans la partie monoceros) in central Admi ralty Inl et was centrale de 1 'inlet en 1976. recorded on 28 July 1Q75 with a subsequent decl ine in numbers in August. In 1976, narwhal utilization was less than the level observed in 110ts cl efs: rel eves aen ens; mammiferes aquat­ 1975 with an estimated 1 614 whales present on i ques; tlonodon monoceros; Bal aena 14 August. Aerial surveys indicated substantial mysticetus; Phoca groenlandica. variations in the timing of narwhal movement into Admiralty Inlet between 1975 and 1976. Fl uctuations in the number of narwhal util izing Admi ralty Inl et between and withi n seasons were al so recorded. Bel uga (Del phi napterus 1eucas) were uncommon in the study area durln~ years. On 23 July 1975, three bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) were observed in central Adrqiralt.Y Inlet. fJarwhal util ized bays and inlets on the east side of Admiralty Inlet infrequently during both 1975 and 1976 but were observed in the central portion of Strathcona and Adams sound on occasion. Harp seals (Phoca groenl andi ca) were very abundant in 1975 lilita decrease in size of groups and frequency of occurrence of groups indicated lower utilization of central Admiralty Inlet by harp seals in 1976. Key words: Aerial surveys; aquatic Mammals; t~onodon monoceros; Ba 1aena mys ti- cetus; Phoca groenl andl ca. -- RESUtlE Fallis, B.W., W.[. Klenner, and J.B. Kemper. 19R3.