Phocoena Phocoena Research Articles

Application of Bayesian Population Physiologically Based Pharmacokinetic (PBPK) Modeling and Markov Chain Monte Carlo Simulations to Pesticide Kinetics Studies in Protected Marine Mammals: DDT, DDE, and DDD in Harbor Porpoises

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling in marine mammals is a challenge because of the lack of parameter information and the ban on exposure experiments. To minimize uncertainty and variability, parameter estimation methods are required for the development of reliable PBPK models. The present study is the first to develop PBPK models for the lifetime bioaccumulation of p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, and p,p'-DDD in harbor porpoises. In addition, this study is also the first to apply the Bayesian approach executed with Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations using two data sets of harbor porpoises from the Black and North Seas. Parameters from the literature were used as priors for the first "model update" using the Black Sea data set, the resulting posterior parameters were then used as priors for the second "model update" using the North Sea data set. As such, PBPK models with parameters specific for harbor porpoises could be strengthened with more robust probability distributions. As the science and biomonitoring effort progress in this area, more data sets will become available to further strengthen and update the parameters in the PBPK models for harbor porpoises as a species anywhere in the world. Further, such an approach could very well be extended to other protected marine mammals.

Harbour Porpoises Phocoena phocoena in the Eastern Scheldt: A Resident Stock or Trapped by a Storm Surge Barrier?

Coastal protection measures are planned and executed worldwide to combat the effects of global warming and climate change, in particular the acceleration of sea level rise, higher storm surge flooding and extensive coastal inundation. The extent to which these defensive measures may impact coastal and estuarine ecosystems is still poorly understood. Since the building of a storm surge barrier, movement of harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena in and out of the Eastern Scheldt tidal bay (SW-Netherlands) may be limited. To measure residency, porpoises stranded along the Dutch North Sea coast between 2006 and 2008 were sampled for muscle (n = 102) and bone tissue (n = 118), of which 9 muscle (8.8%) and 12 bone samples (10.2%) were collected from animals stranded within the Eastern Scheldt. Stable carbon (δ13C) was analysed to get insight into the habitat use and residency of porpoises in the Eastern Scheldt. Our data showed significantly higher δ13C values in the muscle of porpoises stranded within the Eastern Scheldt (µ = −17.7‰, SD = 0.4‰) compared to animals stranded along the Dutch coast (µ = −18.3‰, SD = 0.5‰). This suggests that most porpoises stranded in the Eastern Scheldt foraged there for a longer period. The distinct δ13C signature of animals from the Eastern Scheldt was not observed in bone tissue, suggesting a relatively recent shift in habitat use rather than life-long residency of porpoises within the Eastern Scheldt. The high number of strandings within the Eastern Scheldt suggests a higher mortality rate compared to the Dutch coastal zone. Our study indicates that along with other changes in the physical environment, the storm surge barrier may play an important role in determining the residency of porpoises in the Eastern Scheldt, and that the area might act as an ecological trap for porpoises entering it.

Possible causes of a harbour porpoise mass stranding in Danish waters in 2005.

An unprecedented 85 harbour porpoises stranded freshly dead along approximately 100 km of Danish coastline from 7–15 April, 2005. This total is considerably above the mean weekly stranding rate for the whole of Denmark, both for any time of year, 1.23 animals/week (ranging from 0 to 20 during 2003–2008, excluding April 2005), and specifically in April, 0.65 animals/week (0 to 4, same period). Bycatch was established as the cause of death for most of the individuals through typical indications of fisheries interactions, including net markings in the skin and around the flippers, and loss of tail flukes. Local fishermen confirmed unusually large porpoise bycatch in nets set for lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) and the strandings were attributed to an early lumpfish season. However, lumpfish catches for 2005 were not unusual in terms of season onset, peak or total catch, when compared to 2003–2008. Consequently, human activity was combined with environmental factors and the variation in Danish fisheries landings (determined through a principal component analysis) in a two-part statistical model to assess the correlation of these factors with both the presence of fresh strandings and the numbers of strandings on the Danish west coast. The final statistical model (which was forward selected using Akaike information criterion; AIC) indicated that naval presence is correlated with higher rates of porpoise strandings, particularly in combination with certain fisheries, although it is not correlated with the actual presence of strandings. Military vessels from various countries were confirmed in the area from the 7th April, en route to the largest naval exercise in Danish waters to date (Loyal Mariner 2005, 11–28 April). Although sonar usage cannot be confirmed, it is likely that ships were testing various equipment prior to the main exercise. Thus naval activity cannot be ruled out as a possible contributing factor.

