February 2009 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

PhD Thesis: The Significance of Passive Acoustic Array-Configurations on Sperm whale...
by jonathan＠underwateracoustic.com 24 Feb '09

24 Feb '09

Dear all This PhD Thesis was recently submitted and accepted by Heriot-Watt University, UK Title: The Significance of Passive Acoustic Array-Configurations on Sperm whale Range Estimation when using the Hyperbolic Algorithm. Abstract: In cetacean monitoring for population estimation, behavioural studies or mitigation, traditional visual observations are being augmented by the use of Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) techniques that use the creatures vocalisations for localisation. The design of hydrophone configurations is evaluated for sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) range estimation to meet the requirements of the current mitigation regulations for a safety zone and behaviour research. This thesis uses the Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) of cetacean vocalisations with a three-dimensional hyperbolic localisation algorithm. A MATLAB simulator has been developed to model array-configurations and to assess their performance in source range estimation for both homogeneous and non-homogeneous sound speed profiles (SSP). The non-homogeneous medium is modelled on a Bellhop ray trace model, using data collected from the Gulf of Mexico. The sperm whale clicks are chosen as an exemplar of a distinctive underwater sound. The simulator is tested with a separate synthetic source generator which produced a set of TDOAs from a known source location. The performance in source range estimation for Square, Trapezium, Triangular, Shifted-pair and Y-shape geometries is tested. The Y-shape geometry, with four elements and aperture-length of 120m, is the most accurate, giving an error of ±10m over slant ranges of 500m in a homogeneous medium, and 300m in a non-homogeneous medium. However, for towed array deployments, the Y-shape array is sensitive to angle-positioning-error when the geometry is seriously distorted. The Shifted-pair geometry overcomes these limits, performing an initial accuracy of ±30m when the vessel either moves in a straight line or turns to port or starboard. It constitutes a recommendable array-configuration for towed array deployments. The thesis demonstrates that the number of receivers, the array-geometry and the array-aperture are important parameters to consider when designing and deploying a hydrophone array. It is shown that certain array-configurations can significantly improve the accuracy of source range estimation. Recommendations are made concerning preferred array-configurations for use with PAM systems. For any pdf copies please do not hesitate to contact me at jonathan(a)underwateracoustic.com Jonathan Vallarta, PhD School of Engineering and Physical Sciences Heriot-Watt University University Edinburgh, UK

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2007 Ligurian Sea "epidemic": an update
by Fulvio Garibaldi 24 Feb '09

24 Feb '09

Dear all, this is just a brief (one year later) update about the striped dolphin stranding events occurred during 2007-2008 in the Ligurian Sea. After February 2008 no stranding events that could be supposedly linked, from the spatio-temporal point of view, to the 2006-2007 morbillivirus epidemic in the Mediterranean Sea were recorded. Despite some of the histological lesions with special reference to the brain lesions) observed in these dolphins and some serological findings were interpreted first as the results of a possible morbillivirus infection, the serological, immunohistochemical, indirect immunofluorescence and biomolecular (RT-PCR) investigations subsequently carried out showed that, although morbillivirus exposure probably took place in these animals, the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii was the likely cause of the inflammatory brain lesions (non-suppurative meningoencephalitis) observed in at least 4 out of the 10 stranded dolphins under study. Therefore, this mortality outbreak among Ligurian Sea striped dolphins was different from those observed between 2006 and 2007 in other Mediterranean Sea areas. Another reason of interest is that during 2008 the striped dolphin stranding rate in the Ligurian Sea area was lower than that expected as the normal plafond in previous years. This could imply three possible scenarios: 1) the "epidemic" was more consistent than the number of stranded animals could suggest (causing a high population depletion) 2) the epidemic behaved as a natural selector for the species involved (striped dolphin), with only non-healthy individuals succumbing to it 3) an alternative explanation could be also that, following repeated exposure to the infectious agent(s) circulating in the area dolphin morbillivirus? Toxoplasma gondii?) a relevant percentage of exposed/susceptible animals developed protective immunity to such pathogens. This is also to inform you that a poster presentation dealing with these striped dolphin mortality episodes in the Ligurian Sea will be on display at the 23rd ECS Conference in Istanbul next week. Best regards Fulvio Garibaldi, Ph.D DIP.TE.RIS. University of Genoa C.so Europa, 26 - 16132 Genova ITALY Phone/fax +39 010 357 888 e-mail address: largepel(a)unige.it personal e-mail address: garibaldi.f(a)libero.it

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Re: [MARMAM] MARMAM Digest, Vol 43, Issue 26
by Jan.Loveridge ＠ CWTstrandings.org 24 Feb '09

