July 2010 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Marine Mammal Scientist and Passive Acoustic Monitoring System (PAMS) Operational Technician Vacancies
by Nick Robinson 26 Oct '10

26 Oct '10

Gardline Environmental Ltd is a member of the Gardline Marine Sciences Limited Group of Companies and are a successful Environmental contractor, operating a fleet of inshore boats, conducting major integrated offshore projects on a worldwide basis and inshore projects for major clients in the UK and overseas. As part of our continued growth there are immediate vacancies for the following positions: PAMS OPERATIONAL TECHNICIAN As a PAMS Operational Technician you will be responsible for the maintenance, despatch and receipt of all PAMS equipment. In addition, you will be expected to keep up to date with national and international development of PAMS and implement accordingly. Applicants will ideally be of degree calibre or equivalent in a relevant discipline and possess a full comprehension with the technical composition and use of PAMS. Ideally the candidate would have an understanding of marine mammals, their biology and identification and previous marine survey experience would be advantageous. MARINE MAMMAL SCIENTIST Reporting to the current Marine Wildlife Business Manager, you will be expected to undertaken and develop the application of marine mammal observations, monitoring and recording systems, the compilation and preparation of reports and the processing of observational data and possess a sound knowledge marine mammals, their biology and identification. Ideally you will be of degree calibre or equivalent, and demonstrate the ability to lead and develop projects from implementation to completion and illustrate sound commercial awareness. You will need to be a confident individual with a can do attitude and enjoy being challenged. Previous relevant marine oil and gas or renewable energy industry experience is advantageous. Both positions require the individual to spend in the region of 60 days at sea, dependent on project requirements, with the remaining time being office based (Great Yarmouth). As well as a competitive salary, these roles also include offshore allowances and a range of employee benefits, such as; personal and professional development, a further range of employee benefits and world wide travel opportunities. To apply for these positions please email your CV and covering letter to Allan Tucker, Recruitment Officer on recruitment(a)gardline.com. Closing date: 8th April 2009 Nick Robinson ________________________________ CONFIDENTIALITY - This e-mail and any attached files contain information that is confidential and/or may be subject of legal privilege, intended only for use by the addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient or the person responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, please be advised that you have received this message in error and that any dissemination, copying or use of this message or attachment is strictly forbidden, as is the disclosure of the information therein. If you have received this message in error please notify the sender immediately and preserve this confidentiality by deleting the message. No binding contract will result from this e-mail until and unless an officer, on behalf of the sender, signs a written document. Sender accepts no responsibility for the completeness or accuracy of this message as it has been transmitted over public networks. Unless otherwise specifically stated any views or opinions are solely those of the author and do not represent those of the sender Company.

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Emerging flame retardants in right whales
by Eric Montie 30 Jul '10

30 Jul '10

Dear Colleagues, I would like to inform you about our recent publication in Marine Pollution Bulletin: Title: Brominated flame retardants and organochlorine contaminants in winter flounder, harp and hooded seals, and North Atlantic right whales from the Northwest Atlantic Ocean Authors: Eric W. Montie, Robert J. Letcher, Christopher M. Reddy, Michael J. Moore, Belinda Rubinstein, and Mark E. Hahn Abstract: Various brominated flame retardants (BFRs), including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and current-use, non-PBDE BFRs, as well as organochlorine (OC) pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), were measured in winter flounder, harp and hooded seals, and North Atlantic right whales from the Eastern United States and Canada. The concentrations of PBDEs in winter flounder and right whales were similar in magnitude to the levels of PCBs, which was unlike the pattern observed in seals. In these marine mammals, the levels of PBDEs were orders of magnitude lower than the levels of OCs and PCBs detected. Evidence existed for the accumulation of methoxylated (MeO)-PBDEs of natural origin in seals and right whales. Current-use, non-PBDE BFRs (including hexabromocyclododecane, pentabromoethylbenzene, hexabromobenzene, and pentabromotoluene) were detected in winter flounder and marine mammals. Future research should focus on monitoring PBDEs, current-use, non-PBDE BFRs, and MeO-BDEs of natural origin in marine organisms from Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays. If you would like a reprint of this publication, please contact me at the following email - emontie(a)marine.usf.edu. Best regards, Eric Montie -- Eric W. Montie, M.S., Ph.D. NOAA Oceans and Human Health Postdoctoral Fellow College of Marine Science University of South Florida 140 Seventh Avenue South; KRC 2107 St. Petersburg, FL 33701-5016 Office Phone: (727) 553-1237 Fax: (727) 553-1189 E-mail: emontie(a)marine.usf.edu

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GCSC's 1st Annual Student Research Symposium
by SMM Gulf Coast Student Chapter 30 Jul '10

