By Tara S. Stevens   Fall 2006

An Overview:
The objective of this project was to document the relative distribution of cetaceans in Newfoundland and Labrador waters by using opportunistic sightings data accumulated by Dr. Jack Lawson at Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada in St. John's, Newfoundland. A database of over 22,000 sightings of cetaceans was used to create three separate maps differentiated by species groups: mysticete whales, small odontocetes, and medium to large odontocetes. Although the database contained sightings from dead whales and historical whaling catch records, only sightings of live, free-swimming animals were used in this context. The relative distribution of cetaceans may be inferred only to the extent of the complete 'All Cetaceans' record. The lack of effort data (calculated time spent searching for cetaceans per sighting) eliminates the ability to obtain or infer population densities.

Mysticete Whales:
Opportunistic sightings of free-swimming mystecete (baleen) whales from 1958 - 2006: blue whales, fin whales, humpback whales, minke whales, and sei whales.

Double-Click Image to Open PDF map. (pdf - 1.8 megabytes)

Medium to Large Odontocetes:
Opportunistic sightings of free-swimming medium to large odontocetes (toothed whales) from 1958 - 2006: beluga whales, killer whales, northern bottlenose whales, pilot whales, and sperm whales.

Double-Click Image to Open PDF map. (pdf - 1.6 megabytes)

Small Odontocetes:
Opportunistic sightings of free-swimming small odontocetes (toothed whales) from 1958 - 2006: Atlantic white-sided dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins, white-beaked dolphins, and harbor porpoises.

Double-Click Image to Open PDF map. (pdf - 1.6 megabytes)

GIS Lab Contact:
Gordon Longsworth, glongsworth@coa.edu, 207-288-2944, extension 277