March 2007 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

North Atlantic Right Whale catalog on line
by Phil Hamilton 02 Mar '07

02 Mar '07

Dear Marmammers, Thanks to funds from the National Science Foundation, the North Atlantic Right Whale Catalog is now on line and searchable by the general public. The web site is www.neaq.org/rwcatalog. The site gives a thorough description of the photo-identification process and includes example images of all the features we use to distinguish one right whale from another, family trees and stories, an interactive right whale matching game (coming soon), and the ability to search the catalog. The catalog search section gives whale drawings, photographs, and sighting histories for all whales in the catalog. Because the web site is linked directly to our newly on-line database, each time a new identification is confirmed, that new sighting automatically appears in the sighting list for that whale on the web site. Philip Hamilton Right Whale Research New England Aquarium Boston, MA USA phamiltn(a)neaq.org

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DIGITS Photo Identification software
by Phil Hamilton 02 Mar '07

02 Mar '07

Dear Marmammers, If you are involved in photo identification and are struggling with how to archive your images, search and compare those images, and search or manage relevant sighting and life history data, read on. DIGITS is software developed by the New England Aquarium and Parallax Consulting, LLC with a grant from the National Science Foundation to help process all aspects of digital photo identification data in the North Atlantic right whale catalog. The application uses a coding system to describe many of the matching features and is designed to be adaptable for any photo-identification study that uses some form of identification codes. The application was built using the MS .Net framework and MS SQL Server database so that it would perform well with large digital images in low bandwidth network environments. The system 1) is server based and allows for multiple users to manage images and data remotely using password protected access, 2) allows for digital images to maintain their initial filenames which are referred to in field data, thereby maintaining the link between field data and electronic data, 3) allows for complex searches of cataloged whales and other unidentified sightings with similar attributes and presents them side-by-side, 4) automates the majority of the data entry required when animals are compared or matched or confirmed, and 5) provides screens to perform annual scarring and health assessments of whales. Although the data are maintained in SQL, they can be accessed, queried, and exported through a MS Access front end. The system is designed to operate over a LAN (Local Area Network), through a Virtual Private Network (VPN) over the Internet, or through web page to a Citrix server. In the first two scenarios, the DIGITS software resides on the local computer which must be windows 2K or XP. The software is set to auto-update if a newer version has been released. In the 3rd scenario, the software resides on the Citrix server allowing for access from many different computer platforms. Citrix also provides the fastest access and is used for low bandwidth environments. DIGITS has increased the speed and efficiency with which the North Atlantic right whale population can be effectively monitored. The software is available from the New England Aquarium free of charge, though some cost would be required to modify it for a different species and/or another database structure. A demonstration site has been set up and interested parties should contact Philip Hamilton (phamiltn(a)neaq.org) to get a user name and password or to receive a pdf of the user's manual. Philip Hamilton New England Aquarium Boston, MA USA phamiltn(a)neaq.org

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proposal to list the polar bear as "threatened" under U.S. law
by Wetzler, Andrew 01 Mar '07

01 Mar '07

All: As many of you know, on January 9, 2007, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed protecting the Polar Bear as a "threatened" species under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The U.S. government is now seeking peer review and public comment on its proposal through April 9, 2007, prior to making a final determination about protecting the polar bear under the Act. I want to encourage anyone with relevant information on the proposed listing to submit comments and participate in this important process. In particular, comments from polar bear specialists, Arctic ecologists, and climate scientists are essential to ensure that the U.S. government considers the best available scientific information when making a final decision about whether to grant polar bears protection. Comments may be as brief or as lengthy as you wish, but even a short letter concerning the petition will be valuable. NRDC and the Center for Biological Diversity have prepared a "Question and Answers" fact sheet for scientists about how to submit comments and what type of information to include. A copy is available at: http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/swcbd/species/polarbear/Comment-Fact- Sheet.pdf. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me directly. Thanks, Andrew Andrew E. Wetzler Director, Endangered Species Project NRDC 544 White Oak Place Worthington, OH 43085 (614) 84-0-0891 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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Conference and Workshops on Passive Acoustics for Monitoring Marine Mammals at Sea- Second Announcement
by Jonathan Gordon 01 Mar '07

01 Mar '07

Conference and Workshops on Passive Acoustics for Monitoring Marine Mammals at Sea: Second Announcement PAMGUARD is convening a conference on passive acoustics for monitoring marine mammals at sea and will be introducing, demonstrating and providing hands on experience with the PAMGUARD software, which is an integrated open source software package for processing and analysing either real time or archived input data from both towed and fixed hydrophones. The PAMGUARD project is a research activity currently supported by the OGP E&P Sound and Marine Life JIP (originally supported by the Industry Research Funders Coalition (IRFC)) The meeting will be held over two days 28th and 29th March 2007 at Herriot Watt University, Edinburgh UK. A one day conference on 28th will be followed by a day of focused workshops and hands on training sessions. The event will be of interest to participants from a range of organisations including: * Commercial Scientific and Military Operators of sound sources in the Marine Environment * Marine biology researchers and academics * Regulators * Marine Mammal Observers and PAM operators * MMO/PAM service providers * Equipment developers and providers * Software Developers For more information and to register please visit the conference website at www.pamguard.org/conference2007/ NOTE: Those who pre-registered on the PAMGARDMeedting google site should register fully at www.pamguard.org/conference2007/

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