“Ishmael” software (by David Mellinger, NOAA PMEL) Spectrogram correlation with synthetic callSpectrogram correlation with synthetic call Varied synthetic call parametersVaried synthetic call parameters Compared detector performance to analyst (LMM)Compared detector performance to analyst (LMM) Analyzing the Date - Call detection Analyzing the Date - Call detection

Right whale and humpback calls Time (s) Frequency (Hz) Time (s) Spectrum level (dB re counts 2 /Hz) Right whale calls: ‘Up-call’ most common (> 80%) Clustered into bouts Humpback whale calls: May appear similar to RW calls Patterned, repeated phrases

Right whale seasonal occurrence Results Right whale calls/day J F M A M J J A S O N D SEBS middle-shelf Earliest yearly right whale detections in late May (2002, 2004) Latest in mid-December (2005) Highest calling rates in Aug., Sep. (2001, 2004, 2005) & Dec. (2005) Longest calling durations in Aug., Sep., Oct. Calling usually lasted 2-3 consecutive days, up to 6 d Intervals between calls 2-49 d (median = 7)

Daily Calling Patterns Hourly calling rates calculated for five periods of day Adjusted by overall calling rate for that day Calling rates were highest during dark period 75% Median Mean 25% *

Conclusions Right whale occurrence varied by season and between years Right whale occurrence varied by season and between years Calls were detected for only a few days at a time Calls were detected for only a few days at a time Calling rates were highest at night Calling rates were highest at night Right whales were in the Southeast Bering Sea as early as May and as late as December Right whales were in the Southeast Bering Sea as early as May and as late as December