Narwhal Surveys and AssociatedMarine Mammal Observations inAdmiralty Inlet, Nav~Board Inle!.'and Eclipse Sound,Baffin lsland,N.W.T., During 1974 -1976

B. W. Fallis, W. E. Klenner and J. B. Kemper

Western RegionDepartment of Fisheries and OceansWinnipeg ,Manitoba R3T 2N6

f - 13Z' S-December 1983

Canadian Technical Report ofFisheries & Aquatic SciencesNo. 1211

I -*- Fisheries........ and Oceans

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Canadian Technical Report of ..'.

Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 1?11

December 1983

NARWHAL SURVEYS AND ASSOCIATED MARINE MAMMAL OBSERVATIONS IN

ADMIRALTY INLET, NAVY BOARD INLET, AND ECLIPSE SOUND,

BAFFIN ISLAND, N.W.T., DURING 1974 - 1976

by

B. W. Fallis, W. E. Klenner and J. B. Kemper

Western Regi on

Department of Fisheries and Oceans

Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N6

This is the 162nd Technical Report

from the Western Region, Winnipeq

i i

o Minister of Supply and Services Canada 1983

Cat. no. Fs 97-6/1211

Correct citation for this publication is:

ISSN 0706-6457

Fallis, B.W., W.E. Klenner, and J.B. Kemper. 1983. Narwhal surveys andassociated marine mammal observations in Admiralty Inlet, Navy BoardInlet, and Eclipse Sound, Baffin Island, N.W.T., dur i no 1974-1976.Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Anuat . Sci. 1211: iv + 20 p,

TABLE OF CONTENTS

iii

Fioure

ABSTRACT/RESUME

INTROOUCTI ON

STUDY AREA

METHODS

RESULTS .Ice cond it ionsSystematic surveysReconnaissance surveysNarwhal movement into Admiralty InletNarwhal distribution in Admiralty InletNarwhal behaviourOther spectes

BeluoaBowhead ...Rinoed seal .Bearcled sealHarp seal .

PilQe

iv

1

1

1

2223334444444

6

7

8

Transects used to sample Aclmiral­ty Inlet durinq systematic aerialin Auoust 1976 . . . . . . . . .. 18Fliqht paths of reconnaissancesurveys flown in Na~y Board Inletand Eclipse Sound nurinQ July annAuqust 1975 . . . . . . . . . .. 19FliQht paths of reconnaissancesurveys flown in Navy Board Inletand Eclipse Sound durinq Auqust1976 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 20

DISCUSSION. . 5Survey nesiqn 5Systemat ic surveys .. ..... 5Narwhal movement oatterns and distribution 6Other species 6

RECOMMENDATIONS 7

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 8

REFERENCES . . . 8

LIST OF TABLES

Table

1

2

3

Narwhal densities and populationindices for systematic surveysflown in Admiralty Inlet, 1975-76Reconnaissance surveys flown inthe study area during 1975 ..Reconnaissance surveys flown inthe study area durinq 1976 ..

LIST OF FIGURES

10

11

12

Figure Paoe

1 The study area on northern BaffinIsland, N.W. T. 13

2 Transects used to sample Admiral-ty Inlet durinq systematic aerialsurveys in 1975 14

3 FliQht paths of reconnaissancesurveys flown in Admiralty Inletdurin!l July 1975 15

4 Flight paths of reconnaissancesurveys flown in Admi r al ty Inletduring August 1975 16

5 Fli!lht paths of reconnaissancesurveys flown in Admiralty InletdurinQ Auoust 1976 17

iv

AI1STRACT qui ont empruntj]'in1et de l'Amiraute pendant,avant et apres 1a sa i son d ' eau 1i bre. Ires pel Ide be10ugas (Delphinapterus leucas) ont eteaper~lIS au cours des deux anneeS<f"etude. Le 2Rjui11et 1975, on a observe trois baleinesberea1es (Ba1aena r:1ys t i cetus) all centre del'inlet de 1'Aii1iraute. Les narvals n'ont passouvent frequente les baies et les anses du coteest de l'in1et en 11H5 et en 1976, mais on en aaper~us a quelques reprises dans la partiecentrale des detroits Strathcona et Adams.Alors que le phoque du Groenland (Phoca groen­landica) abondait dans l'inlet de ~aute en1975, on a note une diminution dans le nombre et1a ta ill e des groupes de phoques dans 1a parti ecentrale de 1 'inlet en 1976.

f'lots cl efs: rel eves aeri ens; mammiferes aquat­i ques; Monodon monoceros; Bal'aenamysticetus; Phoca groenlandica.

"I.E. K1enner, and J.B. Kemper.fJanlha1 surveys and associated

manma1 observations in Admi ra1 ty~lavy Board In1 et, and Ecli pse

Baffin Island, N.~.T., during 1974-Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci.iv + 20 p,

Fallis, 13,1.1.,1()I:l3.

nari neInlet,Sound,1975.1211:

Reconna i ssance and systemati c surveys wereflown in Admi ra lty In1 et and adj acent watersduring the open water season from 1974 to 1976to determine marine narmal util ization pat­terns. An estimate of 9 6R3 narwhal (~lonodon

monoceros) in central Admi ra lty Inlet wasrecorded on 28 July 1975 with a subsequentdec1 ine in numbers in August. In 1976, narwhalutil ization was less than the level observed in1975 with an estimated 1 614 whales present on14 August. Aerial surveys indicated substantialvariations in the timing of narwhal movementinto Admiralty Inlet between 1975 and 1976.Fluctuations in the number of narwhal utilizingAdmiralty Inlet between and within seasons werealso recorded. Beluga (Delphinapterus 1eucas)were uncommon in the study area durin~

years. On 23 July 1975, three bowhead whales(lla1aena mysticetus) were observed in centralAdl1iralty Inlet. Harwha1 util ized bays andinlets on the east side of Admiralty Inletinfrequently during both 1975 and 1976 but wereobserved in the central portion of Strathconaand Adams sound on occasion. Harp seals (Phocagroenlandica) were very abundant in 1975 IiU"fadecrease 1n size of groups and frequency ofoccurrence of groups indicated lower utilizationof central Admiralty Inlet by harp seals in1976.

Key words: Aerial surveys; aquatic mammals;Monodon monoceros; llalaena mysti-cetus; Phoca groen1andica. ------

RESUf1E

Fall is, 13.101., W.E. K1enner, and J.B. Kemper.19R3. IJarwhal surveys and associatedmarine manmal observations in AdmiraltyInlet, t~avy Board Inlet, and EclipseSound, Baffin Island, H.W.T., during 1974­1976. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci.1211: iv + 20 p,

Oe 1074 a 1976, on a effectue des vols dereconnaissance systematiques aU-dessus des eauxde l' i nl et de l' Ami raute et des eaux adj acentesafi n de determi ner l' emp1oi qu' en font 1es nam­miferes marins qui les empruntent lorsqu'ellessent libres de glace. Le 2R juillet 1975, on aestil'1e a q 6R3 le nombre de narvals (t10nodonmonoceros) dans l'inlet de l'Amiraute, nombrequi a diminue au cours du MOis suivant. Le 14aout 1976, on ~ esti~ a 1 614 le nombre de nar­vals ayant emprun te l'in1et, soi t une diminutionpar rapport a 1975. Selon 1es releves aeriens,il y a eu des variations considerables dansl'emploi q~ firent 1es narvals lie l'in1et del'Amiraute~tre 1975 et 1976. On a egalementnote des fluctuations dans le nombre de narvals

INTf{OrJUCTIQN

In June 1974, an agreement was siQnedhetween the Government of Canada and MineralResources International Ltd. to develop a lead­zinc mine at Strathcona Sound (73°05'N; 84°40'W)on northern Baffin Island. Since the effects ofincreased industrial activity and shippinq onthe marine mammal resources were not known, abaseline study of marine mammals utilizing thereg i on was proposed to document predeve lopmentconditions. Before 1974, information on thedistribution, abundance and mtorat ton patternsof marine marme ls in the vicinity of AdmiraltyInlet was limited. A compilation of hunterinformation by Bissett (1968) indicated generaldi stri but ion and abundance trends for the spe­cies harvested by local Inuit. Whi le the pre­sent study was des i cned to focus on Admi ra ltvInlet and nearby waters, concurrent f nvest i qa­tions by Greenc1ale and Brousseau-Greendale(1976), Johnson et al. (197fi) and RenewableResources (1977) in 1976 documented marine mam­mal mi qr at ion patterns and abundance in easternLancaster Sound.

