February 2008 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Allied Whale Internship Announcement
by Robin Sewall 06 Feb '08

06 Feb '08

Allied Whale, the marine mammal research lab of College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, conducts population and foraging ecology of fin and humpback whales in the Gulf of Maine using photo ID, genetic, and stable isotope sampling. The lab also responds to marine mammal strandings on the Maine Coast and operates the Bar Harbor Whale Museum. Allied Whale is dedicated to education through research, and relies upon student and volunteer help with photo ID, catalogue curation, marine mammal stranding response, and museum operation. Summer fieldwork, in which students and volunteers are encouraged to take part, is conducted from the mainland as well as from our offshore marine research station. Our team operates a small fleet of research vessels and often has the opportunity to work aboard local whale watch boats. Interns for the 2008 field season will be involved in data collection and analysis and various other research and marine mammal response operations. Interns will spend time working on the water aboard rigid hull inflatables or our 26' cuddy-cabin vessel. Research activities are varied but may include photographing and biopsying fin whales and humpback whales, conducting biological surveys, taking part in oceanographic data collection, and observing behavior from shore-based and whale-watch platforms. Boats are launched from the mainland, as well as from our research station on Mount Desert Rock, a small island 25 miles offshore, where interns will be based for short periods of time. Many days will also be spent working in the office matching and cataloguing photographs collected from the current and previous seasons, entering and transcribing data, and maintaining field equipment. There will be some opportunity to work on other projects, if interested, though the main focus of the internships will be on data collection and analysis. Other ongoing projects include: - Working with our Marine Mammal Stranding Response Program to respond to stranded marine mammals along the Maine coast, perform health assessments, obtain NOAA level A data, and transport animals to rehab facilities - Assisting in the operation of the Bar Harbor Whale Museum, which includes exhibit curation and interpretation, as well as public outreach - Collecting photo ID, location, and behavioral data of fin whales and humpback whales while aboard local whale watch boats, in conjunction with the whale watch interns Two interns are needed from late May /early June to mid September. A fee covering housing and a deposit must be paid in full by May 1. All positions are unpaid, however room and board is provided during stays on MDR. Applicant Requirements: - Ability to work and live under adverse conditions both on and off the water - Ability to work well with others in close quarters for extended periods of time - Willingness to work on datasets, administrative tasks, and other office tasks when not in the field - Strong interest in marine/environmental sciences - Strong work ethic and enthusiasm - Data management skills recommended - Previous experience with fin and/or humpback photo-ID useful - Knowledge of Gulf of Maine cetaceans and pinnipeds helpful - Background in photography a plus - Experience working in Excel and Adobe Photoshop advantageous Please contact Robin Sewall with questions at the email address below, or at (207) 249-8817 Application review will begin March 6, 2008. Applicants should email a CV, three references, and cover letter outlining your interest in this position to rsewall(a)coa.edu with subject 'Internship 2008', or mail to: Internship Coordinator Allied Whale 105 Eden Street Bar Harbor ME 04609

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releasing captive dolphins
by Tom Brown 05 Feb '08

05 Feb '08

Perhaps a discussion of these issues can be beneficial. Keeping dolphins captive when they can be released back into the wild, is certainly not a good solution for the captive dolphin's quality of life, nor is it good for their life span (see "Marine Attractions: Below the Surface," the 5 part series and analysis of MMIRs by the South Florida Sun-Sentinel a few years ago). Is the idea that a released captive dolphin can infect a wild dophin population with disease very plausible in view of the fact that captive dolphins are injected against diseases? How well do released captive dolphins adjust to a different culture in a wild population? If they stay with their new pod, doesn't that indicate the release is sucessful? May your waters be calm and clear, Tom Brown, AKA Mookeeo www.thedolphinsview.com Author of "The Dolphins' View," a science fiction trilogy Infinity Publishing, trade paperbacks with subtitles: Book 1: "Transformation," ISBN 0-7414-1867-3 Book 2: "Impossible Dream," ISBN 0-7414-1868-1 Book 3: "Hannibal Invades Washington," ISBN 0-7414-1869-X As a speaker, Mookeeo inspires people with "The Secrets of Dolphins," an entertaining, thought-provoking, and educational PowerPoint presentation for schools, libraries, and environmental organizations. --------------------------------- Looking for last minute shopping deals? Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.

