August 2008 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Great Sighting of Sperm whales in the water of Tuscan Archipelago
by davide bedocchi 18 Aug '08

18 Aug '08

Sender: Davide Bedocchi, CE.TU.S. Cetacean Research Centre in Viareggio Italy Email address: cetus(a)supereva.it or bedocchid(a)yahoo.it Subject Heading: Great Sighting of Sperm whales in the water of Tuscan Archipelago Text: Dear Colleagues, August 14, 2008. 3:00 PM. Wonderful sighting of a Sperm whales group (Physeter catodon) during "Discovering our sea" eco-touristic cruises for youngs organized by Lucca District and Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca Foundation. On board of KRILL Research Catamaran of CE.TU.S. Cetacean Research Centre in Viareggio, for the first time after several years of researches, we sighted, filmed and took pictures of 5 Sperm whales in the water of the Tuscan Archipelago. 21 miles from Elba Island, the Sperm whales swam in closed formation with 20 Striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba). This important sighting shows that in the tuscan waters, where the Tuscan Observatory of Cetaceans (Tuscan Region Administration's structure with H.Q. in Capoliveri and Viareggio) is working , besides fin whales, bottlenose dolphins, striped dolphins, Risso's dolphins, also sperm whales are present. To confirm the sperm whales presence in this area, we can also remember the stranding of a young sperm whale dated June 02, 2008 along the coastline of Piombino in addition of many informations reported during this year from tuscan fishermen. This summer, during the previous cruises, CE.TU.S. sighted 6 finwhales, over 200 striped dolphins and 30 bottlenose dolphins. For further informations pls don't hesitate to contact us. Best and Kind Regards Dott. Davide Bedocchi - Naturalist Didactic Director CE.TU.S. CE.TU.S. Rapresentative at Tuscan Region Administration - Tuscan Observatory of Cetaceans CE.TU.S. - Cetacean Research Centre Via Degli Ontani 60, 55049 Viareggio (LU) Italy e-mail: bedocchid(a)yahoo.it ; cetus(a)supereva.it Mobile: +39 3287524380 www.cetusresearch.org Posta, news, sport, oroscopo: tutto in una sola pagina. Crea l'home page che piace a te! www.yahoo.it/latuapagina Posta, news, sport, oroscopo: tutto in una sola pagina. Crea l'home page che piace a te! www.yahoo.it/latuapagina

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Marine Mammal Conference, University of Wisconsin
by sophie dennison 18 Aug '08

18 Aug '08

The 2nd Annual WEZAM Marine Mammal Conference will be held in Madison on November 8th/9th 2008. The conference format will entail morning lectures and afternoon wet labs. Two cadaver based wet labs will be offered this year. The first wet lab will demonstrate clinical diagnostic techniques (blood sampling, CSF collection, blubber biopsying, ultrasound) is sponsored by ALOKA ultrasound systems. The second wet lab will be limited on a ‘first-come first-served’ basis and will be dedicated to necropsy examination. The conference is aimed at students, veterinarians, veterinary technicians and researchers with an interest in marine mammal medicine, health and pathology. Up to 13 hours of CE certification is available for non-student registrants depending on the level of participation. A student dinner hosted by Morris Animal Foundation will be held on the Saturday night for student registrants. Anyone planning on presenting a poster at the poster session must register for the conference, and poster abstracts must be submitted by September 15th. Speakers include: Dr. Bill Van Bonn (Shedd Aquarium), Dr. Nancy Thomas (National Wildlife Center), Dr. David Brunson (Pfizer), Dr. Mark Uhen (Alabama Natural History Museum), Dr. Nicola Pussini The Marine Mammal Center), Dr. Scott Wright (National Wildlife Center), Dr. Kathleen Colegrove (University of Illinois) Dr. Sophie Dennison (University of Wisconsin). Further information can be found in the brochure available at the University of Wisconsin’s School of Veterinary Medicine continuing education website at www.vetmed.wisc.edu/ce. Registration will open on September 2nd 2008. _________________________________________________________________ Win a voice over part with Kung Fu Panda & Live Search and 100’s of Kung Fu Panda prizes to win with Live Search http://clk.atdmt.com/UKM/go/107571439/direct/01/

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New publications week 26
by Jan Herrmann 17 Aug '08

