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Final Technical Report: - Southwest Fisheries Science Center - NOAA

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Table 17. Ratios of observed to predicted number of sightings in the CCE. Predictions were made using<br />

models in which habitat was defined using oceanographic, net-tow, acoustic backscatter, or a combination<br />

of all data.<br />

Oceanographic<br />

data<br />

Net-tow<br />

data<br />

70<br />

Acoustic<br />

backscatter<br />

data<br />

Combined<br />

data<br />

Striped dolphin<br />

2001 0.253 0.344 0.261 0.408<br />

2005 1.366 1.209 1.345 1.152<br />

All 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000<br />

SE 0.556 0.432 0.542 0.372<br />

Short-beaked common dolphin<br />

2001 1.035 0.830 0.850 1.035<br />

2005 0.982 1.124 1.105 0.982<br />

All 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000<br />

SE 0.027 0.147 0.127 0.027<br />

Dall’s porpoise<br />

2001 1.164 1.012 0.916 1.005<br />

2005 0.759 0.972 1.255 0.988<br />

All 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000<br />

SE 0.203 0.020 0.169 0.009<br />

Blue Whale<br />

2001 0.927 0.785 0.696 0.876<br />

2005 1.057 1.233 1.433 1.107<br />

All 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000<br />

SE 0.065 0.224 0.368 0.116<br />

It is difficult to determine whether the net-tow indices correspond to preferred<br />

prey families because little is known about cetacean diets. The tow indices selected in<br />

the combined models for striped dolphin in the CCE and eastern spinner dolphin and<br />

Bryde’s whales in the ETP do include families found in their diets (Vilchis and Ballance<br />

2005). However, diets for striped dolphin in the ETP and Dall’s porpoise in the CCE do<br />

not correspond to the net-tow indices selected in the combined models. An additional<br />

difficulty in relating net-tow indices to prey preferences occurs because larval fish are<br />

caught in the tows and cetaceans are expected to feed primarily on adult fish. The age of<br />

the larval fish caught in the tows conducted by the SWFSC has not been estimated.<br />

Without this estimate, it is difficult to determine how well the distribution of larval fish<br />

corresponds to the distribution of adults (e.g., the younger the larvae, the closer their<br />

distribution should correspond to that of spawning adults). Consequently, the net-tow

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