Sources of human-related injury and mortality for U.S. Pacific west coast marine mammal stock assessments, 2009-2013

"This report contains updated records of human-caused injury and mortality to pinnipeds and cetaceans from 2009 to 2013 for marine mammal populations that occur in U.S. west coast waters and which are evaluated in Pacific region marine mammal stock assessment reports (SARs) (Carretta et al. 2013a, 2013b). Mortality records, while included in this report, were obviously not evaluated for SI/NSI status. Subsistence and directed takes (i.e., gray whales taken by Russian natives) are not reported here but are reported in SARs published by NMFS. Previous records, including cases from 2007 and 2008, are published in previous reports (Carretta et al. 2013a, 2014). Sources of injury data include strandings, disentanglement networks, and fishery observer programs. Stranding network data includes records of injured marine mammals at sea and ashore reported by the public, as well as researchers. Injury sources include, but are not limited to, vessel strikes, gillnet entanglement, pot and trap gear entanglement, shootings, marine debris entanglement, research-related injuries/deaths, hook and line fishery interactions, and power plant water intake entrainment. Most records originate from stranding networks in California, Oregon, and Washington, though a few Alaska records of Eastern North Pacific gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) are included, because this population is assessed in the Pacific region SARs and occurs along the U.S. west coast. Other marine mammals, such as Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), occur in California, Oregon, and Washington waters, but they are assessed in Alaska region SARs (Allen and Angliss 2014) and are not included in this report. Injury determinations for Pacific region species/stocks in the central Pacific from Hawaii westward are also included in separate reports"--Summary. [doi:10.7289/V5/TM-SWFSC-548 (http://dx.doi.org/10.7289/V5/TM-SWFSC-548)] James V. Carretta, Marcia M. Muto, Sarah M. Wilkin, Justin Greenman, Kristin Wilkinson, Monica DeAngelis, Justin Viezbicke, Dan Lawson, Jeremy Rusin, and Jason Jannot. "August 2015." doi:10.7289/V5/TM-SWFSC-548 (http://dx.doi.org/10.7289/V5/TM-SWFSC-548) System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Includes bibliographical references (pages 5-7).