This study, initi ated in 1974, wasdes i qned to provide information on the abund­ance, distribution and movement patterns ofmari ne mammals ut i 1i zi nq waters surroundi no theBorden Peninsu1a. As' part of a more generalprogram (Kemper 1976), it was expected that thedata collected mi qht subsequent ly be used toassess the effects of mine development and ship­ping on bioloqical resources in the reqion.

STUDY AREA

The study area is located on the northcoast of Baffin Island (Fiq. 1). Systematicsurveys were centered on Admiralty Inlet; recon­naissance surveys were flown over a wide regionfrom Cape York' (73°50'N; 87°00'W) to Pond Inlet(72°42'N; 78°00'W). The study area is part ofthe Lancaster plateau and is within the Arcticlowlands physioqraphic region (Bostock 1970).Much of the underlying Precambrian rock in thisregion is overlain with sedimentary strata dis­rupted by belts of Precambrian material (Thor­steinsson and Tozer 1970). Arctic Bay, PondInlet and Nanisivik are permanent settlements inthe study area. Residents of Pond Inlet andArctic Bay have traditionally harvested localmari ne malTlma 1s as a source of food and cashincome (ivory and pelts). To the local Inuit,both Admiralty Inlet and the Navy Board Inlet­Eclipse Sound region are important seal andwhale hunting areas (Bissett 1968; Dirschl1982) .

The climate of the region is characterizedby a long winter (early September to mid-June)with mean January and July temperatures of -28°Cto -32°C and +5°C to +8°C respectively (Maxwell1981).

The open water period in Lancaster Soundand Admiralty Inlet shows considerable annualvariation (Lindsay 1977, 1982). In an averageyear, the ice cover in Lancaster Sound recedesto the northeast coast of Somerset Is 1and byearly July (Markham 1981). Ice in the northern

portions of Admiralty and Navy Board inletsbeqins to break up as the season proqresses with9/10 pack ice predominant hy 23 July in anaver ace year. Ice bre akup continues to proceedfrom north to south in Admiralty Inlet with openwater usually prevailing by approximately 6Auoust. Open pack-ice (2-5/10) may persist inEc 1ipse Sound somewhat lonqer wi th open waterpredominant by 13 Auoust (Markham 1981).Freeze-up be~ins over much of the study area by1 October with very close pack-ice conditions(9/10) common by 15 October and a continuouscover of fast i'ce by 30 Octoher. Wi de vari a­tions in the above pattern often occur; theremay be open water as early as July, or moderatepack m~y persist through Au~ust.

Surface currents in Admiralty Inlet arecharacteri zed by a counterc 1ockwi se oyre withi ncomi ng waters flowi ng down the west shore ofAdmiralty Inlet and exiting alon~ the east shore(Dirschl 1982). Water depths in Admiralty Inletare vari able, ranging from approximately 300 mat the entrance to Lancaster Sound to 700 mincentral areas. Information on water turbidityin Admiralty Inlet is not available but Secchi­di sc readi ncs of 6 to 13 m have been recordedin Strathcona Sound (B.C. Research 1975).

METHODS

To achieve an understanding of the numbersand movement patterns of marine mammals in thestudy area, a combination of transect and recon­naissance surveys were flown. In both 1975 and1976, systematic surveys were restricted toAdmiralty Inlet. Reconnaissance surveys wereflown along the shoreline (due to aircraft con­straints) of Admiralty Inlet in 1974 and overAdmiralty Inlet, Navy Board Inlet and EclipseSound in 1975 and 1976. Reconnaissance f l t cht swere conducted to evaluate movement patterns' andareas of marine mammal concentration within thestudy area before f l yinq systematic transects.Approximately 50 hours of helicopter flight timewere available for marine mammal surveys in 1975and 1976. In addition to specific whale sur­veys, mari ne mammals were frequent l.y seen andrecorded duri nq polar bear and seabi rd surveys.A concurrent seabi rd and po1ar bear mon itori ngprogram (Kemper 1976) necessitated a surveydes i qn which would satisfy multiple objectives.Since seal populations are best evaluated duringthe haulout period in June (St f r l tnq et al.1982), seals recorded throughout the presentopen water surveys i ndi cate presence or absenceonly. Information on narwhal behaviour wasrecorded opportunistically whenever undisturbedsocial interactions were observed.

Surveys were flown using a Jet RanQer 2068helicopter in 1974 and 1975 and an Alouette IIin 1976. Two or three observers occupyi no thefront left and rear oassencer seats were useddurin~ all fliQhts. During 1975 and 1976,reconnaissance flights were flown at 65 to 122 ma.s.1. (with the exception of a short survey at350 m a.s.1. in 1976). Animals within an esti­mated 215 m of each side of the aircraft wererecorded during surveys in 1975. In 1976,mari ne malTlma1s were recorded with in an est imated400 m of each side of the aircraft.

Survey lines in l\c1miralty Inlet were ini­tially desi'lned as systematically spaced tran­sects but were later alt ered since the surveyaircraft was not enui pped with an electronicnavi-iat ton system. The use of lanrlmarks anrlrlead reck ani nq to navi nate transects necess i­tated modifications which resulted in minorc1~vi ations from a true systematic design.Ch annes i nvo 1ved vari at ions in transect sosct noand nonparallel transects in some cases (Fig.2). These modifications were considered insuf­ficient to affect the overall design and in sub­senuent analyses, these surveys were treaterl asstandard systematic surveys.

Systematic transects were flown at alti­tudes of 91 to 152 m a.s.l. and estimated groundspeeds of 110 to 160 km per hour. Observersrecordec1 all marine mammals observed within anestimated 400 m of the aircraft to produce anoverall tally for each transect. The number ofunder-aircraft whales which were not counted wasminimized by excellent forward and downwardvisibility from the front observers position.All whales within the transect strip werecounted including neonate calves (which onlyaccounted for 2 or 3 percent of the total).Off-transect animals were not recorded. Sincepinnipeds are difficult to evaluate during theopen water period, a population index has beencalculated only for narwhal.

2

Information on ice conditions in the studyarea was compi le,j during systematic and recon­naissance surveys. In adc1ition, general iceconditions summarized in an ice atlas (Linrfsay1977, 1982) were incorporated to form a morecomplete representation of ice conditions.

Several 1imitations and bi ases associ atedwith the survey procerfure became evident dur inothe course of the study. The difficultyencountered in evaluating seal observations hasbeen mentioned earlier and preclurfes estilllatingthe seal population in Admiralty Inlet. Narwhaldetectability is influenced by nu~erous factorsincluding the aircraft used, survey altitude,transect width and observer experience or fati­gue. In addition, other variables includinnlight, sea state and ice conditions can affectthe observers abi lity to see whales. Behaviourann group size are probably of major importancesince these factors influence the detectabilityof wh ales on the surface and the proport i on ofwhales under water and not visible. Sinceinsufficent data precluded the use of correctionfactors to' offset the limitations anrl biasesindicated above, the estimates presented in thisreport are best interpreted as nopulat ionindices which are probably influenced by surveymethods.

