August 2009 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

NOPP BAA
by Weise, Michael 26 Aug '09

26 Aug '09

National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) and Interagency Committee on Ocean Science and Resource Management Integration (ICOSRMI) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) https://www.fbo.gov/spg/DON/ONR/ONR/09-037/listing.html AND http://www.onr.navy.mil/02/baa/ On behalf of the National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) and The President's Interagency Committee on Ocean Science and Resource Management Integration (ICOSRMI), the Office of Naval Research (ONR) solicits research proposals meeting the goal and purpose of the Partnership Program outlined in Title II, subtitle E, of Public Law 104-201. Any NOPP member agency may fund research in response to this solicitation. Research proposals are solicited for two topics: TOPIC 1: Improving Attachments of Electronic Data Loggers to Cetaceans, which includes two subtopics: SUB-TOPIC 1a. Determining Causes of Tag Attachment Success and/or Failure, and SUB-TOPIC 1b. Case Studies to Determine the Short- and Long-term Physical, Physiological, and Behavioral Effects of Tags on Animals; and TOPIC 2: Improvements in High-Resolution, Tide-Resolving Global Ocean Predictions. Up to $8 Million over four years may be available for this solicitation, subject to appropriation and final approval by the Interagency Working Group on Ocean Partnerships (IWG-OP) of the ICOSRMI. Team efforts are required among at least two of the following three sectors: Foreign institutions are eligible to apply for support under this BAA Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), Federal Laboratories and other Federal Entities may not be the Principal Investigators on proposals. Proposal deadline is 23 November 2009. Technical Point of Contact for Topic 1: Michael Weise, Program Officer Marine Mammals & Biological Oceanography Program Office of Naval Research - Code 32 One Liberty Center - Rm 1068 875 N. Randolph St. Arlington, VA 22203-1995 703.696.4533 office 703.696.2007 fax michael.j.weise(a)navy.mil Contracting point of Contact: Susan M. Paolini, Senior Contracting Officer 875 North Randolph St., Suite 1425 Arlington VA 22203-1995 Phone 703-696-0554 Fax 703-696-3365 Email paolins(a)onr.navy.mil

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Aquatic Mammals Journal "Goes Green"
by Kathleen Dudzinski 26 Aug '09

26 Aug '09

Please post the following notice to MARMAM Members. Thank you. Kathleen Dudzinski, Co-Editor Aquatic Mammals Journal ******************************* AQUATIC MAMMALS ³GOES GREEN² New Real-time, Online Journal with Print On-demand Option Aquatic Mammals is sincerely concerned about the use of consumables such as paper, ink, and mailing envelopes. The journal¹s Editors, Editorial Board, and sponsors the European Association of Aquatic Mammals, the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums, and the International Marine Animal Trainer¹s Association want to minimize the impact of journal publications on the environment. As a result, we have made several changes over the last 5 years. In 2004, Aquatic Mammals committed to printing the journal on paper made with 30% Post Consumer Recycled content, while retaining a high standard for print quality. In 2005, the journal made manuscripts available as .pdf text online format through Ingenta and ProQuest. In 2009, the journal made progress toward this goal by adopting an electronic manuscript management system, Manuscript Fast Track, which allows authors, reviewers, and editors to exchange articles via a paperless, online method. On 1 January 2010, all published materials by Aquatic Mammals (articles, manuscripts, correspondence, reviews, renewal notices, etc.) will be published and/or distributed entirely electronically. As a result, Aquatic Mammals will no longer appear in hard copy format. Aquatic Mammals will become a ³real-time² online journal through Ingenta and ProQuest. Once an article has been peer-reviewed and accepted for publication, it will be immediately formatted by Document Publication Services. After review by the editors and authors, a final .pdf of the article will be made available to the authors for distribution. No more waiting for months for an accepted article to be available for distribution!!! Articles will have a volume, issue, DOI, and page numbers so they are immediately citable. As soon as an entire issue is available, all articles will be placed online through Ingenta and ProQuest ON-DEMAND PRINT OPTION The Editors of Aquatic Mammals realize that in some circumstances hard copies of an article or a whole issue might be needed. As a result, Document Publication Services has an ³On-Demand² hard copy option. One or multiple hard copies of a single article or a whole issue can be printed for the author(s)¹ specific needs. In addition, CDs can be produced at the author(s)¹ request. This option provides flexibility to the authors and saves needless printing and storage of issues. These small changes will not reverse global warming or staunch the relentless depletion of natural resources; however, the Editors and Editorial Board of Aquatic Mammals support environmentally responsible activities and want the journal to play its part in conservation. For subscription information, please access the Aquatic Mammals website: http://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/ To submit a manuscript, please access the Manuscript Fast Track URL: http://am.expressacademic.org/actions/author.php

