Trap and release - satellite tagging of minke whales to study seasonal migration in the North Atlantic

Trap and release - satellite tagging of minke whales to study seasonal migration in the North Atlantic<br/>Teilmann, Jonas 1; Kleivane, Lars 2; Kvadsheim, Petter 3; Dietz, Rune 1; Sveegaard, Signe 1; Balle Dalgaard, Jeppe 1; Kyhn, Line A. 1; Pyne Vinje, Anna Victoria 4; Mulsow, Jason 5; Ølberg, Rolf Arne 6; Harms, Craig 7; Roland, Rune 8; Houser, Dorian 5<br/>1.<br/>Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark<br/>2.<br/>LKARTS-Norway, Skutvik, Norway<br/>3.<br/>Norwegian Defence Research Establishment, Sensor and Surveillance Systems, Horten, Norway<br/>4.<br/>The Arctic University of Norway, Institute of Arctic and Marine Biology, Tromsø and Cable Guard AS, Stavanger, Norway<br/>5.<br/>National Marine Mammal Foundation, Department of Conservation Biology, San Diego, CA, USA<br/>6.<br/>Kristiansand Dyrepark, Kardemomme By, Norway<br/>7.<br/>North Carolina State University, Department of Clinical Sciences and Center for Marine Sciences and Technology, Morehead City, NC, USA<br/>8.<br/>Department of Biosciences; University of Oslo, Marine Biological Station, Biologveien 2, NO-1440 Drøbak, Norway<br/>The spatiotemporal movements and population structure of North Atlantic minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) remain poorly understood despite decades of research. This study utilized capture-and-release methods to tag six subadult minke whales in Norwegian and Danish waters. Individuals were either incidentally entrapped in stationary pound nets in Skagen, Denmark, (as part of commercial fisheries), or guided into a purpose-designed net enclosure in Lofoten, Norway, located along migration routes. The direct access to the whale facilitated comprehensive health assessments, auxiliary data collection, and the attachment of satellite-linked telemetry devices to the dorsal fin of each whale prior to release. After release, the whales resumed their migration and active dive behaviour, with regular dives below 200m and dives lasting &gt;7min. The whales were tracked for up to 10 months and revealed complex migratory trajectories. Three individuals demonstrated resource overlap in the Barents Sea south of Svalbard during summer months, while one migrated as far east as Novaya Zemlya in Russian waters. Subsequent southward movements included destinations such as the Azores, Canary Islands, and the Mediterranean Sea. These findings underscore the vast geographic range and ecological plasticity of subadult minke whales, highlighting prolonged utilization of high-latitude feeding hotspots during summer. The operational longevity of some tags far exceeded previous tracking results on minke whales, likely because direct access and control of the whale permitted fine-tuning of the dorsal fin attachment. With such an approach, we believe it will be possible to obtain tracks covering the year-round movements of the minke whale. More details about this fieldwork including animal welfare aspects can be found in this open access method paper: https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/50.4_K…