June 2007 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

17th SMM Biennial - Abstract deadline extension: further details
by Michelle du Toit 24 Jul '07

24 Jul '07

Dear all, Conference Update: 17th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Cape Town, 29 Nov - 3 Dec 2007 The abstract submission deadline has been extended from 31 May to 10 June 2007. However, please note that the 7-day editing option will not be applicable to those submitting during this extension: abstracts submitted after 31 May will go directly to the review process and should not be edited after submission (this will be reflected on the conference website by Monday). Furthermore, letters from supervisors regarding student presentations for award consideration will be accepted until 10 June. Reminder: DO NOT CREATE MORE THAN ONE USER PROFILE (http://www.smmconference2007.org/register_new_form.php) DO NOT SUBMIT MORE THAN ONE ABSTRACT FROM YOUR USER PROFILE Any questions can be forwarded to sciprog(a)marinemammalogy.org _________________________________________________ Michelle du Toit Assistant - Scientific Programme Committee 17th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals Mammal Research Institute Department of Zoology and Entomology University of Pretoria Pretoria, 0002 South Africa Tel: +27-12-4204573 Fax: +27-12-4202534 mdutoit(a)zoology.up.ac.za This message and attachments are subject to a disclaimer. Please refer to http://www.it.up.ac.za/documentation/governance/disclaimer/ for full details. / Hierdie boodskap en aanhangsels is aan 'n vrywaringsklousule onderhewig. Volledige besonderhede is by http://www.it.up.ac.za/documentation/governance/disclaimer/ beskikbaar.

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Request for Phocine Distemper Virus reference
by monitors＠sealwatch.org 01 Jul '07

01 Jul '07

SealWatch.org is preparing an Alert page about the current outbreak of Phocine Distemper Virus in northern Europe, apparently originating again from the islands of Denmark and potentially spreading to other countries. Harbor/common seals are at the greatest risk; the last epidemic was catastrophic. Although we have access to scientific studies on the etiology and epidemiology of the disease, and are compiling a list of those marine mammal rescue stations most likely to be involved at the forefront of response in the near term, we do not have a reference to a general treatment of the disease for an concerned, informed, but non-technical audience. Any suggestions for an appropriate online resource to which we can direct visitors seeking further information would be appreciated.

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New publications week 18
by Jan Herrmann 28 Jun '07

28 Jun '07

Dear all, here are some new publications of week 18 / 2007, 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 Morell, V. (2007): CONSERVATION BIOLOGY: Whales (Mostly) Win at Whaling Commission Meeting. Science 316(5830): 1411. Xie, Y. and W. Sung (2007): Conservation status of Chinese species: (1) Overview. Integrative Zoology 2(1): 26-35. Yang, J. et al. (2007): Mercury and its relation with selenium in the liver of Dall's porpoises (Phocoenoides dalli) off the Sanriku coast of Japan. Environmental Pollution 148(2): 669-673. PINNIPEDIA Andrade, S. et al. (2007): Heavy metals in molted fur of the southern elephant seal Mirounga leonina. Marine Pollution Bulletin 54(5): 602-605. Borrell, A. et al. (2007): Concentrations and patterns of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs in Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus monachus) from Western Sahara and Greece. Science of the Total Environment 381(1-3): 316-325. Casper, R.M. et al. (2007): Detecting prey from DNA in predator scats: A comparison with morphological analysis, using Arctocephalus seals fed a known diet. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 347(1-2): 144-154. Risch, D. et al. (2007): Vocalizations of male bearded seals, Erignathus barbatus: classification and geographical variation. Animal Behaviour 73(5): 747-762. Toplua, N., A. Aydoggan, and T.C. Oguzoglu (2007): Visceral Leishmaniosis and Parapoxvirus Infection in a Mediterranean Monk Seal (Monachus monachus). Journal of Comparative Pathology 136(4): 283-287. Trites, A.W., D.G. Calkins, and A.J. Winship (2007): Diets of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in Southeast Alaska, 1993-1999. Fishery bulletin 105(2): 234-248. Wang, D. et al. (2007): Polychlorinated naphthalenes and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls in tissues of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) from the northern Gulf of Alaska. Chemosphere 67(10): 2044-2057. OTHER MARINE MAMMALS -- --> jan.herrmann -at - cetacea.de

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Scientific research papers needed on underwater blasting and whale stranding
by Westport Library 27 Jun '07

