June 2012 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

U.S. policy student seeking marine mammal GIS data?
by Adam Jadhav 21 Jun '12

21 Jun '12

I'm hoping this e-mail might be circulated to the MARMAM list-serv. My name is Adam Jadhav; I'm an environmental policy master's student working on a marine biodiversity/threats mapping project in India. I'm reaching out because I'm in need of spatially explicit marine mammal data (CSV coordinate/species tables, shapefiles, geodatabases, other GIS formatted files) specifically for the Indian EEZ. I have the data from OBIS-Seamap (http://seamap.env.duke.edu/) and the larger IndOBIS set, but they're rather sparse on mega-vertebrate observations for India's EEZ. I'm also pursuing some good Indian government data (from a 2008 CMFRI pub by Afsal et al). I would happily take advice on other datasets related to mammals, mega-vertebrates or biodiversity in general (the more layers the merrier in this case). I can be reached directly at adam.jadhav(a)student.american.edu. Thanks so much, Adam Jadhav -- Adam Jadhav Master's candidate, Global Environmental Policy American University, School of International Service adam.jadhav(a)student.american.edu Indian mobile: +91 99 8659 2608 U.S. mobile +1 623 252 3428

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Information on recent Mass Stranding in Peru
by Sarah Barry 20 Jun '12

20 Jun '12

Is there any information on the results of investigations that Peruvian Scientists are carrying out on the recent mass stranding there of common dolphin and Burmeisters porpoises? There is this article: http://digitaljournal.com/article/325075 But according to the NHM website the results were leading towards a potential epidemic outbreak of morbillivirus brucella. Kind regards, Sarah Louise Barry Marine Mammal Consultant

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WOW Cetaceans Courses July 2012 update
by Powell Strong 20 Jun '12

20 Jun '12

Two WOW Cetacean courses remain for 2012, 3-5 July and 24-26 July. These are three day courses with a nationally recognised qualification. Courses are based around west Wales and combine class and field work. The emphasis is on identification, biology, recording and sampling theory. These are not MMO courses, but do compliment a typical MMO course, by placing much greater emphasis on species identification and recording. Courses include the option of boat work at an additional cost. For more details, on WOW courses in general, see http://coast.pembrokeshire.ac.uk/wow/ or for details of the Cetaceans course, see http://www.pembrokeshire.ac.uk/courses/marine/225. Alternatively, contact Powell Strong on p.strong(a)pembrokeshire.ac.uk<mailto:p.strong@pembrokeshire.ac.uk>. Courses cost £140 per person. Funding may be available for persons employed in an associated field and based in the south and west Wales area. Powell Strong Coastal Zone & Marine Environment Research Unit Pembrokeshire College Haverfordwest, Wales SA61 1SZ 00 44 1437 753 166/ 00 44 7917752207 http://coast.pembrokeshire.ac.uk/wow/ p.strong(a)pembrokeshire.ac.uk<mailto:p.strong@pembrokeshire.ac.uk> ________________________________ Mae'r e-bost hwn ac unrhyw ffeiliau atodedig yn gyfrinachol ac at sylw'r unigolyn neu'r sefydliad a enwir uchod. Bydd unrhyw farn neu sylwadau a fynegir yn perthyn i'r awdur yn unig ac ni chynrychiolant o anghenraid farn Coleg Sir Benfro. Os ydych chi wedi derbyn yr e-bost hwn ar gam, rhowch sylw i'r gweinyddwr ar y cyfeiriad canlynol: postmaster(a)pembrokeshire.ac.uk<mailto:postmaster@pembrokeshire.ac.uk> Cysidrwch yr amgylchedd - a oes wir angen argraffu'r ebost hwn? This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Any views or opinions expressed are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Pembrokeshire College. If you have received this email in error please notify the administrator on the following address: postmaster(a)pembrokeshire.ac.uk<mailto:postmaster@pembrokeshire.ac.uk> Please consider the environment - do you really need to print this email?