24 Feb '09

Trauma to harbour porpoise, Isle of Man, 18/02/09 Reply to message from Laura Hanley I think this is almost certainly a bycaught animal in which the tail has been cleanly amputated to free it from the net. This is reinforced by the apparent monofilament net mark encircling the front of the head. We've seen quite a number of similar cases here in Cornwall, including common dolphins and bottlenose dolphins. I think it's extremely unlikely to be boat propeller damage, as you'd probably expect to see several cuts along the body and more damage from a prop that's big enough to cause such a huge, clean cut - and, of course, no encircling net marks. But your photos are a bit too small to zoom in on and have a better look. If you could possibly send them at full size, we could check the rest of the body for similar net marks and maybe give you a better opinion. Best wishes, Jan ---------------------------------- Jan Loveridge CWT Marine Strandings Network Strandings Hotline: 0845 201 2626 www.cwtstrandings.org ----- Original Message ----- From: <marmam-request(a)lists.uvic.ca> To: <marmam(a)lists.uvic.ca> Sent: Monday, February 23, 2009 5:15 PM Subject: MARMAM Digest, Vol 43, Issue 26 > Send MARMAM mailing list submissions to > marmam(a)lists.uvic.ca > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > marmam-request(a)lists.uvic.ca > > You can reach the person managing the list at > marmam-owner(a)lists.uvic.ca > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of MARMAM digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. A beached fin whale in Libya (Ibrahim Benamr) > 2. Opinions sought: Harbour Porpoise: 18-02-09: Isle of Man > (Hanley, Laura) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:49:25 -0800 (PST) > From: Ibrahim Benamr <benamr_ibrahim(a)yahoo.com> > Subject: [MARMAM] A beached fin whale in Libya > To: marmam(a)lists.uvic.ca > Message-ID: <366277.65206.qm(a)web33007.mail.mud.yahoo.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > Dear all, > ? > A carcass of a fin whale found beached on the Gulf of Sirte on the 18th of > February. The carcass was reported by one of the locals and scientists > from different agencies and universities rushed to the site on the same > date. > ? > The animal was 17 m and heavily decayed. The body was inspected for any > signs of collision (propellers marks or wounds) or mortality cause with no > visible results. No necropsy was carried out and the body was buried at > the site in order to extract the skeleton later. Tissue, blubber and skin > samples were collected and preserved (frozen) at the University of Omar > Elmukhtar (OMU) for later investigation and analysis. > ? > Short videos are available at these links (u-tube): > http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%AA… > ? > Kind regards > ? > Ibrahim Benamer > MSc Marine fisheries Management > University of Aberdeen > ? > Lecturer at University of Omar Elmokhtar (OMU) / Libya > Email: benamr_ibrahim(a)yahoo.com > > > >

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New Articles
by David S. Janiger 23 Feb '09

