Waring et al : Incidental take of marine mammals off northeast United States 



355 



P<0.03) than the number of pilot whales caught dur- 

 ing the day or dawn/dusk (Table 5). 



Food habits and morphometries based 

 on examination of animals collected 

 in DWF fisheries 



Food habits Stomach contents of 17 common dol- 

 phins taken in the mackerel fishery and 10 taken in the 

 Loligo fishery reflected the target species of the respec- 

 tive fisheries (Table 6). Nine of the stomachs examin- 

 ed from dolphins taken in the Atlantic mackerel fishery 

 contained only Atlantic mackerel. Eleven of the stom- 

 achs contained mixed fish (Atlantic mackerel and/or 

 unidentifiable parts) and squid. One of the stomachs 

 contained only squid. Data were not recorded for two 

 stomachs. Examination of two stomachs taken from 



pilot whales caught in the Atlantic mackerel fishery 

 contained only Atlantic mackerel. 



In comparison, 4 of the 10 stomachs examined from 

 dolphins taken in the Loligo fishery contained only 

 unidentifiable squid parts. Four other stomachs con- 

 tained squid spp. and unidentifiable fish parts. One 

 stomach was empty and data were not reported for one 

 stomach. 



Morphometries The sex ratio of the 95 common dol- 

 phins measured at sea during 1986-88 was 52 males, 

 22 females, and 21 not determined (70.3% male). These 

 animals ranged in size from 150 to 290 cm (Fig. 4). The 

 size range for males was 150-290 cm (x 209 cm), 185- 

 260 cm {x 202 cm) for females. Of the dolphins mea- 

 sured, 33 were <200 cm in length. This places them 

 in the prepubescent length-category provided by Col- 

 lett and Saint-Girons (1984). 