17 Aug '08

Dear all, here are some new publications of week 26/ 2008, 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.php 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 Hewitt, L. (2008): Investigating Novel Interventions for ASD: On Swimming With Dolphins. Language Learning and Education 15(2): 85-88. Morell, V. (2008): CONSERVATION BIOLOGY: Can the Vaquita Be Saved? Science 321(5890): 767. Scarpaci, C., E.C.M. Parsons, and M. Lück (2008): REVIEW: Recent Advances in Whale-watching Research: 2006-2007. Tourism in Marine Environments 5(1): 55-66. Stone, R. (2008): CHINA'S ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES: Three Gorges Dam: Into the Unknown. Science 321(5889): 628-632. PINNIPEDIA Heithaus, M.R. et al. (2008): Predicting ecological consequences of marine top predator declines. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 23(4): 202-210. Harris, C.M., J.M.J. Travis, and J. Harwood (2008): Evaluating the Influence of Epidemiological Parameters and Host Ecology on the Spread of Phocine Distemper Virus through Populations of Harbour Seals. PLoS ONE 3(7): e2710. Kent, C.P.S. and B. Crabtree (2008): The Effectiveness of an Established Sanctuary Zone for Reducing Human Disturbance to Australian Sea Lions (Neophoca Cinerea) at Carnac Island, Western Australia. Tourism in Marine Environments 5(1): 29-42. OTHER MARINE MAMMALS Dowsley, M. and G. Wenzel (2008): "The time of the most polar bears" : a co-management conflict in Nunavut. Arctic 61(2): 177-189. -- --> jan.herrmann -at - cetacea.de

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International Marine Conservation Congress
by Sarah Wilson 16 Aug '08

16 Aug '08

Hello MarMam, The Marine Section of the Society for Conservation Biology will be accepting applications for travel reimbursements to cover the cost of attending the International Marine Conservation Congress (www.conbio.org/IMCC) To encourage international and student participation, priority will be given to participants from developing countries and students. Information can be found at: http://www2.cedarcrest.edu/imcc/travel_award.html Please note that poster/paper/symposia/workshop acceptance is also a criterion for being awarded travel reimbursement. The Travel Award Committee will notify applicants by 15 December 2008. Registration for the meeting opens 15 November 2008, with an early registration deadline of 15 February 2009. If you are selected to receive reimbursement for travel to the meeting, you must confirm your intent to attend the meeting by registering for the meeting by 15 January 2009. The only exception is if you have been asked to submit a 1500 word submission for an oral presentation; in those cases we will extend your deadline until 1 February 2009. Otherwise, if you do not register by January 15 we will reallocate your travel stipend to the next person in our list. If you do not register by January 15 we will reallocate your travel stipend to the next person in our list. Please also note that the 1st Call for oral presentations, speed presentations, and posters is 1 September - 15 October 2008. ________________________________ The International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC) will be the first stand-alone meeting of the Marine Section of the Society for Conservation Biology and will be held from 20-24 May 2009 at George Mason University near Washington D.C. This will be an interdisciplinary meeting that will engage natural and social scientists, managers, policy-makers, and the public. The goal of the IMCC is to put conservation science into practice through public and media outreach and the development concrete products that will be used to drive policy change and implementation. This meeting will encompass the 2nd International Marine Protected Areas Congress. Major themes and cross-cutting issues that will be addressed include: Major Themes: Global Climate Change The Land-Sea Interface Ecosystem-based Management Poverty and Globalization Cross-cutting issues encompass topics of global relevance and importance to marine conservation that relate to the major themes. Marine Protected Areas Education, Outreach and Capacity Building Governance Arrangements Fisheries and Aquaculture Economics Sincerely, Sarah Wilson IMCC Education and Outreach Chair and Communications Committee Member and Web Coordinator Thank You Ocean Campaign National Marine Sanctuaries Foundation sarahw-thankyouocean(a)hotmail.com www.thankyouocean.org P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail

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Workshops on Detection, Classification, Localization and Density Estimation of Marine Mammals Using Passive Acoustics
by Gianni Pavan 14 Aug '08

