2004-2005 International Whaling Commission-Southern Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research (IWC-SOWER) Cruise, Area III

We conducted the 27th annual IWC-SOWER (formerly IDCR) Cruise in Area III (000°-070°E) aboard the Japanese Research Vessels Shonan Maru and Shonan Maru No.2. The 65-day cruise departed Cape Town, South Africa on 4 January 2005 and returned to Fremantle, Australia on 9 March 2005. After transiting to the study area, we carried out a minke whale survey and several research experiments from 12 January to 25 February. A systematic minke whale survey was conducted in Area IIIW (000°-035°E) from 12 January until 8 February. The survey design was intentionally similar to that used during the IWC/IDCR second circumpolar series of cruises (CPII) to provide information towards addressing the effect of changing cruise track design on Antarctic minke whale abundance estimates. 000°-020°E was surveyed in two contiguous strata (Northern and Southern), from 64°30'S to the ice edge. Poor weather limited the coverage 020°E-035°E to the Southern Stratum only. A total of 1788.2 nmiles was surveyed (000°-035°E) including 935.5 nmiles in closing mode and 930.3 nmiles in independent observer mode, and a total of 466 minke whales were sighted. Minke whale visual dive time experiments were conducted during the minke whale survey. 35 trials were completed, recording surfacing cues for a total of 45.81 hours. From 10-22 February the ships conducted collaborative studies with the Japanese icebreaker, Shirase to investigate the relationship between minke whale abundance and the sea ice. During this study the SOWER vessels surveyed for minke whales in the near-ice area from 035°-050°E. 575.3 nmiles were covered and a total of 22 minke whales were detected. The Shirase surveyed in the pack ice zone 040°-050°E from 12-15 February. Two methods-testing experiments were carried out during the cruise: Adaptive Line Transect Sampling and ‘BT Mode.’ Adaptive Line Transect Sampling was tested during survey in Area IIIW. BT Mode trials were conducted 22-25 February in the area between 050° and 065°E. A direct electronic data acquisition program was evaluated during the cruise on both ships. Sightings for the entire cruise included: minke whales (237 groups/515 animals); blue whales (13 groups/46 individuals) of which 6 groups (28 individuals) were identified as true blue whales and 3 groups (3 individuals) were identified as pygmy blue whales; fin whales (14/132); humpback whales (251/646); sperm whales (35/49); killer whales (23/217); southern bottlenose whales (32/60); Gray’s beaked whales (1/7); Layard’s beaked whales (2/3); pilot whales (4/265); hourglass dolphins (4/17); striped dolphins (3/435) and common bottlenose dolphins (1/20). Opportunistic research during the cruise included blue whale research on 8 groups/29 animals resulting in 5 biopsies and images of 23 individuals for photo-identification studies. Biopsy samples and photo-ID images were also obtained opportunistically from other species. Biopsies were collected from 6 humpback whales and 1 southern right whale. Photo-ID images were collected from 45 humpback whales, 1 southern right whale and 8 groups of killer whales. Estimated Angle and Distance Training Exercise and Experiment were each completed on both vessels