Mitigation of marine mammal bycatch in U.S. fisheries since 1994

Bycatch in fishing gear is one of the most pressing conservation issues facing marine mammals today. In the United States a formal regime to address bycatch of marine mammals was adopted in 1994 as Amendments to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). This regime provides quantitative conservation goals and a transparent reporting system, allowing for a unique opportunity to assess the efficacy of bycatch mitigation within U.S. waters. In the present analysis, we compile bycatch estimates for each stock of U.S. marine mammals since 1994 to determine whether mitigation efforts under the Amendments have been successful in reducing bycatch. Bycatch trends were analysed on a national level, and for two regional case studies; harbor porpoises in the Gulf of Maine and common dolphins along the U.S. Pacific coast. The estimated annual marine mammal bycatch was 4356 (SE 424) and bycatch levels declined since the MMPA was amended. Harbor porpoise bycatch in the Gulf of Maine was, however, correlated with landings of cod, suggesting that effort controls in the fishery, rather than porpoise conservation measures, were responsible for initial bycatch reduction. Bycatch mitigation efforts were more successful in the Pacific, where higher levels of compliance with mitigation measures are known to occur. We conclude that the 1994 Amendments have in general been successful, but that implementation has not always translated into conservation success, as illustrated by the harbor porpoise case study. Further studies are required to determine factors that promote compliance and mitigation success within the MMPA framework.

Türkiye Suları’ndaki Deniz Memelilerinde Nematodların Varlığının Araştırılması ve Patolojisi

Presence of marine mammal nematodes in Turkey is poorly known. One bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and four harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded on the Turkish coast were examined at necropsy between 2009 and 2012. Harbour porpoise stranded from Marmara Sea were only infected by three species of lungworms (Metastrongyloidea): Stenurus minor, Halocercus invaginatus and H. taurica. Anisakid, pseudaliid, filarioid and spirurid nematodes were not found in the investigated organs and alimentary canal from harbour porpoises and bottlenose dolphin from Black Sea. The present study represents the first geographic record of H. taurica from Turkish waters. Moreover, S. minor is the first and new host record of harbour porpoise from the coast of Black Sea. Additionally, pathological findings associated with lungworms are also presente.

Unusual Mortality Events of Harbor Porpoise Strandings in North Carolina, 1997–2009

A marked increase in the frequency of harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded in North Carolina in 2005 was declared as an Unusual Mortality Event (UME). Strandings occurred in January through May when harbor porpoises are seasonally present. Increased stranding rates were measured relative to a threshold to determine that the UME was occurring. The threshold analysis also revealed elevated strandings during 1999, an undeclared UME year. Recovered carcasses during 1999 and 2005 accounted for 39% of 261 strandings during 1997–2009. During 2005, of 43 strandings, primary or secondary causes of mortality included fishery interactions, emaciation, and interspecific aggression. Apart from small but significant differences in timing and condition of strandings, composition of strandings during UME and non-UME years was similar, with most being young-of-the-year and occurring during March and April, north of Cape Hatteras. Porpoises had high levels of parasitic infestation typical for this species. However, no indication of infectious disease and no cause of the 2005 event were found from gross and histologic findings. Response to UMEs is challenging, particularly along the expanses of North Carolina beaches, requiring additional effort to obtain carcasses in sufficiently fresh condition to determine the cause of these events.

