June 2006 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Training Course: Photo-Identification of bottlenose dolphins
by Bruno Diaz 04 Jun '06

04 Jun '06

Training Course: Photo-Identification of bottlenose dolphins This research course, organized by BDRI (Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute), offers an opportunity for enthusiastic and motivated individuals to obtain field and laboratory training in methodology and analysis for the study of photo-identification and social structure of wild bottlenose dolphins under the mentorship of BDRI's researchers. PLACE: GOLFO ARANCI (north-eastern Sardinia - Italy) where since 1991 the Non-profit "Accademia del Leviatano" and Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute BDRI have carried out a long term study about this coastal population. The recognition of individual bottlenose dolphins can be used as a tool for a large variety of information (group composition, fidelity of certain dolphins to the group, area distribution and use of habitat preferences, individual behaviour, etc...). Students gain hands-on experience during the boat surveys studying the bottlenose dolphin social structure using photo-id methods. LANGUAGES: English, Spanish or Italian. DATES: 19 - 24 June; 04 - 09 September (if these weeks are full will be added one or two weeks of courses in July) PRICE: 450 Euro (Special price for Students 400 Euro). The course fee will cover you for full board (all your accommodation and food costs in the base), seminars fee, and ALL associated field costs during your stay with us. You'll simply need to arrange your own travel itinerary to us in Golfo Aranci (see How to reach the BDRI in our website: www.geocities.com/B_D_R_I) If you are interested in the course, or for further information, please visit our website or feel free to contact us: http://www.geocities.com/B_D_R_I Email: B_D_R_I(a)yahoo.com Tel: + 39 346 0815414 --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Everyone is raving about the all-new Yahoo! Mail Beta. --------------------------------- Feel free to call! Free PC-to-PC calls. Low rates on PC-to-Phone. Get Yahoo! Messenger with Voice

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New publication: Opposing views of the "Ecosystem Approach" to fisheries management
by Peter Corkeron 02 Jun '06

02 Jun '06

Dear Marmamers I'm happy to announce publication, in the June issue of Conservation Biology, of a paper on the "Ecosystem Approach" to fisheries management, that talks quite a bit about marine mammal issues. The citation is: Corkeron P.J. 2006. Opposing views of the "Ecosystem Approach" to Fisheries Management. Conservation Biology 20(3): 617-619. There's no abstract. Those without a subscription to the journal can get a pdf from me at the email address below. Peter peter.corkeron(a)gmail.com -- Peter J. Corkeron

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Seeking Intern for Killer Whale Research
by Dawn Grebner 02 Jun '06

02 Jun '06

Seeking Intern to Assist Doctoral Student with Field Research I am a PhD student from the Graduate Program in Acoustics at Penn State. I am seeking an intern to assist me in collecting behavioral and acoustical data on killer whales located on an island off Vancouver Island North, BC. The field season will last approximately 6-7 weeks from the second week of July thru the end of August; the internship itself will be from the approximately July 24 to the last week of August. All observations and data collection will be conducted from shore, but travel by boat to the island is necessary. This internship is an excellent opportunity for an individual working toward a career in marine mammal science to acquire field experience. An ideal candidate would be dedicated to the marine environment and committed to collecting data to further our understanding of killer whale group dynamics. Skills intern will learn: How to distinguish between individuals within a matrilineal unit, subpod or pod How to estimate group size and composition How to record and distinguish between different killer whale behaviors How to record and retrieve acoustic information How to estimate distances of killer whales to the observation site How to assess and record environmental conditions and sound speed profile information Abilities: Prior knowledge of marine mammal behavior or acoustics is an asset Must be able to rise early and work long hours Must be able to camp and work in a remote coastal environment Capable of hiking daily with equipment from the campsite to the observation cliff (~5km/2.5 miles each way) Interns will be responsible for travel to the location. Intern will need to supply their own tent, tarp and sleeping gear. Though it does not cost anything to live on the island, a weekly food/water supply fee of $70 will be necessary to participate in the camp. Please contact me with your interest, background experience and if you would like more information. dmg302(a)psu.edu Thanks, Dawn PhD Candidate Graduate Program in Acoustics Penn State 814-863-7562 __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com

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effect of wave energy farm on cetaceans
by Opération Cétacés 01 Jun '06