Minor differences in transect area andhigh variability in the number of narwhalbetween transects of eQual length len to the useof the dens i tv est imate based on equal areatransects outlined in Jolly (1969) and Cauohley(1977) to calculate an estimate of narwhal inthe area under survey. The f11I"an number andvariance of narwhal from a given survey wasobtained by:

-y = the average number of animals pertransect over the n transectssampled

A

Y = the population estimateN = the number of sarnp 1i ng units in the

area under surveyn = the number of sampl ing units (tran­

sects)y = the number of animals on individual

transects

Y Ny and Var(Y)

where

1 (Yj u \ <22 - - {I 2 l.:J...L}Sy - n-1 ..y - n

~ (N-n)S2

n y

the variance ofthe transectssamp 1ed

RESULTS

ICE CONDITIONS

In 1975, ice breakup started earlier thanin a "normal year" with open water present inLancaster Sounrl to the northeast corner ofSomerset Island by mid-June (Linrlsay 1982).Arlmiralty Inlet remained covered by 10/10 fastice until early July. By mid-July, easternAdmiralty Inlet was open with nnly scattered iceremaini nq whi le the west side remai nerf coveredwith 7-16/10 ice. Pond Inlet, Eclipse Sound andNavy Board Inlet remainerl covered with 7-10/10ice. By 26 July, much of northern Navy BoardInlet was open water and by 28 July, all ofAdmiralty Inlet was aDen with only scattered icepans remaining.

Ice breakup in 1976 was approximately twoweeks later; l ar qe ice pans and lanrf-fast icepersisted in Admiralty Inlet until mid-August.Similarly, much of Eclipse Sound and Navy BoardIn1et re:nained ice covered with numerous 1eadsuntil at least 11 August. Central AdmiraltyInlet in the vicinity of Yeoman Island hadextensive ice pans and shoreline ice persistinguntil 14 August.

Where obvious differences in densityexisted within the census area, regions of simi­lar rlensity were grouped into blocks and meanest imates cal cu1ated for each. The avera 11estimate was derived by summing individual blockest tmates , This procedure was necessary sinceall transects rlid not represent eQual areaswithin the survey anrl an estimate based onaverage density wou 1d have been bi aserf by Silla11regions of high or low c1ensity.

SYSTEMATIC SURVEYS

During 1975 and 1Q76, seven systematicsurveys were flown for which an estimate of thenumber of narwhal in the census area was calcu­lated (Table 1). Transects were initiallydesigned to sample all of Admiralty Inlet northof Yeoman Island (Fio. 2) but the complete areawas never covererl duri no a si nql e survey. Con­sequently, the estimates of narwhal presented inTable 1 represent only the area unrler survey anc1probably form an overly conservative estimate of

the number of narwhal ut t l i zino Admiralty Inletat a qiven time. Since the area under survey,the reaion being surveyed and th~ sampli~aintensity varied hetween surveys, comparisonsare restricted to surveys flown under similarconditions.

The results of surveys on 28 July and 9AUQust 1975 indicate how variable the numher ofnarwhal occurring in central Admiralty Inlet canbe within one season. Although the northerntransects were not flown until 10 August, thelowest imated nunoer of narwh a1 recorded on 9August (2 117) and 10 August (961) indicate manyof the animals recorded on 28 July (9 683) hadleft Admiralty Inlet.

Surveys flown on 9 and 15 Auqust 1976 innorthern Admiralty Inlet indicate a differenttrend from that observed in 1975 when the esti­mated number of narwhal decreased after 28July. In 1976, surveys on 9 and 15 Augustresulted in estimates of 443 and 1 507 narwhalrespectively, indicating an increase in the num­ber of narwhal using northern Admiralty Inlet asthe season progressed. Although indicative ofthe low number of narwhal present, the 9 August1976 survey must be interoreted with cautionsince the estimate is based on only two qroupsof 5 and 28 narwhal.

Surveys flown on 14 and 15 Auqust 1976 incentral and northern Admiralty Inlet suagest thehigh number of narwhal observed on 28 July 1975do not occur in all years. An overall estimateof narwh~l utilizing Admiralty Inlet (approx.6 680 km ) cannot be inferred from the presentsurveys since narwhal could easi ly be countedtwice or missed entirely if surveys on consecu­tive days are added. In addition, heterogeneousdensities within the area under survey indicatethe prohlems associated with extrapolating meansurvey densit i es to the remainder of Admi ra ltyInlet. The estimates presented in Table 1should therefore he interpreted as conservativeestimates of the number of narwhal utilizinqAdmiralty Inlet durinq a survey.

RECONNAISSANCE SURVEYS

In August 1974, five reconnaissance sur­veys were flown alonq the eastern shore of Admi­ralty Inlet between Cape Cunrrinohem and ShipPoint , Narwha1 were observed on two surveysduri nq the 1ast week in August when 50 and 200narwhal were noted near the entrance to AdamsSound. fluring a brief reconnaissance flight on12 Aunust 1974, Hay and McClung (1976) observed183 narwhal and two beluga in central AdmiraltyInlet. On this survey, most narwhal wereohserved along the west shore of Admiralty Inletfrom the Turner Cliffs to Kakiak Point and nearthe centre of the Inlet between Stephens Head­land and Cape Cunningham. In early September, agroup of 12 narwhal was observed in StrathconaSound near Nanisivik. Subsequent reports byInuk residents of narwhal in Strathcona Soundindicate that suhstantial use is made of thearea by th is soec ies. There appears to be atendency towards greater utilization in lateAugust and early September when narwhal startmak tnn their way north out of Admiralty Inletinto Laocaster Sound.

3

Durinq 1975 and 1976, a total of 4 175 knof reconnaissance surveys were flown in coastaland off shore zones in the studv area (Tahle 2,3). Al thouoh differences in fl i qht path (off­shore vs coastline), survey altitude, si qht f nncondit ions and transect wi dth prec 1ude cooper t­sons between years and surveys wi th ina year,these surveys indicated movements and distribu­tion patterns.

NARWHAL MOVEMENT INTO ADMIRALTY INLET

On 26 July 1975, a large group of narwhal(approx. 800-1 200) was observed movina intoAdmiralty Inlet along the northwest shore of theBorden Peninsula. Narwhal were spread outbetween Cape Charles Yorke and Baillarge Bay andswam near the surface at an est imated fi ve kmper hour. Within this large diffuse herd, manynarwhal were grouped into tiqht pods of five toeight animals with distinct spaces betweenpods. This type of miqratory behaviour con­trasts wi th 1ater surveys when f'eedtnc or loaf­inQ behaviour was predominant. Most of the nar­whal ohserved on this survey were within a kilo­metre of shore and many were within a hundredmetres. Prior to this survey, two qrouos ofnarwhal had been reported from the west shore ofAdmiralty Inlet. On 19 July, a helicopter pilot(George Jones OkanaQan Helicopters Ltd.)observed an estimated 150 narwhal moving northalong tile west shore of A1miralty Inlet' acrossfrom Strathcona Sound. A second group ofapproximately 300 narwhal moving south was notednear Cape Crauford on the west side of AdmiraltyInlet on the same day. The larae number of nar­wha1 observed on 26 July is represent at i ve ofthe influx of whales into Admiralty Inletbetween 26 and 28 July. As indicated hy recon­naissance surveys flown on 23 to 25 July, fewnarwhal are thought to have been present priorto 25 July. The high number of narwhal indi­cated by the systematic survey on 28 July illus­trates the rapid increase in narwhal utilizinqAdmiralty Inlet between 25 and 28 July.

In 1976, the i ni t i al «iovement of narwhalinto Admiralty Inlet was not recorded sincenumerous whales were noted in central AdmiraltyInlet when the fi rst reconnai ssance survey wasflown on 8 Auqust, The rapid increase in num­bers subsequent to the i ni t i a1 si cht i nq of nar­whal in Admiralty Inlet in 1975 was not' observedin 1976. Surveys on 14 and 15 Auoust tndi cat enarwhal utilization of central Admiralty Inletdid not reach the level recorded io 1975.

NARWnAL flISTRIBUTION IN ADMIRALTY INLET

Information on narwhal uti lization pat­terns was comp i 1ed dur i nq both reconnai ssanceand systematic surveys.' In 1975, narwhalappeared to prefer the west shore of Admi ra lt yInlet, especially in late July and early AU9'­ust. On 28 July, all of the 1 198 narwhalobserved duri ng a systemat i c survey were with i nseveral ki lometres of the west shore (with mostanimals within several hundred metres ofshore). On 4 August, narwhal were aaain concen­trated along the west shore. Narwllal were morecommon in central areas of Admiralty Inlet dur­ing a survey flown on 9 August and on 7.3 August,

central dnd eastern regions were being uti­I i zed.