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Fall Photo-ID Internships at HBOI!
by Elizabeth Hartel 20 Jun '12

20 Jun '12

Voluntary Research Positions at HBOI Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University is now accepting applications for two voluntary research positions in the Population Biology and Behavioral Ecology (PBBE) Program. Successful applicants will participate in marine mammal photo-identification including data entry, database management, image analysis, field work, and potentially GIS mapping work. Positions are available from mid August to mid December. There is some flexibility with the above dates. Please submit application materials with as much notice as possible, preferably at least one month prior to your desired session start date. If interested in participating for a longer duration, it may be possible to combine two of the above sessions. Volunteers will be expected to commit to a minimum of 30 hours per week, excluding University recognized holidays. Harbor Branch is located in Fort Pierce, FL, adjacent to the Indian River Lagoon. The PBBE program conducts boat-based photo-ID surveys of Western North Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in estuarine waters of Eastern Florida. We investigate multiple aspects of dolphin population biology, foraging ecology and social organization, including temporal and spatial aspects of abundance and distribution. Voluntary Researchers will primarily focus on data entry, database management, image analysis, and some photo-ID field work. These are unpaid positions, but this is an excellent opportunity to gain experience with marine mammal research and image analysis. Participants will be under the supervision of experienced dolphin researchers and will learn many valuable skills. If students intend to receive university credit for their participation, they are responsible for making all arrangements with their educational institution. Participants are also responsible for their own living arrangements and expenses. Ideal candidates will be advanced undergraduates or recent graduates of a university program in marine science, biology, ecology, or a related field. We are seeking applicants with a strong work ethic, a mature attitude towards marine mammal research, and preferably prior marine mammal experience. As these are unpaid positions, applicants must fill out the Volunteer Application found at http://www.fau.edu/hboi/Donate.php (scroll down to "Donate Your Time" and click on Volunteer Application). To apply, please send a résumé and cover letter with the completed Volunteer Application to Cathy Rossmell at crossmel(a)fau.edu. Please indicate PBBE- Photo-ID as your area of interest on the application. Please include the session(s) and/or dates you are applying for in your cover letter. Florida Atlantic University is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access Employer and is committed to the diversity of its workforce. Liz Hartel Biological Scientist Population Biology and Behavioral Ecology Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute - FAU 5600 US 1 North, Fort Pierce, FL 34946 work: (772) 242-2238 cell: (772) 216-4363 www.hboi.fau.edu

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The tourist experience and economics of dolphin watching in Lovina (Bali, Indonesia)
by Putu Liza Mustika 19 Jun '12

19 Jun '12

Dear Marmam-ers, We have recently published two papers on the tourist experience and economics of dolphin watching in Lovina (Bali, Indonesia): Mustika, P. L. K., Birtles, A., Everingham, Y. & Marsh, H. 2012, 'The human dimensions of wildlife tourism in a developing country: watching spinner dolphins at Lovina, Bali, Indonesia', Journal of Sustainable Tourism, pp. 1-23. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09669582.2012.692881 Abstract: The number of cetacean watching tourism operations in developing countries has doubled in the past decade. Practices are typically unregulated and not informed by research, especially research into the human dimensions of the tourist experience. Dolphin watching tourism at Lovina, Bali, started in the late 1980s when local fishers formed self-regulating cooperatives. Up to 180 dedicated operators use small fishing vessels to carry passengers to watch dolphins close to shore. Most tourists come from western countries, although the industry also attracts Asian visitors. Most visitors are tertiary-educated. Tourist satisfaction ranges from low to medium. While there was no significant difference between the average satisfaction of western and Asian tourists, the associated variables were different. The satisfaction of western tourists was associated with encounter management, preferred number of boats and the number of dolphins seen. Encounter management was the only variable associated with the satisfaction of Asian tourists. Satisfaction was positively associated with willingness to recommend the tour: western respondents who felt neutral to very comfortable with their dolphin encounters were more likely to promote the tour. Better understanding of the tourist experience is crucial in designing sustainable marine wildlife tourism in developing countries; such research appears to be rare. Mustika, P. L. K., Birtles, A., Welters, R. & Marsh, H. 2012, 'The economic influence of community-based dolphin watching on a local economy in a developing country: Implications for conservation', Ecological Economics, vol. 79, no. 0, pp. 11-20. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800912001693 Abstract: This study examined the direct economic impacts of dolphin watching tourism in Lovina, north Bali (Indonesia). The study applied the direct expenditure approach to tourists who went on dolphin tours in Lovina in 2008 and 2009. This industry depends on predictable access to coastal dolphins, attracts at least 37,000 overnight visitors per annum (~ 60% of the region's overnight tourists) and contributes at least 46% of the total direct expenditures (USD 4.1 million p.a.) for accommodation, meals, transportation, communication and souvenirs. The 179 boatmen enjoy an above average income and thus have little financial incentive to leave the industry. Nonetheless, trip fees constitute only 3% of the total expenditures generated by dolphin watching tourism. The remainder e.g., for accommodation, restaurants and transport is spent with local businesses which become the substantial beneficiaries and hence these stakeholders should also be consulted prior to any management intervention. This profitable industry supports 35-100 tour boats operating daily. The number of boats should be regulated to address concerns over their impacts on the dolphins and visitor satisfaction. The papers can also be obtained by emailing me at putu.liza(a)my.jcu.edu.au.The papers are taken from my PhD thesis titled 'Towards Sustainable Dolphin Watching Tourism in Lovina, Bali, Indonesia' published in December 2011. Thanks so much for your interest, Icha Dr Putu Liza Kusuma Mustika School of Earth and Environmental Sciences James Cook University, North Queensland, Australia

