Chapter I Intro & Objectives - SPREP

PHOENIX ISLANDS PROTECTED AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN
Chapter III. Background, 4. Marine Resources
Draft 1 March 2007
In Chart C and D from Townsend (1935), no northern or southern right whales or bowhead or
humpback whale were taken in the central Pacific (around the equator including the Phoenix
Islands) by American whale ships primarily between 1800 to1870.
Lever (1964) noted one of the most intensively whaling areas was the equatorial belt that was
known as the “On the Line” whaling grounds. Whalers operated there throughout the year.
The Phoenix Islands were within the “On the Line” whaling ground noted by Lever (1964),
and were at the center of whale landings based on logbook data summarized by Townsend
(see Figure III-4.8 above).
Areas of maximum whale captures for key whale species were mapped by Lever (1964; see
Figure III-4.9 below). Based on Figure III-4.9, the central Pacific (including the Phoenix
Islands) appeared to have the highest rate of capture for sperm whales.
Figure III-4.9. Areas of Maximum Whale Captures
(source: Lever 1964)
Weilgart and Whitehead (1977) recorded the codas (pattern of clicks) of female and
immature sperm whales, Physeter macrocephalus, from various locations, included the
Phoenix Islands (recorded in 1992). They noted that short codas prevailed off of Christmas
Island and the Phoenix Islands. These short codas were completely absent in the Caribbean.
These codas were probably acquired through vocal learning.
Stone et al (2001) noted that during the 2000 New England Aquarium expedition to the
Phoenix Islands, few cetaceans were seen (see Table III-4.18 below). Odontocetes were the
58