Setting Maximum Mortality Limits for Harbour Porpoises in Dutch Waters to Achieve Conservation Objectives

Harbour porpoises in the North Sea are protected under national and EU legislation, and under the regional agreement ASCOBANS, within the UN Convention on Migratory Species. As yet, no methods exist to quantify the cumulative impacts of direct anthropogenic mortality (e.g. by-catch) and indirect effects of human activities (e.g. contaminants) on porpoise populations. However, procedures do exist for assessing whether total anthropogenic mortality may result in failure to meet conservation objectives. While the ultimate aim is to reduce the number of such deaths to zero, ASCOBANS has an interim objective to reduce anthropogenic mortality to a level that will allow recovery of populations. Several different criteria have been proposed as limits to anthropogenic mortality that may still allow conservation objectives to be met. These criteria include simple percentages of the best population abundance estimate and more complex procedures that account for uncertainty and other information about the population. In this paper, we report new estimates of abundance for porpoises in Dutch waters, and we apply several methods to calculate maximum anthropogenic mortality limits from these estimates. We considered whether these mortality limits would meet the objective of the ASCOBANS agreement and other international obligations, and how these limits may be applied at a national level rather than the biological population level. The current simple approach of a limit of 1.7% of the best abundance estimate may not satisfy conservation objectives. We recommend the use of management procedures for setting mortality limits that take into account available data including associated uncertainties and biases, and whose performance has been extensively tested through simulation.

The Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) as a Predator of Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena)?

In September 2011, two harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) presenting extensive traumatic lesions washed ashore in Belgium. Similar lesions, with large parts of skin and blubber missing, had not been recorded before on harbour porpoises in Belgium but were recently observed in a number of cases in neighbouring countries. We compared the lesions with the mouth and teeth structure of possible predators. The circumstances of the strandings, the observations during the necropsies, and the results of seal skull investigations pointed towards seals, presumably grey seals (Halichoerus grypus), as the prime suspects for having caused the death of both harbour porpoises. Although purely aggressive behaviour cannot be completely excluded, predation is considered most likely as part of the skin and blubber tissue of the harbour porpoises was missing. The grey seal is an opportunistic predator, feeding on a variety of fish and cephalopods, and occasionally even on crustaceans and seabirds, but predation on harbour porpoises, or any other marine mammal, had to our knowledge never been described. This finding might shed a new light on the cause of death of some of the other mutilated harbour porpoises recently stranded on southern North Sea beaches, and it presents a case of a change in the feeding strategy of a top predator.

White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias) Attack on a Harbor Porpoise (Phocaena phocaena) in the Bay of Fundy, Canada

A Carcharodon carcharias (White Shark) was observed attacking and successfully taking a male Phocaena phocaena (Harbor Porpoise) in the Bay of Fundy, Canada at 44°52′93″N, 66°44′32″W at 1600 hours on 17 August 2012, between Grand Manan and The Wolves. The shark was estimated to be greater than 3 m in length. This observation is the first of such incident involving a Harbor Porpoise since 1952. This sighting further contributes to the notion that White Sharks prey upon Harbor Porpoise in the Bay of Fundy.

Feeding ecology of harbour porpoises: stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen in muscle and bone

Harbour porpoises are the most common small cetaceans in the North Sea and Dutch coastal waters. To study their trophic level and feeding location, stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) were analysed in muscle and bone samples collected from 157 porpoises stranded along the Dutch coast (2006–2008). In addition, samples from 30 prey species were analysed. Prey samples showed high δ15N values in species of higher trophic level. In addition, geographic differences in isotopic composition were found, with higher δ15N and δ13C values in prey from more southern, coastal and estuarine areas. Based on muscle δ15N values, we found neonatal enrichment and that larger porpoises, in particular males, seem to feed on lower trophic level species, compared to smaller individuals. Also bone δ15N values show that larger animals had fed on lower trophic levels in distant times. Porpoises from the Eastern Scheldt reveal distinct δ13C values in muscle, but not in bone. This shows that these animals had foraged in the Eastern Scheldt for a longer time period but were not born there. Seasonal variation in bone δ15N and δ13C values revealed two distinct groups of porpoises along the Dutch coast, a winter group (mainly males) that migrated from neighbouring regions and a Dutch subpopulation in summer. These results furthered our insight about shifts in trophic level and feeding location of harbour porpoises from the southern North Sea over time.

Harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena Linnaeus, 1758) entering the Weser river after decades of absence

Since 2005, harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) sightings in the lower course of the river Weser have been reported after decades of apparent absence. The aim of this study was to document the habitat use and distribution using an opportunistic sightings scheme (2007–2010) and two acoustic click detectors (March–July 2010). Seventy-nine sightings with 125 animals have been reported. Most sightings occurred during April (44%) and May (35.7%). Acoustic data at Weser river km (RKM) 51 revealed 413 harbour porpoise click trains. Sightings indicate a strong seasonality. C-POD data at RKM 51 indicated a presence 7 km upstream (south) of the southernmost sighting on 18 days. Acoustic data includes typical click trains associated with feeding (n=34) and communication (n=29). Ramming of sheet piles in 2010 at Brake (RKM 42) may have deterred porpoises from migrating further upstream. The reasons why the small cetaceans nowadays enter the Weser are not clear. They may follow anadromous fish shoals such as herring, smelt and twaite shad representing the most dominant species by biomass in April/May. However, due to size and life-history considerations of these fish, it appears unlikely that a single fish species attracts porpoises into the river.

Use of static passive acoustic monitoring to assess the status of the ‘Critically Endangered’ Baltic harbour porpoise in German waters

Harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena abundance in the Baltic Proper (BP) is at a level where measures for improving the status of this genetically and morphologically discrete population are urgently needed. Without knowledge on seasonal and geographical distribution, a common basis for conservation efforts has been lacking for the past decades. We deployed 22 por- poise detectors from March 2005 until August 2007 in the eastern German Baltic Sea to study sea- sonal migrations and abiotic factors associated with porpoise presence/absence patterns. Two years of continuous monitoring resulted in 11 890 recording days from 21 stations within the BP, with only 207 porpoise-positive days (ppd — a day with verified porpoise detection), equaling 1.86% ppd per month and station over the study period. Data were analysed using generalised additive models to find significantly influencing factors. Detection rates in the BP peaked twice seasonally: once associated with the summer occurrence of animals from the population living mostly in the Belt Sea and once correlated with (1) cold air temperatures and (2) air temperatures lower than water surface temperatures. The latter suggests that porpoises from the BP migrate towards mostly ice-free waters in winter to avoid suffocation. In order to reduce harmful set-net- ting, conservation measures must be seasonally regulated, at least, or less harmful fishing meth- ods must be implemented. These findings should help to improve the current European anti-by- catch legislation, e.g. regulation EC 812/2004, which is currently under review.

Granulosa cell tumour in a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) from German waters

Neoplastic diseases in harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena have rarely been described, and there are no reported gonadal stromal tumours. A 12 yr old female harbour porpoise was stranded on the North Sea coast of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Necropsy findings included a severe granulomatous pneumonia, pregnancy and a left ovarian tumour. Respiratory insufficiency was the likely cause of death. There was a multinodular mass composed of cords with peripherally palisading cells within the left ovary. The histological and cytological appearance of the neoplasm was suggestive of a granulosa cell tumour; supportive immunohistochemical stains, including those for vimentin, cytokeration, carcinoembryonic antigen, c-kit, chromogranin and α-smooth muscle action, were negative.

Swimming patterns of wild harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena show detection and avoidance of gillnets at very long ranges

