Serious Injury and Mortality Determinations for Baleen Whale Stocks along the Gulf of Mexico, United States East Coast, and Atlantic Canadian Provinces, 2011-2015

Opportunistic reports were used to calculate rates of human-caused serious injury and mortality to baleen whale stocks along the Gulf of Mexico, United States east coast, and Atlantic Canadian Provinces for 2011 through 2015. All available information for reported whale injury and mortality events were evaluated by using criteria to assign injury severity and cause of injury or death for each event. The minimum annual rate of human-caused serious injury and mortality during the period was 5.36 for North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis), 8.25 for Gulf of Maine humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), 3.45 for western North Atlantic fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), 0.8 for Nova Scotian sei whales (B. borealis), 9.15 for Canadian East Coast minke whales (B. acutorostrata), and 0 for northern Gulf of Mexico Bryde's whales (B. edeni) and western North Atlantic blue whales (B. musculus). The number of serious injuries and mortalities not reported is unknown, and actual levels may be much higher. by Allison G. Henry, Timothy V.N. Cole, Mendy Garron, Wayne Ledwell, David Morin, and Andrew Reid. "December 2017." Includes bibliographical references (pages 7-8).