Whale broad-scale distribution southeastern Bering Sea 2008 (B66)

Three marine mammal observers conducted visual surveys along transect lines sampled during the Alaska Fisheries Science Center (AFSC) / National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) walleye pollock stock assessment cruise from 1 June to 30 July 2008. Whale sightings included fin (78), humpback (47), minke (7), sei (1), gray (1), sperm (4), killer (35), and Baird's beaked (2) as well as harbor (56) and Dall's (172) porpoise. Data from this project will be combined with oceanographic and prey data to analyze habitat selection, submitted to project B92 (Top predator hotspot persistence), and used to investigate if cetacean sightings match predator-prey fields predicted by the Forage and Euphausiid Abundance in Space and Time (FEAST) model (M.47).