23 Feb '09

Hi, All Here's the latest posting of new PDF's that are available. File sizes have been included. A couple listed at the end of the message are too large to email. You will need to download from the FTP server. Email for the logon info. Abstracts also available on request. Please don't hit the reply button. Make all requests to: janiger(a)bcf.usc.edu Cheers! David Janiger - Curatorial Assistant (Mammals) Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 900 Exposition Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90007 (213) 763-3369 janiger(a)bcf.usc.edu djaniger(a)nhm.org Janiger Journals ACEVEDO, JORGE; DANIEL TORRES and ANELIO AGUAYO-LOBO. POLAR BIOLOGY 32(1):41-45. 2009. Rare piebald and partially leucistic Antarctic fur seals, Arctocephalus gazella, at Cape Shirreff, Livingston Island, Antarctica. 0.429 MB ACEVEDO, R.; L. OVIEDO; N. SILVA and L. BERMUDEZ-VILLAPOL. JOURNAL OF CETACEAN RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT 10(1):73-79. 2008. A note on the spatial and temporal distribution of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) off Venezuela, southeastern Caribbean. 1.158 MB AHLBORN, BOYE K.; ROBERT W. BLAKE and KEITH H. S. CHAN. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 87(2):124-131. 2009. Optimal fineness ratio for minimum drag in large whales. 0.162 MB ALTER, S. ELIZABETH and STEPHEN R. PALUMBI. JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR EVOLUTION 68(1):97-111. 2009. Comparing evolutionary patterns and variability in the mitochondrial control region and cytochrome b in three species of baleen whales. 0.460 MB AMARAL, ANA R.; MARIA M. COELHO; JESUS MARUGAN-LOBON and F. JAMES ROHIF. ZOOLOGY (JENA) 112(1):38-47. 2009. Cranial shape differentiation in three closely related delphinid cetacean species: Insights into evolutionary history. 0.461 MB BASU, NILADRI; ANTON M. SCHEUHAMMER; CHRISTIAN SONNE; ROBERT J. LETCHER; ERIK W. BORN and RUNE DIETZ. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 28(1):133-140. 2009. Is dietary mercury of neurotoxicological concern to wild polar bears (Ursus maritimus)? 0.102 MB BELGRANO, JIMENA; MIGUEL INIGUEZ; JORGE GIBBONS; CRISTIAN GARCIA and CARLO OLAVARRIA. ANALES DEL INSTITUTO DE LA PATAGONIA 36(2):69-74. 2008. South-west Atlantic right whales Eubalaena australis (Desmoulins, 1822) distribution nearby the Magellan Strait. 0.163 MB BENDER, COURTNEY E.; DENISE L. HERZING and DAVID F. BJORKLUND. ANIMAL COGNITION 12(1):43-53. 2009. Evidence of teaching in Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) by mother dolphins foraging in the presence of their calves. 0.368 MB BENOIT-BIRD, KELLY J. and WHITLOW W. L. AU. JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 125(1):125-137. 2009. Cooperative prey herding by the pelagic dolphin, Stenella longirostris. 1.273 MB CARLSTROM, JULIA; PER BERGGREN and NICK J. C. TREGENZA. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC SCIENCES 66(1):72-82. 2009. Spatial and temporal impact of pingers on porpoises. 0.308 MB CASAUX, R.; A. BARONI; A. RAMON; A. CARLINI; M. BERTOLIN and C. Y. DIPRINZIO. POLAR BIOLOGY 32(2):307-310. 2009. Diet of the leopard seal Hydrurga leptonyx at the Danco coast, Antarctic Peninsula. 0.229 MB CHARIF, RUSSELL A. and CHRISTOPHER W. CLARK. Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Bioacoustics Research Program, Technical Report 08-07. 40pp. 2009. Acoustic monitoring of large whales in deep waters north and west of the British Isles: 1996 - 2005. Preliminary report. 3.536 MB CHILVERS, B. L.; P. J. DUIGNAN; B. C. ROBERTSON; A. CASTINEL and I. S. WILKINSON. POLAR BIOLOGY 32(2):295-302. 2009. Effects of hookworms (Uncinaria sp.) on the early growth and survival of New Zealand sea lion (Phocarctos hookeri) pups. 0.413 MB CULLON, DONNA L.; MARK B. YUNKER; CARL ALLEYNE; NEIL J. DANGERFIELD; SANDRA O'NEILL; MICHAEL J. WHITICAR and PETER S. ROSS. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 28(1):148-161. 2009. Persistent organic pollutants in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): Implications for resident killer whales of British Columbia and adjacent waters. 0.431 MB CURREY, ROHAN J. C.; LUCY E. ROWE; STEPHEN M. DAWSON and ELISABETH SLOOTEN. NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF MARINE AND FRESHWATER RESEARCH 42(4):439-449. 2008. Abundance and demography of bottlenose dolphins in Dusky Sound, New Zealand, inferred from dorsal fin photographs. 1.042 MB DE LA MARE, WILLIAM K. CLIMATIC CHANGE 92(3-4):461-493. 2009. Changes in Antarctic sea-ice extent from direct historical observations and whaling records. 1.114 MB DUDZINSKI, KATHLEEN MARIA; JUSTIN DAVID GREGG; CHRISTINE ANN RIBIC and STAN ABRAHAM KUCZAJ. BEHAVIOURAL PROCESSES 80(2):182-190. 2009. A comparison of pectoral ?n contact between two different wild dolphin populations. 0.420 MB FAHLMAN, A.; S. K. HOOKER; A. SZOWKA; B. L. BOSTROM and D. R. JONES. RESPIRATORY PHYSIOLOGY & NEUROBIOLOGY 165(1):28-39. 2009. Estimating the effect of lung collapse and pulmonary shunt on gas exchange during breath-hold diving: The Scholander and Kooyman legacy. 0.927 MB FINNERAN, JAMES J. JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 124(6):4069-4082. 2008. Modified variance ratio for objective detection of transient evoked potentials in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). 1.819 MB GAYDOS, J. K.; W. A. MILLER; C. JOHNSON; H. ZORNETZER; A. MELLI; A. PACKHAM; S. J. JEFFRIES; M. M. LANCE and P. A. CONRAD. JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 94(6):1264-1268. 2008. Novel and canine genotypes of Giardia duodenalis in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardsi). 0.244 MB GERBER, LEAH R.; LYNE MORISSETTE; KRISTIN KASCHNER and DANIEL PAULY. SCIENCE (WASHINGTON D. C.) 323(5916):880-881. 2009. Should whales be culled to increase fishery yield? 0.460 MB GILLESPIE, D.; J. GORDON; R. MCHUGH; D. MCLAREN; D. K. MELLINGER; P. REDMOND; A. THODE; P. TRINDER and X.-Y. DENG. PROCEEDINGS OF THE INSTITUTE OF ACOUSTICS 30(5): 9pp. 2008. PAMGUARD: Semiautomated, open source software for real-time acoustic detection and localisation of cetaceans. 0.160 MB GOLDMAN, C. G.; J. D. LOUREIRO; M. J. MATTEO; M. CATALANO; A. BELTRAN GONZALEZ; S. RODRIGUEZ HEREDIA; M. B. ZUBILLAGA; J. V. SOLNICK and G. A. CREMASCHI. RESEARCH IN VETERINARY SCIENCE 86(1):18-21. 2009 Helicobacter spp. from gastric biopsies of stranded South American fur seals (Arctocephalus australis). 