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ICES Journal of Marine Science: Journal du Conseil Advance Access originally published online on June 5, 2007
ICES Journal of Marine Science: Journal du Conseil 2007 64(5):1033-1043; doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsm067
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© 2007 International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. Published by Oxford Journals. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Distribution, encounter rates, and habitat characteristics of toothed cetaceans in the Bay of Biscay and adjacent waters from platform-of-opportunity data

Jeremy Kiszka1,, Kelly Macleod2, Olivier Van Canneyt1, Dylan Walker2 and Vincent Ridoux1

1 Centre de Recherche sur les Mammifères Marins, Université de La Rochelle, 17071 La Rochelle, France, and Centre de Recherche sur les Ecosystèmes Littoraux Anthropisés (CRELA), UMR 6217, CNRS-IFREMER-Université de La Rochelle, Avenue Michel Crépeau, 17071, La Rochelle, France
2 Organisation Cetacea (ORCA), 7 Ermin Close, Baydon, Wiltshire SN8 2JQ, UK

Correspondence to J. Kiszka: tel: + 33 546 44 99 10; fax: + 33 546 44 99 45; e-mail: jeremy.kiszka{at}wanadoo.fr

Kiszka, J., Macleod, K., Van Canneyt, O., Walker, D. and Ridoux, V. 2007. Distribution, encounter rates, and habitat characteristics of toothed cetaceans in the Bay of Biscay and adjacent waters from platform-of-opportunity data. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64: 1033–1043.

Data on the distribution and habitat utilization of oceanic marine mammals are difficult to collect and yet such information is beneficial for many conservation and management purposes. Data collected during ferry-based cetacean surveys in the English Channel and Bay of Biscay between 1998 and 2002 were analysed to investigate the distribution, encounter rate, and habitat characteristics of toothed cetaceans there. In all, 17 873 nautical miles were surveyed, and 1008 encounters of 13 identified species, including delphinids, ziphiids, harbour porpoise, and sperm whale, were recorded. The common dolphin was the commonest species, followed in decreasing occurrence by striped and bottlenose dolphins, pilot whale, harbour porpoise, Cuvier's beaked whale, and sperm whales. The distribution of harbour porpoises was restricted to the shallow waters of the western English Channel. Common and bottlenose dolphins were distributed mainly over the continental shelf, although there were some encounters along the shelf edge and in the open ocean. Striped dolphins and pilot whales were sighted in oceanic waters in the central and southern Bay of Biscay. Cuvier's beaked whales and sperm whales were recorded in the deep oceanic waters of the southern Bay of Biscay. Bathymetry clearly plays a significant role in the distribution and habitat partitioning of toothed cetaceans in the region.

Keywords: bathymetric preference, Bay of Biscay, distribution, encounter rate, English Channel, habitat characteristics, platforms of opportunity, toothed cetaceans

Received 12 June 2006; accepted 23 January 2007; advance access publication 5 June 2007.


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