In 1976, utilization patterns were marked­ly different. Specific reoions of hiQh concen­tr at ion were not ohservedand narwhal appearedto be widely scattered within the area beingsurveyed.

Althouah large numbers of whales were notobserved south of Yeoman Is l and, sma 11 groupswere recorded in this area on occasion. On 2August 1975, aoproximate1y 40 narwhal (primarilyfernales and calves) were reported near Sanuarer­suk Island. On the same day, Inuk hunters kill­ed several narwhal on the west shore of Admiral­ty Inlet across from IQlorsuit Island.

Inlets on the east side of the AdmiraltyInlet do not appear to be frequently utilized bynarwhal. Since all flights originated at Nani­sivik or Arctic Bay, an attempt was made to sur­vey (at least partially) either Strathcona orAdams Sound during departure or return. Narwhalwere observed in Adams Sound on 9 and 16 August1975 (2 and 26 narwhal respectively) and on 14Auqust 1976 (9 narwhal). In addition, Inuk hun­ters ki l Ied 11 narwhal in Arctic Bay on 10 Aug­ust 1975. While narwhal do utilize both Strath­cona and Adams sounds, their unpredictable andshort term use of these areas has resu 1ted inmost huntina traditionally taking place alongthe west shore of Admiralty Inlet.

Though i ndi cat i ve of narwh a1 di stri but i onin 1975 and 1976, the utilization patterns out­1i ned above remai n tent at i ve due to infrequentsurveys and limited coverage within a survey.In general, the above descriptions indicateareas frequent 1y ut i1 i zed and the vari abi 1itywithin and between years.

NARWHAL BEHAVIOUR

Since surveys were des i gned to evaluatethe distribution and numbers of narwhal,behavioural observations were recorded only whensoci a1 interactions were noted. One form ofsoc i al behaviour which was observed on severaloccasions involved prolonaed contact and inter­action between animals in a group. Narwhal wereobserved lying alongside one another or in apinwheel arrangement, often with their tuskscross i nq or 1yi nq over another ani ma I' s back.On occasion, one narwhal was observed rubbingthe body of anoth<:!r whale with its tusk.Schweinsburg (1976) illustrated some of theobserved interactions. This type of socialbehaviour was observed on 27 July 1975 and againon 8 and 10 August 1976. Silverman (1979) pro­vides a comprehensive discussion of these andother closely related behaviours. Precisei nformat i on on the age-sex compos it i on of ani­ma1s involved in group interactions was notrecorded but it appears most animals i nvo1vedwere males. Occasionally, females were observedin or near groups of rna 1es i nvo1ved in tuskcrossing or body rubbing activities. Socialinteractions of this type appear to be most com­mon ear 1y in the open water season, occurri nqwith greatest frequency shortly after narwhalarrived in Admiralty Inlet.

4

OTHER SPECIES

Be1uaa

Beluga (De1phinapterus 1eucas) were infre­quently observed durinQ the StU"dY and did notappear to extensively utilize Admiralty Inlet orother parts of the study area. In 1975, onlyone cow-calf pair was observed approximately400 m offshore at Cape Crauford. Two smallbeluga herds were observed in Admira1tv Inlet in1976~ On 13 August, 17 beluga (most ly adults)were noted a10nQ the east shore between Bai1­1arge Bay and Str-athcona Sound wh i 1e on 14 AUQ­ust , six animals were observed north of YeomanIsland in central Admiralty Inlet. In the NavyBoard Inlet region, a sinQle beluQa was recordednear Adams Island on 9 Auqust 1976.

Bowhead

Bowhead whales (Bal aena m~sticetus) wereencountered in the study area on yonce. Threebowheads were observed in Admiralty Inlet on 28July 1975 durinQ a systematic survey. Twowhales were recorded several kilometres north ofKakiak Point on the west shore and a third wasobserved near Peter Richards Islands. An uncon­firmed report received the previous day of threebowhead whales on the west shore of AdmiraltyInlet 30 km south of Kakiak Point May have beenthe same animals.

Ringed seal

Ringed seal (Phoca ~) were cormnonthrouohoui the study area anawere observed onmost surveys. No region within the study areawas noted as having either markedly high or lowdensities. The difficulties associated withenumerating seals during the open water periodpreclude a population index for this species.

Bearded seal s

Bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) appear­ed to be uncommon in the study area and wereidentified only twice during surveys in 1975 and1976. The low frequency of s t cht inqs may berelated to poor sighting conditions during theopen water period. This species was seen fre­Quently during visits to the Bai11arqe Baynorthern fu1mar colony (Kemper 1976).

Harp seal

Harp seal (Phoca groen1andica) were verycommon in Admira1tyrnTet dunna 1975 when l arcegroups (50-500+) were often observed in thewater or basking on ice floes. In 1975, largegroups in excess of 100 animals were common inJuly. By Auqust., these aqqr eqat tuns had appa­rently broken apart since most si<:jhtings were ofsmall groups of one to thirty seals. In 1976,harp sea 1s di d not appear to ut i l i ze Admi ra ltyInlet to the extent noted in the previous year.In early August, large rafts of seals were notobserved. Groups of less than 75 animals wel"emost coemon. Groups of one to fi fty harp sealwere observed occasionally during the remainderof surveys in 1976 but the number of animalsutilizing Admiralty Inlet appeared to he muchlower than in 1975. Harp seals were recorded onsurveys in Navy Roarrl Inlet and Eclipse Sound

but sufficient informatinn to evaluate theirabundance in 1975 and 1976 is nnt available.

DISCUSSION

SURVEY DESIGN

The surveys outlined in this report repre­sent an initial attempt to document the numbersand uti lization patterns of marine mammals inAdmiralty Inlet. Although systematic surveyswere intended to form an estimate of the narwhalpopulation utilizinq Admiralty Inlet, the esti­mates shou1d be cons i dered popu 1at ion i ndi cescomparable only to surveys flown under similarcondit ions.

The use of prominent landmarks for naviga­tion precluded employinq randomly located tran­sects which are desirable for an unbi ased popu­lation estimate (Cochran 1977). Since the tran­sects chosen did not appear to coincide withperiodicities in narwhal distribution, a biasedestimate is not expected (Caughley 1977). Simu­lation studies by Caughley indicate estimatesderived from systematic transects are usuallyunbiased and as precise as those obtained usingrandom sampling. One general drawback of s,YS­temat i c surveys re 1ates to the cal cul at ion ofthe st andard error and the unknown influence ofautocorrelation between transects on this para­meter.

Several aspects of the survey methodologyrelating to observer bias and visibility of nar­whal may have influenced the estimate. Surveyaltitude within and between surveys was not con­stant and this probably influenced the estimatedtransect width. Althouqh transect width wasrecorded as a constant 400 m on each side of theaircraft for each survey, this varied somewhatwith changes in altitude. As lonq as the ini­tial estimate of 400 m on each side of theflight path remains accurate, random variationsin altitude within a survey should cancel andnot seriously bias the area beinq sampled.Since strut and window marks (Stirling et a1.1982) are difficult to implement on a heli­copter, the use of an inclinometer and altitudeinformation (Davis et al. 1982) would have pro­vided a more accurate estimate of transect',vidth. The use of a low survey altitude mayhave biased the survey towards a lower estimateas a combination of two factors. Helicopternoise is substantial at the altitude flown andmay have resulted in an unknown number of nar­whal reactinq to the survey aircraft and divingbefore bei nq tallied. In addition, decreasedohservabil it.y of whales at the periphery of thetransect strip when transects are flown at lowaltitude (Davis and Evans 1932) may have hi asedthe estimate. The use of inexperienced observ­ers duri nq several surveys incorporates a con­foundinq factor which is difficult to evaluate.Inexperi enced observers often underest imate thenumber of animals present (eauqhley et al.1976), but this trend would pnssibly be offsetby a tendency to overestimate width of the tran­sect strip and include narwhal which were offtransect. Leatherwood et a1. (1978) found s t q­nificant differences between surveys which could

5

be attributed to different teams of observers.