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American Society of Mammalogists - Second Notice - Symposia and Workshops 2009
by Daniel K. Odell 05 Feb '08

05 Feb '08

The deadline for the receipt of complete symposium and/or workshop proposals for the 2009 annual meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists are due on Friday, 14 March 2008. The 2009 meeting will take place at the University of Alaska - Fairbanks in June. Symposium and workshop proposal guidelines and proposal submission forms are available on the ASM web page under the Committees / Program Committee link. http://www.mammalogy.org/committees/index.asp A list of previous symposia and workshops is posted on the Program Committee web page. Daniel K. Odell

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Marine Mammal Stranding Regulations Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
by Sarah Howlett 05 Feb '08

05 Feb '08

Marine Mammal Stranding Regulations Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking <>The Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation Division, Office of Protected Resources, NMFS, is considering proposing changes to its implementing regulations governing the taking of stranded marine mammals under section 109(h), section 112(c), and Title IV of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). We have published an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) in the Federal Register and are soliciting review and comment to better inform the process. The ANPR and MMPA implementing regulations (50 CFR part 216) can be found at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/health/mmpa_anpr.htm. A final rule was published (39 FR 1852, January 15, 1974, as amended at 56 FR 41307, August 20, 1991) establishing requirements for the taking of stranded marine mammals by State or local government officials in the course of their official duties. This includes the taking of live marine mammals, salvaging marine mammal specimens from dead animals, and transferring marine mammal specimens within and outside of the U.S. A final rule was published (61 FR 21933, May 10, 1996) establishing release requirements for rehabilitated marine mammals and procedures for the disposition of non-releasable rehabilitated marine mammals. The ANPR solicits general input from the public on how NMFS could streamline, clarify, or change the requirements and procedures for responding to stranded marine mammals and for determining the disposition of marine mammals, which includes procedures for the placement of non-releasable animals and for authorizing the retention of releasable rehabilitated marine mammals for scientific research, enhancement, or public display. The ANPR provides some recommendations for changes to the MMPA regulations but is not considered comprehensive. The ANPR will be followed by a proposed rulemaking once comments are received and reviewed. Please provide comments by the close of the comment period (March 31, 2008). Comments may be submitted as follows: * By mail to: Chief, Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Conservation Division Attn: Stranding Regulations ANPR Office of Protected Resources, NMFS 1315 East-West Highway Room 13635 Silver Spring, MD 20910 * By facsimile at (301) 427-2525 * Electronic submissions: Submit via the Federal eRulemaking Portal http://www.regulations.gov <http://www.regulations.gov/> For further information please contact Sarah Howlett (Sarah.Howlett(a)noaa.gov <mailto:Sarah.Howlett@noaa.gov>) or David Cottingham (David.Cottingham(a)noaa.gov <mailto:David.Cottingham@noaa.gov>) by email or at (301) 713-2322. -- Sarah Howlett Fishery Biologist National Marine Fisheries Service Office of Protected Resources 1315 East-West Highway, Rm 3504 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Ph: (301) 713-2322 ext. 202 Fax: (301) 427-2522 Email: sarah.howlett(a)noaa.gov

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New $3,000 Scholarship Now Available
by Tracy- Beam Reach Marine Science and Sustainability School 04 Feb '08

04 Feb '08

We've just created a new $3,000 scholarship for our fall and spring programs. If you are interested in studying killer whales in the wild apply now! http://beamreach.org/application.html?1nschlfs08mrm080204 The Lookout Scholarship Available to both Spring and Fall programs. If you are interested in the Spring 08 program, applications must be received by February 15, 2008. How to Apply: Add a paragraph to the end of your essay describing your most burning research question and how you want to answer it with Beam Reach. Be specific when describing the question that you most want to answer. Tell us how you see using your time with Beam Reach to find answers to your question. Hint: Look at past student projects to see how other students used the resources available to answer their questions. Award Criteria: Quality of writing How well your question integrates with Beam Reach research Is Beam Reach for you? http://www.beamreach.org/is-beam-reach-for-you.html?2nschlfs08mrm080204 _____________________________________________________________________ Beam Reach | Marine Science and Sustainability School www.beamreach.org tracy(a)beamreach.org 206.371.1254 7044 17th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98115 If you'd like to receive our newsletter, hit reply and put subscribe in the subject line and we'll add you right away. If you don't want to receive emails from us, please hit reply and put unsubscribe in the subject line and we'll remove you right away.

