CETACEANS FROM THE LESSER ANTILLEAN ISLAND OF ST. VINCENT 



David K. Caedwell,' Melba C. Caldwell,'^ Warren F. Rathjen," and John R. Sullivan' 



ABSTRACT 



A preliminary list of cetaceans collected and observed during the course of a fishery for blackfish or 

 pilot whales (Glohicepliala) in the waters of the Lesser Antillean island of St. Vincent is presented 

 and includes: Megaptera novaeangliae, Steno breclaiiensis, Tiirsiops triincatus. Grampus griseus, two 

 species of Steiiella to which specific names are not formally applied, Feresa attenuata, Pseudorca cras- 

 sidens, Globicejjhala macrorhyncha, Orcinus orca, Physeter catodo^i, and Ziphius cavirostris. Nearest 

 published records in the western Atlantic are given, as well as limited biological notes on some of the 

 species. The taxonomic relationships of the two forms of Stenella are suggested and both species are 

 illustrated. Landings of pilot whales in the fishery over a period of 9 years are included. 



There is a small but active fishery for blackfish 

 or pilot whales (Globicephala) centered around 

 the village of Barrouallie on the western or lee 

 side of the Lesser Antillean island of St. Vincent. 

 While the major direction of this fishery is the 

 pursuit of blackfish, intensive studies made by 

 the writers independently and cooperatively 

 over the past several years have shown that a 

 number of other small cetaceans are captured 

 as well. The primary purpose of the fishery 

 is the production of meat and cooking oil, both 

 used locally, and the species taken is not espe- 

 cially important to the fishermen, except that 

 the larger animals are the more profitable. 

 Hence the concentration on blackfish. Anything 

 that is seen is pursued except the larger and 

 fast baleen whales. The techniques and history 

 of the blackfish fishery have been discussed by 

 Brown (1945, 1947). Hickling (19.50), Morice 

 (1958), Allen (1966),° Morris (1966)," .Jackson 



' The Florida State Museum and the Communication 

 Sciences Laboratory, University of Florida, Gainesville, 

 Fla. 32601. 



" The Communication Sciences Laboratory, University 

 of Florida, Gainesville, Fla. 32601. 



' National Marine Fisheries Service Exploratory 

 Fishing and Gear Research Base, Woods Hole, Mass. 

 02543. 



' Formerly, U.S. Peace Corps, St. Vincent, West In- 

 dies ; present address : 49 Monroe Street, Lynbrook, N.Y. 

 11563. 



' Allen, W. O. 1966. The fishing industry in St. Vin- 

 cent. St. Vincent Teachers College, Kingstown, St. 

 Vincent, Unpublished report (file no. 50), 42 p. 



° Morris, E. L. 1966. A brief history of Barrouallie 

 from 1719 to present day (1966). St. Vincent Teachers 



(1967),' Rathjen and Sullivan (1970), Caldwell 

 and Caldwell (in press), and others. In brief 

 it is conducted from small open boats launched 

 daily from shore and powered primarily by sail 

 and oar (see Rathjen and Sullivan, 1970). One 

 motor launch recently has been employed and it 

 produces the majority of the catches of the faster 

 swimming small dolphins. Other motor launch- 

 es, both inboard and outboard, are planned 

 (Caldwell and Caldwell, in press). The ceta- 

 ceans are taken both by hand harpoon and by 

 small gun harpoons fired from a fixed stand on 

 the bow of the boat. 



We present here a summary of our findings 

 to date regarding species taken in the fishery. 

 The records of odontocetes are supported by 

 skeletal remains and/or recognizable photo- 

 graphs of carcasses or parts of carcasses. Copies 

 of all of the photographs mentioned below are 

 in the Caldwells' files with duplicates of some 

 in those of Rathjen and Sullivan. The skeletal 

 material, unless otherwise stated, presently is 

 being studied by the Caldwells at the Florida 

 State Museum, Gainesville. The "SV" numbers 

 associated with records discussed in the text 

 are field numbers in the Caldwells' files. With 

 more collecting and analysis of the results. 



Manuscript received January 1971. 



FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 69. NO. 2, 1971. 



College, Kingstown, St. Vincent, Unpublished report 

 (file no. 39), 51 p. 



' Jackson, L. R. 1967. The blackfish industry of 

 Barrouallie, St. Vincent. St. Vincent Teachers College, 

 Kingstown, St. Vincent, Unpublished report (file no. 26), 

 38 p. 



303 