No attempt has been made to apply correc­tion factors to the narwhal tally from each sur­vey to compensate for whales on the surface butnot counted, animals under water and not visiblp.or left-right side visibility biases. The ana­lysis of left-right side observer ~ias was con­founded by the lack of observer continuitybetween surveys and the lack of separate left­r i cht side information for some surveys. Theproportion of whales visible on the' surfacewhi ch are counted depends on numerous factorsincluding narwhal behaviour, group size, observ­er experi ence, ai rcraft speed and transectwidth. Davis and Evans (1982) indicated thatbeluqa are not equally detectable at increasinqdi stance from the fl i qht path. Although notdirectly applicable to the present surveys,Dav is et a1. (1982) reported procedures used inthe Beaufort Sea to evaluate the proportion ofbowhead whales which are visible but not countedand derive a correction factor to provide a lessbiased population estimate. A second correctionfactor to adjust the estimate to account forsubmerged and not visible bowheads was derivedfrom behavioural observations. Comparableinformation on narwhal behaviour and detect­ability was not available for Admiralty Inlet,therefore, correct i on factors were not app1i edto the raw counts whi ch may he hi ased toward aconservative estimate. However, unlike the tur­bid waters in the Beaufort Sea, clear waters inthe study area should have reduced the probabi­lity of omitting submerged whales from thetally.

Although the biases discussed above cannotbe corrected in the present surveys, nest wi 11result in lower estimates of narwhal than areactually present. In general, the populationindices reported here provide a conservativeestimate of narwhal in the survey area.

SYSTEMATIC SURVEYS

The estimated number of narwhal recordedon 28 july 1975 probably forms a conservativeestimate of the number of narwhal utilizinqAdmiralty Inlet. This survey covered approxi­mate ly one third of Admiralty Inlet north ofIglorsuit Island and al thouch the recorded den­sity can not be extrapolaterl to the entireInlet, some narwhal were probably present out­side the area surveyed. In a report outlining asystematic aeri al survey flown on 24 Auqust1978, Koski and Davis (1979) estimated approxi­mately 7 000 narwhal in Admiralt.v Inlet. Thissurvey indicates that the high number of narwhalestimated to be present on ~8 July 1975 is notan ano~aly and that numerous narwhal often uti­lize Admiralty Inlet durino the open water per­i 01'1. ~Jhen compared to popu1at i on est imates ofnarwhal uti 1izinq the Canadian Arctic, it isevident that a substantial proportion utilizeAdmiralty Inlet. Mansfield et al. (1975)reported a conservative estimate of 10 000 nar­whal in Canadian and northwest Greenland waterswhile Greendale and Brousseau-Greendale (1976)estimated 8 000 to 10 000 migrated past Cape Ha.vin 1976. Davis et al. (197R) estimated 20 000to 30 000 narwhal in Canadian waters alone. Amoderate extrapolation of the 28 July 1975 esti-

rnatp. (9 683 narwhal) to account for regions out­side the survey area indicates the estimate byt~ansfield et al. may be overly conservative. Ifthe estimate proposed by Davis et al. is used,one thirj or more of the Canadian narwhal PODU­lation makes at least occasional use of Admiral­ty Inlet.

During the three years of this study,Inuit from Arctic Bay and Pond Inlet harvestednarwhal t~roughout the open water period. Muchof the narwhal hunting in Admiralty Inletoccurred near Kakiak Point whi le in the EclipseSound region, most huntinq was centred aroundthe camp at Kaunak. Durinq 1974 to 1976 thecommunities of Arctic Bay and Pond Inlet bothhad nuot as of 100 narwh a1 per year and reportedcatches slightly in excess of their quotas(Fisheries and Oceans, marine mammal harveststatistics). Although the total number of nar­whal killed during the hunt is difficult toassess, Fin 1ey and Mi 11 er (1980) i ndi cated thata substanti al proportion of the whales killedare not recovered. In the near future, narwhalwill probably be subjected to ore at er huntingpressure as a result of an increasing humanpopu1at i on ann the economi c i ncent i ve provi dedby high ivory prices (Kemper 1980). Since pre­cise demographic parameters of the narwhal popu­lation utilizing Admiralty Inlet remain unknown,the impact of present and future hunting pat­terns is difficult to assess. However, a long­term decrease in the narwhal popul ation usingAdmiralty Inlet may indicate an excessive pro­portion of the population is being removed.

NARWHAL MOVEMENT PATTERNS AND DISTRIBUTION

In a report outlining the numbers andmi grat i on patterns of narwhal in the CanadianArctic, Johnson et al. (1976) and RenewableResources (1977) indicate most narwhal move intoadjacent waters in August after passing throuqhLancaster Sound in June and July. This patternof narwhal movenent was apparent in 1975 when amajor influx of narwhal into Admiralty Inletoccurred on 26 July. Maxi~um narwhal density incentral Admiralty Inlet was recorded in lateJuly with fewer narwhal noted on subsequent sur­veys. The decrease in ut il i zat i on from 1ateJuly to August 1975 probably reflects a generalmovement out of Admiralty Inlet into adjacentregi ons , Renewab 1e Resources (1977) documentedthe presence of narwhal in Prince Regent Inletand alona the southern coast of Devon Island in1976. .

Although the movement of narwhal intoAdmiralty Inlet was not observed in 1976, inci­dental observations recorded during studies inLancaster Sound by LGL and Renewable Resourcesconsultants provide information on mid-Julymovements. Johnson et al , (1976) observed 325and 277 narwhal in Admiralty Inlet on 12 and 26July respectively with most whales along thefast ice edge. Similarly, Renewable Resources(1977) recorded 1 640 narwhal alone the samefast ice boundary on 20 July 1976. Theseresults indicate a somewhat earlier mi~ration ofnarwhal into Admiralty Inlet in 1976 than in1975 when the first major influx was noted on 26July. Despite moving into the region earlier in1976, narwhal were prevented from penetrating

6

into central I\dmiralty Inlet by the persistingfast ice. Subsequently, some ant-nals may havemoved off in search of ice-free waters. System­atic surveys conducted in August 1976 indicaterlnarwhal density in central Admiralty Inlet didnot reach the levels recorded in 1975. Theseresults suggest annual fluctuations in narwhalutilization of waters adjacent to LancasterSound may be conmon and related in part to iceconditions. Silverman (1979) indicated themovement of narwhal into inlets and fiords isrelated to calving and intensive feeding alongthe ice edge early in the season. Si lvermanalso noted annual fluctuations in narwhal di s­tribution in the Pond Inlet region similar tothose recorded in the present study. A subse­quent study by Finley and Gibb (1982) indicatedthe strong relationship between narwhal andArctic cod (Boreogadus saida) ann the possj bleinfluence of cod numbers or distribution on uti­lization of different areas by narwhal. A simi­lar relationship may also be responsible for theobserved changes in narwhal distribution inAdmiralty Inlet both within and between years.Despite the infrequent use of bays and inlets onthe east side of Admiralty Inlet during the pre­sent study, numerous narwhal do utilize theseareas on occasion. Koski and Davis (1979)reported 232 narwhal in Strathcona Sound on 14August 1978. Since narwhal which enter Strath­cona or Adams sounds are often hunted by res i­dents of Arctic Bay or Nanisivik, their briefstay may be partially the result of such harass­ment.

Although Arctic cod maY strongly influencethe seasonal distribution of narwhal, Finley andGibb (1982) proposed that fast ice edgesrestrict narwhal m0vement and determine utiliza­tion patterns. The major influx of narwhal intocentral Admiralty Inlet throuah open pack-ice in1975 and the buildup of narwhal along the fastice edge in 1976 suopor t this hypothesis. Ifprevented from entering desired areas for a pro­longed period by unfavourable ice conditions,narwhal may leave the region and seek alterna­tive feening areas.

