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IWC-POWER programme conducts first survey in Arctic Ocean

The annual IWC-Pacific Ocean Whale and Ecosystems Research (POWER) scientific cruise has returned to port reporting a productive and successful voyage.

The IWC-POWER programme is a long-term and multinational study focused on areas where cetacean surveys have not been conducted for decades. The cruises began in 2010 and this is the first time that surveys have been undertaken in the Arctic Ocean.

power 24 map

Detecting trends in numbers of long-lived animals like whales takes considerable time and relies on regular and long-term surveys. IWC-POWER is now in its fifteenth year and builds on the success of a previous long-term programme, SOWER, which was conducted in the Southern Ocean from 1996 – 2010.

The survey is designed by the IWC Scientific Committee and reviewed annually.  Each IWC-POWER cruise identifies a specific research area and this year’s main objectives included collection of information on humpback, gray and the rare North Pacific right whale. Oceanographic information, such as sea water temperature and occurrence of marine debris was also recorded.

The four scientists onboard undertook a range of different research methods.  P64 photo-identifications were recorded and 21 skin and blubber biopsies were taken for DNA analysis.  Some 545 hours of acoustic monitoring was also recorded and included North Pacific right, gray, fin, humpback sperm, and killer whales.  

The IWC-POWER programme is a collaboration with the Government of Japan who generously provide the research vessel and 16-person crew. A report of the cruise will be presented to the Scientific Committee.