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NOAA FISHERIES PERMITTING WORKSHOPS AT THE SMM BIENNIAL
by Kate Swails 26 Aug '09

26 Aug '09

We invite you to attend two back-to-back workshops hosted by the NOAA Fisheries, Office of Protected Resources, Permits, Conservation and Education Division. The workshops will be held Monday night during the Biennial conference. Permitting 101 will be first, and provide an overview of the MMPA and ESA permit process. This workshop will begin with a general presentation, followed by breakout groups with permit analysts who will answer you questions about different types of permits. The second workshop, Introduction to APPS, will include a demonstration of our new online application system (APPS; https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov <https://apps.nmfs.noaa.gov/>), including instruction on how to log in, apply for a permit, request a modification, and submit a report. Date: Monday October 12th Location: Quebec City Convention Center, Room 205C Time: 7:30 pm --Permitting 101 9:00 pm --Introduction to APPS Cost: Free. Pre-registration is not required; walk-ins are welcome.

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Volunteer field helper for elephant seal research
by simo_liste＠tiscali.it 25 Aug '09

25 Aug '09

PROJECT: Long term study of southern elephant seals POSITION: Volunteer field helper for elephant seal research DURATION: 3 months, September-November 2009 CONTACT: Filippo Galimberti, fil_esrg(a)eleseal.org We have an urgent needing for an extra volunteer field helper for the 2009 field season of a long term project on southern elephant seals carried out by the Elephant Seal Research Group. The field work site is Sea Lion Island (Falkland Islands). More details on the project are available on the research team web site: www.eleseal.org. One of our field helper had a serious family problem and so is not able to come. The field work season starts very soon, and the other helpers are arriving in the Falklands on September 5th. We are looking for candidates wishing to arrive the same date, or with a maximum delay of one week. There is only one flight per week, from Santiago (Chile) on Saturday. Successful applicants will receive adequate training and will help with tagging, marking, counts, behavioral observations, handling of pups, and collection of biological sampling. Volunteers will be supervised by the PIs and/or by trained technicians. Previous experience of field work is appreciated but not essential. The field season runs for approximately 3 months, from the beginning of September to the end of November. Only applicants who can stay for the whole season can be taken into consideration. Applicants should pay all expenses required to get to the field work site, and telephone/Internet expenses while at Sea Lion Island. Accommodation at Sea Lion Island is rather basic and self-catering. Applicants will be required to work for the whole length of the day, seven days per week (with half day per week of rest). The work is physically demanding, and it is often carried out in rather bad weather conditions. People without a good tolerance to cold are discouraged to apply. The island is a wonderful place with a rich and tame wildlife. To apply please send a cover letter describing your interest in the position and a CV or resume to Filippo Galimberti at fil_esrg@eleseal. org, and copy to fil_esrg(a)prodigy.net.mx. Contact information for one or more references is appreciated but not essential. Due to the very close deadline, the first candidate with an acceptable CV will be selected. Thanks. The ESRG team Filippo Galimberti, PhD Elephant Seal Research Group fil_esrg(a)eleseal.org www.eleseal.org Torna a grande richiesta l'offerta estiva di Tiscali Photo !! Non rinuniciare ai tuoi ricordi. Stampa le tue foto a soli 0,09 eurohttp://photo.tiscali.it