Despite bei no exc1uded from areas with anunbroken ice cover, narwhal will use lead sys­tems to penetrate far into regions of almostcontinuous ice cover. All of the narwhalobserved during a reconnaissance survey inEclipse Sound in August 1976 were in a series ofleads which did not appear to be connected tothe Pond In1et fast ice edge. The use of 1eadsundoubtably allows narwhai to gain access todesired areas weeks in advance of complete icebreakup.

OTHER SPECIES

Although several beluga were observed dur­ing surveys in 1975 and 1976, their generalabsence substanti ates reports by Bissett (1968)and Davis et al , (1980) th at beluga are unconmonin central Admiralty Inlet. One 'unusual incur­sion of beluga into Strathcona Sound occurred inAugust 1979 when 31 be1uqa were shot close toshorr near Cape Strathcona by Inuk hunters (N.Snow, personal communication). Serqeant and

lpetro-Canada Ltd., Calgary, Alberta.

Brodie (1975) noted that beluqa are most oftenfound in shoreline or estuarine areas but do notindicate specific factors which may limit belugadistribution to such regions. The occurrence ofnumerous beluga along the Admiralty Inlet fast­ice edge in June 1982 (Finley et al. 1983) indi­cates beluga do penetrate into northern Admiral­ty Inlet in certain years but subsequently moveon to summering areas farther west (Sergeant andBrodie 1975).

The sighting of three bowhead whales dur­ing the 28 July 1975 survey is significant sincethis indicates some bowhead still utilize Admi­ralty Inlet. Davis et al. (1980) noted thatnorthern Admiralty Inlet was a whaling area whenthe species was commercially harvested, implyinga former abundance of bowheads in the regi on.The use of bowhead bones in the construction ofdwellings at Thule sites in the area also pro­vides evidence of former abundance of the spe­cies in this region. The lack of bowhead sight­tnns during other surveys or during incidentalflights by Johnson et al. (1976) and RenewableResources (1977) indicates this species is rela­tively rare in Admiralty Inlet. Reeves et al.(1983) present a thorough summary of bowheaddistribution and migration patterns in the east­ern Canadi an Arctic which serves to emphasizethe relatively low abundance of this species.

The most abundant pinniped recorded duringsurveys was the harp seal. Although theseresu lts may not accurately refl ect the re 1at i veabundance of pinnipeds due to visibility biases,surveys in 1975 indicate several thousand harpsea1s util i zed Admi ralty Inlet. Bi ssett (1968)a1so reported th at numerous harp seals ut il i zeAdmiralty Inlet even though few are taken byInuk hunters. The decrease in harp seal sight­tncs during surveys in 1976 is comparable to asimilar trend in narwhal observations. Althoughthe factors which caused a decrease in the num­ber of harp seals utilizing Admiralty Inlet from1975 to 1976 remain unknown, the dependence ofthis species on Arctic cod (Finley and Gibb inpress, as cited by Finley and Gibb 1982) may beof considerable importance.

RECOMMENDATIONS

To provide a more accurate and completepopulation estimate, future aerial surveys inAdmiralty Inlet should incorporate several modi­fications:

1) The use of standardized aerial surveymethods is advised. Procedures for aerialsurveys in remote areas have evo1ved some­what since surveys were completed in 1976.Modifications include the use of fixed-wingaircraft, window and strut marks or inclino­meters to determine transect wi dth, radaraltimeters to maintain constant altitude,the use of experienced observers only andelectronic navigation systems to accuratelydetermine flight path. A review of proce­dures outlined in Cauohley et al. (1976),Caughlev (1977), Eherhardt et al. (1979),Caughley and Grigg (1981), Davis et al.(1982) and Stirling et al , (19B2) is recom­mended before future surveys are initiated.

7

2) Surveys should be designed to cover the lar­gest area possible if an overall popul ationestimate is desired. Unpredictable andlarge scale movements hy narwhal betweenreoions make population estimates based onseveral regional estimates obtained ondifferent days somewhat tenuous anddifficult to evaluate. If a large area isto be surveyed, the use of more than onesurvey aircraft may be appropriate.

3) When heterogeneous densities are believed tooccur in the census region, a prel iminarysurvey to determine distribution patternsmay be warranted. Stratification of thesurvey area and proportional sampling basedon results of the preliminary survey willprobably provide a more precise estimate.

4) Specific habitat information (ice condi­tions, water depth, etc.) should be recordedduring surveys for use in determining envi­ronmental variables which influence marinemammal distribution.

5) The use of aerial photography in conjunctionwith standard survey procedures wouldincrease the accuracy of the estimate, espe­cially if areas of high density are pre­sent. A comparison of simultaneous visualand photographic results may also prove use­ful in deriving a correction factor for ani­ma1s present at the surface but not countedby the observers.

6) Observations on cetacean diving behaviourwould prove invaluable in developing a cor­rection factor to evaluate whales which arein the area under survey but are submergedand not visible to the observer. Since divesequences are likely to vary with differentbehaviours (i.e. feeding, resting, migra­tion, etc.), a suhstantial observation ser­ies is required before a reliable correctionfactor can be determined.

7) A program to evaluate all major narwhal sum­mering areas simultaneously is essential tomore fully understand seasonal utilizationpatterns. An analysis of climatic featuresand habitat differences between these areasmay provide insight into factors whichinfl uence vari at ions withi n and betweenyears as observed in Admiralty Inlet. Aprogram of this nature would also provideinformation on the discreteness of narwhalstocks utilizin~ specific summerin~ areas.

8) Studies to assess the effects of increasedindustrial activity and shipping on themarine mammal resources of the area shouldbe undertaken. Behavioural observations andan evaluation of distribution patterns wouldprovide insight into the short and long-termeffects of industrial development. In addi­tion, a continued progr&n of aerial surveysis essential to monitor chances in the num­ber of narwhal utilizing Admiralty Inlet.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This study was initi ated under the direc­t i on of Mr. S. E. Steph ansson whose subsequentchance in employment in Auous t 1975, left thestudi~s to be completed by other personnel with­in the Fisheries and Marine Service of the for­mer Department of the Environment.

Mr. Michael Lawrence was primarily respon­sible for carrying out the remainder of the sur­veys conrlucted in 1975 assisted by D. Furnell,G. Lacho and C. O'Brien. Their assistance isgreatly appreciated.

Durinq 1974 and 1976 the field study wasably assisted by A. Burnett, R. Fudqe, S. Har­bi cht , C. Mack, B. Martin, M. Robertson and W.Siemieniuk.

Or. R. E. Schweinsburq kindly cooperatedin the shared helicopter charter which was usedfor polar bear, seabird and marine marrrnal sur­veys in 1975.

We are especi ally grateful to the hel i­copter oil ots George Jones, Arne Vei deman andthe 1ate Tom Lamb, without whose services thisstudy could not have been conducted.

Mr. Jim Marshall, Strathcona Mi nera1 Ser­vices, kindly provirled 10Qistic support at Nani­s i vi k and duri ng 1974 made the he1i copter oncharter to Strathcona Mineral Services availablefor the marine mammal surveys which were under­taken.

Funding for this study was provided by theFisheries and Marine Service of the Departmentof the Environment and by the Department ofIndian Affairs and Northern Development.

We are also qratefu l to Mr. Fred Alt andthe Polar Continental Shelf Project for logisticsupport out of Resolute Bay durino 1976.

The manuscript was typed by Mrs. S. Ahl­gren and reviewed by M. Kingsley, T. Stronq an~

~. Lawrence.

REFERENCES

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BISSETT, O. 1968. Northern Baffin Island; anarea economic survey. Vol. 2. Departmentof Indi an Aff ai rs and Northern Deve 1op­ment, Ottawa. 131 p.

BOSTOCK, H.S. 1970. Physiographic subdivisionsof Canada, p. 9-30. In R.J.W. Douq l as(ed.) Geoloqy and economic minerals ofCanada. Queen's Printer, Ottawa. 838 p.

CAUGHLEY, G. 1977. Samp l tno in aerial survey.J. Wildl. Manaqe. 41(4): 605-615.

