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Extended seasonal occurrence of humpback whales in Massachusetts Bay

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2013

Anita Murray ,
Aaron N. Rice  and
Christopher W. Clark
Anita Murray*
Affiliation:
Bioacoustics Research Program, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
Aaron N. Rice
Affiliation:
Bioacoustics Research Program, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
Christopher W. Clark
Affiliation:
Bioacoustics Research Program, Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: A. Murray, Cetacean Ecology and Acoustic Laboratory, School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia email: a.murray5@uq.edu.au
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Abstract

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are known to utilize Massachusetts Bay as a feeding ground in the spring and summer, during the annual migration of the Gulf of Maine sub-population. However, there is a limited understanding of the pattern of humpback whale occurrence in this region outside of the feeding period. Passive acoustic monitoring of Massachusetts Bay over a two-year period, revealed an extended presence of acoustically active humpback whales throughout a majority of the study period (87%; 633 days of presence out of 725 days of acoustic monitoring). Humpback whale presence oscillated between lengthy periods of consistent presence (April to December) and relatively shorter periods of variable presence (December to March). Seasonal variation in presence was evident during three distinct phases: (1) maximum-presence from spring to early winter; (2) variable-presence in early winter and early spring; and (3) minimum-presence mid-winter. The variation in seasonal presence was concurrent with coarse migratory patterns of humpback whales, and yearly variations in presence presumably reflect a shift in the influx and efflux of whales between years. The extended presence of humpbacks in this area suggests that Massachusetts Bay is an important, year-round habitat for the Gulf of Maine sub-population, and may warrant revision of management and regulatory practices to reflect this presence.

Keywords

cetaceanhabitatMegaptera novaeangliaepassive acoustic monitoringMassachusetts Baywestern North Atlantic
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 94 , Issue 6 , September 2014 , pp. 1117 - 1125
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2013 

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