Seasonal and geographical variation of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) habitat use in the German Baltic Sea monitored by passive acoustic methods (PODs)

Abstract

Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) were known to be common in the Baltic Sea. In the past several decades, the abundance and distribution has decreased, leading to national and international agreements on the protection of this species. Plans for offshore windmill constructions and proposals for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to implement NATURA 2000, led to an increased research effort on the harbour porpoise in the German Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of the North and Baltic Sea. Within this scope, the harbour porpoise habitat use of the German Baltic Sea from Fehmarn to the Pommeranian Bay (Pommersche Bucht) was investigated with the help of self-contained submersible data logger (Porpoise detectors, T-PODs), which register harbour porpoise echolocation click trains.