New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research abstracts

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ANALYSIS OF SIGHTINGS AND CATCHES OF SPERM WHALES (PHYSETER CATODON L.) IN THE COOK STRAIT AREA OF NEW ZEALAND IN 1963-4

D. E. Gaskin

Fisheries Research Division, Marine Department, Wellington

Abstract Sighting and catch data on sperm whales accumulated during a whale survey by the New Zealand Marine Department and whaling operations by the Tory Channel whaling company in 1963-4 were examined. The results showed a unimodal rise and fall in numbers of sperm whales in the Cook Strait region throughout the year. From a peak between December and April whale numbers declined steadily until November, when they rose again sharply. It is suggested from these results that the best choice for an eight-month sperm whaling season would be one extending from November to July. It was concluded that the mean speed of sperm whales in the area was not likely to exceed 1 knot.

* Present address: Department of Zoology, Massey University, Palmerston North. N.Z. n mar. Freshwat. Res. 2: 260-72
(Received for publication 30 October 1967)

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (520K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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