Distribution and Abundance of Killer Whales in the Central North Atlantic, 1987-2015

Authors

  • Daniel G. Pike
  • Thorvaldur Gunnlaugsson
  • Bjarni Mikkelsen
  • Gísli Víkingsson
  • Geneviève Desportes

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7557/3.5579

Keywords:

killer whale, abundance, distribution, north atlantic, cetacean survey, NASS, NAMMCO

Abstract

The North Atlantic Sightings Surveys (NASS), covering a large but variable portion of the Central and Eastern North Atlantic, were conducted in 1987, 1989, 1995, 2001, 2007 and 2015. Sightings of killer whales (Orcinus orca), a non-target species, were relatively rare in the Central Atlantic (Icelandic and Faroese) portions of the survey area. In cases where sighting numbers were insufficient, we pooled sightings over several surveys to derive a distance detection function and used this to estimate abundance using standard Distance Sampling methodology. Uncorrected estimates were produced for all surveys, and estimates corrected for perception bias were produced for the 2001 and 2015 surveys. Killer whales were sighted in all areas but were most common in the eastern part of the survey area. Uncorrected abundance in the NASS core area ranged from a low of 4,736 (95% CI: 1,842–12,176) in 1995 to a maximum of 15,142 (95% CI: 6,003–38,190) in 2001. The low precision of the estimates makes the detection of temporal trends unlikely. In 2007 an extension survey revealed relatively high numbers of killer whales to the east of the survey area, in conformity with Norwegian survey estimates in this area. The NASS and other surveys conducted over the period indicate that killer whales number in the low tens of thousands in the Central and Eastern North Atlantic.

References

Baird, R. W., Hanson, M. B., & Dill, L. M. (2005). Factors influencing the diving behaviour of fish-eating killer whales: Sex differences and diel and interannual variation in diving rates. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 83(2), 257–267. https://doi.org/10.1139/z05-007 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/z05-007

Buckland, S. T., Anderson, D., Burnham, K., Laake, J., Borchers, D., & Thomas, L. (2001). Introduction to distance sampling estimating abundance of biological populations. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Buckland, S. T., & Turnock, B. J. (1992). A Robust Line Transect Method. Biometrics, 48(3), 901–909. https://doi.org/10.2307/2532356 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/2532356

Burt, M. L., Borchers, D. L., Jenkins, K. J., & Marques, T. A. (2014). Using mark–recapture distance sampling methods on line transect surveys. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 5(11), 1180–1191. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12294 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12294

Canadas, A., Desportes, G., & Borchers, D. L. (2004). The estimation of the detection function and g(0) for short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinis delphis), using double-platform data collected during the NASS-95 Faroese survey. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management, 6(2), 191–198. DOI: https://doi.org/10.47536/jcrm.v6i2.782

Foote, A. D., Víkingsson, G., Øien, N., Bloch, D., Davis, C. G., Dunn, T. E., Harvey, P. V., Whooley, P., & Thompson, P. M. (2007). Distribution and abundance of killer whales in the North East Atlantic. SC/59/SM5 for the IWC Scientific Committee. 10.

Gunnlaugsson, Th., & Sigurjónsson, J. (1990). NASS-87: Estimation of whale abundance based on observations made onboard Icelandic and Faroese survey vessels. Report of the International Whaling Commission, 40, 571–580.

Hammond, P. S., Lacey, C., Gilles, A., Viquerat, S., Boerjesson, P., Herr, H., Macleod, K., Ridoux, V., Santos, M., & Scheidat, M. (2017). Estimates of cetacean abundance in European Atlantic waters in summer 2016 from the SCANS-III aerial and shipboard surveys. Wageningen Marine Research. https://synergy.st-andrews.ac.uk/scans3/files/2017/04/SCANS-III-design-based-estimates-2017-04-28-final.pdf

Hammond, P. S., Macleod, K., Berggren, P., Borchers, D. L., Burt, M. L., Cañadas, A., Desportes, G., Donovan, G. P., Gilles, A., Gillespie, D. M., Gordon, J. C. D., Hiby, L., Kuklik, I., Leaper, R., Lehnert, K., Leopold, M., Lovell, P., Øien, N., Paxton, C. G. M., … Vázquez, J. A. (2013). Cetacean abundance and distribution in European Atlantic shelf waters to inform conservation and management. Biological Conservation 164, 107–122. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2013.04.010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2013.04.010

Hansen, R. G., Boye, T. K., Larsen, R. S., Nielsen, N. H., Tervo, O., Nielsen, R. D., Rasmussen, M. H., Sinding, M. H. S., & Heide-Jørgensen, M. P. (2019). Abundance of whales in West and East Greenland in summer 2015. NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 11. https://doi.org/10.7557/3.4689 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7557/3.4689