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CAUGHLF.Y, G., and G.C. GRIGG. 19R1. Surveys ofthe distribution and density of kangaroosin the pastoral zone of South Australia,and the tr beari nq on the feas i bil ity ofiteri a1 survey in 1arqe and remote areas.Aust. Wildl. Res. 8: 1-11.

CAUGHLEY, G., R. SINCLAIR, and D. SCOTT-KEMMIS.1976. Experiments in aeri al survey. J.Wildl. Manage. 4U(2): 290-300.

COCHRAN, W.G. 1977. Samplinq techniques. JohnWiley &Sons, Toronto. 428 p.

DAVIS, R.A., and C.R. EVANS. 1982. Offshoredistribution and numbers of white whalesin the eastern Beaufort Sea and AmundsenGulf, summer 1981. Report by LGL Limited,Toronto, Ontario, for Sohio Alaska Petro­leum Company, Anchorage, Alaska, and ~omePetro 1eum Limited , CalQary, Alberta. 76p.

DAV IS, R.A., K. J. FINLEY, and W. J. RICHARDSON.1980. The present status and futuremanagement of arctic marine mammals inCanada. Deoartment of Information,Government of the Northwest Territori es ,Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. 93 p.

DAVIS, R.A., W.R. KOSKI, W.J. RICHARDSON, C.R.EVANS, and W.G. ALLISTON. 1982. Distri­but ion, numbers and product i vity of theWestern Arctic stock of bowhead whales inthe eastern Beaufort Sea and AmunrlsenGulf, summer 1981. Report by LGL Limited,Toronto, Ontario, to Dome Petroleum Limit­ed, Calgary, Alberta, and to Sohio AlaskaPetroleum Company, Anchoraqe, Alaska. 13Sp.

DAV IS, R.A., W. J. RICHARDSON, S. R. JOHNSON, andW.E. RENAUD. 1978. Status of the Lan­caster Sound narwhal popul ation in 1976.Int. Whal. Comm. Rep. 28: 209-215.

DIRSCHL, H.J. 1982. The Lancaster Sound Reg-ion: 1980-2000, Green Paper; Issues andoptions on the use and management of theregion. Department of Inrlian Affairs andNorthern Development, Ottawa. 102 p.

EBERHARDT, L.L., D.G. CHAPMAN, and J.R. GIL­BERT. 1979. A review of marine manmalcensus methods. Wildl. Monogr. 63: 46 p.

FINLEY, K.J., and E.J. GIBB. 1982. Summer dietof the narwhal (Monodon monoceros) in PondInlet, northern Baffin Island. Can.J.Zool. 60: 3353-3363.

FINLEY, K.J., and E.J. GIBB. In press. Summerdiet and feeding behaviour of harp sealsin the Canadi an hi qh arct i c. In D. M.Lavigne, K. Ronald and R.E.A. ')tewart(ed.) The harp seal: perspectives invertebrate science. W. Junk, The Hague.

FINLEY, K.J., C.R. GREENE, and R.A. DAVIS.1983. A study of ambient noise, shipnoise, and the reactions of narwhals andbelugas to the MV ARCTIC bre aktno ice inAdmiralty Inlet, N.~Preliminarydraft

report by LGL Ltil., Toronto, Ontar i 0 toCanada Department of Indian Affairs andNorthern Development, Ottawa. 96 p.

FINLEY, K.•J., and G.W. MILLER. 1980. The 1979hunt for narwhals (Monodon monoceros) andan exami nat ion of harpoon qun techno 1oqynear Pond Inlet, northern Baffin Island.Report by LGL Ltd., Toronto, Ontario forthe Department of Economic Development andTouri sm, Government of the Northwest Ter­ritories. Yellowknife. N.W.T. 57 p.

GREENDALE. R.G.. and C. BROUSSEAU-GREENDALE.1976. Observations of marine mammals atCape Hay. Bylot Island durinq the summerof 1976. Can. Fish. Mar. Servo Tech.Rep. 680: 25 p.

HAY. K., and R. McCLUNG. 1976. Observations onbeluqa and narwhal in the Canadian Hi qhArctic, summer 1974. Fish. Res. BoardCan. Manusc. Rep. Ser. 1385: 55 p.

JOHNSON. S.R.• W.E. RENAUD. R.A. DAVIS. andW.J. RICHARDSON. 1976. Marine maJm1alsrecorded during aerial surveys of birds ineastern Lancaster Sound. 1976. Report byLGL Limited, Toronto. Ontario for NorlandsPetroleums Limited. Calqary. Alberta. 170p.

JOLLY, G.M. 1969. Semp l i no methods for aerialcensuses of wildl ife popul ations. EastAfr. Agric. For. J. 34 (special issue):46-49.

KEMPER. B. (ed.) 1976. Environmental baselinestUdies. 1975. Strathcona Sound Program.preliminary report. Canadian WildlifeService, Edmonton. Alberta. Unpublishedreport. 96 p.

KEMPER, J.B. 1980. History of use of narwhaland beluqa by Inuit in the Canadian east­ern Arct i c inc 1udi nq chanqes in hunt i nqmethods and regulations. Int. Whal.Comm. Rep. 30: 481-492.

KOSKI. W.R •• and R.A. DAVIS. 1979. Distribu-tion of marine mammals in northwest BaffinRay and adj acent waters, May-October1978. Report by LGL Ltd.• Toronto. Onta-rio for Petro-Canada. Calgary. Alberta.305 p.

LEATHERWOOD. S•• J.R. GILBERT. and D.G. CHAP­MAN. 1978. An evaluation of some techni­ques for aeri al censuses of bottlenoseddolphins. J. Wildl. Manaqe. 42(2): 239­250.

LINDSAY. D.G. 1977. Sea-ice atlas of arcticCanada 1969-1974. Department of Supplyanrl Services. Ottawa. 219 p.

LINDSAY. D.G. 1982. Sea-ice atl as of arcticCanada 1975-1978. Department of Supplyand Services, Ottawa. 139 p.

MANSFIELD, A.W., LG. SMITH, and B. BECK.1975. The narwhal. Monodon monoceros, ineastern Canadian waters. J. Fish. Res.Boarrl Can. 32: 1041-1046.

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MARKHAM, W.E. 19131. Ice atlas. Canadian Arcticwaterways. Department of Supply and Ser­vices, Ottawa. Ontario. 198 p.

MAXWELL, J.B. 1981. Climatic reoions of theCanadian Arctic Islands. Arctic 34(3):225-240.

REEVES. R•• E. MITCHELL, A. MANSFIELD, and ~1.McLAUGHLIN. 1983. Distribution andmigration of the bowhead whale. Balaenamysticetus in the eastern North AmericanAretlc. Arctic 36(1): 5-64.

RENEWABLE RESOURCES CONSULTING SERVICES LTD.1977. Aerial surveys of marine mammals ofLancaster Sound, 1975-76. Report byRenewable Resources' Consultinq ServicesLtd. for Norlands Petroleums 'Ltd., Cal­oary. Alberta. 100 p.

SCHWEINSBURG. R.E. 1976. Work report polarbear research in and around AdmiraltyInlet. July-AuQust 1975. Northwest Terri­tories Fish and Wi ldl ife Service. Yellow­knife, N.W.T. Unpublished report. 72 p,

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terus leucas in North America. J. Fish:""~Board Can. 32: 1047-1054.

SILVERMAN. H.B. 1979. Social orqanization andbehavi our of the narwhal. 'Monodon mono­ceros L. in Lancaster Sound, Pond Inlet.a;;a--- Tremb 1ay Sound. Northwest Terri­tories. M.Sc. Thesis. McGill University,Montreal, P.O. 147 p.

STIRLING. I.. M. KINGSLEY. and W. CALVERT.1982. The distribution and abundance ofseals in the eastern Beaufort Sea, 1974­79. Can. Wildl. Servo Occas. Pap. 47: 25p.

THORSTEINSSON. R.• and E.T. TOZER. 1970. Geo-looy of the arctic er-ch tpe l aqo, p.547­590. In R.J.W. Douolas (ed.) Geoloqy andeconomiC minerals of Canada. Queen'sPrinter. Ottawa. 838 p.