0.228 MB GOLDMAN, C. G.; M. J. MATTEO; J. D. LOUREIRO; J. DEGROSSI; S. TEVES; S. RODRIGUEZ HEREDIA; K. ALVAREZ; A. BELTRAN GONZALEZ; M. CATALANO; J. BOCCIO; G. CREMASCHI; J. V. SOLNICK and M. B. ZUBILLAGA. VETERINARY MICROBIOLOGY 133(3):287-291. 2009. Detection of Helicobacter and Campylobacter spp. from the aquatic environment of marine mammals. 0.400 MB GREEN, JONATHAN A.; MARTIN HAULENA; IAN L. BOYD; DON CALKINS; FRANCES GULLAND; ANTHONY J. WOAKES and PARTICK J. BUTLER. JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 73(1):115-121. 2009. Trial implantation of heart rate data loggers in pinnipeds. 0.406 MB HANSEN, M.; M. WAHLBERG and P. T. MADSEN. JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 124(6):4059-4068. 2008. Low-frequency components in harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) clicks: Communication signal, by-products, or artifacts? 0.432 MB HERMANS, AURELIE and PIERRE A. PISTORIUS. ATOLL RESEARCH BULLETIN 564. 9pp. 2008. Marine mammal diversity in the remote waters of Aldabra Atoll, southern Seychelles. 2.603 MB HORNING, MARKUS; MARTIN HAULENA; PAMELA A. TUOMI and JO-ANN E. MELLISH. BMC VETERINARY RESEARCH 4(51) 10pp. 2008. Intraperitoneal implantation of life-long telemetry transmitters in otariids. 0.623 MB HUNTINGTON, HENRY P. MARINE POLICY 33(1):77-82. 2009. A preliminary assessment of threats to arctic marine mammals and their conservation in the coming decades. 0.160 MB IMAIZUMI, TOMOHITO; MASAHIKO FURUSAWA; TOMONARI AKAMATSU and YASUSHI NISHIMORI. JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 124(6):3440-3449. 2008. Measuring the target strength spectra of fish using dolphin-like short broadband sonar signals. 0.629 MB JEFFERSON, THOMAS A.; SAMUEL K. HUNG and BERND WURSIG. MARINE POLICY 33(2):305-311. 2009. Protecting small cetaceans from coastal development: Impact assessment and mitigation experience in Hong Kong. 0.171 MB KAWANO, M.; J. FALANDYSZ and M. MORITA.. JOURNAL OF RADIOANALYTICAL AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY 278(2):263-266. 2008. Instrumental neutron activation analysis of extractable organohalogens in marine mammal, harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and its feed, Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), from the Baltic Sea. 0.158 MB LAVERY, TRISH J.; CATHERINE M. KEMPER; KEN SANDERSON; CHRISTOPHER G. SCHULTZ; PETER COYLE; JAMES G. MITCHELL and LAURENT SEURONT. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 67(1):1-7. 2009. Heavy metal toxicity of kidney and bone tissues in South Australian adult bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus). 0.374 MB LEVESQUE, JUAN C. MARINE POLICY 33(1):40-48. 2009. Characterization of the southeastern US black sea bass (Centropristis striata) pot commercial fishery and implications for western North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) management and policy. 0.855 MB LEVESQUE, JUAN C. MARINE POLICY 33(2):233-247. 2009. Establishment and closure of the directed Florida whiting (Menticirrhus americanus) fishery and implications for North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) conservation and management. 1.029 MB MARTINEZ, ROBERTO; PAULA SEGADE; JOSE A. MARTINEZ-CEDEIRA; CRISTINA ARIAS; JOSE M. GARCIA-ESTEVEZ and RAUL IGLESIAS. JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 94(6):1239-1242. 2008. Occurrence of the ectoparasite Isocyamus deltobranchium (Amphipoda: Cyamidae) on cetaceans from Atlantic waters. 0.821 MB MARX, FELIX G. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF LONDON SERIES B BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 275(1658):887-892. 2009. Marine mammals through time: When less is more in studying palaeodiversity. 0.214 MB MAZZOIL, MARILYN; JOHN S. REIF; MARSH YOUNGBLUTH; M. ELIZABETH MURDOCH; SARAH E. BECHDEL; ELISABETH HOWELLS; STEPHEN D. MCCULLOCH; LARRY J. HANSEN and GREGORY D. BOSSART. ECOHEALTH 5(3):278-288. 2008. Home ranges of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida: Environmental correlates and implications for management strategies. 0.363 MB MOLLENHAUER, MEAGAN A. M.; BARBARA J. CARTER; MARGIE M. PEDEN-ADAMS; GREGORY D. BOSSART and PATRICIA A. FAIR. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM) 91(1):10-18. 2009. Gene expression changes in bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, skin cells following exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) or perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). 0.347 MB MOORE, JEFFREY E. and ANDREW J. READ. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 18(8):1914-1931. 2008. A Bayesian uncertainty analysis of cetacean demography and bycatch mortality using age-at-death data. 1.275 MB MURDOCH, M. ELIZABETH; JOHN S. REIF; MARILYN MAZZOIL; STEPHEN D. MCCULLOCH; PATRICIA A. FAIR and GREGORY D. BOSSART. ECOHEALTH 5(3):289-297. 2008. Lobomycosis in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from the Indian River Lagoon, Florida: Estimation of prevalence, temporal trends, and spatial distribution. 0.358 MB NAOTA, M.; A. SHIMADA; T. MORITA; K. KIMURA; K. OCHIAI and A. SANO. JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE PATHOLOGY 140(1):64-66. 2009. Granulomatous pericarditis associated with systemic mucormycosis in a finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides). 0.367 MB NEILSON, JANET L.; JANICE M. STRALEY; CHRISTINE M. GABRIELE and SUSAN HILLS. JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY 36(3):452-464. 2008. Special Issue: Southeast Alaska marine ecology and biogeography. Non-lethal entanglement of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in fishing gear in northern Southeast Alaska. 0.309 MB NERY, MARIANA FREITAS; MARIANA DE ASSIS ESPECIE and SHEILA MARINO SIMAO. BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF OCEANOGRAPHY 56(4):313-316. 2008. Marine tucuxi dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) injuries as a possible indicator of fisheries interaction in southeastern Brazil. 0.202 MB NORDOY, E. S. and A. S. BLIX. POLAR BIOLOGY 32(2):263-270. 2009. Movements and dive behaviour of two leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx) off Queen Maud Land, Antarctica. 0.471 MB NORMAN, STEPHANIE A. ECOHEALTH 5(3):257-267. 2008. Spatial epidemiology and GIS in marine mammal conservation medicine and disease research. 0.194 MB OVIEDO, LENIN; HECTOR M. GUZMAN; LILIAN FLOREZ-GONZALEZ; JUAN CAPELLA ALZUETA and JAMES M. MAIR. AQUATIC MAMMALS 34(4):458-463. 