Hedley, S. L., & Buckland, S. T. (2004). Spatial models for line transect sampling. Journal of Agricultural, Biological, and Environmental Statistics, 9(2), 181. https://doi.org/10.1198/1085711043578 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1198/1085711043578

Innes, S., Heide-Jørgensen, M. P., Laake, J. L., Laidre, K. L., Cleator, H. J., Richard, P., & Stewart, R. E. (2002). Surveys of belugas and narwhals in the Canadian High Arctic in 1996. NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 4, 169–190. https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2843 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2843

International Whaling Commission (IWC) (2020). Population Estimates. https://iwc.int/estimate

Jourdain, E., Ugarte, F., Víkingsson, G. A., Samarra, F. I. P., Ferguson, S. H., Lawson, J., Vongraven, D., & Desportes, G. (2019). North Atlantic killer whale Orcinus orca populations: A review of current knowledge and threats to conservation. Mammal Review, 49(4), 384–400. https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12168 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12168

Laake, J. L., & Borchers, D. L. (2004). Methods for incomplete detection at distance zero. In ‘Advanced Distance Sampling’. (Eds S. T. Buckland, D. R. Anderson, K. P. Burnham, J. L. Laake, D. L. Borchers and L. Thomas.) pp. 108–189. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Lawson, J. W., & Gosselin, J. F. (2018). Estimates of cetacean abundance from the 2016 NAISS aerial surveys of eastern Canadian waters, with a comparison to estimates from the 2007 TNASS. SC/25/AE/09 for the NAMMCO Scientific Committee.

Leonard, D., & Øien, N. (2020a). Estimated abundances of cetacean species in the Northeast Atlantic from Norwegian shipboard surveys conducted in 2014–2018. NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 11. https://doi.org/10.7557/3.4694 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7557/3.4694

Leonard, D. M., & Oien, N. (2020b). Estimated abundances of cetacean species in the Northeast Atlantic from two multiyear surveys conducted by Norwegian vessels between 2002–2013. NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 11. https://doi.org/10.7557/3.4695 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7557/3.4695

Miller, P. J. O., Shapiro, A. D., & Deecke, V. B. (2010). The diving behaviour of mammal-eating killer whales (Orcinus orca): Variations with ecological not physiological factors. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 88(11), 1103–1112. https://doi.org/10.1139/Z10-080 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/Z10-080

North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO). (2017). Report of the 24th meeting of the NAMMCO Scientific Committee. Retrieved from https://nammco.no/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/24th-scientific-committee-meeting-report.pdf

North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission (NAMMCO). (2020). Overview of cetacean abundance estimates in the North Atlantic. NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 11. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7557/3.5732

Øien, N. (1988). The distribution of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in the North Atlantic based on Norwegian catches, 1938–1981, and incidental sightings, 1967–1987. Rit Fiskideildar, 11, 65–78.

Øien, N. (1990). Sightings surveys in the Northeast Atlantic in July 1988: Distribution and abundance of cetaceans. Report of the International Whaling Commission, 40, 499–511.

Øien, N. (2009). Distribution and abundance of large whales in Norwegian and adjacent waters based on ship surveys 1995–2001. NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 7, 31–47. https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2704 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2704

Palka, D. l., & Hammond, P. S. (2001). Accounting for responsive movement in the transect estimates of abundance. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 58(4), 777–787. https://doi.org/10.1139/f01-024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/f01-024

Paxton, C. G. M., Burt, M. L., Hedley, S. L., Víkingsson, G. A., Gunnlaugsson, Th., & Desportes, G. (2009). Density surface fitting to estimate the abundance of humpback whales based on the NASS-95 and NASS-2001 aerial and shipboard surveys. NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 7, 143–159. https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2711 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2711

Pike, D. G. (2009). North Atlantic Sightings Surveys. Introduction. NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 7, 7–18. https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2702 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2702

Pike, D. G., Gunnlaugsson, T., Desportes, G., Mikkelsen, B., Víkingsson, G. A., & Bloch, D. (2019b). Estimates of the relative abundance of long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) in the Northeast Atlantic from 1987 to 2015 indicate no long-term trends. NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 11. https://doi.org/10.7557/3.4643 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7557/3.4643

Pike, D. G., Gunnlaugsson, T., Mikkelsen, B., Halldórsson, S. D., & Víkingsson, G. (2019a). Estimates of the abundance of cetaceans in the central North Atlantic based on the NASS Icelandic and Faroese shipboard surveys conducted in 2015. NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 11. https://doi.org/10.7557/3.4941 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7557/3.4941