30 Jul '10

Please join the Society for Marine Mammalogy’s Gulf Coast Student Chapter at its 1st Annual Student Research Symposium held at the new Science Complex at Texas A&M University’s Galveston campus, September 4th-5th 2010, with an icebreaker event planned the evening of Sept 3rd. This meeting is intended to facilitate and foster scientific discussion and collaboration amongst marine mammal students working in the Gulf Coast region. Whether you are an established professional or student, undergraduate or graduate, we invite you to attend! This year’s symposium will include oral presentations of student research and workshops geared towards promoting presentation technique and other professional applications. We encourage students working in the Gulf Coast region to present their research, regardless of the stage of your project! If you are interested in presenting, please submit your abstract and registration form (posted on our website) no later than August 15th to the email address listed below. Presentation space will be limited, so priority will be given to students. Presentations should be no longer than 15 minutes (aim for a 12 minute presentation with 3 minutes for questions). For those students traveling long distances to join us, free accommodations may be arranged with local students. If this is the case, we suggest that you note this on your registration form and register early, as space is limited! Any further details pertaining to this event will be posted on our website and our Facebook event page. Please contact the GCSC student administrators at gcsc_contact(a)yahoo.com if you have any further questions regarding the symposium. We look forward to seeing you! __________________________________________________________________________________ Courtney Smith MA/PhD Student Student Chapter Administrator Gulf Coast Student Chapter of the Society for Marine Mammalogy Marine Mammal Behavior and Cognition Lab University of Southern Mississippi 118 College Dr. #5025 Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5025

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Fall on-line course: Aquatic Animal Conservation Issues
by Larkin,Iskande V 30 Jul '10

30 Jul '10

Hi All, We are very excited to announce the opening of registration for our fall on-line course: Aquatic Animal Conservation Issues!! This is designed, with an asynchronous format (you can access the material at your convenience within a given module) to introduce students (upper level undergraduate and graduate) and professionals to some of the controversial issues surrounding aquatic animal species ranging from invertebrates to marine mammals, with emphasis on marine mammals, but also including sea turtles, fisheries, and marine ecosystems. This is a two-credit hour course offered by the University of Florida, Aquatic Animal Health Program. Space is limited. . .so hurry to reserve your seat! Please go to our web site for details and registration: conference.ifas.ufl.edu/ame/aacissues<http://conference.ifas.ufl.edu/ame/aacissues/index.html> If you have any further questions, please contact Dr. Larkin: ivlarkin(a)ufl.edu<mailto:ivlarkin@ufl.edu> . Sincerely, Iske Iske V. Larkin, PhD Research Assistant Professor & Education Coordinator Aquatic Animal Health Program Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine University of Florida PO Box 100136 2015 SW 16th Ave Gainesville, Florida 32610 For packages 32608 *Office phone - 352-294-4095 *NEW #* Work cell - 352-494-1742 Fax - 352-392-8289 Program web page: http://www.vetmed.ufl.edu/extension/aquatic/

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Post-doctoral research position: Manatee Demographic Modeling
by William L Kendall 29 Jul '10

29 Jul '10

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FYI: Release of the 2009 State of the Climate report
by Tracy Gill 29 Jul '10

29 Jul '10

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New Article
by Lida Pimper 29 Jul '10

29 Jul '10

The following article is available online for those of you that are interested: Mitochondrial DNA variation and population structure of Commerson’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) in their southernmost distribution Lida E. Pimper, C. Scott Baker, R. Natalie P. Goodall, Carlos Olavarría and María I. Remis Abstract The Commerson’s dolphin, Cephalorhynchus commersonii, is found in shallow waters of the continental shelf off the eastern coast of South America between 40°S and 56°S. This species is taken incidentally in artisanal gillnet fisheries, especially along the shallow coastline of northern Tierra del Fuego and southern Patagonia. The biological importance of by-catch is likely to be underestimated if the boundaries of subpopulations are not properly defined. Here, we report on the sequence variation of the mitochondrial DNA control region of the Commerson’s dolphin from five areas defined in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina and Chile, to provide a preliminary assessment of population structure where conservation efforts are most needed. A 466 bp fragment of the mitochondrial DNA control region was sequenced from 196 samples of skin, teeth and bone, defining 20 haplotypes from 17 polymorphic sites. Nucleotide (π = 0.40%) and haplotype (h = 0.807) diversity were low compared to some other odontocete populations, but similar to that of other species of this genus. Genetic differentiation evaluated through analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed significant overall differences among areas within Tierra del Fuego (Φ ST = 0.059, P < 0.01). An analysis of sex-specific population structure suggested that the dispersal rates of both females and males are low, indicative of females displaying greater site fidelity. The results from mtDNA control region sequences alone revealed significant differentiation among studied areas, which should be considered as independent management units. We recommend that the impact of localized gillnet mortalities should be managed on a local scale in these areas of Tierra del Fuego. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10592-010-0102-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Published by Conservation Genetics http://www.springerlink.com/content/k6k5048153250305/?p=0698d67f220f463a8c3… Lida E. Pimper Postdoctoral Research Fellow Laboratorio de Genética de la Estructura Poblacional. Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales Universidad de Buenos Aires. Argentina. Museo Acatushún de Aves y Mamíferos Marinos Australes. Tierra del Fuego. Argentina. Tel: +5411-4576-3300 int. 219 FAX: +5411-4576-3354 email: liditas(a)gmail.com / liditas(a)ege.fcen.uba.ar http://www.ege.fcen.uba.ar

