A New Abundance Estimate for the Finless Porpoise Neophocaena asiaeorientalis on the West Coast of Korea: An Indication of Population Decline -Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (original) (raw)

Abstract

We estimated abundance of the finless porpoise Neophocaena asiaeorientalis in the west coast of Korea in 2011 and compared it to the abundance data estimated by Park et al. (2007). The two researches used same line transect method operated by a vessel, and the study area were divided into the offshore and the inshore regions to assess variations in their abundance. In offshore regions population density of finless porpoises was 0.122ind./km20.122ind./km^20.122ind./km2, which was lower than 0.565ind./km20.565ind./km^20.565ind./km2 estimated in 2004. In inshore regions the population density was 0.151ind./km20.151ind./km^20.151ind./km2, which was much lower than 0.638ind./km20.638ind./km^20.638ind./km2 estimated in 2005. Thus, we estimate that the population densities of the finless porpoises in both the offshore and the inshore regions of the west coast of Korea has decreased by approximately 70% between 2004/2005 and 2011.