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NAFO/ICES/NAMMCO Symposium
by Christina Lockyer 03 Feb '08

03 Feb '08

Further to the information provided by Dagmar Fertl last week on the NAFO/ICES/NAMMCO Symposium 'Role of Marine Mammals in the Ecosystem' that had fliers advertising it at the Cape Town conference, I would like to point out that this is a combined sponsorship of the scientific symposium that also includes NAMMCO. If anyone requires electronic versions of the poster advertising the event, he /she can contact us at nammco-sec(a)nammco.no. Also check out http://www.nafo.int/symposium.html The symposium will be held 29 Sept-1 Oct 2008 in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. Abstract submission deadline is 1 May 2008. Dr Christina Lockyer, General Secretary, NAMMCO North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission, Polar Environmental Center, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway. Tel: +47 77 75 0178; Fax: +47 77 750181 E-mail: christina.lockyer(a)nammco.no Web: www.nammco.no

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Late registration for March Marine Mammal Observer course in UK
by Yvonne Miles 03 Feb '08

03 Feb '08

Scanning Ocean Sectors - JNCC approved Marine Mammal Observer Training Course Would like to send out notice to all candidates interested in attaining accreditation for working in the marine mammal environment. This is the last call for late registration on the March courses to be held at the RNLI College, Poole, Dorset UK For the training dates March 17th - 19th 2008 - 1st Course March 26th - 28th 2008 2nd Course Please go to www.scanningoceansectors.org And complete the registration form for attendance on this course, all course details will be sent to you directly There is a list of further course dates for the year 2008 if you wish to sign up for a later course. regards Yvonne Miles -- Yvonne Miles 9 Long Street Point Vernon Hervey Bay QLD 4655 Australia 0435 017 524 mob 07 4124 8320 land line www.scanningoceansectors.org info(a)scanningoceansectors.org

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Requested: experience in releasing captive dolphins
by Jan Willem Broekema 03 Feb '08

03 Feb '08

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Reviewers needed for India Cetacean Bycatch paper
by William Rossiter 01 Feb '08

01 Feb '08

Forwarded by Cetacean Society International on behalf of Anoop.A.Krishnan <anoop_a2001(a)yahoo.co.in>. Please reply directly to Krishnan William Rossiter CSI >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sir, We are preparing some good paper on cetaceans studies in Indian on Bycatch, sighting survey, pollutants and molecular biology. sir please suggest me some people who can critically review our paper before submitting to good international journal. This will help us to improve the quality of paper too. Anoop.A.Krishnan Technical Officer, Export Inspection Agency, Pilot Test House, E-3, MIDC Area, Marol, Andheri (East), Mumbai- 400 093. Phone: +919920914669 Fax: +9122 8369868 Email: anoop_a2001(a)yahoo.co.in

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Post-doctoral position
by Tomo Eguchi 01 Feb '08

01 Feb '08

Marine Turtle Research Program Protected Resources Division Southwest Fisheries Science Center NOAA Fisheries La Jolla, CA Position Description: The Marine Turtle Research Program at Southwest Fisheries Science Center (National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA) seeks an outstanding postdoctoral researcher in modeling of distributions of marine turtles and fisheries. The successful candidate will develop statistical models to characterize temporal and spatial distributions of marine turtles and fishery effort based on various explanatory factors, such as environmental and regulatory variables. He/she will work closely with senior-level scientists at the Program as well as researchers from other institutions. This is a one-year position. Applicants should have at least the following knowledge and skills: • statistical analyses of spatial and temporal data • mathematical statistics (knowledge of Bayesian statistics is preferred) • programming (Matlab preferred but R, C, Fortran, and other languages are also accepted) • excellent communication (verbal and oral) skills Salary: $52,000 - $60,000 (commensurate with qualifications) Benefits: Health insurance is included. Term of employment: One year Application deadline: 29 February 2008 Start date: March-April 2008 To apply, please send a cover letter, CV, and list of three references (phone numbers and email addresses) to the following email address. The cover letter should state your qualifications to this position. Please send all documents electronically to: Tomoharu Eguchi, Ph.D. tomo.eguchi(a)noaa.gov -- ************************************************************* Tomoharu Eguchi Marine Turtle Research Program National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center 8604 La Jolla Shores Dr. La Jolla, CA 92037 858.546.5615 voice 858.546.7003 fax http://swfsc.noaa.gov/prd-turtles.aspx skype: tomo.eguchi *************************************************************

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