IMIS

The Sargasso Sea cruise surveyed marine mammals in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean, during the spring and summer of 2005. This survey onboard the Valiant 40 ocean-going research vessel Balaena, consisted of two survey legs: a sail from the Caribbean to offshore waters north of the Bahamas (April 19 - June 2), and a sail north to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Sperm whales were surveyed using acoustics and visual techniques during both cruise legs by members of the Hal Whitehead laboratory. The purpose of this cruise was to study the behavior (principally social organization), ecology, and population biology of sperm whales. This is the second study year, after a similar cruise in the summer of 2004.