Results of the third necropsy session of harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) incidentally taken during commercial fishing operation in the Gulf of Maine

"The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) observer program monitors several commercial fisheries off the Northeast coast of the United States. One fishery is the sink gill-net fishery for groundfish in the Gulf of Maine. Observers on fishing vessels collect a broad spectrum of biological data; marine mammal bycatch and biology data are of high priority. Harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is the marine mammal most frequently taken in this fishery. On occasion. observers have been able, with the cooperation of vessel captains, to return specimens in good condition for later necropsy studies at Woods Hole by teams of experts. Results of two similar sessions have been summarized (Nicolas 1993). This report summarizes results of the third necropsy session in which 19 harbor porpoise were examined at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center's (NEFSC) Woods Hole laboratory at Woods Hole, Massachusetts during 3-7 January 1994. All porpoise were taken during commercial sink gill-net operations in the Gulf of Maine"--Introduction. by John R. Nicolas. "January 1994." System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Includes bibliographical references (page 4).