14 Aug '08

4th International Workshop on Detection, Classification and Localization of Marine Mammals using Passive Acoustics Linked Workshop: 1st International Workshop on Density Estimation of Marine Mammals Using Passive Acoustics University of Pavia, Italy September 2009, 10th - 13th First Announcement This email serves to early announce the 4th International Workshop on Detection, Classification and Localization (DCL) of Marine Mammals using Passive Acoustics to be held at the University of Pavia, Italy, in September 2009. This time, there will also be a linked, one day workshop on the emerging application area of the Estimation of Marine Mammal Density using Passive Acoustics, starting directly after the DCL workshop. A web page dedicated to the workshops will be available soon on the CIBRA website at <http://www.unipv.it/cibra>http://www.unipv.it/cibra/DCLWorkshop2009.html 4th International Workshop on Detection, Classification and Localization of Marine Mammals Using Passive Acoustics Objectives The purpose of this workshop is to present current research on the detection, classification and localization of marine mammals using passive acoustics. Researchers are invited to present their scientific work, to detail the advantages and drawbacks of the methods they use and to show their recent results. The workshop encourages an interdisciplinary approach oriented at solving real-world problems related to the study of marine mammals and the effect of anthropogenic sound on their behavior. Topics will be extended beyond passive acoustics to other relevant areas of research that directly relate with the main topic (see list in appendix). To encourage researchers to face with a common topic and to directly evaluate and compare different approaches and solutions, a common dataset will be made available online (<http://www.unipv.it/cibra>http://www.unipv.it/cibra) well in advance. Scientific Topics The objective of the workshop is to exchange information that advances general understanding of methods to detect, classify, locate, track and monitor marine mammals in their environment. After three workshops dedicated to individual species, this fourth workshop is focused on a more complex issue: the analysis of real-world complex acoustic scenes and the use of the context for identifying acoustic components of interest. Dataset A set of underwater recordings will be made available online to encourage researchers to work on a common dataset, to face with the same problems, to find original solutions and to present and compare them at the workshop. Participants who do not work on this specific dataset are also welcome to join the workshop, and present their own work on detection and classification techniques based on passive acoustics or other relevant related research. Though, greater consideration will be deserved to participants who contribute to the general focus of the workshop. Participants Presentations from different research and academic fields are welcome. Specialists in biology, physiology, acoustics, oceanography, signal processing, mathematics, electronics, computer science are all invited to bring their experience to the workshop. Participation may be limited to ensure a dynamic and interactive exchange. Workshop Schedule 3 days will be dedicated to oral presentations, to poster presentations, to open discussion, and to a round table to discuss about emerging research needs and trends. A Fourth day will be dedicated to the use of acoustic data to estimate population density. Authors will be accepted for presentation or poster session by the scientific committee. Linked Workshop: 1st International Workshop on Density Estimation (DE) of Marine Mammals Using Passive Acoustics This one-day workshop will bring together researchers working on estimating absolute density or abundance of marine mammal populations using passive acoustics. It will commence immediately after the DCL workshop. All those attending the DCL workshop and with an interest in this field are welcome to attend. The workshop will begin with a tutorial overview of the area, followed by contributed oral and poster presentations showcasing relevant research. Time will be set aside for open discussion. We invite participants with relevant research in this area to submit it for presentation in oral or poster form. We anticipate that interest in this workshop will be high, and we may need to limit participation to ensure dynamic and interactive exchange of ideas. Further Information for Both Workshops Location The workshops will be held in the historical buildings of the University of Pavia, Italy, where Spallanzani in the 18th century studied the ability of bats to fly in the dark. The workshop is organized by CIBRA, the Interdisciplinary Center for Bioacoustics and Environmental Research. Sponsors We are currently seeking sponsors for both workshops. Scientific Committee Gianni Pavan (Univ. of Pavia, Italy), Walter Zimmer (NURC, Italy), David Moretti (NUWC, US), Bob Gisiner (MMC, US), Len Thomas (Univ St Andrews, Scotland; convenor of the DE workshop) and others Organizing Committee Gianni Pavan, CIBRA (DCL Workshop); Len Thomas, StAndrews (DE Workshop) Secretariat Workshops Secretariat (registration, payment, & accomodation bookings) is managed by PRAGMA Congressi email <mailto:info@pragmacongressi.it>info(a)pragmacongressi.it Gianni Pavan Presidente CIBRA Centro Interdisciplinare di Bioacustica e Ricerche Ambientali Dipartimento di Biologia Animale Universita' degli Studi di Pavia, Via Taramelli 24, 27100 PAVIA, ITALIA Phone +39-0382-987874 Fax +39-02-700-32921 Email gpavan(a)cibra.unipv.it, gianni.pavan(a)unipv.it Web http://www.unipv.it/cibra

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FW: "Non-song acoustic communication in migrating humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)"
by Rebecca Dunlop 13 Aug '08

