i6o 



Age jonsgArd 



During their migration in Norwegian waters, the minke whales travel 

 more or less segregated according to size and sex. In early spring, the stocks 

 in Norwegian coastal waters are dominated by pregnant females. Mature 

 males are less frequently met with on their northward migration, because 

 they evidently migrate in open waters further off the coast. The recently 

 weaned calves are mostly found in the summer in the waters between More 

 (Fig. I, III) and Vesteralen (Fig. i, VI) with a concentration in the Lofoten 

 area (Fig. i, V), and a few seem to migrate further north. In the Arctic, 



^^"^^ 



tp 





30* 20* 10" 



Fig. I. — Minke whaling. Statistical areas adopted. 



therefore, here including the statistical areas VII, VIII and IX, we fmd stocks 

 mostly of bigger animals ; a high proportion of them are sexually mature, and 

 all mature females are pregnant. 



We have not been able to work out a dependable or useful method for 

 age determination of minke whales. Our studies in the population dynamics 

 of this species are based on statistical information revealed by the whalers* 

 reports, and biological research upon the stocks in question (Jonsgard, 1951; 

 1955). 