Pike, D. G., Gunnlaugsson, T., Mikkelsen, B., Halldórsson, S. D., Víkingsson, G. A., Acquarone, M., & Desportes, G. (2020a). Estimates of the abundance of cetaceans in the Central North Atlantic from the T-NASS Icelandic and Faroese ship surveys conducted in 2007. NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 11. https://doi.org/10.7557/3.5269 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7557/3.5269

Pike, D. G, Gunnlaugsson, T., Sigurjónsson, J., & Víkingsson, G. A. (2020b). Distribution and abundance of cetaceans in Icelandic waters over 30 years of aerial surveys. NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 11. https://doi.org/10.7557/3.4805 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7557/3.4805

Pike, D. G, Víkingsson, G. A., Gunnlaugsson, T., & Øien, N. (2009). A note on the distribution and abundance of blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) in the Central and Northeast North Atlantic. NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 7, 19–29. https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2703 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2703

Samarra, F., Tavares, S., Béesau, J., Deecke, V., Fennell, A., Miller, P., Pétursson, H., Sigurjónsson, J., & Víkingsson, G. (2017). Movements and site fidelity of killer whales (Orcinus orca) relative to seasonal and long-term shifts in herring (Clupea harengus) distribution. Marine Biology, 164(8), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-017-3187-9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-017-3187-9

Sigurjónsson, J., Lyrholm, T., Leatherwood, E., Jonsson, E., Víkingsson, G. (1988). Photoidentification of killer whales, Orcinus orca, off Iceland, 1981 through 1986. Rit Fiskideilar, 11, 99–114.

Sigurjónsson, J. (1984). Killer whale census off Iceland during October 1982. Report of the International Whaling Commission, 34, 609–612.

Sigurjónsson, J., Gunnlaugsson, Th., Ensor, P., Newcomer, M., & Víkingsson, G. A. (1991). North Atlantic Sightings Survey 1989 (NASS-89): Shipboard surveys in Icelandic and adjacent waters July-August 1989. Report of the International Whaling Commission, 41, 559–572.

Sigurjónsson, J., Gunnlaugsson, Th., & Payne, M. (1989). NASS-87: Shipboard sightings surveys in Icelandic and adjacent waters June-July 1987. Report of the International Whaling Commission, 39, 395–409.

Sigurjónsson, J., Gunnlaugsson, Víkingsson, G., & Gudmundsson, H. (1996). North Atlantic sightings survey 1995 (NASS). Aerial survey in coastal Icelandic waters July 1995. SC/4/17 for the NAMMCO Scientific Committee.

Similä, T. (1997). Sonar observations of killer whales (Orcinus orca) feeding on herring schools. Aquatic Mammals, 23(3), 119–126.

Similä, T., Holst, J. C., & Christensen, I. (1996). Occurrence and diet of killer whales in northern Norway: Seasonal patterns relative to the distribution and abundance of Norwegian spring-spawning herring. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 53, 169–779. https://doi.org/10.1139/f95-253 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1139/f95-253

Thomas, L., Buckland, S. T., Rexstad, E. A., Laake, J. L., Strindberg, S., Hedley, S. L., Bishop, J. R. B., Marques, T. A., & Burnham, K. P. (2010). Distance software: Design and analysis of distance sampling surveys for estimating population size. Journal of Applied Ecology, 47(1), 5–14. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2009.01737.x DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2009.01737.x

Víkingsson, G. A., Pike, D. G., Desportes, G., Øien, N., Gunnlaugsson, T., & Bloch, D. (2009). Distribution and abundance of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) in the Northeast and Central Atlantic as inferred from the North Atlantic Sightings Surveys 1987-2001. NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 7, 49–72. https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2705 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7557/3.2705

Vogel, E. F. (2020). The influence of herring (Clupea harengus) biomass and distribution on killer whale (Orcinus orca) movements on the Norwegian shelf (Master’s thesis). UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø. Retrieved from https://munin.uit.no/handle/10037/19221

Williams, R., Lusseau, D., & Hammond, P. S. (2006). Estimating relative energetic costs of human disturbance to killer whales (Orcinus orca). Biological Conservation, 133(3), 301–311. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2006.06.010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2006.06.010

Downloads

Published

2020-12-03

How to Cite

Pike, D. G., Gunnlaugsson, T., Mikkelsen, B., Víkingsson, G., & Desportes, G. (2020). Distribution and Abundance of Killer Whales in the Central North Atlantic, 1987-2015. NAMMCO Scientific Publications, 11. https://doi.org/10.7557/3.5579

Most read articles by the same author(s)

<< < 1 2 3