13 Aug '08

Dear colleagues, The following paper has recently been published: "Non-song acoustic communication in migrating humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)" Marine Mammal Science, 24(3), 613 - 629 ABSTRACT: Humpback whales are renowned for the complex structured songs produced by males. A second, relatively understudied area of humpback acoustic communication concerns un-patterned sounds known as 'social sounds', produced by both males and females. These include vocalizations as well as sounds produced at the surface of the water as a result of surface behaviors (e.g. breaching, pectoral slapping). This study describes a portion of the non-song social sound repertoire of southward migrating humpbacks in Australian waters, and explores the social relevance of these sounds. On migration, humpback whales travel in social groups of varying compositions and social groups are not stable in that humpback whales continually change group composition by splitting from, or joining with, other groups. 'Breaching' and 'slapping' were suggested to have a communicative function. Other sounds such as 'underwater blows' and 'cries' were heard mainly in competitive groups whilst other low-frequency sounds such as 'grumbles', 'snorts', 'thwops' and 'wops' may function in intra or inter-group communication. Particular sounds ('grunts', 'groans' and 'barks') were almost exclusive to joining pods suggesting a role in social integration. Results suggest social sounds in humpbacks have specific social and behavioral functions relating to social group composition, and the mediation of interactions between these social groups. Pdf files of the paper are available from the Marine Mammal Science website or from r.dunlop(a)uq.edu.au Rebecca Dunlop Rebecca Dunlop BSc PhD Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory School of Veterinary Science University of Queensland St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia Ph. (07)3365-3066 Mob. 0437434041 Fax. (07)3365-1255 Email r.dunlop(a)uq.edu.au

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NEW ARTICLE ON HUMPBACK WHALES AND PREY IN THE ANTARCTIC
by Ari Friedlaender 13 Aug '08

13 Aug '08

We would like to announce the publication of the following article: *The effects of prey demography on humpback whale (/Megaptera novaeangliae/) abundance around Anvers Island, Antarctica* Ari S. Friedlaender, William R. Fraser, Donna Patterson, Song S. Qian and Patrick N. Halpin^ *Abstract* Baleen whales and Adelie penguins in the near-shore waters around the Antarctic Peninsula forage principally on Antarctic krill. Given the spatial overlap in the distribution of these krill predators (particularly humpback whales) and their dependence on krill, the goals of this paper are to determine if the inter-annual community structure and relative abundance of baleen whales around Anvers Island is related to krill demography and abundance, and if the potential exists for inter-specific interactions between Adelie penguins and baleen. We use whale sightings and prey data from both net tows and Adelie penguin stomach samples to correlate the abundance of humpback whales with krill demography and abundance from 1993 to 2001. We find significant relationships between whale abundance and the size–frequency distribution of krill targeted by Adelie penguins, as well as the foraging success of Adelie penguins. These findings suggest both krill predators share common prey preferences in the upper portions of the water column around Anvers Island. These findings highlight the need for better knowledge of baleen whale foraging ecology and inter-specific interactions with penguins, as sea ice and krill populations around the Antarctic Peninsula are affected by rapid changes in climate. Polar Biology DOI: 10.1007/s0300-008-0460-x If you do not have access to this journal and would like a pdf of the article please contact: Ari Friedlaender asf7(a)duke.edu -- Ari S Friedlaender, PhD Assistant Research Scientist Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab Duke University Marine Laboratory 135 Pivers Island Road Beaufort, NC 28516 USA P 919 672 0103 F 252 504 7648 asf7(a)duke.edu

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tagged common dolphins sighted in Portugal
by Marisa Ferreira 13 Aug '08

13 Aug '08

Hello A group of common dolphins was sighted during a boat survey along the Portuguese coast on the 11th of August. This group included at least 3 animals displaying a tag on the dorsal fin. One of these animals was a juvenile. If anyone can give us information about this project or marks please contact: Marisa Ferreira (e-mail: mctferreira(a)bio.uminho.pt or marisa.ferreira(a)socpvs.org) Kindest regards, Marisa Ferreira

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Close of early registration for Marine Mammal Observer Course October 2008
by Yvonne Miles 12 Aug '08

