Cetacean Research

PIFSC cetacean research is concerned with populations of whales and dolphins in the central and western Pacific Ocean. More...

News and Highlights

• April 24, 2013
  

  Standardized Methods Developed for Passive Acoustic Surveys of Cetaceans

  In November 2012, Erin Oleson and Yvonne Barkley of the PIFSC Cetacean Research Program participated in a 10-day workshop at the NOAA Fisheries Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) in La Jolla, CA, to develop standardized methods for passive acoustic data collection. More...
• April 24, 2013
  

  Cooperative Study Investigates Behavior of False Killer Whales in Relation to Longline Fishing Gear

  In March 2013, scientists in the PIFSC Cetacean Research Program will initiate a project in cooperation with the Hawaii longline fleet to better understand the behavior of false killer whales around longline fishing gear. More...
• November 21, 2012
  

  NMFS Rules on Status and Protections for Hawaii False Killer Whales

  After review of new biological data (1.1 MB PDF) by an expert scientific panel and consideration of public comment, NOAA Fisheries has concluded that the main Hawaiian Islands insular population of false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) is an endangered distinct population segment (DPS) under the Endangered Species Act. The agency also issued rules to reduce the mortality and serious injury to false killer whales in Hawaii-based pelagic longline fisheries. Details of the findings, decisions and supporting information are available on the NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Office website at http://www.fpir.noaa.gov/.
• August 17, 2012
  

  Survey of Cetaceans Completed in Waters of Palmyra Atoll

  PIFSC researchers, in collaboration with colleagues from the NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, California, are making strides in understanding the distribution and abundance of cetaceans in the scattered parts of the Pacific U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and the adjoining high seas. More...

Recent Staff Publications

• April 22, 2013

  Cetacean surveys in the waters of the southern Mariana Archipelago

  Hill M, Ligon A, Deakos M, U A, Milette-Winfree A, Oleson E
  [2013] Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC Data Report, DR-13-005, 24 p

  Download ( 1.9 MB PDF )
• April 22, 2013

  Cetacean surveys of Guam and CNMI waters: May - July, 2012

  Hill M, Ligon A, Deakos M, U A, Milette-Winfree A, Oleson E
  [2013] Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC Data Report, DR-13-001, 40 p

  Download ( 3.1 MB PDF )
• November 26, 2012

  Reevaluation of the DPS designation for Hawaiian (now main Hawaiian Islands) insular false killer whales

  Oleson EM, Boggs CH, Forney KA, Hanson MB, Kobayashi DR, Taylor BL, Wade PR, Ylitalo GM
  [2012] Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, PIFSC Internal Report, IR-12-038, 39 p

  Download ( 1.1 MB PDF )
• October 9, 2012

  Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) song occurrence at American Samoa in long-term passive acoustic recordings, 2008-2009

  Munger LM, Lammers MO, Fisher-Pool P, Wong K
  [2012] Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 132(4): 2265-2272. DOI: 10.1121/1.4747014

  View Abstract
• July 24, 2012

  Range and primary habitats of Hawaiian insular false killer whales: informing determination of critical habitat

  Baird RW, Hanson MB, Schorr GS, Webster DL, McSweeney DJ, Gorgone AM, Mahaffy SD, Holzer DM, Oleson EM, Andrews RD
  [2012] Endangered Species Research 18(1): 47-61. DOI: 10.3354/esr00435

  View Abstract
• June 4, 2012

  Line-transect abundance estimates of false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) in the pelagic region of the Hawaiian exclusive economic zone and in the insular waters of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

  Bradford AL, Forney KA, Oleson EM, Barlow J
  [2012] Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center Administrative Report H-12-02, 23 p

  Download ( 0.5 MB PDF )