01 Jun '06

Dear Marmanners, I am looking on any kind of information that could be available on potential effects of wave energy farms on cetaceans. especially the Pelamis wave energy converter. I was in touch with the society (Ocean Power Delivery Ltd) that developped such a system. They let me know that they conducted environmental studies for each project but only one is actually in exploitation in Portugal. That's why I will be very interested to be in touch with anyone taht conducted study on effects of wave energy farms on cetaceans Information of any kind would be appreciate. Thanks Claire Garrigue Dr Claire Garrigue Responsable scientifique BP12827 98802 Noumea Nouvelle-Calédonie tel/fax : +687 24-16-34 www.offratel.nc/op.cetaces

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Bottlenose Dolphin Photo-identification Internships - Fall 2006
by R.H. Defran 01 Jun '06

01 Jun '06

From: "Dr. R.H. Defran" <rdefran(a)sunstroke.sdsu.edu> The Marine Mammal and Protected Resources (MMPR) Program in Charleston, South Carolina is recruiting to fill one or two Dolphin Photo-identification Internship positions for the Fall of 2006. The MMPR is organized within NOAA's National Ocean Service and is located at the Coastal Environmental Health and Biomolecular Research (CCEHBR) laboratory in Charleston, SC. The intern position involves a commitment of 20 hours per week extending over a 15 week period from Tuesday September 5, 2006 to Friday, December 15, 2006. The intern will participate in the field and laboratory activities of the Charleston Dolphin Abundance and Distribution Project (CDAD). Two useful sources of information about the CDAD project are: 1) Zolman, E. 2002. Residence patterns of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Stono River estuary, Charleston County, South Carolina. Marine Mammal Science 18:879-892; and 2) The Charleston Dolphin Abundance and Distribution (CDAD) Project: Standard Operating Protocols (SOP) for Field and Photographic Analysis Procedures (you can download pdf versions of these documents at the web sites listed below). The CDAD project carries out boat-based photo-identification surveys in the coastal and inland waterways of the Charleston, SC area. This research is designed to provide an understanding of the population characteristics, including temporal and spatial aspects of distribution, of Charleston area Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. The internship offers an excellent opportunity for qualified and motivated individuals to obtain field and laboratory training in photo-identification methodology and analysis under the mentorship of experienced dolphin researchers. There is no compensation for this internship position and the successful applicant will be responsible for their living and transportation expenses during the time of the internship. The interns must have a personal vehicle to allow them to travel to and from the laboratory and to some of the local field sites in the Charleston area. Ideal internship applicants will be advanced undergraduates or a recent graduate of a scientifically oriented university program in the behavioral or biological sciences. A typical applicant should have a strong interest in the scientific study of cetacean behavioral ecology, have potential interests in future graduate study in marine mammal science, and is an individual who seeks extensive and intensive exposure to the field work, data analysis techniques, and the research literature in this field. Preference will be given to the selection of an intern with well developed computer skills and boat-based field experience. The internship application will consist of a letter of interest, transcripts of university coursework and two letters of recommendation from professors or research supervisors who are familiar with your scholarship, research skills and work habits. Interested applicants should correspond with Dr. Defran by email before preparing and submitting application materials. We anticipate filling this internship position by early July 2006. Interested applicants should correspond by email to: Dr. R.H. Defran Email: rdefran(a)sunstroke.sdsu.edu Defran Home Page: http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/CBL/Director.html Zolman PDF download: http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/classes/psychology/psy211/defran/CDAD/Zolman2002.pdf CDAD SOP pdf download: http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/classes/psychology/psy211/defran/CDAD/CDAD%20Interns hip%20SOP.pdf.

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comments on RIMPAC exercise available
by Michael Jasny 01 Jun '06

01 Jun '06

Dear all, As many of you know, the U.S. Navy is planning to conduct a major exercise called RIMPAC ("Rim of the Pacific") around the main Hawaiian Islands next month, from around July 1 through July 28. The exercise would involve a variety of activities with potential impacts on marine mammals, including gunnery and missile exercises, and as many as 532 hours of training with mid-frequency sonar and other active acoustics. NMFS has proposed giving the Navy an authorization for RIMPAC -- which would represent the first time "takes" from mid-frequency sonar are allowed under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act. The authorization would cover only significant behavioral effects and non-lethal injury, but (controversially) not strandings or mortalities. The deadline for public comments closed last week. I'd like to let everyone know that NRDC's comments are available at docs.nrdc.org/water/wat_06052401A.pdf. Best, Michael Michael Jasny Natural Resources Defense Council 4479 W. 5th Avenue Vancouver, BC V6R1S4 604-736-9386 mjasny(a)telus.net PRIVILEGE AND CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE This message is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information that is privileged, confidential and exempt from disclosure under applicable law as attorney client and work-product confidential or otherwise confidential communications. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication or other use of a transmission received in error is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, immediately notify us at the above telephone number.

