FISHERY BULLETIN: VOL. 84, NO. 2 



Figure 4— Plot of Habitat Use Index in 10-minute blocks, showing blocks with values 

 in the upper 5%, 10%, and 20% of the distribution. 



Table 4.— List of the 10-minute blocks with Habitat Use Index values 

 in the upper 1% of all blocks sampled, in descending order, with 

 the latitude and longitude of the block center and the location of 

 the block. 



concentrations of high-use blocks tend to be around 

 the perimeter of Georges Bank and along the con- 

 tinental shelf edge 



DISCUSSION 



The CETAP sighting data for some individual 

 species showed a concentration of sightings along 

 the western margin of the Gulf of Maine This analy- 

 sis has demonstrated quantitatively that this area 

 is the most intensely used cetacean habitat on the 

 northeast U.S. continental shelf. It comprises a major 

 feeding ground for fin whales, humpback whales, 

 right whales, minke whales, and white-sided doi 

 phins. Humpbacks and fin whales are known to feed 

 heavily upon the American sand lance, Ammodytes 

 americanus, a small schooling fish (CETAP 1982; 

 Hain et al. 1982; Mayo 1982; Mitchell 1973, 1975c; 

 Overholtz and Nicolas 1979), and the minke whales 



354 