12 Aug '08

Hi All *Scanning Ocean Sectors – A Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) training company and Joint Nature Conservation Committee – JNCC, recognised course for industry and research.* We have years of research behind the effective training of MMOs with courses adapted to the requirements of the clients, and taught by professionals in their specialised fields. *Please note that the STANDARD registration on the October courses close on* * * *Early registration will be £450 July 7**th** - **27**th **August 2008 * *From the 27**th **August – 27th September course costs will be £500 * *Late registration after 27**th **September will cost £550 * *Registration will close two weeks before course starts. * NOTE – There will be *ONLY ONE MMO COURSE IN OCTOBER 27TH- 29TH * * ** Due to high request we will be running a Passive Acoustic Monitoring course for MMOs on 30 - **31st October 2008** * *This course is booking up quickly so don't leave it late* ** Please visit our website for more information and to register for all courses *WHEN REGISTERING FOR THE PAM COURSE USE THE OCTOBER COURSE DATE THEN UNDER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PUT "PAM COURSE REGISTRATION."* ** *Please note that all registrations for the 2008 November MMO course in Australia will have a 20% discount until the 15th September 2008 * (all course fees have to be paid in full before the 15th September to get the discount)* * ** At the end of August there will be 2009 dates for training up on the website *Note – There are limited numbers for each course so please book early to avoid disappointment.* If anyone is interested in advertising in our newsletter please contact us for the next issue is due out in July www.scanningoceansectors.org info(a)scanningoceansectors.org -- Yvonne Miles 9 Long Street Point Vernon Hervey Bay QLD 4655 Australia 0432 812 465 mob 07 4124 8320 land line info(a)scanningoceansectors.org www.scanningoceansectors.org

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Fifth International Conference on Bio-Acoustics
by Peter Dobbins 12 Aug '08

12 Aug '08

We are pleased to announce the Fifth International Conference on Bio-Acoustics 31 March -2 April 2009, Loughborough University, UK This meeting will be the fifth in a series organised by the Institute of Acoustics covering all aspects of bio-acoustics and bio-sonar. The purpose of the conference will be to review the present state of this rapidly evolving subject area, to report on new developments and to examine future trends. Equal emphasis will be given to papers dealing with underwater, land-based and airborne studies, covering work on the bio-acoustics of birds, bats, insects, and marine and terrestrial mammals. Particular themes of this conference will embrace, but are not restricted to: - Biological sound production and reception mechanisms - Performance evaluation of biological active and passive sonar systems - Biological acoustic countermeasures and predator evasion techniques - Physiological and behavioural impacts of anthropogenic sound - Acoustic methods to reduce contention between animals and man - Measurement and instrumentation systems used to study biological sounds - Classification and analysis techniques for biological sounds - Bio-inspiration and bio-mimetics - applying nature's solutions to man-made systems - Fisheries acoustics and other industrial applications related to bio-acoustics. This conference will include a large area for posters, exhibits and stands. The aim of the poster area is to allow the informal exchange of scientific ideas, views and information. Presenting authors will be encouraged to make use of the poster area to further explore their topic. Space will be available if they wish to demonstrate working equipment. Prospective authors should submit a title and abstract (up to 1000 words) using the web site http://bioacoustics2009.lboro.ac.uk not later than 10 October 2008, indicating whether they prefer poster or oral presentation. Accepted abstracts will be listed on the website. Lead authors will be notified by email before 17 October 2008 and will be given the option of submitting an extended abstract or a full paper by 24 February 2009 for inclusion in the conference proceedings. Papers will be refereed, may be up to eight pages long, including diagrams, and must be prepared in the correct electronic format. Following the conference, authors of appropriate papers will be invited to prepare a fuller version for inclusion in a special issue of Bioinspiration and Biomimetics. Authors who wish to be considered for this publication should limit their conference papers to four pages. Further details of the conference, such as registration and timetable will appear on the web site when details have been finalised. Organising committee: Peter Dobbins (peter.dobbins(a)sea.co.uk) Paul Lepper (p.a.lepper(a)lboro.ac.uk) James Flint (j.a.flint(a)lboro.ac.uk) Simon Dible (s.a.dibble(a)lboro.ac.uk, Ed Harland (ejharland(a)chesilbeach.org) Chris Capus (c.capus(a)hw.ac.uk) Steve Robinson (stephen.robinson(a)npl.co.uk) and Linda Canty (linda.canty(a)ioa.org.uk) ************************************************** Peter Dobbins PhD CEng FIOA MIET Senior Consultant - Offshore Systems SEA, SEA House, Bristol Business Park, Coldharbour Lane Bristol BS16 1EJ Tel: +44 (0) 1373 852149 Mob: 07949 836503 Fax: +44 (0) 1373 852165 peter.dobbins(a)sea.co.uk www.sea.co.uk ************************************************** This email has been scanned for all known viruses by the MessageLabs Email Security System. Systems Engineering & Assessment Ltd - Beckington Castle, 17 Castle Corner, Beckington, Frome, Somerset, BA11 6TA, UK is registered in England and Wales with the company number 2430846. The contents of this email (including any attachments) are confidential and may be legally privileged. If you are not the intended recipient of this email any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of its contents is strictly prohibited. You should notify the sender immediately and then delete it (including any attachments) from your system. Please help out the environment by only printing this e-mail if absolutely necessary - Thank You.

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