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Workshop Announcement Defining Subspecies: Developing Guidelines for Marine Mammals
by Kelly Robertson 25 Aug '09

25 Aug '09

Hello, We would like to announce the following workshop taking place on October 10th before the 18th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. *Defining Subspecies: Developing Guidelines for Marine Mammals * The workshop is hosted by Barbara Taylor, William Perrin, Sarah Mesnick (all from NOAA, Southwest Fisheries Science Center), and Dr. Annalisa Berta (San Diego State University). The organizing committee includes Kelly Robertson, Brittany Hancock and Victoria Pease. ** **Marine mammals have few subspecies relative to terrestrial vertebrates. The definition of subspecies has been contentious and often ignored and yet those subspecies that have been defined can and have received needed conservation protections. The objective of this symposium is to build on the subspecies definition that resulted from a 2004 cetacean systematics workshop with the goal of a working set of criteria for all marine mammals. A secondary goal is to expand the prioritized list of cetaceans most in need of taxonomic research to include all marine mammals. The 2004 workshop defined subspecies as follows: In addition to the use of morphology to define subspecies, the subspecies concept should be understood to embrace groups of organisms that appear to have been on independent evolutionary trajectories (with minor continuing gene flow), as demonstrated by morphological evidence or at least one line of appropriate genetic evidence. Geographical or behavioral differences can complement morphological and genetic evidence for establishing subspecies. As such, subspecies could be geographical forms or incipient species. The proposed workshop will have four sessions: 1. review of subspecies concepts including non-marine mammal taxa, 2. review of the evidence used for description of currently recognized marine mammal subspecies, 3. informative case studies ranging across marine mammals, and 4. discussion of the subspecies definition for marine mammals. The first three sessions will be a series of invited talks followed by a short discussion of each session. The discussion will be open to all workshop participants. The one-day workshop will focus on discussing revisions, if necessary, to the cetacean definition of subspecies in light of what has happened since the definition was proposed and considering the broader suite of species represented by all marine mammals. Date:* October 10* (2 days before the beginning of conference sessions) - Full Day Room: 205b Cost: *$30 USD, includes two coffee breaks * *Payment details will be provided once you register. * *Seating is limited, so please register early. * *Thank you, * *Kelly Robertson Workshop Proponent * * * * * -- Kelly Robertson Research Fishery Biologist NOAA Fisheries, SWFSC 3333 N. Torrey Pines Ct La Jolla, CA 92037 Office: 858-546-7182 Fax: 858-546-5682

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ITALY: large scale cetacean monitoring from passengers ferries
by Ceto News 25 Aug '09

25 Aug '09

In Italy different Institutions (both of public and private sector), Universities and NGO have joined forces to undertake a large scale cetacean monitoring programme from passengers ferries. The network, active since 2007, in summer weekly monitors presence, relative abundance, distribution and migration/dispersion timing of cetacean along the following routes: Civitavecchia-Golfo Aranci (since 2007) in the Central Tyrrhenian sea (along this route from 1989 to 1991 weekly observations on cetacean were undertaken by the same observers); Livorno-Bastia and Savona-Bastia (since 2008) in the Pelagos sanctuary; Calvi-Nizza (from 2009) in the western part of the Pelagos sanctuary. Preliminary data show that in summer most of the sightings of “whales” occur in coincidence with local high primary production zones such as the ones east of Golfo Aranci and along the Calvi-Nizza route. Accademia del Leviatano, Università di Genova, Università di Pisa , CRAB coop, Fondazione CIMA, networked by ISPRA, are the different bodies that participate to the research On the research the network has already submitted two different MS for the 2008 and 2009 European Cetacean Society conference proceedings. Summer weekly sightings can be checked from the blog: http://lericerchedelleviatano.blogspot.com/

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Marine Tours as First Responders in MMPAs
by Brooke Porter 24 Aug '09