2008. The song of the southeast Pacific humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) off Las Perlas Archipelago, Panama: Preliminary characterization. 0.169 MB PEREIRA, CHRISTIANE S.; SIMONE D. AMORIM; ANDRE FELIPE DAS M. SANTOS; SALVATORE SICILIANO; IGNACIO B. MORENO; PAULO HENRIQUE OTT and DALIA DOS PRAZERES RODRIGUES. BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY 39(4):749-755. 2008. Plesiomonas shigelloides and Aeromonadaceae family pathogens isolated from marine mammals of southern and southeastern Brazilian coast. 0.171 MB PRIETO, RUI and MANUEL FERNANDES. ARQUIPELAGO - LIFE AND MARINE SCIENCES 24:65-69. 2007(2008). Revision of the occurrence of the long-finned pilot whale Globicephala melas (Traill, 1809), in the Azores. 0.284 MB ROSS, PETER S.; CATHERINE M. COUILLARD; MICHAEL G. IKONOMOU; SOPHIA C. JOHANNESSEN; MICHEL LEBEUF; ROBIE W. MACDONALD and GREGG T. TOMY. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 58(1):7-10. 2009. Large and growing environmental reservoirs of Deca-BDE present an emerging health risk for fish and marine mammals. 0.235 MB SHAW, SUSAN; MICHELLE L. BERGER; DIANE BRENNER; LIN TAO; QIAN WU and KURUNTHACHALAM KANNAN. CHEMOSPHERE 74:1037-1043. 2009. Specific accumulation of perfluorochemicals in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina concolor) from the northwest Atlantic. 0.291 MB SHEPPARD, JAMES K.; RHONDDA E. JONES; HELENE MARSH and IVAN R. LAWLER. JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 73(1):45-59. 2009. Effects of tidal and diel cycles on dugong habitat use. 0.904 MB SIEBERT, U.; E. PRENGER-BERNINGHOFF and R. WEISS. JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY 106(1):329-337. 2009. Regional differences in bacterial flora in harbour porpoises from the North Atlantic: Environmental effects? 0.119 MB STODDARD, ROBYN A.; E. ROB ATWILL; PATRICIA A. CONRAD; BARBARA A. BYRNE; SPENCER JANG; JUDY LAWRENCE; BRENDA MCCOWAN and FRANCES M. D. GULLAND. VETERINARY MICROBIOLOGY 133(3):264-271. 2009. The effect of rehabilitation of northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) on antimicrobial resistance of commensal Escherichia coli. 0.374 MB STRALEY, JANICE M.; TERRANCE J. QUINN II and CHRISTINE M. GABRIELE. JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY 36(3):427-438. 2008. Special Issue: Southeast Alaska marine ecology and biogeography. Assessment of mark-recapture models to estimate the abundance of a humpback whale feeding aggregation in southeast Alaska. 0.255 MB TOSI, CAROLINA H. and RENATA G. FERREIRA. BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION 18(1):67-78. 2009. Behavior of estuarine dolphin, Sotalia guianensis (Cetacea, Delphinidae), in controlled boat traffic situation at southern coast of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. 0.476 MB TUCKER, STRAHAN; W. DON BOWEN; SARA J. IVERSON and GARRY B. STENSON. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 87(2):139-151. 2009. Intrinsic and extrinsic sources of variation in the diets of harp and hooded seals revealed by fatty acid profiles. 0.556 MB UHEN, MARK D. JOURNAL OF SYSTEMATIC PALAEONTOLOGY 6(4):433-452. 2008. A new Xenorophus-like odontocete cetacean from the Oligocene of North Carolina and a discussion of the basal odontocete radiation. 3.829 MB UHEN, MARK D. and HANS-JURGEN BERNDT. FOSSIL RECORD - MITTEILUNGEN AUS DEM MUSEUM FUR NATURKUNDE IN BERLIN 11(2):57-60. 2008. First record of the archaeocete whale family Protocetidae from Europe. 0.482 MB VON LOEBBECKE, ALFRED; RAJAT MITTAL; FRANK FISH and RUSSELL MARK. HUMAN MOVEMENT SCIENCE 28(1):99-112. 2009. A comparison of the kinematics of the dolphin kick in humans and cetaceans. 0.646 MB WANG, JOHN Y.; SAMUEL K. HUNG; SHIH CHU YANG; THOMAS A. JEFFERSON and EDUARDO R. SECCHI. MAMMALIA 72(4):302-308. 2008. Population differences in the pigmentation of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, Sousa chinensis, in Chinese waters. 0.334 MB WARREN, JOSEPH D.; JARROD A. SANTORA and DAVID A. DEMER. MARINE BIOLOGY (BERLIN) 156(3):479-491. 2009. Submesoscale distribution of Antarctic krill and its avian and pinniped predators before and after a near gale. 0.792 MB WILLIAMS, ROB; DAVID LUSSEAU and PHILIP S. HAMMOND. BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION 142(4):709-719. 2009. The role of social aggregations and protected areas in killer whale conservation: The mixed blessing of critical habitat. 0.287 MB WOLF, NICHOLAS and MARC MANGEL. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS 18(8):1932-1955. 2008. Multiple hypothesis testing and the declining-population paradigm in Steller sea lions. 1.700 MB WOMBLE, JAMIE N.; MICHAEL F. SIGLER and MARY F. WILLSON. JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY 36(3):439-451. 2008. Special Issue: Southeast Alaska marine ecology and biogeography. Linking seasonal distribution patterns with prey availability in a central-place forager, the Steller sea lion. 0.954 MB WOSHNER, VICTORIA; KATRINA KNOTT; RANDALL WELLS; CARLA WILLETTO; RHONDA SWOR and TODD O'HARA. ECOHEALTH 5(3):360-370. 2008. Mercury and selenium in blood and epidermis of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from Sarasota Bay, FL: Interaction and relevance to life history and hematologic parameters. 0.377 MB YOUNG, JULIE K.; MANUELA GONALEZ-SUAREZ and LEAH R. GERBER. BEHAVIOUR 145(12):1797-1810. 2008. Determinants of agonistic interactions in California sea lions. 0.318 MB ZABKA, T. S.; T. GOLDSTEIN; C. CROSS; R. W. MUELLER; C. KREUDER-JOHNSON; S. GILL and F. M. D. GULLAND. VETERINARY PATHOLOGY 46(1):105-119. 2009. Characterization of a degenerative cardiomyopathy associated with domoic acid toxicity in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). 3.408 MB ZEYL, E.; J. AARS; D. EHRICH and O. WIIG. MOLECULAR ECOLOGY 17(4):735-749. 2009. Families in space: Relatedness in the Barents Sea population of polar bears (Ursus maritimus). 3.944 MB Too large to email. You will need to download from the FTP server. Email for logon info. DAHLHEIM, MARILYN E.; PAULA A. WHITE and JANICE M. WAITE. JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY 36(3):410-426. 2008. Special Issue: Southeast Alaska marine ecology and biogeography. Cetaceans of southeast Alaska: Distribution and seasonal occurrence. 30.815 MB KLINCK, HOLGER. BERICHTE ZUR POLAR- UND MEERESFORSCHUNG 582:1-149. 2008. Automated passive acoustic detection, localization and identification of leopard seals: From hydro-acoustic technology to leopard seal ecology. 36.494 MB

