Applications of new technology to the conservation of porpoises
The application of data loggers and satellite-linked transmitters have enabled field biologists to overcome many of the difficulties associated with studying cetaceans at sea. Of particular interest is collection of data from species, like the harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena, that are threatened by incidental mortality in commercial fisheries. In an effort to collect meaningful conservation data we have deployed 14 satellite transmitters (platform transmitting terminals or PTTs) and nine time-depth recorders (TDRs) on harbour porpoises captured in herring weirs in the south-western Bay of Fundy. The PTT data have revealed that the effective summer home range of the species encompasses most of the Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Maine and that the same porpoises are at risk of entanglement in both Canadian and US fisheries. These data also support the hypothesis that these animals comprise one management unit. Data from TDRs have shown that porpoises can and do dive to the depths at which gillnets are set, refuting the idea that they are only at risk of entanglement when the nets are being set or hauled. These observations have also revealed that porpoises dive to depth during both day and night and thus no single solution exists that could be exploited as a mitigation measure. We believe that technological methods offer tremendous potential to the conservation of many endangered and threatened species of small cetaceans.
Duke Scholars
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Related Subject Headings
- Marine Biology & Hydrobiology
- 4015 Maritime engineering
- 3708 Oceanography
- 0911 Maritime Engineering
- 0405 Oceanography
Citation
Published In
ISSN
Publication Date
Volume
Issue
Start / End Page
Related Subject Headings
- Marine Biology & Hydrobiology
- 4015 Maritime engineering
- 3708 Oceanography
- 0911 Maritime Engineering
- 0405 Oceanography