27 Jun '07

I am looking for scientic papers or other resources on underwater blasting noise linked to whale strandings. I need to have this information by Friday to present to the Digby Neck quarry panel. Thank you for your assistance. June Swift Brier Island-- Westport Branch Library P.O.Box 1194 Westport, NS B0V 1H0 Canada westport(a)nsy.library.ns.ca www.westerncounties.ca (902)839-2955

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new paper on Pelagos Sanctuary
by Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara 27 Jun '07

27 Jun '07

Dear all, Apologies for cross-posting. The online version of the following paper is now available: Notarbartolo-di-Sciara G, Agardy T, Hyrenbach D, Scovazzi T, Van Klaveren P. 2007. The Pelagos sanctuary for Mediterranean marine mammals. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems (in press). DOI: 10.1002/aqc.855. Abstract 1. In February 2002, France, Italy and Monaco agreed to establish an international sanctuary for Mediterranean marine mammals. The resulting Pelagos Sanctuary encompasses over 87 500 km2 of the north-western Mediterranean Sea, extending between south-eastern France, Monaco, northwestern Italy and northern Sardinia, and surrounding Corsica and the Tuscan Archipelago. 2. The Pelagos Sanctuary illustrates how the tenets of Marine Protected Area (MPA) design can be reconciled with the dynamic nature of oceanic systems, because its spatial scale was defined by oceanographic and ecological considerations, specifically the location of the Ligurian permanent frontal system. 3. By expanding protective measures beyond national waters, the Pelagos Sanctuary also sets a precedent for the implementation of pelagic protected areas in the high seas. The Pelagos Sanctuary will contribute to the conservation of the Mediterranean Sea at two scales: (i) locally, by protecting important cetacean foraging and breeding grounds in the Ligurian Sea, and by providing 'umbrella' protection to other marine predators in this area; and (ii) regionally, by empowering other conservation measures, such as the Specially Protected Areas Protocol of the Barcelona Convention and the wider goals of the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black and Mediterranean Seas (ACCOBAMS). 4. However, because few cetacean species are resident within the Sanctuary, their effective longterm conservation will require large-scale management and coordinated monitoring throughout the Mediterranean basin. Please contact me (giuseppe(a)disciara.net) for a pdf. Best wishes, Giuseppe ---------- Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara, Tethys Research Institute Via Benedetto Marcello 43 - 20124 Milano, ITALY tel. +39 335 6376035, +39 02 29402867; fax +39 02 700518468 email: giuseppe(a)disciara.net skype: patmos1999 http://www.disciara.net http://www.tethys.org http://www.accobams.org

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Volunteers needed for work on Australian fur seals
by Andrew James Hoskins 26 Jun '07

26 Jun '07

Volunteers are required to assist PhD students from Deakin University, Victoria, Australia on projects studying the foraging behaviours of Australian and New Zealand fur seals. Volunteers will gain experience in the capture and restraint of adult female, juvenile and pup Australian fur seals. Volunteers will also assist in gas anaesthesia, the attachment and removal of data loggers, the collection of blood and tissue samples and the remote chemical restraint of New Zealand fur seals for the purpose of attaching or removing data loggers. Fieldwork will be carries out on Kanowna Island, a remote island off the coast of WIlsons Promontory, Victoria. Life as well as work on the island can be physically demanding and as such volunteers should be relatively fit and healthy. Volunteers will need to provide their own transport to and from Tidal River, Wilsons Promontory; alternatively, carpooling may be able to be arranged with other volunteers travelling down. Accomodation is basic (camping in tents) but is provided, all food will also be provided. Volunteers will need to bring personal items such as clothes and sleeping bags. The length of field trips vary from 10 days to up to 20 days, trips will be carried out between the months of July and September of this year with the potential for positions to also be available for trips being carried out during the summer months. Please direct all correspondences (preferably via email) to: Before July 7th Andrew Hoskins PhD candidate Deakin University Email: ajhos(a)deakin.edu.au Mobile: 0403456738 Or after July 7th Dr John Arnould Senior lecturer Deakin University Email: jarnould(a)deakin.edu.au

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USCG Marine Biologist GS-0401-14
by Moore, Katie 26 Jun '07

