Regional and seasonal density and abundance of harbor porpoise: Recolonization of Puget Sound, aerial surveys 2013-2015
Authors: Smultea, M., T. Jefferson, D. Steckler, G. Campbell, K. Lomac-MacNair, S. Courbis, K. Ampela, A. Balla-Holden, and S. Hanser
Year published: 2015
File size: 115.23 KB
About
Although harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) were historically common in Puget Sound in the 1940s, their abundance declined in successive decades, with no individuals observed in southern Puget Sound during 1994 aerial and vessel surveys. Since 2009, sightings, strandings and acoustic detections have increased, suggesting their recolonization of Puget Sound. We present the first regional and seasonal density estimates of harbor porpoise available for Puget Sound waters since the 1990s. We conducted systematic line-transect aerial surveys for marine mammals in eight sub-regions of Puget Sound in 2013-2015 during spring, summer and fall, funded by the U.S. Navy.