Tabl e 1. Narwhal densities and population indices for systematic surveys flown in Admiralty Inlet, 1975-1976.

Survey No. ofArea Transects Percent Narwhal Density Mean Standard

Date (km2 ) Flown Coverage Observed (whales-km- 2 ) Estimate Error

28 July 1975 2 220 1-11 (Fig. 2) 12.4 1 198 4.36 9 683 2 0899 Aug. 1975 2 225 1-11 (Fig. 2) 12.4 305 1.10 2 117a 698

10 Aug. 1975 2 345 12, 14, 15, 8.0 75 0.99 961a 48617, 18, 19(Fig. 2)

23 Aug. 1975 836 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 13.9 253 2.18 1 820 314(Fig. 2)

9 Aug. 1976 2 060 Fig. 6 7.5 33 0.22 443 42614 Aug. 1976 2 057 Fig. 6 7.0 113 0.79 1 614 34715 Aug. 1976 2 008 Fig. 6 7.2 119 0.75 1 507a 737 I~

0

amean estimate calculated by partitioning area under survey into blocks of similar density and samplingintensity.

11

Table 2. Reconnaissance surveys flown in the study area during 1975.1C"'tCC~·U'"_''''' = ~=.-= = ~=.~===========~===

Date

23 July

24 July

25 July

26 July

26 July

30 July

1 Aug.

4 Aug.

12 Aug.

16 Aug.

23 Aug.

Area Surveyed

Central Admiralty Inlet(Fig. 3)

Central Admiralty Inlet(Fig. 3)

Northern Admiralty Inlet(Fig. 3)

Northern Admiralty Inlet(Fig. 3)

Northern coast of BordenPeninsula and west coastof Navy Board Inlet(Fig. 3, 7)

West coast of centralAdmi ralty Inlet(Fig. 3)

Strathcona and Adamssounds(Fig. 4)

Central Admiralty Inlet(Fig. 4)

Milne Inlet and TremblaySound(Fig. 7)

Northern Admiralty Inlet(Fig. 4)

Northern Borden Peninsulaand Navy Board Inlet(Fig. 7)

SurveyLength

(km)

249

300

428

155

130

125

300

433

200

201

350

No. ofNarwhal

Observed

o

o

5

800 - 1200

400 - 500

2 000 - 3 000

40 - 50

99

,,200

235

3

Conments

All narwhal moving into AdmiraltyInlet along northwest coast of BordenPeninsula between Cape Joy and BaillargeBay.

Narwhal moving north in central NavyBoard Inlet near Low Point.

Narwhal moving both north and southalong west shore.

Narwhal in Admiralty Inlet betweenStrathcona and Adams sounds

Most narwhal along west shore.

All narwhal (primarily cow-calf pairs)in northern Tremblay Sound.

26 narwhal in Adams Sound. 155 movingsouth along west shore.

12

Table 3. Reconn ai ssance surveys flown in the study area during 1976.

Survey No. ofArea Length Narwhal

Date Surveyed (km) Observed Conments

8 Aug. Central Admiralty 89 151Inlet(Fig. 5)

9 Aug. North coast of Borden 188 4Peninsula and westcoast of Navy BoardInlet(Fig. 8)

10 Aug. Central Admiralty 180 119 Directional movementInlet not evident.(Fig. 5)

11 Aug. Northern coast of 260 0Borden Peninsula andwest coast of NavyBoard Inlet(Fig. 8)

11 Aug. West coast of Borden 112 267 All narwhal observedPeninsula across in leads in eastEclipse Sound to Pond central Eclipse Sound.Inlet(Fig. 8)

11 Aug. Pond Inlet to west 196 64 Most narwhal in leadscoast of Eclipse in Milne InletSound via Milne Inlet and the mouth of(Fig. 8) Tremblay Sound.

14 Aug. Central and southern 280 1Admiralty Inlet(Fig. 5)

13

SOUND

BAFFIN ISLAND

100 kilometres

Fig. 1. The study area on northern Baffin Island, N.W.T.

14_------------------------------------.,-74°

LANCASTER SOUND

Cape thorl ..

40I

20 30!

~

...J

:> 73°enz

zILlc,

Z

ILl

0

D::

0

III

N

Kilometres

10o

--------

----

IlIol'llll1l

o

oD::

III

ILl

Z

ILl

u,

~

...J

:>enz

L........ ..J..__~~_.L_ """T--..;..---~1.---------.....,-..L.72°

Fig. 2. Transects used to sample Admiralty Inlet during systematicaerial surveys in 1975.

1G_----------------------------------...,-74°

LANCASTER SOUND

......

40;

30;

20

Kltometrll

10o,

<t...J::J

enZ

exZ ...J

W ::J 73°0. en

z

zW

0-

23 JULY 1975z

WW

0 24 JULY 19750

025 JULY 1975

0 a::a:: ~

26 JULY 1975 030 JULY 1975

lDlD 0

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,)JPlYorIli 1C

\.

.......,....-----'---.¥..-....L-----.....,~-...;..--....;)""",Ji---------..,........L72°

Fig. 3. Flight paths of reconnaissance surveys flown in AdmiraltyInlet during July 1975.

16,...... ...,...74

0

LANCASTER SOUND

40;

<[

...J

::::> 73 0

enz

zwa..

zw0

a::0

rn

N

Kilometres

10 20 30! ;

o

'7'

zwa..

<[

...J

::::>enz

a::rn

w

o

o

L.."T""----...--~-...J..-----.....,r__-...;...---~---------"T"--72°

Fig. 4. Flight paths of reconnaissance surveys flown in AdmiraltyInlet during August 1975.

17.....----------------------------------...,...74°

LANCASTER SOUND

40.

«-':::J 73°enzzwa..

zw0

a::0

1Il

N

Kilometre.

10 20 30.o

.. ,

//

..LA_;<t!!~..

// lL~~}~, =~=_._=:::~:~::::::/ /

..'\\ /

.X' /': '\ /; i!.\\ /

/. l ..~F/ .. ·· ..···................ ! I~------------ ..: • Y.-an ...

f i - 1$----,: , ,: I i: \ Santrl;llQr"1;d I•. I

0. \~ ........_-........ - ...----...-..)

~ C-::' "; t. : .'. "7,;,;;.;.·

w

zwa..

ooa::1Il

L-""T'"----.....&....I.I..-~---.&...-----.,.------...........----------r-....72°

Fi g. 5. Flight paths of reconnaissance 'surveys flown in AdmiraltyInlet during August 1976.

18

_---------------------------------.,...74°LAN CAS T E R SOUND

<t...J

::J 73°enz

zWQ.

Z

W

0

0::

0

CD

40,

N

Kllometroa

10 20 30, ;o

::J

W

o

o0::

CD

zwo,

'--""T""----....--~--I------.....,~-....;...---~---------""T""....L72°

Fig. 6. Transects used to sample Admiralty Inlet during systematicaerial surveys in August 1976.

19

.__------------------------------------"'T 74 0

LANCASTER SOUND

40!

ISLAND

Kilometre.

N

10 20 30; ; ;

BY LOT

_.-. - 26 JULY 1975

........................ 12 AUGUST 1975

------------------ 23 AUGUST 1975

o;

ECLIPSE

<{

...J::::>enz

woa::om

1- -.,;;~___..&. "'T'"------....I.-.....---..L.."'---_,---~72°

Fi g. 7. Flight paths of reconnaissance surveys flown in Navy BoardInlet and Eclipse Sound during July and August 1975.

20__----------------------------------,- 74

0

LANCASTER SOUND

Poll'll

40!

20 30! !

ISLAND

N

Kliomotrel

10!

-_.--.-- 9 AUGUST 1976

-------------------- II AUGUST 1976

B Y LOT

o!

80 0

ct...J::>Cf)

z

woQ:

oIII

----------

f-------..;;..;;~--~;....--"T""---..;;.;:=""""'~- .......---........L..-.....,r__---:l-72°

Fi g. 8. Flight paths of reconnaissance surveys flown in Navy BoardInlet and Eclipse Sound during August 1976.

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