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dc.contributor.authorChenoweth, Ellen M.
dc.contributor.authorStraley, Janice M.
dc.contributor.authorMcPhee, Megan V.
dc.contributor.authorAtkinson, Shannon
dc.contributor.authorReifenstuhl, Steve
dc.date.accessioned2021-05-06T21:38:12Z
dc.date.available2021-05-06T21:38:12Z
dc.date.issued2017-06-07
dc.identifier.citationChenoweth EM, Straley JM, McPhee MV, Atkinson S, Reifenstuhl S. 2017 Humpback whales feed on hatchery-released juvenile salmon.R. Soc. open sci. 4: 170180. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.170180en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11122/11937
dc.descriptionThank you to staff and managers at NSRAA, Armstrong Keta Inc. and NOAA for collecting data daily during their release seasons. Bart Watson collaborated in study design. Thank you to Elena McCauley, R. Katy Pendell and Margaret Schoenfeld for data entry.en_US
dc.description.abstractHumpback whales are remarkable for the behavioural plasticity of their feeding tactics and the diversity of their diets. Within the last decade at hatchery release sites in Southeast Alaska, humpback whales have begun exploiting juvenile salmon, a previously undocumented prey. The anthropogenic source of these salmon and their important contribution to local fisheries makes the emergence of humpback whale predation a concern for the Southeast Alaska economy. Here, we describe the frequency of observing humpback whales, examine the role of temporal and spatial variables affecting the probability of sighting humpback whales and describe prey capture behaviours at five hatchery release sites. We coordinated twice daily 15 min observations during the spring release seasons 2010–2015. Using logistic regression, we determined that the probability of occurrence of humpback whales increased after releases began and decreased after releases concluded. The probability of whale occurrence varied among release sites but did not increase significantly over the 6 year study period. Whales were reported to be feeding on juvenile chum, Chinook and coho salmon, with photographic and video records of whales feeding on coho salmon. The ability to adapt to new prey sources may be key to sustaining their population in a changing ocean.en_US
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.publisherThe Royal Society Publishingen_US
dc.subjectMegaptera novaeangliaeen_US
dc.subjectOncorhynchus spp.en_US
dc.subjectmarine mammal–fishery interactionsen_US
dc.subjectaquacultureen_US
dc.subjectforagingen_US
dc.subjectbehavioren_US
dc.subjectHumpback whales
dc.subjectSoutheast Alaska
dc.titleHumpback whales feed on hatchery-released juvenile salmonen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
dc.description.peerreviewYesen_US
refterms.dateFOA2021-05-06T21:38:12Z
atmire.accessrights
dc.identifier.journalRoyal Society Open Scienceen_US


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