26 Jun '07

Update- Extension, Eligibility Subject: USCG Marine Biologist GS-0401-14 The U.S. Coast Guard in Washington, D.C. is hiring a Marine Biologist to manage their Marine Protected Species Program. To see the vacancy announcement, log on to usajobs.opm.gov and search by the vacancy announcement number. Department: Department Of Homeland Security Agency: US Coast Guard Sub Agency: United States Coast Guard Vacancy Ann.#: 07-0745-HQAP-M1 Pay Plan: GS-0401-14/14 Appointment Term: Permanent Job Status: Full-Time Opening Date: 6/25/2007 Close Date: 7/09/2007 Salary Range: $93822.00-$121967.00 1 vacancy at Washington DC Metro Area, DC The incumbent serves as Program Manager and is the principal technical expert regarding marine protected species for the Coast Guard. This position is responsible for program direction, oversight, administration, resource planning, technical leadership and execution of the Marine Protected Species (MPS) Program within the Coast Guard. This position also includes establishing, developing and overseeing long-term national regional partnerships and cooperative agreements for living marine resources with Department of State, Department of Defense, National Marine Fisheries Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serve, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Ocean Service, international organizations, industry, and research institutions. The position requires a secret clearance to research and review classified documents, access cutter schedule for ship missions, locations and intentions, and for cooperative meetings and joint sharing of critical information regarding protected species behavior, habitats and potential operational impacts. I am not involved in the hiring of this position, so please do not send resumes to me. For inquiries about this job, call USCG Applicant Support at 866-656-6830. Very respectfully, Katie Moore, USCG Atlantic Command

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MMO course Dorset UK_June_RNLI College
by Yvonne Miles 25 Jun '07

25 Jun '07

We are pleased to announce that there will be a JNCC recognised MMO course running from Monday the 29th - 31st October 2007 At the RNLI lifeboat college in Poole Dorset, UK There will be two days of Theory 29th-30th October One day of practical 31st October - please note that you should make sure that you have a whole day off for this practical session as we can not guarantee the time of the session due to tides and weather. The session could be from 3hrs - 6hrs Please ensure that you book and pay early as there are limited numbers. This course is open to anyone wanting to train in the industry, if you are just interested in Specific marine mammal ID, PAM, Sonar or Seismic work, please contact us as we can arrange specific training for your needs. We also will arrange to come and train personnel at your place of work, please contact us for more details through the web site www.scanningoceansectors.org -- Yvonne Miles 9 Long Street Point Vernon Hervey Bay QLD 4655 Australia 0435 017 524 mob 07 4124 8320 land line

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Request for photos of Phoca vitulina stejnegeri
by monitors＠sealwatch.org 25 Jun '07

25 Jun '07

SealWatch.org is looking for images of P. vitulina ssp. stejnegeri (Insular seal) haul-out or nursery areas for its Places page and expansion of its Species listings: http://www.SealWatch.org/places.html We currently have examples of ssp. richardii (Pacific), mellonae (Ungava), concolor (Western Atlantic), and vitulina (Eastern Atlantic), but have neither images nor location information for the Western Pacific variety of the Harbor/Common seal. Any resources for information about the current status of the Insular seal, and laws/agencies which monitor and protect it within its range are welcome.

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Position: Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Coordination Officer, IUCN
by jennifer palmer 23 Jun '07