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsTheme Sections MEPS 453:241-248 (2012) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09630 Swimming patterns of wild harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena show detection and avoidance of gillnets at very long ranges Torben P. Nielsen1,*, Magnus Wahlberg2,3, Sanja Heikkilä2, Maria Jensen2, Puk Sabinsky2, Torben Dabelsteen1 1Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, 2100 Copenhagen East, Denmark 2Marine Biological Research Laboratory, Institute of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Hindsholmsvej 11, 5300 Kerteminde, Denmark 3Fjord & Baelt, Margrethes Plads 1, 5300 Kerteminde, Denmark *Email: t.peiter81@gmail.com ABSTRACT: Harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena are unintentionally caught in gillnets. Although the effectiveness of by-catch mitigation measures has been evaluated many times, only a few studies have investigated the behavioural patterns of the porpoises in relation to the presence of fishing nets. In this study, the reactions of wild harbour porpoises to a modified gillnet were visually observed. The porpoises responded to the net by avoiding it, with reactions being detectable at a distance of >80 m. The number of animals in the pods approaching the net did not affect the behaviour of individuals in relation to the net. These results strongly indicate that porpoises do not usually actively approach gillnets. The by-catch problem seems, therefore, to be caused by individual animals accidentally being caught, likely due to attention shifts or to auditory masking reducing their ability to detect the nets using echolocation. KEY WORDS: Harbour porpoise · Phocoena phocoena · Swimming pattern · By-catch · Gillnet Full text in pdf format Supplementary material See Comment and Reply Comment on this article PreviousNextCite this article as: Nielsen TP, Wahlberg M, Heikkilä S, Jensen M, Sabinsky P, Dabelsteen T (2012) Swimming patterns of wild harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena show detection and avoidance of gillnets at very long ranges. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 453:241-248. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09630 Export citation RSS - Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in MEPS Vol. 453. Online publication date: May 07, 2012 Print ISSN: 0171-8630; Online ISSN: 1616-1599 Copyright © 2012 Inter-Research.

Short Note: Rake Marks on a Harbor Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) Calf Suggestive of a Fatal Interaction with an Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus)

Short Note: Rake Marks on a Harbor Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) Calf Suggestive of a Fatal Interaction with an Atlantic White-Sided Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus)

Auditory brainstem response evoked by clicks of an echolocating harbour porpoise approaching a target

Event Abstract Back to Event Auditory brainstem response evoked by clicks of an echolocating harbour porpoise approaching a target Meike Linnenschmidt1*, Magnus Wahlberg1, 2 and Janni Damsgaard-Hansen2 1 University of Southern Denmark, Institute of Biology, Denmark 2 Fjord&Baelt, Denmark During echolocation harbour porpoises emit short ultrasonic clicks. Previous measurements of the auditory brainstem response to emitted clicks and returning echoes have shown that sound emission and hearing are actively modified during echolocation, depending on the echolocation task. In these studies the animal was stationary: To investigate if the modifications of hearing operate differently when the animal is actively approaching a target, we measured the auditory evoked potentials of an actively swimming harbour porpoise while echolocating a target. Two EEG silver disc electrodes submerged into latex suction cups attached to the body surface of the animal picked up the auditory brainstem potentials. A custom build suction cup hydrophone attached on the melon detected the acoustically emitted signals and returning echoes from the target. The target was a hollow aluminium cylinder (target strength -18 dB) and lowered 0.5 m below water surface at 5 m away from the porpoise at the beginning of each trial. A separate custom build hydrophone was attached 3 cm above the target. The animal swam a distance of 5 m parallel to floating pontoons at a depth of about 0.5 m to approach and touch the target. A trainer followed the swim path of the animal to secure the cables. The acoustic signals were amplified (52 to 70 dB) and high pass filtered (10 kHz) and the electric potentials were differentially amplified (80 dB) and band pass filtered between 0.3 and 10 kHz. The overall echolocation pattern was similar to a prey capture, thus including an approach and a buzz phase. The range between the animal and target was calculated by the time delay between the two separately recorded acoustic signals. During the approach phase the auditory brainstem response to the emitted click was evident after averaging 95 consecutive segments of electrode signals around each click. Three prominent electric potential peaks were discernible as a response to click production, similar to what has been previously found as a typical cetacean auditory brainstem response to an emitted echolocation click. This study suggest that auditory brainstem responses evoked by echolocation clicks and echoes can also be obtained from free-moving marine mammals. The harbour porpoise is suitable for such studies, as its auditory brainstem response has such a great signal to noise ratio. Keywords: approach, auditory brainstem response, Echolocation, free-swimming, Harbour porpoise Conference: Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology, College Park. Maryland USA, United States, 5 Aug - 10 Aug, 2012. Presentation Type: Poster (but consider for participant symposium and student poster award) Topic: Sensory: Audition Citation: Linnenschmidt M, Wahlberg M and Damsgaard-Hansen J (2012). Auditory brainstem response evoked by clicks of an echolocating harbour porpoise approaching a target. Conference Abstract: Tenth International Congress of Neuroethology. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnbeh.2012.27.00206 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 29 Apr 2012; Published Online: 07 Jul 2012. * Correspondence: Miss. Meike Linnenschmidt, University of Southern Denmark, Institute of Biology, Odense M, 5230, Denmark, meike.linnenschmidt@gmail.com Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Meike Linnenschmidt Magnus Wahlberg Janni Damsgaard-Hansen Google Meike Linnenschmidt Magnus Wahlberg Janni Damsgaard-Hansen Google Scholar Meike Linnenschmidt Magnus Wahlberg Janni Damsgaard-Hansen PubMed Meike Linnenschmidt Magnus Wahlberg Janni Damsgaard-Hansen Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.

