Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.2009, Page 192

Catch history and distribution of white-
sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus)
of the Faroe Islands
Veiðisøga og útbreiðsla av skjórutum springara
(Lagenorhynchus acutus) í Føroyum
Dorete Bloch and Bjarni Mikkelsen
Museum of Natural History, FO-IOO Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
E-mail: doreteb@ngs.fo; bjarnim@ngs.fo
Úrtak
Síðan 1872 siga veiðihagtølini frá, at uml. 9.435 skjór-
utir springarar hava lagt beinini í 158 grindum, og tað
gevur eitt árligt miðaltal á68.4 hvalir og 1.1 flokkur. Fyri
tey árini, har ið dráp var, er talið 168 hvalir og 2.8
flokkar. Tað, ið árliga hevur verið dripið, hevur ligið um
0-774 hvalirá 1-10 flokkar. Støddin á flokkunum hevur
ligið um 1-544 (í miðal 60 hvalir) við 74% < 50
hvalir/flokk. Flestir skjórutir springarar vórðu sæddir
sunnan fyri Suðuroynna, og 37% av springarunum úr
20 flokkum eru hildnir til í Vági og Hvalba. Raksturin
er í hæddini í september, og eingin hevur verið í mars
og desember. Úti á havinum hava hvalir verið sæddir
alt árið. Ein mislittur hvalur kom fyri í tveimum dráp-
um.
Abstract
Since 1872, the catch data informs about 9,435 white-
sided dolphins taken in 158 drives, an annual average
of 68.4 whales and 1.1 pod, and 168 whales and 2.8
pods for only the years containing a catch. The annual
catch has ranged 0-774 whales in 1-10 pods. The pod
size has ranged 1-544 (avg. 60 whales) with 74% < 50
whales/pod. Most white-sided dolphins were observed
south off Suðuroy and 37% dolphins from 20 pods has
been killed in Vágur and Hvalba. The drives peak in
September and none has occurred in March and
December. Offshore the whale has been reported all
year round. A discoloured whale occurred in two
catches.
Introduction
The white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus
acutus) is a widespread dolphin in the North
Atlantic Ocean, distributed mainly in the
ocean basins and approaching the Faroes all
year round (Skov et ai, 1995; Reeves et ai,
1999; Bloch et ai, 2001, Reid et ai, 2003).
Since the Norse settlement of the Faroe ls-
lands more than one thousand years ago, a
drive fishery has been practised on odonto-
cete cetaceans for consumption of the meat
and blubber. Previously, taxes on the catch
had to be paid to the king, church and
landowners for two of the taken species, the
long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas)
and the bottlenose whale (Hyperoodon am-
pullatus), and it is the background for the ex-
istence of a whaling statistic dating back to
Fróðskaparrit 57. bók 2009:190-198