In June of 2005 the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS) had the opportunity to integrate one of our long-term at-sea marine mammal and seabird surveys with a larger scale program out of NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC). Their program, called the Collaborative Survey of Cetacean Abundance and the Pelagic Ecosystem (CSCAPE), is conducted every four years and covers the entire west coast of the United States out to 300 miles offshore, in order to assess the population status of marine mammals in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. This is a broad-scale analysis and the surveys begin in June and end in December.
See a map of the CSCAPE survey area.

For ten days in June, scientists from OCNMS and National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) teamed up to do a fine-scale survey within the sanctuary and in adjacent waters. See a map of the OCNMS survey area. Our main goals were to document the distribution and abundance of marine mammals and seabirds off the Washington Coast and to collect and relate associated oceanographic information.
Download more background information in the cruise plan (pdf format, 356 kb)
Because OCNMS has been collecting this type of information since 1995, we can compare the 2005 information to our previous years' data to identify possible trends in habitat use or relative abundance over time. Download previously published results from 1995 to 2002: Distribution and Abundance of Humpback Whales (pdf 7.8 Mb).

Collaborating with SWFSC in 2005 was a great way share resources and enhance both programs. Together we had an awesome research team, more equipment and analytical support, and - luckily - great weather. This was a winning combination and we were able to get an intricate picture of ocean conditions while identifying and counting marine mammals and seabirds. Here's a taste of what life was like on the cruise and some of our preliminary results.

We sailed out of Astoria, Oregon on June 4, 2005 aboard the NOAA ship McArthur II to begin our surveys. On a typical 'day' the marine mammal and seabird observers assembled on the ship's flying bridge between 5:30 and 6 a.m., checking computers and communication links with the officers on the bridge, then commencing sighting effort along the east-west tracklines as the ship steamed around 10 knots (roughly 12 miles per hour).

These operations would continue all day until around 8 or 9 p.m., with rotating shifts of observers to avoid observer fatigue.

The marine mammal team (3-4 observers) used 25x power bigeye binoculars (in good weather, these binoculars can detect dolphins and whales out to a distance of 4-5 nautical miles), regular binoculars, or naked eye to scan for whales, dolphins, and pinnipeds (seals and sea lions). Sightings were recorded in a computer program along with time, specific locations (latitude/longitude), and other pertinent information (i.e., species, number of animals in a group, behavior, and associated birdlife).
The seabird team (2-3 observers) surveyed with binoculars and naked eye from one side of the flying bridge (the glare-free side) and recorded all birds within 300 meters (984 ft.) and entered these sightings directly into a computer.

Identifying individual whales by their fluke patterns (humpback whales) or back or dorsal fin coloration (killer whales (orca) and some other species), and taking tissue samples (biopsies) to reveal relatedness among groups or pods of animals were secondary objectives of the cruise.

So when our course took us close to humpback or killer whales, one of the chief scientists, Karin Forney (SWFSC) or Ed Bowlby (OCNMS), would alert the bridge to stop the ship and launch a small, rigid hulled inflatable boat. A combination of the ship's able crew and a team of scientists, working under a special permit from the NMFS, would attempt to approach close enough to an animal to take a photograph or a biopsy sample.

After sunset the work would continue. The marine mammal and seabird observers reviewed their data from the day's efforts and the oceanography night crew went to work collecting physical oceanography data including temperature, salinity, and nutrient concentrations. Using a CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) instrument they also gathered water samples at varying depths from the surface to 275 meters (900 feet).

Each evening a bongo tow was lowered deep into the ocean and slowly raised to the surface, gathering samples of plankton in the water column on its way up.

Our preliminary results for the ten day cruise include 264 sightings of nearly 3000 whales and dolphins including humpback, gray and killer whales, and several species of dolphins. View marine mammal results.

We were treated to incredible views of Northern Right Whale Dolphins (Lissodephics borealis) and we had a surprise visit from a Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis), more likely to be found in warmer waters. On one occasion, all hands were called to the deck to wait out a suspected deep-diving Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus). These whales are elusive and can dive for up to an hour before surfacing again so in order to confirm the sighting, everyone scanned the horizon for the next surfacing. We weren't disappointed! This was the first Sperm Whale recorded during an OCNMS at-sea survey.

Sightings of other marine mammals were also recorded. The pelagic fur seal was often seen "jughandling" (circling a flipper overhead). Other seals, sea lions, sea otters, and even a leatherback sea turtle were observed on this cruise.

While marine mammal experts were watching for whales, the marine bird biologists were counting seabirds. Sooty Shearwaters, Glaucous-winged/Western hybrid gulls, Common Murres, Surf Scoters, Rhinoceros Auklets Black-footed Albatross, and Fork-tailed Storm-Petrels were among the most commonly spotted birds.

A total of 39 different species were observed during the cruise. View marine bird results. Highlights included unusually high numbers of South Polar Skuas for our area and a hefty number of Tufted Puffins as well. Manx Shearwaters, Flesh-footed Shearwaters, Ancient Murrelets, Marbled Murrelets, Sabine's Gulls and even a Horned Puffin were some of the less abundant species seen. As in 2004, we saw fewer Northern Fulmars, Cassin's Auklets and Fork-tailed Storm-petrels than have been seen in most surveys in years past.

The oceanographers were able to collect plankton samples and water chemistry for most days. It will take many months of analysis to generate preliminary data. But when these oceanographic data are integrated with the marine mammal and seabird sightings, we can begin to develop a more intricate picture of the environmental conditions that are necessary in the marine ecosystem to support each species. This information can be used to predict where other animals of the same species will be found, and what would happen if there are changes to their environment.

Observations made during our portion of the CSCAPE cruise reinforce the idea that the sanctuary is a dynamic and productive place for top predators such as whales, dolphins, pinnipeds and marine birds. For more information on the broader, west coast CSCAPE project check out the website at

http://swfsc.noaa.gov/...

Download a PDF of the CSCAPE 2005 cetacean abundance report.

back to main
Ongoing Research

Hypoxia Research

COASST