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A beached fin whale in Libya
by Ibrahim Benamr 23 Feb '09

23 Feb '09

Dear all, A carcass of a fin whale found beached on the Gulf of Sirte on the 18th of February. The carcass was reported by one of the locals and scientists from different agencies and universities rushed to the site on the same date. The animal was 17 m and heavily decayed. The body was inspected for any signs of collision (propellers marks or wounds) or mortality cause with no visible results. No necropsy was carried out and the body was buried at the site in order to extract the skeleton later. Tissue, blubber and skin samples were collected and preserved (frozen) at the University of Omar Elmukhtar (OMU) for later investigation and analysis. Short videos are available at these links (u-tube): http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=%D8%AD%D9%88%D8%AA… Kind regards Ibrahim Benamer MSc Marine fisheries Management University of Aberdeen Lecturer at University of Omar Elmokhtar (OMU) / Libya Email: benamr_ibrahim(a)yahoo.com

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STILL ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS!! Marine Animal Rehabilitation Internships
by Shannon Prendiville 21 Feb '09

21 Feb '09

Marine Animal Rehabilitation Internship Program The University of New England's Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center is currently accepting applications for our summer Marine Animal Rehabilitation Internship Program. We are looking for highly motivated, dynamic candidates who will work closely in a team setting with staff and volunteers to assist with all aspects of veterinary care and husbandry of sick and injured seals, cetaceans and/or sea turtles. Other responsibilities include but are not limited to: Daily care of animals, water quality testing, maintenance of daily food and medical records, necropsy, education/docent tours and computer entry of data. An internship project (to be discussed/assigned by staff) will be completed during the internship program. These positions are unpaid and interns are required to find their own housing and transportation. Interns schedules may cover weekday shifts, and/or nights, weekends and holidays. The ideal candidate should be mature and motivated, and possess a strong work ethic and excellent observational and communication skills. Application requirements: College Sophomore, Junior or Senior (recent graduates may also apply) Minimum GPA 2.5 Transcript (unofficial copy acceptable) Two Letters of Recommendation Letter of Intent Letter of Intent Should Include: Qualities that you will contribute to our program Your goals and objectives in participating in our program ** Successful completion of internship includes presentation of project at the end of internship term. Application Deadline: March 1 Summer Internship: May - September* * Internship dates are flexible around school schedules and can be discussed upon acceptance to program. All applications will be reviewed. Qualified applicants will be contacted for a phone interview. Submit applications/ inquiries to: Anne Watson Volunteer/Internship Coordinator Marine Animal Rehabilitation Center University of New England 11 Hills Beach Road Biddeford, Maine 04005 awatson(a)une.edu