24 Aug '09

Please consider registering for the half day, afternoon workshop Marine Tours as First Responders in MMPAs on Saturday, October 10, 2009 to be held in association with the SMM's 18th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals in Quebec City, Canada. Marine mammal populations throughout the world are increasingly associated with marine wildlife watching operations. With the recovery of North Pacific the humpback whale (Megaptera novengliae) stock, a corresponding increase in anthropogenic factors, which negatively impact humpback whales, can be expected. Oversight by federal and state agencies charged with enforcement cannot adequately address the needs of the resource. Marine tour operators, operating in whale dense waters are uniquely positioned to act as first responders in incidents involving whale-human interactions as they are often the first to sight incidents, have the technology to document and relay the precise location and have the capability to stay with and/or track the animal involved. The approach of utilizing marine tour operators as first responders benefits the natural resource, while also providing an immediate first line of action for management agencies that often operate from land-based stations with smaller vessels. Desired output of the workshop includes increased and formalized systems of communication between commercial marine tour operators and resource managers as there is potential to develop a spirit of cooperation towards a common goal through partnership. Speakers are currently being finalized and a detailed program will be forthcoming. To register, please visit <http://www.marinemammalscience.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=articl e&id=358&Itemid=214> Merrill Kaufman Director of Education Brooke Porter, MEd Director of Conservation Pacific Whale Foundation 300 Ma'alaea Road Suite 211 Wailuku, Hawai'i 96793 Work (808) 856-8341 Fax (808) 243-9021 www.pacificwhale.org

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Job announcement: Biotech III, Upper Trophic Level Ecosystem Studies, Seattle, WA.
by Aquatic Farms 24 Aug '09

24 Aug '09

Job Announcement: Fisheries Research Scientist Position: Biotech III working for a NOAA contractor on a temporary contract of approximately 1 year. Project Title: Upper Trophic Level Ecosystem Studies Education and Experience: Masters Degree in Biology or related science with emphasis in fisheries, oceanography or natural science. Three (3) years experience with marine mammal surveys, abundance estimation, and statistical analyses are required. A Bachelors Degree and at least five years of experience related directly to the research requirement may substitute for the Masters Degree requirement. Location: Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Mammal Lab (NMML), Seattle, WA. Literature review, data processing and analysis will be done at NMML and no field work is anticipated. Duties: Full time position, 40 hours per week. Duties to be performed under this task order include but are not limited to conducting research on the abundance, trends, and distribution of marine mammals and birds in the North Pacific, Bering Sea, and Okhotsk Sea. The successful candidate will serve as the lead for compiling data bases, reviewing literature and managing data in the context of ecosystem change and will work with collaborators in Russia, Washington, California, Oregon, Alaska and British Columbia to access data and acquire metadata. Specific deliverables are required to be accomplished by due dates specified in work assignments and submitted to the NMFS Project Leader for approval and acceptance. The successful candidate will work as a member of a scientific team, but will have the lead for undertaking the data processing and analyses as agreed in consultation with the team. This work will involve evaluating scientific literature and compiling data from a wide variety of sources. Previous experience with marine mammal surveys, abundance estimation, and statistical analyses are required. Salary: based on $23.57 per hour plus medical and dental plan Please email resumes to the attention of Cal Goo at officeafl(a)hawaii.rr.com Calinda "Cal" Goo Aquatic Farms 49-139 Kamehameha Hwy Kaneohe, HI. 96734 (808) 239-2929 FAX: (808) 239-8436

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SMM Workshop - Saving An Individual, Protecting A Population, Conserving A Species
by Barbie Byrd 24 Aug '09

