Abstract
Systematic aerial surveys of the wintering grounds of belugas, Delphinapterus leucas, and narwhals, Monodon monoceros, in southern Baffin Bay and northern Davis Strait were conducted in late winter of 1981, 1982, 1990, and 1991. Most belugas were found between 67°N and 69°N and none were seen more than 80 km off the coast of West Greenland. Compared with the surveys in 1981 and 1982, a decline in relative abundance of belugas along West Greenland was evident in 1991. This decline was significant at a probability level of 0.13 of the bootstrapped distribution of the combined abundance estimate. Pod sizes declined significantly between the 1981–82 and 1990–91 surveys. The variations in ice conditions between years did not seem to affect the distribution, clumping, or pod sizes of the belugas. Narwhals were widely distributed in the close pack ice offshore between 65°N and 72°N. Along the West Greenland coast, narwhals were primarily seen at the mouth of Disko Bay. No change in relative abundance or pod sizes could be detected for narwhals.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
