YoNAH Encounter

Original provider:The Years of the North Atlantic Humpback whaleDataset credits:Peter Stevick, University of Southern MaineAbstract:The Years of the North Atlantic Humpback whale (YoNAH) is the broadest-ranging, most intensive study ever undertaken of a marine mammal species. Standardized sampling protocols were used in all areas to minimizes biases due to sampling. The YoNAH project collected photographs of individually distinctive natural markings, genetic samples and behaviour data on humpback whales in the North Atlantic Ocean. Field work began in January 1992 with a large-scale study of humpbacks in their principal West Indies breeding range at Silver Bank, Navidad Bank and Samana Bay, Dominican Republic; and Mona Passage, Puerto Rico. During summer, sampling was conducted in all the known major North Atlantic feeding grounds: the Gulf of Maine, Gulf of St. Lawrence, Newfoundland, Labrador, southwestern Greenland, Iceland, and Norway. In 1993 the same schedule of field work was repeated.