AFSC/RACE/MACE: Association between large cetaceans and their prey: East Kodiak

Analysis of two different surveys of acoustic and biological data from the Albatross Bank region of the Gulf of Alaska off eastern Kodiak Island indicates that humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) and fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) can both be found in close association with their preferred prey items. Notably, humpback whales are most often found in association with highly concentrated patches of krill, and fin whales are found in association with schools of capelin.

Go to https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/wcd/ or email Anderson, Charles (charles.anderson@noaa.gov)

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User must read and fully comprehend the metadata prior to use. User must acknowledge the Originator when using the data set as a source. User must share data products developed using the source data set with the Originator. Data should not be used beyond the limits of the source scale.

These data were collected in accordance NOAA protocols for fisheries acoustics surveys and related sampling (Alaska Fisheries Science Center), 23 p. Prepared by Midwater Assessment and Conservation Engineering Program, Alaska Fish. Sci. Center, Natl. Mar. Fish. Serv., NOAA. Available online: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/RACE/midwater/AFSC%20AT%20Survey%20Protocols_Feb%202013.pdf

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Acoustic data were collected with Simrad EK500 and ER60 quantitative echosounding systems (Simrad, 2001; Bodholt et al. 1989, Bodholt and Solli 1992) on the NOAA Ship Miller Freeman, a 66-m stern trawler equipped for fisheries and oceanographic research. Four split-beam transducers (18, 38, 120, and 200 kHz) were mounted on the bottom of the vessel's retractable centerboard, which extended 9 m below the water surface. System electronics were housed inside the vessel in a permanent laboratory space dedicated to acoustics. Acoustic data were collected at 38 kHz with the EK500 echosounder and at 18, 120, and 200 kHz with the ER60 echosounder. Acoustic data were logged using SonarData EchoLog 500 and ER60 software. Echo integration data were collected from 14 m (45.9 ft) below the surface to 0.5 m (1.6 ft) of the bottom and were analyzed using SonarData Echoview post-processing software (Version 3.10.129). Echo integration and target strength (TS) data were collected simultaneously for all sounder-transducer combinations. Results presented here are based on 38 kHz data.