23 Jun '07

Hi marmam friends,Below please find a posting for the latest IUCN opening for Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Coordination Officer. Please note that this position is based in the US office in Washington DC and that the original deadline has only been been extended to June 25th 2007.Contact Debbie Good for further information or to submit your application (dgood(a)iucnus.org).Kind regards,JenJennifer L. PalmerMarine Program Officer, Global Marine ProgramIUCN - The World Conservation Union1630 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 300Washington, DC 20009-1053Tel: 202.518.2070Fax: 202.387.4823Email: jpalmer@iucnus.org-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------http://www.iucn.org/en/about/vacancies/2007_06_wcpa_marine_dc.pdfVACANCY ANNOUNCEMENTPosition: Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Coordination Officer, IUCN World Commissionon Protected Areas – Marine (WCPA-Marine)Location IUCN-USA Multilateral Office, Washington, D.C.;Duration: 2 years fixed term, with possibility of extensionReporting to: WCPA-Marine Vice Chair on technical issues, Executive Director, USAMultilateral Office, on administrative issues.BackgroundAt the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) and through the Convention onBiological Diversity (CBD), the nations of the world set a goal of establishing a global systemof effective marine protected area (MPA) networks by 2012. Many countries have madespecific commitments to expand their marine areas under effective management and toestablish networks of MPAs. Major international non-governmental conservationorganizations have committed to assist nations in achieving their targets. But much moreneeds to be done to translate these commitments into more and better managed MPAnetworks.WCPA – Marine is the world's premier network of Marine Protected Area (MPA) expertise. Itsmission is to promote the establishment of a global, representative system of effectivelymanaged and lasting networks of MPAs. WCPA-Marine works in partnership with otherprograms and Commissions within IUCN, IUCN members, and a wide range of partners inmany of the countries of the world that border an ocean or sea.WCPA-Marine provides a framework within which both nations and NGOs, and individuals,can contribute their expertise and capacity to accelerate progress toward meeting the global2012 goal. WCPA-Marine has recently agreed on a Plan of Action that includes a number ofspecific activities on which it will focus its efforts over the next several years, with a focus onramping up global efforts to meet 2012 MPA targets.To help accelerate this global effort, Conservation International, IUCN – The WorldConservation Union, The Nature Conservancy, and World Wildlife Fund (US) have agreedjointly to support a Marine Protected Areas (MPA) Coordination Officer.Scope of Work:1. Support the implementation of country commitments to create and expand MPAs andMPA networks by 2012 by catalyzing inputs by the 4 organizations—and other members ofthe DC-based marine community (DCMC)—to the WCPA-Marine Plan of Action.2. Develop and maintain a system for countries, NGOs and donors to track progresstowards achieving the 2012 goals by advancing the implementation of specific aspects of theWCPA-Marine Plan of Action, e.g. web portal.3. Raise awareness of progress and remaining challenges to meeting 2012 goals bycoordinating the inputs of the 4 organizations and the wider DCMC into key internationalevents over the next 2 years that have the potential to recognize and motivate governmentsand their partners to accelerate and finance actions on the ground to create, expand, andbetter manage MPA networks. These events include the 9th CBD Conference of the Parties(COP9, June 2008), the World Parks Congress + 5 (2008), the 4th IUCN World ConservationCongress (October 2008), and the proposed 2nd International MPA Congress (IMPAC2,March 2009).Specific Tasks• Establish and maintain effective relationships with marine and policy leaders and staffwithin the 4 organizations with a view to identifying, promoting, and coordinatingmutually-beneficial contributions to WCPA-Marine Plan of Action activities, and synergiesamong the partner organizations’ work to help countries progress toward the 2012 marineprotected areas goal;• Work closely with WCPA-Marine members and lead organizations/individuals for specificactivities within the Plan of Action to facilitate the delivery of specific outputs. This wouldlikely include improving and making more regularly accessible data on MPA coverageand remaining gaps, and coordinating inputs to a joint web portal on MPA tools,guidelines and case studies;• Develop—in close collaboration with WCPA-Marine and the 4 organizations—andcoordinate the implementation of a strategic plan for highlighting successes andchallenges of developing MPA networks at key international events, with a view to usingthese as platforms for encouraging and supporting strong commitments by countries,NGOs, donor organizations, and others;• Work closely with the WCPA-Marine Vice Chair and marine staff from the 4 organizationson a regular basis to serve as a focal point for WCPA-Marine MPA-related work in theUnited States, primarily in the DC area;• Develop and maintain a tracking system of commitments from US-based organizationsand individuals to the WCPA-Marine Plan of Action;• Assist in US-based fundraising efforts to support the implementation of the WCPA-MarinePlan of Action; and• Develop and implement annual work plans, in line with the WCPA-Marine Plan of Action,and in close collaboration with WCPA-Marine and the four organizations, and organizeand facilitate, every six months, a meeting of the four partners to assess progress inimplementing this plan.Skills and qualifications A master’s degree in marine science, public policy, international development orrelated field. A minimum of five years of relevant work experience; experience in the Washington,D.C. area, overseas, and on MPA issues highly desirable. Strong interpersonal skills and a proven track record of effective collaboration amongNGOs and between NGOs and government agencies. A strong aptitude and ability to communicate both informally (interpersonal skills) andformally (presentations). Strong organizational skills and attention to detail. Basic IT skills required and skills in web-based communication an advantage. Experience working in a cross-cultural environment. An ability to work to tight deadlines Fluent in English, and proficiency in Spanish or French a plus.Interested persons should forward their curriculum vitae with the contact details of 3references and a motivation letter to Debbie Good, IUCN-USA (dgood(a)iucnus.org) no laterthan June 11, 2007.Important note: the position of Marine Program Officer advertised recently has been filled.The unsuccessful applications for that position will not be automatically considered for thisnew MPA Coordination Officer position. All interested persons must apply specifically to thisposition.The deadline for receipt of applications for this position has been extended untilJune 25, 2007

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