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Summer Field Courses on Marine Mammals and the Marine Environment of the Aegean Sea
by Frank Veit 01 Jun '06

01 Jun '06

Summer Field Courses 2006 on Marine Mammals and their Marine Environment - Biology, Conservation & Management Archipelagos Institute, Patmos - Aegean Sea, Greece 15-24 July 19-28 August 16-25 September Location: Island of Patmos, Northern Dodecanese Lecturers Frank Veit, PhD - Free University of Berlin, Marine Mammal Research Co-ordinator Anastasia Miliou, PhD cand. - Scientific Director of Archipelagos Institute Catriona Lynch, MSc - Archipelagos Institute, Coastal Zone Manager & GIS Expert Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara (guest lecturer in the first two courses) Topics covered in the field course 1. Biology and conservation of marine mammals of the Aegean Sea. 2. Visual survey methods to assess the abundance of cetacean populations. 3. Passive acoustics: a modern tool to study cetacean behaviour, habitat characteristics and estimating cetacean abundance. 4. First aid to marine mammals & turtles. 5. Coastal ecosystems. 6. Fish fauna of the Eastern Aegean Sea: biology and conservation. 7. Algae and invertebrate biodiversity of the Eastern Aegean Sea. 8. Application of GIS (Geographic Information System) analysis in marine biodiversity studies. 9. Fisheries: Socio-economical importance and impact on marine ecosystems. 10. Management of marine & island ecosystems. Archipelagos, Institute of Marine & Environmental Research of the Aegean Sea, announces its field courses for the summer of 2006, held on the island of Patmos, Northern Dodecanese. These ten-day courses present an integrated perspective by introducing active areas of research in studying the marine biodiversity, with a special emphasis on the marine mammal populations of the Aegean Sea. Participants of the course will gain from the expertise and hands-on experience during the course. Combined with informational seminars and lectures, they will be trained during this field and laboratory-intensive course in ecologically-relevant research techniques, including bioacoustics, line-transect studies of the ecology of coastal ecosystems for different target species, passive acoustic monitoring, behavioural sampling, acquisition and application of GIS databases with demonstrational computer workshops, and photo-identification of cetacean species in mark-recapture analysis. The course content is highly applied, as is the daily work of the Archipelagos Institute, which aims at developing sustainable management concepts for the natural wealth of the Aegean Sea in co-operation with the local community. The waters around the islands of the Northern Dodecanese are home to an abundance of habitats (e.g. Posidonia seagrass-beds) and marine species, many of which are particularly rare and under international protected status, as for example a large population of short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), the last known in the entire eastern Mediterranean Sea, or the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), with a world wide population of only a few hundred individuals one of the most endangered mammal species altogether. In total six species of marine mammals inhabit the waters of the area. Beside the two former mentioned marine mammals, there are bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus), striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), and Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris). The design of the course is aimed at students and graduates of marine and environmental sciences, as well as all related fields. Course language is English. Field work will be partly done during boat-based surveys and partly during snorkelling-based surveys. Boat surveys depend on weather conditions and might start very early in the morning, when observational conditions are usually best. The price for the course is Euro 950, including accommodation, half board meals (breakfast and lunch), boat trips, and all other day activities. For more information about the course and application details, please visit the homepage of Archipelagos at www.archipelago.gr or cantact: frank(a)archipelago.gr About Archipelagos The non-profit environmental organisation Archipelagos conducts for over five years the first comprehensive study on the biodiversity of the marine and terrestrial island ecosystems in Greek waters, focussing on the application of established as well as innovative research techniques in assessing and modelling environmental data. A further emphasis of the organisation's activities is the information exchange with local communities, including educational programs, and a close collaboration with national and international institutions. Based on these efforts, the creation of the 'National Park of the North Dodecanese Islands and Islets' is being prepared together with Greek governmental bodies, its establishment being planned for the near future. This national park, which will constitute one of the largest marine parks of the Mediterranean, will encompass over 50 islands and islets of the North Dodecanese and the surrounding waters. More information and an extended photo archive can be found on the Web page of Archipelagos www.archipelago.gr

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