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Journal of Cetacean Research and Management, Vol 11, Supplement 2, 2010
by Dagmar Fertl 28 Jul '10

28 Jul '10

Dear Marmam and ECS-mailbase subscribers, Apologies to those of you who will receive duplicate emails due to cross-posting. The International Whaling Commission (IWC) publishes The Journal of Cetacean Research and Management thrice yearly (Spring, Autumn, and Winter), with at least one supplement that will contain the full report of the IWC Scientific Committee. The following is posted on behalf of the IWC and the journal editor; it is a summary of contents from the most recent issue (Volume 11, Supplement 2, 2010) of the The Journal of Cetacean Research and Management. This supplement to the Journal contains the Report of the Scientific Committee from its Annual Meeting held from 31 May-12 June 2009 in Funchal, Madeira. It also contains: The report of the Expert Workshop to Review the Ongoing JARPN II Programme held in January 2009 in Yokohama, Japan; the Report of the Workshop on Cetaceans and Climate Change held in February 2009 in Siena, Italy; the Report of the 2nd AWMP Workshop on Greenlandic Fisheries held in March 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark: the Report of the Intersessional Workshop on MSYR for Baleen Whales held in February 2009 in Seattle, USA; the Report of the SOWER Abundance Workshop held in April 2009 in St. Andrews, Scotland, UK; the Report of the Intersessional Meeting on Southern Hemisphere Humpback Whale Assessment Methodology held in February 2009 in Seattle, USA: the Report of the Joint CCAMLR-IWC Workshop to Review Input Data for Antarctic Marine Ecosystem Models held in August 2009 in Hobart, Australia; and the Report of the 2nd Intersessional Workshop of the North Atlantic Fin Whale Implementation held in March 2009 in the Greenland Representation. Further information on the journal can be found at: http://www.iwcoffice.org/publications/JCRM.htm. A guide for authors is included in the first volume of each issue and on the IWC website: http://www.iwcoffice.org/publications/authorsguide.htm. With regards, Dagmar Fertl

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REPCET: A new system to limit ship strikes
by Delphine GAMBAIANI 28 Jul '10

28 Jul '10

Dear all, A new system, called REPCET, aiming to reduce the risks of collision between ships and cetaceans has recently been launched. The REPCET tool is a software system dedicated to commercial navigation. The concept is simple and is based on the following: Every sighting of large cetaceans by watchkeeping personnel on board a vessel equipped with REPCET is transmitted by satellite in real time to a server located on land. The server then centralizes the data and sends out an alert to equipped vessels that are likely to be affected. The alerts are displayed cartographically on a dedicated screen on board. Additional information about this tool is available on: www.repcet.com (English version available). Best regards, Delphine Gambaiani (project scientist) Souffleurs d'Ecume Hôtel de Ville 83170 La Celle France -- Conservation des cétacés de Méditerranée: www.souffleursdecume.com Consommation durable: www.ecoscienceprovence.com Tél./fax: +33(0)4 94 69 44 93 Hôtel de Ville - 83170 LA CELLE

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New Article
by Dave Duffus 27 Jul '10

27 Jul '10

For those interested in gray whale-prey dynamics, the following paper is available: Feyrer, L. J. Differences in embryo production between sympatric species of mysids (family Mysidae) in the shallow coastal waters off Vancouver Island, BC. Marine Biology, DOI 10.1007/s00227-010-1510-9 Whale Research Lab, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, PO 3060 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 3P5, Canada Received: 25 January 2010 Accepted: 25 June 2010 Published online: 8 July 2010 Abstract The ecological importance of mysid (Crustacea: Mysidacea) populations in coastal food webs is not well understood. Although the 10 or more species of epibenthic mysids found in Clayoquot Sound, BC, Canada, form the primary prey resource for seasonally abundant gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus), little is known about their life history. Here, Holmesmysis sculpta dominates multi-species swarms, however there are several potential routes to this state, one of which is higher embryo production. Reproductive capacity is key to the resiliency of local mysid populations and species diversity, in this study I compare one aspect, brood size for the four most commonly found species, H. sculpta, Neomysis rayii, Exacanthomysis davisi, and Columbiaemysis ignota. The number of embryos per brood was found to vary significantly between species; however, individual length is a stronger determinant of brood size. Here, I report previously unknown life history attributes of coastal mysid species, with important consequences for community structure and local marine food webs.

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