September 2006 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New paper about Bottlenose Dolphins and fish farms
by Bruno Diaz 05 May '07

05 May '07

Dear All, The following paper is now available. PDF reprints are available upon request (contact email: B_D_R_I(a)yahoo.com) THE IMPACT OF A FISH FARM ON A BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN POPULATION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA. Bruno Díaz López, Luca Marini & Federico Polo. Thalassas, An international Journal of marine sciences. Vol 21 (2), 2005. ABSTRACT The increasing presence of aquaculture in coastal waters calls for a better understanding of its environmental effects. Despite a number of studies focusing on the impact of aquaculture on marine mammals, the interaction between common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) with fish farms has been the subject of few investigations. In this paper we report the results of our research on the interaction between bottlenose dolphins with a fish farm on the Sardinian coast (Italy) from 1991 to 2004. We divided the study area latitudinally into two sections: southern (Gulf of Olbia) and northern (Gulf of Congianus). In the southern section in November 1995 the plant of a small fish farm was completely increased and transformed. Data were pooled into two periods (1991 to 1994 and 1999 to 2004). All years but 2003 were sampled. During the first and second research periods the same land-based searches were conducted under fair to excellent weather conditions. A total of 255 sightings were carried out in over 1320 hours of research of dolphins: in the first period 52 sightings were recorded in 517 hours of research, in the second period 203 sightings were realized in 803 hours of research. The presence of bottlenose dolphins changed dramatically between the two research periods. Observations of dolphins indicate that they are mainly present in the southern area during the second period. The preference for the southern section seemed to be consistent after the transformation of the fish farm, since 1995. Keywords: bottlenose dolphins, aquaculture, fish farm, marine mammals, Sardinian coast Best regards, Bruno Díaz López Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute www.geocities.com/B_D_R_I B_D_R_I(a)yahoo.com V.Diaz 4 Golfo Aranci (SS) Italy tel: 00 39 346 0815414 --------------------------------- Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. PC-to-Phone calls for ridiculously low rates. --------------------------------- Get amazing travel prices for air and hotel in one click on Yahoo! FareChase

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Job Announcement
by Jenelle Gilding 29 Sep '06

29 Sep '06

The Alaska SeaLife Center, a non-profit organization dedicated to marine research, rehabilitation, conservation, and public education is seeking applications for the following: Research Technician This position is responsible for aiding in the development and application of innovative tools and techniques for remotely monitoring the behavior and physiology of Steller sea lions, northern fur seals and killer whales. Responsibilities (include but are not limited to): * Participate in and occasionally lead field projects to deploy biotelemetry instruments on Steller sea lions, northern fur seals, and killer whales. * Assist in construction and testing of electronic biotelemetry instruments on captive Steller sea lions. * Perform data analysis on movements, behavior and physiology of sea lions, fur seals and killer whales using computer software including Geographical Information Systems. * Arranges logistics and leads field crews in the absence of the lead scientist and research associate. * Supervises personnel matters, including training for interns, volunteers and junior technicians. * Assists in drafting reports and scientific publications and takes a lead role on reports and publications as assigned. * Keeps proper records in accordance with the ASLC and permit requirements. * Prepares and presents public presentations. Requirements: Bachelor's degree in a natural or health sciences related field; or at least 8 years experience working in the marine mammal field. Ability to withstand long field deployments (up to 3 months) is preferred. Experience in handling wild animals, using biotelemetry instruments, and boat operation is also preferred. This is a full-time position. The SeaLife Center offers a competitive wage (DOE) with great benefits, in a beautiful setting. Start Date: ASAP Apply by: October 31, 2006 Send resume & application (downloadable at www.alaskasealife.org <http://www.alaskasealife.org/> ) to Human Resources, Alaska SeaLife Center, P. O. Box 1329, Seward, AK 99664-1329, or fax 907-224-6320, or email to HR(a)alaskasealife.org <mailto:human_resources@alaskasealife.org> . www.alaskasealife.org <http://www.alaskasealife.org/> The ASLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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Effects of high-speed powerboat races on dolphins
by Tilen Genov 29 Sep '06

29 Sep '06

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FINS 3(1), ACCOBAMS Newsletter is available online (fwd)
by MARMAM Editors 28 Sep '06