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Opinions sought: Harbour Porpoise: 18-02-09: Isle of Man
by Hanley, Laura 20 Feb '09

20 Feb '09

Please find the attached photos that we'd really appreciate your opinion on. This porpoise was found on Wednesday floating within Douglas Harbour, Isle of Man. Have you seen similar? Can you say with some confidence, what would cause this? Regards Laura Laura J Hanley MSc BSc (Hons) Assistant Wildlife and Conservation Officer - Marine Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Wildlife and Conservation Division Knockaloe Farm Patrick Isle of Man IM5 3AJ British Isles Office Tel +44 (0)1624 843109 Direct Tel +44 (0)1624 695730 Mobile +44 (0)7624 483942 laura.hanley(a)gov.im <mailto:laura.hanley@gov.im> Isle of Man. Giving you freedom to flourish WARNING: This email message and any files transmitted with it are confidential and may be subject to legal privilege. You must not copy or deliver it to any other person or use the contents in any unauthorised manner without the express permission of the sender. If you are not the intended addressee of this e-mail, please delete it and notify the sender as soon as possible. No employee or agent is authorised to conclude any binding agreement on behalf of any of the Departments or Statutory Boards of the Isle of Man Government with any party by e-mail without express written confirmation by a Manager of the relevant Department or Statutory Board. RAAUE: S’preevaadjagh yn çhaghteraght post-l shoh chammah’s coadanyn erbee currit marish as ta shoh coadit ec y leigh. Cha nhegin diu coipal ny cur eh da peiagh erbee elley ny ymmydey yn chooid t’ayn er aght erbee dyn kied leayr veih’n choyrtagh. Mannagh nee shiu yn enmyssagh kiarit jeh’n phost-l shoh, doll-shiu magh eh, my sailliu, as cur-shiu fys da’n choyrtagh cha leah as oddys shiu. Cha nel kied currit da failleydagh ny jantagh erbee conaant y yannoo rish peiagh ny possan erbee lesh post-l er son Rheynn ny Boayrd Slattyssagh erbee jeh Reiltys Ellan Vannin dyn co-niartaghey scruit leayr veih Reireyder y Rheynn ny Boayrd Slattyssagh t’eh bentyn rish.

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Ocean Noise 2008 science, policy recap from Acoustic Ecology Institute
by Jim Cummings 19 Feb '09

19 Feb '09

The Acoustic Ecology Institute¹s annual recap of ocean noise developments is now available as a pdf download at the AEI website: http://www.AcousticEcology.org/spotlight_oceannoise2008.html AEI¹s coverage of news and new research is now distilled into an RSS or email feed, available from http://AEInews.org Below is a summary of the contents of the Ocean Noise 2008 overview: During 2008, four key pathways to future engagement with ocean noise issues clarified. Each of these over-arching developments are fleshed out in more detail in the full report. Behavioral impacts clearly replaced strandings and deaths as the key issue for marine mammals encountering human noise. Several studies released during 2008 all suggest that whales of many species may stop or reduce their feeding when moderate to loud human sounds enter their habitat, and this particular impact is likely to become a central focus of future research and regulatory consideration. The legal tussles over mid-frequency and low-frequency active sonars continued, and the Supreme Court decision does not put an end to the controversy. The Navy crossed an important threshold, completing full Environmental Impact Statements for their sonar training procedures for the first time; the lack of sufficient NEPA analysis was the root of most of the legal challenges. The plans they are putting forward to govern sonar training off most of the US coastline continue to rely on safety measures that Federal Courts have found wanting, though it appears that challenges to their proposals are more likely to focus on avoiding biologically important areas than increasing the safety zones that are designed to avoid injury. All parties seem to be accepting that gross injury is rare to the point of being difficult to use as a lever to shift the balance of interests with the Navy¹s national security imperative, but NGOs, many field researchers, and agency staff are all looking more closely at the behavioral impacts that take place at much longer ranges (up to several or even tens of kilometers). The next round of Navy sonar conflicts will center on how willing the Navy is to consider these subtler impacts, and whether NMFS or the courts will impose broader territorial restrictions on sonar training to protect areas where whales may be more susceptible to repeated disruption by sonar transmissions. Shipping noise is moving very quickly to the forefront of international concerns about rising ocean noise. This year the US, with strong German support, initiated a two-year process at the International Maritime Organization to come up with ship quieting recommendations. Also, the unusual sensitivity of harbor porpoises to boat noise has become clearer. The scientific community appears to be entering a new phase in its engagement with ocean noise, a natural result of the increasing emphasis on these issues over the past five years. The European Science Foundation, the US Marine Mammal Commission, and a National Marine Fisheries Service-led group have all recently published important reports that attempt to provide frameworks within which future research priorities can be clearly considered. These frameworks promise to provide much-needed big-picture coherence to what has been largely a scattershot approach to increasing our understanding of ocean noise. An independent and striking development this year was the emergence of more scientists speaking out forcefully about their concerns about ocean noise; these scientists have, at times, directly critiqued the more modest and diligently objective conclusions of the larger institutional reports just noted, and are representative of a subset of scientists who are more willing to push for extra precaution in our noise-making until we better understand what the effects are. Among the most interesting things to watch for in 2009: The Navy and NRDC will be ³test-driving² their recent agreement on mid-frequency active sonar, which set up a 4-month period of dialogue after any major MFAS rules are issued, in an effort to avoid more litigation. With final EISs and NMFS-issued permits issued for the three most important sonar training ranges released in December and January, the clock is ticking, and there is plenty to discuss: NRDC has expressed vehement concerns about the large numbers of animals who will hear and change their behavior in response to sonar training. In Alaska, Shell Oil will be challenging a recent ruling by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that revoked their permits to conduct seismic surveys, using a line of argument very similar to that which prevailed for the Navy before the Supreme Court in its sonar case, and which was already voiced by the dissenting judge on the 3-judge panel that ruled that the Minerals Management Service had not done a thorough enough environmental review: Shell will argue that the court has exceeded its field of expertise, and in so doing, ignored the expertise of the federal regulators. How will the Obama administration approach new offshore oil exploration and development on the US Outer Continental Shelf? The MMS completed two years of preliminary work just as the Bush administration left office, culminating in a draft proposal to open 22 new lease areas, and to conduct an EIS for widespread seismic surveys as decades-old data is updated. Secretary Salazar¹s first move was to extend the comment period on these plans to six months; hearing have already begun in the House to consider next steps for OCS development. The possibility that noise causes stress responses in marine life is under increasing scrutiny, and could fundamentally alter the equation that is central to ocean noise regulation: if and how noise may contribute to long-term, population-level impacts. The Navy and NRDC are working together on a research program that includes study of stress in marine mammals, and the Okeanos Institute is following up on its symposium that addressed stress impacts with a new meeting in 2009 that will address synergistic impacts of multiple marine stressors, including noise. This is the big question: does noise induce stress which then makes animals significantly more susceptible to other physiological stressors, such as toxins or food shortages? (There are indications that these sorts of synergistic impacts do occur in terrestrial species.) Jim Cummings Executive Director, Acoustic Ecology Institute Needle clusters shirring in the windlisten close, the sound gets better ---Gary Snyder, Mountains and Rivers Without End 45 Cougar Canyon, Santa Fe, NM 87508-1490 Fax 505.466.4930 Phone 505.466.1879 Fax 866.571.0416 <http://www.AcousticEcology.org> Sound-related Environmental Coverage: Wildlands, Ocean, Urban Issues News Digest, Special Reports, Science Coverage, Educators' Resource Center

