IWC-POWER 2016: Visual Whale Survey in the Central North Pacific

Visual observations of whales were recorded from the research vessel Yushin Maru No.3 during the 7th annual IWC-POWER cruise from July 2 to August 30, 2016. The survey covered a dedicated research area in the central North Pacific between 20°N-30°N and 135°W-160°W, including parts of the US EEZ. Its objectives included assessing sei and Bryde's whale abundance and stock structure, establishing baseline distribution data, and collecting biopsy and photo-identification samples.

Use Cases

• Assessing sei whale abundance and stock structure for future IWC in-depth assessments.
• Evaluating Bryde's whale populations as part of IWC Implementation Reviews.
• Establishing baseline distribution maps for large whale species in a previously under-surveyed area of the North Pacific.
• Analyzing stock structure using associated biopsy samples and photo-identification data.
• Planning medium to long-term international whale research programs in the North Pacific.

Strengths

• Data originates from a dedicated, internationally collaborative research cruise endorsed by the IWC Scientific Committee.
• Survey provides systematic visual observations across a defined geographic area (20°N-30°N, 135°W-160°W) over a two-month period.
• Dataset supports multiple specific research objectives, including stock structure analysis and baseline abundance studies.

Limitations

• Column names and data structure are unknown, limiting immediate analytical utility.
• Metadata on dataset size, row count, and license is absent from all provided sources.
• Data is from a single cruise in 2016, representing a snapshot in time rather than a long-term time series.

Provenance

Source

International Whaling Commission Pacific Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research (IWC-POWER) Program, via NOAA NCEI.

Collection Method

Visual observations collected from the dedicated research vessel Yushin Maru No.3.

Time Range

2016-07-02 to 2016-08-30

Freshness

2026-03-06 00:17:32.208892

Geography

Central North Pacific, between 20°N-30°N and 135°W-160°W, including areas within the US Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).