28 Sep '06

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: ACCOBAMS Secretariat <accobams(a)accobams.net> Dear List, The ACCOBAMS Secretariat has the pleasure of announcing you that FINS 3(1) is available as a downloadable pdf file (915 kb) from the ACCOBAMS website at the following URL: http://www.accobams.org/2006.php/newsletter/all Should you encounter any difficulties in downloading FINS, the Secretariat will be happy to send you it as an email attachment. FINS 3(1) Table of contents: - Editorial - Historical perspective on ACCOBAMS - Ziphius material wanted - SPECIAL: ship strikes - News from the Scientific Committee - News from the Range States: Croatia - News from the Secretariat - Short News - Calendar of events - Acknowledgments If you want to be cancelled from our mailing list, please reply to this email by placing in the subject line: FINS/Unsubscribe. The Editorial Board of FINS would like to thank for all the contributions received and remind that all new inputs and/or suggestions from your side are highly welcome. FINS, the newsletter of ACCOBAMS, Agreement for the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara Editor Via Benedetto Marcello 43 - 20124 Milano, Italy Tel: +39 335 6376035, +39 02 29402867, Fax: +39 02 700518468 email: disciara(a)tin.it Marie-Christine Van Klaveren ACCOBAMS Executive Secretary Les Terrasses de Fontvieille, Jardin de l'UNESCO MC-98000 Monaco TEl: +377 93158010/2078, Fax: +377 93154208 email: accobams(a)accobams.net; mcvanklaveren(a)accobams.net ------------------------------------------------------------------- -To submit a message to MARMAM, send it to: marmam(a)lists.uvic.ca -Please include your name and e-mail address in the body of the text of all submissions, and ensure your message has an appropriate subject heading (ie., not "Message for MARMAM") -Do not submit attached files or HTML/MIME messages. -To subscribe to MARMAM, go to lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam -To contact the MARMAM editors, write to: marmamed(a)uvic.ca -MARMAM Editorial Policy & FAQ: http://whitelab.biology.dal.ca/marmam.htm

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Where to publish? (fwd)
by MARMAM Editors 28 Sep '06

28 Sep '06

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Charles Littnan <Charles.Littnan(a)noaa.gov> Hello Marmamites- This is a link to a pretty useful document for people (particularly for budding scientists) wondering where to submit their manuscripts for publication. The handbook includes summaries of the topics covered by and impact factor of numerous journals. Hope some of you find it useful. http://www.scu.edu/envs/whoweare/docs/Where%20to%20Publish.pdf Cheers, c -- Charles Littnan, Ph.D. Ecologist Marine Mammal Foraging Program Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center NOAA Fisheries 2570 Dole St. Honolulu HI 96822 Tel: (808) 983 5392 Fax: (808) 983 2902 ------------------------------------------------------------------- -To submit a message to MARMAM, send it to: marmam(a)lists.uvic.ca -Please include your name and e-mail address in the body of the text of all submissions, and ensure your message has an appropriate subject heading (ie., not "Message for MARMAM") -Do not submit attached files or HTML/MIME messages. -To subscribe to MARMAM, go to lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam -To contact the MARMAM editors, write to: marmamed(a)uvic.ca -MARMAM Editorial Policy & FAQ: http://whitelab.biology.dal.ca/marmam.htm

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Echoes article on automatic classification of whale vocalizations
by Judy Brown 28 Sep '06

28 Sep '06

"Classifying Killer Whale Vocalizations Using (Dynamic) Time Warping" Judy Brown and Patrick Miller Echoes 16 (3), 45 - 47 http://asa.aip.org/vol16no3.pdf based on Providence ASA talk ppt presentation is at http://web.media.mit.edu/~brown/

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Bottlenose dolphin skin disease
by acorema 28 Sep '06

28 Sep '06

Dear all, Since 1999 we are studying a community of coastal bottlenose dolphins in the Paracas area, southern Peru, in particular in the Paracas Bay, an area with high environmental impact caused by the presence of several fishmeal plants. The goal of our study is to maintain a monitoring program of the dolphin population for management purposes, to study the social ecology of this species and to promote dolphin conservation through public awareness. Using photo-identification we were able to identify up to 69 individuals of which at least 9 showed a type of skin lession in the dorsal fin that started as an open reddish wound (A), then turned yellowish (B) and finally light gray (C); during the transition between the B and C condition, some lost of tissue is observed, sometimes even loosing the tip of the dorsal fin. I would appreciate to hear from those who has observed similar conditions in the field and may have an idea of which kind of disease could be. Also, we need information on batimetry limiting the home range of coastal bottlenose (or another) dolphins. I have an article by L.J. Hansen (1990): California coastal bottlenose dolphins (In Leathrwood and Reeves: The Bottlenose Dolphin), where the theme is discussed, but I would like to know on any recent paper about this subject. Thanks in advance, Julio C. Reyes ACOREMA - Peru

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New publications week 38
by Jan Herrmann 28 Sep '06

