NMML Harbor Porpoise Aerial Survey, SE Alaska, Replicate 1, 1993

Original provider:
National Marine Mammal Laboratory

Dataset credits:
National Marine Mammal Laboratory

Abstract:
On 1 to 26 June 1993, as part of a larger study, Alaska harbor porpoise (<i>Phocoena phocoena</i>) abundance was investigated during an aerial survey from Prince William Sound to Dixon Entrance. Employing a Twin Otter as the survey platform, the first of three identical sawtooth tracklines was flown at an altitude of 152.2 m (500 ft) and at an airspeed of 185 km/h. Line-transect methodology was used, and only those observations made during optimal conditions were analyzed. Density of harbor porpoises was calculated using line transect estimates based on perpendicular distances of sightings to the cruise track of the airplane. On average, porpoise group size and density from Prince William Sound to Dixon Entrance was 1.22 (SE = 0.04) and 4.02 groups/100 km2 (SE = 7.42).