Application of high resolution DNA profiling to management of eastern North Atlantic minke whales

Project summary: The Norwegian minke whale DNA-register is a valuable scientific resource. However, the current number of loci (10 micro-satellite loci) is too low for answering questions that are important to the management of North Atlantic minke whales. The project wi ll assess a subset of individuals in the register at 15 additional micro-satellite loci. While 10 loci is sufficient to uniquely identify individuals, with 25 loci one can unambiguously detect parent-offspring pairs and partly discriminate between more di stant types of relationships. This will allow us to answer questions about the current population structure, demography and migration patterns. As opposed to traditional genetic methods, which information about population structure on an evolutionary scal e. DNA-fingerprinting methods provide information about contemporary structures. It is the latter that is primarily requested by management organizations such as IWC. Further more, the additional 15 loci will increas the precision of a new statistical method that has been developed for estimating the minke whale abundance based on the DNA-register. The project will draw a conclusion on whether the new method can replace the current abundance estimation method which is based on line transect surveys.