Updated assessments of Southern Hemisphere humpback whale breeding stock C and its component sub-stocks

Johnston, Susan J; Butterworth, Doug S

Updated assessments of Southern Hemisphere humpback whale breeding stock C and its component sub-stocks

Working Paper

2008

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Marine Resource Assessment and Management Group

Faculty

Faculty of Science

Abstract

Bayesian stock assessment results for a mixed model breeding sub-stocks C1 and C2+3 are presented. The modelling approach allows mixing on the feeding grounds and fits to various data sources, including capturerecapture data from both sub-stocks. A baseline case which inputs all capture-recapture data directly suggests posterior median 2006 abundances for each sub-stock of a little more than 7000, with C1 at about 85% and C2+3 at about 55% of their pristine levels. These results are intended to be illustrative only, and the variety of choices available for the various model inputs require further discussion by the IWC Scientific Committee.

Keywords

Humpback whales

Bayesian assessment

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