Investigations of Thyroid and Stress Hormones in Free-Ranging and Captive Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena): A Pilot Study

Investigations of Thyroid and Stress Hormones in Free-Ranging and Captive Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena): A Pilot Study

Harbour porpoises respond to climate change

The effects of climate change on marine ecosystems and in particular on marine top predators are difficult to assess due to, among other things, spatial variability, and lack of clear delineation of marine habitats. The banks of West Greenland are located in a climate sensitive area and are likely to elicit pronounced responses to oceanographic changes in the North Atlantic. The recent increase in sea temperatures on the banks of West Greenland has had cascading effects on sea ice coverage, residency of top predators, and abundance of important prey species like Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Here, we report on the response of one of the top predators in West Greenland; the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). The porpoises depend on locating high densities of prey species with high nutritive value and they have apparently responded to the general warming on the banks of West Greenland by longer residence times, increased consumption of Atlantic cod resulting in improved body condition in the form of larger fat deposits in blubber, compared to the situation during a cold period in the 1990s. This is one of the few examples of a measurable effect of climate change on a marine mammal population.

Using bycatch data to understand habitat use of small cetaceans: lessons from an experimental driftnet fishery

AbstractStenson, G. B., Benjamins, S., and Reddin, D. G. 2011. Using bycatch data to understand habitat use of small cetaceans: lessons from an experimental driftnet fishery. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 937–946. Many marine mammals inhabit offshore areas where it is difficult to determine distribution and abundance. Historical bycatch data of marine mammals in the Northwest Atlantic obtained from the Canadian experimental Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) driftnet fishery were examined to obtain information on seasonal distribution and relative abundance. From 1965 to 2001, 47 cruises were undertaken totalling 12 566.5 km-h of fishing effort; four species of small cetacean and two species of pinniped were caught. Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) were the most frequently caught species in all areas except the Labrador Sea, where Atlantic white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus acutus) were more common. Long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas), common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), harp seals (Pagophilus groenlandicus), and harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) were also taken occasionally. Although typically considered an inshore species, harbour porpoises were regularly reported in deep water (>2000 m), in the Newfoundland Basin and Labrador Sea. Atlantic white-sided dolphins were often caught along the edge of the continental shelf and appeared to prefer relatively warm water. Finally, catch records indicate that waters of the Newfoundland Basin and Southern Grand Banks may contain important winter habitat for several small species of cetacean.

Behavioral response of harbor porpoises to vessel noise in a tidal strait.

Admiralty Inlet, a narrow channel in Puget Sound, WA, is the proposed location of a pilot tidal energy project. A pair of hydrokinetic turbines would be deployed, for evaluation, on the seabed in approximately 60 m of water. When extracting power from strong tidal currents, these turbines will also generate broadband noise. Harbor porpoises are known to exhibit strong avoidance behavior to loud noise and occur frequently in this area. Consequently, there is a concern that the project could cause local displacement of this species. Because Admiralty Inlet is a major shipping lane and traversed by a passenger ferry, there is already periodic, high intensity anthropogenic noise in the vicinity of the proposed tidal energy project. The behavioral response of harbor porpoises to these existing noise sources is evaluated to provide context for the potential impact from tidal turbine noise. This study combines data on shipping and ferry traffic from an automatic identification system receiver, received noise levels from broadband autonomous hydrophones, and current velocity from Doppler profilers. These are correlated with porpoise presence, as assessed by echolocations detected by Chelonia C‐Pods. Information collected over a full year provides insight into behavior at several time scales.