Abstract

(…) The finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) shows a decidedly inshore distribution pattern (Kasuya and Kureha 1979), occurring in coastal waters frequented by fishermen. Its lack of a beak and a dorsal fin helps prevent confusion with other cetaceans. Most fishermen in Kitakyushu (northern Kyushu, see Fig.1) and Shimonoseki (southern end of Honshu) were able to identify it (Shirakihara, unpublished). In Japan, the distribution has been confirmed only in certain waters (Fig. 1a). In order to obtain more complete distributional information, a questionnaire survey intended for 2,053 fisheries cooperative associations was conducted from 1985 to 1989. The associations covered most of the coast of Japan (Fig. 1b). (…)