Identification of the first harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) calving ground in the North Sea

Developing a simple, rapid method for identifying and monitoring jellyfish aggregations from the air

“…Within the marine environment, aerial surveys have historically centred on apex predators, such as pinnipeds (Bengtson et al 1990, Thompson et al 2001) cetaceans (Sonntag et al 1999, Forcada et al 2004 and sea birds (Scheel & Hough 1997, Gilchrist & Mallory 2005. The underlying similarity of these species is their residence at the surface, or periodic requirement to return there to breathe.…”

The harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in the central German Bight: phenology, abundance and distribution in 2002–2004

“…That would explain the relatively high densities we found in February, April, May and July. It would also explain the comparably high number of calves we found in certain surveys, as Northern Frisia and adjacent waters might function as a calving ground for porpoises in the North Sea (Sonntag et al 1999;Hammond et al 2002;Siebert et al 2006). Another or an additional way to interpret the results would be that porpoises transit the central German Bight during migratory movements from Northern Frisia into oVshore areas in fall and winter.…”

“…In the summer of 1994, Hammond et al (2002) found high densities in the eastern part, along the coast of Northern Frisia and Denmark, but decreasing densities in the centre of the Bight and in the southern areas oV Eastern Frisia (coast of Netherlands and Lower-Saxony, Germany). Later investigations, using data from aerial surveys (1995/1996; 2002-2005), incidental sightings and strandings, conWrmed the high summer-densities of porpoises oV Northern Frisia (Sonntag et al 1999;Scheidat et al 2004aScheidat et al , b, 2006Siebert et al 2006). However, densities in the southern part of the German Bight and surrounding waters were higher than expected based on previous Wndings, especially between February and May (Camphuysen 1994(Camphuysen , 2004Witte et al 1998;Haelters et al 2004;Scheidat et al 2006;Thomsen et al 2006b; for a preview of SCANS II results see Hammond 2006).…”

Finless porpoise bycatch in Ariake Sound and Tachibana Bay, Japan

“…Analysis of the spatial distribution and age of entangled porpoises suggests the possibility of a calving ground and of age-sex-related habitat-use patterns, as described in other Phoco eno ides (Yoshioka et al 1990, Amano & Kuramochi 1992, Sonntag et al 1999. Entanglement of neonates oc curred in relatively limited areas of Ariake Sound.…”