Modelling population abundance and future trajectories for Arctic marine mammals to inform Canadian sustainable fisheries management

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorBiddlecombe, Brooke
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeFerguson, Steven (Biological Sciences)
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeMuthukamarana, Saman (Statistics)
dc.contributor.examiningcommitteeMills Flemming, Joanna (Dalhousie University)
dc.contributor.supervisorWheeler (Watt), Cortney
dc.contributor.supervisorGillis, Darren
dc.date.accessioned2023-11-09T22:13:13Z
dc.date.available2023-11-09T22:13:13Z
dc.date.issued2023-11-03
dc.date.submitted2023-11-03T21:39:53Zen_US
dc.degree.disciplineBiological Sciencesen_US
dc.degree.levelDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
dc.description.abstractArctic cetacean species, beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), narwhals (Monodon monoceros), and bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus), have a long history of subsistence harvest by northern communities, as well as various levels of exploitation from historical commercial whaling. To achieve sustainable subsistence harvest, Arctic cetacean populations must be monitored to inform management decisions. Three populations: Northern Hudson Bay (NHB) narwhal, Cumberland Sound (CS) beluga, and Eastern Canada-West Greenland (EC-WG) bowhead whales, all pose various challenges associated with building population dynamics models for management. The NHB narwhal population presents challenges surrounding inconsistent abundance estimates which limit their ability to be included into a model, this was addressed by comparing abundance estimate methodologies and calculating correction factors to adjust older estimates accordingly. The CS beluga population is endangered and is assumed to be affected by the effects of climate change, thus, the challenge of incorporating environmental variables into a population dynamics model was addressed with this population. The EC-WG bowhead whales present a challenge with achieving an abundance estimate, as their vast range makes aerial surveys, the typical method for marine mammal abundance estimation, difficult. Instead, genetic mark-recapture analyses using biopsy samples were used to estimate EC-WG bowhead whale abundance. To model population dynamics of EC-WG bowhead whales the challenge of underestimated abundance from insufficient aerial survey coverage was addressed by using telemetry data in a utilization distribution map to extrapolate abundance. Challenges associated with determining population dynamics of Arctic cetaceans can be addressed with creative problem solving, considering the types of data available and specific management goals associated with each population of focus.
dc.description.noteFebruary 2024
dc.description.sponsorshipFisheries and Oceans Canada
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1993/37773
dc.language.isoeng
dc.rightsopen accessen_US
dc.subjectpopulation dynamics
dc.subjectArctic
dc.subjectcetaceans
dc.subjectharvest
dc.subjectstock status
dc.subjectabundance estimation
dc.subjectwildlife management
dc.titleModelling population abundance and future trajectories for Arctic marine mammals to inform Canadian sustainable fisheries management
dc.typedoctoral thesisen_US
local.subject.manitobano
oaire.awardNumberPGSD3 - 560115 - 2021
oaire.awardTitleNSERC Postgraduate Scholarship-Doctoral (PGS D)
oaire.awardURIhttps://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/students-etudiants/pg-cs/bellandpostgrad-belletsuperieures_eng.asp
project.funder.identifierhttps://doi.org/10.13039/501100000038
project.funder.nameNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
BBiddlecombe_PhDThesis_FINAL.pdf
Size:
4.58 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
770 B
Format:
Item-specific license agreed to upon submission
Description:
Download
Collections
FGS - Electronic Theses and Practica