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Fishery Bulletin 88(2|. 1990 



Figure 2 



Distribution of incidental takes of common dolphin in 

 foreign fishing activities off the northeastern United 

 States, 1977-88. 



Balaenoptera acutorostrata, and an unidentified baleen 

 whale were also reported taken in the tuna longline 

 fishery (Table 1). Another unidentified baleen whale 

 was taken in the hake fishery. 



Location of incidental takes of 

 common dolphins and pilot whales 



A total of 68% (n = 136) of the common dolphins cap- 

 tured in foreign fishing activities were caught along 

 the shelf edge, represented by the 100-m isobath, be- 

 tween 37°30'N and 40°00'N latitudes (Fig. 2), and 69% 

 (n = 138) of the common dolphins were taken between 

 December and February. Most (n = 152) of the pilot 

 whales captured during foreign fishing activities also 

 occurred along the shelf edge (Fig. 3), and 83% 

 {n = 246) were captured between March and July. Of 

 the total number of pilot whales taken incidentally to 

 fishing, 8% (n = 24) were captured between December 

 and February, as compared with 69% for common 

 dolphins. 



Incidental takes by fishery and country 



During 1977-83, 54% (32/59) of the incidental bycatch 

 of marine mammals in foreign fishing activities was 

 taken in the Loligo and Illex fisheries (Table 1). This 

 high percentage is consistent with the distribution of 

 DWF fishing effort during this period. Since 100% 



observer coverage of most fisheries did not begin until 

 1984, the number of marine mammals taken during this 

 period is probably under-represented. 



Lotlgo and Illex fisheries A total of 61% (n = 123) of 

 the total number of common dolphins taken during 

 1977-88 {n = 203) were caught in the Loligo fishery, 

 and 94% (w = 1 16/123) of these takes occurred during 

 1985-86. Again, takes prior to 1984 were probably 

 under-represented. Italian vessels caught 93% of the 

 common dolphins taken in the Loligo fishery. 



The total number of pilot whales caught in the Loligo 

 fishery (n = 28) was 9.4% of the total number of pilot 

 whales taken incidentally to all foreign fishing activ- 

 ities. Of the pilot whales taken in the Loligo fishery 

 between 1984-86, 61% (»= 11/18) were taken by 

 Spain. 



No common dolphins were taken in the Illex fishery; 

 however, 13 pilot whales were taken between 1977 and 

 1984. Of the pilot whales taken, 46% (n = 6) were 

 caught by U.S. joint-venture vessels. 



Atlantic mackerel fishery During 1984-88, 76 com- 

 mon dolphins were taken in the fishery for Atlantic 

 mackerel (Table 1). Of the common dolphins taken in 

 this fishery, 46% (« = 35/76) were caught by GDR 

 vessels, 19% (« = 15) by U.S. joint-venture vessels, 18% 

 (n = 14) by Polish vessels, and 17% {)i = 12) by Dutch 

 vessels. 