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Northeast Region Stranding Network Conference, March 27-29 in Salem, MA
by Kathy Zagzebski 19 Feb '09

19 Feb '09

Announcing the Northeast Region Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Stranding Network Conference ("NERS 2009"), March 27-29, at the Salem Waterfront Hotel & Suites in Salem, MA. The annual NERS Conference brings together over 100 scientists, marine animal specialists, managers, educators, stranding network volunteers, and interested laypeople from Virginia to Maine to network and share the latest knowledge about marine animal strandings, disease, rescue, and rehabilitation. On Friday, March 27th and Saturday, March 28th, scientific papers on marine mammal and sea turtle disease, case studies, stranding trends, large whales, and other topics of interest will be presented. On Sunday, March 29th there will be a special symposium on Marine Animal Disease in the 21st century. This year's conference is co-hosted by the New England Aquarium, the Whale Center of New England, and the National Marine Life Center. Full conference registration is $75, and one-day registrations are available. Space is limited. To register, visit: http://support.neaq.org/ners <http://support.neaq.org/ners> . ~ Kathy Zagzebski ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Kathy Zagzebski President & Executive Director The National Marine Life Center P.O. Box 269, 120 Main Street Buzzards Bay, MA 02532-0269 phone: 508 743-9888 x15 fax: 508 759-5477 e-mail: kzagzebski(a)nmlc.org web: http://www.nmlc.org/ <http://www.nmlc.org/> "Caring for stranded marine animals." I GoodSearch for the National Marine Life Center. You can help, too, just by searching the Internet with GoodSearch - <http://www.goodsearch.com/> www.goodsearch.com <http://www.goodsearch.com/> . Thanks for your support! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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Marine mammal observer and Passive acoustic monitoring training_March & April courses
by Yvonne Miles 19 Feb '09

19 Feb '09

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. With fully trained and experienced MMOs teaching. Each student is graded in their certificates to ensure the *quality ** standard* of the MMO industry is gaining. *Please note that the mid range registration fees for the UK March courses and Australian April courses will stay open until the end of February due to Website upgrades and delays that have been caused * *Registration will close two weeks before course starts. * NOTE – There is *ONLY **ONE** MMO COURSE IN MARCH 2009 * * ** We are now running Passive Acoustic Monitoring courses for MMOs * *March PAM course is 26th & 27th 2009* *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 *Note * *When you register for a course the course prices will be sent directly to you* *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 www.scanningoceansectors.org info(a)scanningoceansectors.org -- Yvonne Miles 9 Long Street Point Vernon Hervey Bay QLD 4655 Australia 0431 824 063 mob 07 4124 8320 land line info(a)scanningoceansectors.org www.scanningoceansectors.org

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