Killer whale (Orcinus orca) depredation effects on catch rates of six groundfish species: implications for commercial longline fisheries in Alaska

Killer whale (Orcinus orca) depredation occurs when whales damage or remove fish caught on longline gear. This study uses National Marine Fisheries Service longline survey data from 1998-2011 to explore spatial and temporal trends in killer whale depredation and to quantify the effect of killer whale depredation on catches of six groundfish species within three management areas in Alaska: the Bering Sea, Aleutian Islands and Western Gulf of Alaska. When killer whales were present during survey gear retrieval, whales removed an estimated 54-72% of sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria), 41-84% of arrowtooth flounder (Atheresthes stomias) and 73% (Bering Sea only) of Greenland turbot (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides). Effects on Pacific halibut (Hippoglossus stenolepis) and Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) were significant in the Western Gulf only with 51% and 46% reductions, respectively. Overall catches (depredated and non-depredated sets) for all groundfish species significantly impacted by killer whale depredation were lower by 9-28% (p, 0.05). Effects on shortspine thornyhead (Sebastolobus alascanus) catches were not significant in any management area (p. 0.05). These results provide insight into the potential impacts of killer whale depredation on fish stock abundance indices and commercially important fisheries in Alaska and will inform future research on apex predator-fisheries interactions.