28 Sep '06

Dear all, here are some new publications of week 38 / 2006, which haven't been announced on MARMAM earlier AFAIK. By clicking the following link you are guided to a website, where the following references are linked to their according journal homepages. There you can find abstracts and contact information: http://www.mmbib.com/news.html Please do not contact MARMAM, the MARMAM editors or me for reprints. Thank you. Thanks to all of you who sent in reprints to be included in the weekly announcements. Kindest Regards, Jan Herrmann CETACEA Dalebout, M.L. et al. (2006): Nuclear and mitochondrial markers reveal distinctiveness of a small population of bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon ampullatus) in the western North Atlantic. Molecular Ecology 15(11): 3115-3129. Fujikura, K., Y. Fujiwara, and M. Kawato (2006): A New Species of Osedax (Annelida: Siboglinidae) Associated with Whale Carcasses off Kyushu, Japan. Zoological Science 23(8): 733-740. Hertzog, R.G. (2006): Ancestral telomere shortening: A countdown that will increase mean life span? Medical Hypotheses 67(1): 157-160. Houde, M. et al. (2006): Perfluoroalkyl compounds in relation to life-history and reproductive parameters in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from Sarasota Bay, Florida, USA. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 25(9): 2405-2412. Jaber, J.R. et al. (2006): Pathological and immunohistochemical study of gastrointestinal lesions in dolphins stranded in the Canary Islands. The Veterinary Record 159(13): 410-414. Morishita, J. (2006): Multiple analysis of the whaling issue: Understanding the dispute by a matrix. Marine Policy 30(6): 802-808. Murphy, S. and E. Rogan (2006): External morphology of the short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis: growth, allometric relationships and sexual dimorphism. Acta Zoologica 87(4): 315-329. Spinsanti, G. et al. (2006): Selection of reference genes for quantitative RT-PCR studies in striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) skin biopsies. BMC Molecular Biology 7(1): 32. PINNIPEDIA Lockwood, S.K., J.L. Chovan, and J.K. Gaydos (2006): Aerobic bacterial isolations from harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) stranded in Washington: 1992-2003. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 37(3): 281-291. Pala, C. (2006): Climate science. Sea animals get tagged for double-duty research. Science 313(5792): 1383-1384. OTHER MARINE MAMMALS Sørmo, E.G. et al. (2006): Biomagnification of polybrominated diphenyl ether and hexabromocyclododecane flame retardants in the polar bear food chain in Svalbard, Norway. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 25(9): 2502-2511. Lightsey, J.D. et al. (2006): Methods used during gross necropsy to determine watercraft-related mortality in the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris). Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 37(3): 262-275. -- --> jan.herrmann -at - cetacea.de

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Hooded seals
by Mazzaro, Lisa 27 Sep '06

27 Sep '06

________________________________ I'm lookinf for information on behavior, training, housing with other marine mammal species and agression of hooded seals in a zoo or aquarium setting. If anyone has maintained hooded seals or knows of a facility that has, please contact me (contact info below) directly. I have searched online for this information and have turned up a very limited number of facilities that appear to have maintained this species in the past. I am attempting to contact those facilities, but I'm hoping that anyone with information will contact me. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Lisa Mazzaro, Ph.D. Research Scientist Mystic Aquarium 55 coogan Blvd. Mystic, CT 06355 Phone: 860-572-5955 ext. 109 Fax: 860-572-5969 Email: LMazzaro(a)mysticaquarium.org Email: LMazzaro(a)aol.com

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population spatial structure in humpback whales
by peter＠hwdt.org 27 Sep '06

27 Sep '06

The following paper has recently been published online on Blackwell Synergy and will appear in the next print issue of the Journal of Zoology. PDFs are available on request. Cheers, Peter Stevick peter(a)hwdt.org Stevick, PT, J Allen, PJ Clapham, SK Katona, F Larsen, J Lien, DK Mattila, PJ Palsboll, R Sears, J Sigurjonsson, TD Smith, G Vikingsson, N Oien and PS Hammond. Population spatial structuring on the feeding grounds in North Atlantic humpback whales. Journal of Zoology, London. 270:244-255. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2006.00128.x Population spatial structuring among North Atlantic humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae on the summer feeding grounds was investigated using movement patterns of identified individuals. We analysed the results from an intensive 2-year ocean-basin-scale investigation resulting in 1658 individuals identified by natural markings and 751 individuals by genetic markers supplemented with data from a long-term collaborative study with 3063 individuals identified by natural markings. Re-sighting distances ranged from <1km to >2200km. The frequencies (F) of resighting distances (D) observed in consecutive years were best modelled by an inverse allometric function (F=6631D-1.24, r2=0.984), reflecting high levels of site fidelity (median re-sighting distance <40km) with occasional long-distance movement (5% of re-sightings >550 km). The distribution of re-sighting distances differed east and west of 51W, with more long-distance movement in the east. This difference is consistent with regional patterns of prey distribution and predictability. Four feeding aggregations were identified: the Gulf of Maine, eastern Canada, West Greenland and the eastern North Atlantic. There was an exchange rate of 0.98% between the western feeding aggregations. The prevalence of long-distance movement in the east made delineation of possible additional feeding aggregations less clear. Limited exchange between sites separated by as little as tens of kilometres produced lower-level structuring within all feeding aggregations. Regional and temporal differences in movement patterns reflected similar foraging responses to varying patterns of prey availability and predictability. A negative relationship was shown between relative abundance of herring and sand lance in the Gulf of Maine and humpback whale movement from the Gulf of Maine to eastern Canada.

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