Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

CS30 Remote Sensing and Technological Tools

Date: Tuesday, February 13, 2001, Time: 10:00:00 AM

Location: Sandia/Santa Ana

Thomas, G, L, Prince William Sound Science Center, Cordova, AK, USA, loon@pwssc.gen.ak.us

Thorne, R, E, Prince William Sound Science Center, Cordova, AK, USA, thorne@pwssc.gen.ak.us

COMBINING INFRARED AND ACOUSTICAL SENSING TO STUDY WINTER FORAGING BY STELLER SEA LIONS ON FISH IN PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND, ALASKA

In March 2000, we used infrared scanning during nighttime acoustic surveys of herring and observed Steller sealions, sea birds and humpback whales actively feeding on herring schools in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Stellar sea lion pods were observed on the edge of the schools, and often swam in a line, shoulder-to-shoulder, herding the herring schools. Humpbacks whales and gulls often were observed near Steller sea lion pods. Sea birds showed a positive correlation with herring density along transects, and often were aggregated were the herring were flipping at the surface. The contagiousness of herring school groups and their near-surface, vertical distribution at night best explains this winter-feeding behavior. The combination of these optical and acoustic technologies were the only way to make these observations, which suggest that herring is the primary forage fish used by Steller sea lions in the Sound during the winter.

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Aquatic Sciences Meeting, Albuquerque 2001

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