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Fishery Bulletin 96(4), 1998 
owing to advanced decomposition. 
The condition of the animals var- 
ied: code-3 and code-4 carcasses oc- 
curred most frequently in North 
Carolina and Maryland; the great- 
est number of code-2 animals was 
found in Virginia (Table 3; Fig. 3). 
We considered 34 animals to be 
robust and 35 animals emaciated; 
we could not assess body condition 
for the remaining 38 animals ow- 
ing to advanced decomposition. We 
were able to determine the total 
standard length of 64 carcasses; 43 
were too decomposed to obtain an 
accurate measurement. Stranded 
porpoises ranged in length from 102 
cm to 128 cm (Mean: 116 ±6 cm; Fig. 
4). We were able to assess sexual 
maturity of 82 porpoises, and all 
were immature. 
Characterization of 
fishery interactions 
Of the 107 carcasses, we found 15 
discrepancies between assessments 
of fishery interaction made by 
stranding personnel on the beach 
and those made at the SI work- 
shops. Fourteen of these carcasses 
were assessed as entangled on the 
beach, but at the workshops these 
carcasses were considered too de- 
composed to evaluate evidence of 
entanglement. This deteriorated 
condition likely resulted from de- 
composition during transport from 
the beaches to the SI. Before a fi- 
nal assessment was made, we re- 
viewed photographs and records taken at the initial 
examination of these 14 carcasses. We concluded from 
this analysis that four of these porpoises died as a 
result of entanglement (one of these carcasses, for 
example, had monofilament net wrapped around it 
when discovered on the beach). Photographs of ten 
of these carcasses were inconclusive, therefore, to be 
conservative, we scored them as “CBD.” Another car- 
cass was initially scored on the beach as too decom- 
posed for evaluation, but subsequent assessment at 
the workshop revealed clear signs of entanglement. 
Owing to decomposition of the carcasses, only 40 
of the 107 porpoises were assessed for signs of en- 
tanglement. Of these, a total of 25 (63%) displayed 
clear evidence of entanglement (Table 1). Entangled 
Figure 2 
Map of the Mid-Atlantic coast showing stranding locations of harbor porpoises, 
Phocoena phocoena, between 1994 and 1996. Open circle = evidence of fishery 
interaction; open square = no evidence of fishery interaction; closed triangle = 
evidence of fishery interaction could not be determined due to advanced decom- 
position of carcass. 
Table 2 
Summary of harbor porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena) 
stranded along the Mid-Atlantic coast by month. Yes = evi- 
dence of fisheries interaction; No = no evidence of fisheries 
interaction; CBD = evidence of fisheries interaction could not 
be determined owing to advanced decomposition of carcass. 
Month 
Yes 
No 
CBD 
Total 
January 
0 
0 
1 
1 
February 
2 
0 
0 
2 
March 
8 
7 
11 
26 
April 
14 
7 
39 
60 
May 
1 
1 
16 
18 
Total 
25 
15 
67 
107 