24 Aug '09

We would like to invite you to participate in the workshop, *Saving An Individual, Protecting A Population, Conserving A Species, *preceding the 18th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. Please see below for details. Space is limited so if you are interested, please register at http://www.marinemammalscience.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=articl…. * Saving An Individual, Protecting A Population, Conserving A Species * Proponent: Barbie Byrd and Janet Whaley, National Marine Fisheries Service Date: 11 October, Full Day Room: 208A Marine mammals that are perceived as "out-of-habitat" or in peril, but are not stranded, pose complex challenges to agencies and groups responsible for determining and implementing the best course of action. Public and political pressures often result in interventions that are not justified based on the health of the population in question. In addition, stranding networks and regulatory agencies may potentially be faced with an increasing number of out-of-habitat cases if marine mammals (or their prey) shift distribution patterns and inhabit "new" areas in response to population-level or ecosystem-wide changes. While protocols for stranding response are well-developed, and some of the same principles apply, protocols for out-of-habitat events are usually developed ad-hoc and based on lessons learned from a handful of prior cases. The ad-hoc nature and resulting inconsistencies of responses to past events highlight the need for specific criteria to help in the decision-making process and to support decisions in the face of dissent. The biennial provides an opportunity for attendees who have dealt with similar situations to gather together to share experiences and help shape guidelines for future use. We propose a 1-day workshop involving international participants and incorporating a range of perspectives from academic researchers, animal welfare and environmental NGOs, and relevant regulatory agencies. The workshop will begin with an overview presentation outlining the structure and goals of the workshop, a presentation on relevant governmental regulations, and 8 20-minute presentations reviewing past case studies. In the afternoon, participants will be separated into breakout groups for about 2 hours to discuss a particular topic. Afterwards, each group would provide a critical review of their topic to all participants. Their analyses will be incorporated into draft guidelines (consensus or range of opinions) to provide criteria for evaluation of future events and determination of the most appropriate responses. A draft report will be circulated to participants for comment. A final version will be distributed following incorporation of comments. Costs: $35 USD prior to 15 Aug; $45 USD after this date. Morning and afternoon refreshments will be served. Please make checks out to "The Marine Mammal Center" and write "Workshop at 2009 SMM Conference" in the memo line on your check. Send checks to: Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program NOAA/NMFS/PR2 Room 13658 1315 East-West Hwy Silver Spring, MD 20910USA Thank you. Barbie Byrd and Janet Whaley

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Workshop announcement and call for posters
by Mark Baumgartner 24 Aug '09

24 Aug '09

Workshop Announcement: "Ecological Modeling For Marine Mammalogists" October 11, 2009 Québec City, Canada Québec City Convention Center, Room 2000A Registration Fee: $30 US (register here) "Ecological Modeling for Marine Mammalogists" is a one-day workshop that will be held prior to the 18th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals in Québec City, Canada. The workshop follows on the very successful 2005 workshop "Application of GIS and Spatial-Temporal Modeling for Marine Mammal Science and Management," and will represent the fifth Biennial workshop devoted to modeling. There is tremendous interest in applying statistical modeling techniques to the quantitative assessment of marine mammal distribution and habitat use, and our workshop seeks to explore both traditional and the latest methodologies. Our goal is to bring together practitioners that can share their experience with various approaches to ecological modeling by addressing topics ranging from collecting data, selecting the appropriate model, evaluating the model's results, and applying those results in a management scenario. The workshop format will consist of formal presentations followed by extended discussions during which particular methodologies can be fully explored by all participants. In addition to an overview of modeling techniques, we will have sessions focused on the analysis of movement data (primarily from satellite tracking data) and on the analysis of presence-only occurrence data (primarily from passive acoustic monitoring applications, but also from non-standardized sighting data such as whale watching and historic whaling records). In 2005, we introduced the Project Forum wherein students and less experienced researchers presented their projects and discussed the statistical challenges they are facing with an expert panel. We will bring this useful forum back in 2009 as a poster session to encourage increased interaction among the workshop participants. CALL FOR PROJECT FORUM POSTERS We are accepting abstracts (max 300 words) for posters outlining research that addresses applications of statistical tools and modeling approaches for marine mammals. We are particularly interested in poster presentations by students seeking input and discussion on statistical methodology. These posters will be used in a session, as described above, where other researchers, including the workshop organizers, can supply feedback or advice. We also welcome posters that discuss innovative tool and/or model development. Please send abstracts by Sept. 14 to Ellen Hines at ehines(a)sfsu.edu Workshop organizing committee: Mark Baumgartner Ed Gregr Ellen Hines Kristin Kaschner Kristin Laidre Daniel Palacios Kathy Vigness Raposa

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