Understanding the co-occurrence of large whales and commercial fixed gear fisheries off the west coast of the United States

Saez, Lauren; Lawson, Daniel D; DeAngelis, Monica; Petras, Elizabeth; Wilkin, Sarah Margaret; Fahy, Christina Cluett

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Understanding the co-occurrence of large whales and commercial fixed gear fisheries off the west coast of the United States

2013
By Saez, Lauren ; Lawson, Daniel D ; DeAngelis, Monica
Series NOAA technical memorandum NMFS-SWR 044

Details

Personal Author:

Saez, Lauren ; Lawson, Daniel D ; DeAngelis, Monica ; Petras, Elizabeth ; Wilkin, Sarah Margaret ; Fahy, Christina Cluett
Corporate Authors:

United States. National Marine Fisheries Service. Southwest Region
NOAA Program & Office:

NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; SWR (Southwest Region)
Description:

Large whale interactions with commercial fishing gear are an issue of global concern primarily because such entanglements can lead to injury and mortality of whales, and most whale populations are protected due to relatively low population levels and the general threats associated with long-lived species. Entanglement of large whales in commercial fishing gear also affect the fishing industry in terms of lost gear and potential increase in regulations to reduce entanglements. Off the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington, there have been 308 large whales documented as entangled between January 1, 1982 and December 31, 2012 (Saez et al., in prep). Gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliaes) were the most frequently reported species, with 185 and 66 entangled whales, respectively, between 1982 and 2012. Both of these species are seasonally abundant and generally found nearshore off the U.S. west coast. Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) have also been reported entangled in fishing gear.
Series:

NOAA technical memorandum NMFS-SWR 044
Document Type:

Technical Memorandum
Place as Subject:

Pacific Coast (America) ; California ; Oregon ; Washington
Rights Information:

Public Domain
Compliance:

Submitted
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/23897/noaa_23897_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 9.12 MB]
Collection(s):

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha-512:11d2598d93bae7021a63878f8c13855ce8fe434ff77ed42a2b71246fa6f25aeb092ee1080776e5a8c9b0234193228d8367b9319ff3eb78f4e062128849131a8b

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