Research Document - 2002/042
Abundance indices of beluga in James Bay, eastern Hudson Bay and Ungava Bay in summer 2001
By ean-François Gosselin, Véronique Lesage, Mike O. Hammill and Hugo Bourdages
Abstract
Aerial systematic line transect surveys of beluga whales, Delphinapterus leucas, were conducted in James Bay, eastern Hudson Bay and Ungava Bay from 14 August to 3 September 2001. Coastal surveys were conducted on 28 August in Eastern Hudson Bay, on 4 September in Ungava Bay and on 5 September in Hudson Strait and along the northeastern Hudson Bay coast. An effective strip width of 638 m was estimated from the 717 beluga observed on east-west lines in James Bay (557 beluga) and eastern Hudson Bay(160 beluga). An estimated 7,901 (SE = 1,744) and 1,155 (SE = 507) beluga were present at the surface in the offshore areas of James Bay and Hudson Bay respectively. An additional 39 animals were observed in estuaries during the coastal survey resulting in an index estimate of 1,194 (SE = 507) in eastern Hudson Bay. No beluga were observed in Ungava Bay. Three beluga were observed along the coast near Salluit. Observations from the 1993 and 2001 systematic surveys were analysed using both line transect and strip transect methods to allow comparisons with the strip transect survey conducted in 1985. From 1985 to 2001, the number of beluga summering in James Bay increased fourfold, while numbers in eastern Hudson Bay have declined by almost half.
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