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MESSY Maine Marine Mammal Camp
by Tora Johnson 19 Jun '12

19 Jun '12

Hi MARMAM Folks! Please spread the word! The University of Maine at Machias residential summer camp's theme this year is marine mammals. Machias Summer Session for Youth Camp--MESSY for short--still has room for high school (7/22-27) and middle school kids (7/29-8/3) who want to have an awesome time and get, well, MESSY. MESSY always combines outdoor adventures, high tech activities, arts projects, and a chance to take part in research in a college setting. Each year we adopt a theme and delve into it from a variety of perspectives, and by camper request, we'll be focusing on marine mammals in 2012. We'll go on a whale watch, observe seal behavior, learn to assess sick and stranded animals, work with skeletons, map whale tracks and sightings, and more. Visit our website http://machias.edu/messy for more info and registration. Like us on Facebook<http://www.facebook.com/pages/MESSY-Machias-Environmental-Summer-Session-fo…>to keep up with MESSY announcements. Thanks to generous donors, we have scholarships for campers in need. We can arrange to pick up campers at the airport or bus station in Bangor for a small fee. Any questions? Feel free to contact me. Thanks in advance for helping to get the word out! Tora ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tora Johnson Director/ Instructor GIS Service Center & Laboratory Torrey 223 University of Maine at Machias tjohnson(a)maine.edu / tora(a)svbetsy.com (207) 255-1214

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New publication: Migratory timing of individual humpback whales, E Australia
by Dan Burns 18 Jun '12

18 Jun '12

Dear colleagues We are pleased to announce the following publication in Marine Mammal Science: Burns, D., Brooks, L., Clapham, P. and Harrison, P. (2012) Between-year synchrony in migratory timing of individual humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae. Marine Mammal Science. DOI: 10.1111/j.1748-7692.2011.00557.x. This paper is now available in the 'Early View' section of the journal's website: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2011.00557.x/abstract or pdf requests can be made to dburns(a)scu.edu.au Cheers Dan Dan Burns, Ph.D. Marine Scientist | WA Office | Ph: +61 (0)431 530 724 | Email: <mailto:dan@blueplanetmarine.com> dan(a)blueplanetmarine.com | <http://www.blueplanetmarine.com/> www.blueplanetmarine.com Amberley Business Centre, IBM Building - Level 3, 1060 Hay St, West Perth, WA, 6005, Australia This message is private and confidential. If you have received this message in error, please notify us and remove it from your system.

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New ESME Workbench release
by David Mountain 18 Jun '12

18 Jun '12

A demo version of the new ESME Workbench acoustic impact simulator is now available for downloading from our website: http://esme.bu.edu/download/index.shtml This demo version includes environmental databases with world-wide coverage from the US Navy Ocean Acoustics Modeling Library (OAML) and allows you to specify sound source parameters and to compute, visualize, and save transmission loss fields. The ESME Workbench also includes a GIS-like capability for visualizing environmental data. Later this summer we will be releasing the fully featured ESME Workbench that will include the 3MB animal movement simulator and the ability to analyze and save the exposure history of the virtual animals (animats) in the simulator. The current version of the acoustic simulator assumes a narrow-band source and uses a ray-tracing approach (Bellhop <http://oalib.hlsresearch.com/Rays/index.html>) that is not suitable for shallow water (less that 10 wavelengths). Future version of the ESME Workbench will include the capability to simulate broad-band sources and algorithms suitable for shallow water. Due to the size of the environmental databases, the installer is quite large (1.8 GB) so the download can take a very long time to download unless you have a very high-speed internet connection. The environmental databases are also available for downloading individually for users who wish to use their own acoustic propagation software. Please let us know if you need help using the simulator or if you discover any problems. Also, suggestions for how to improve the simulator would be greatly appreciated. Note: the installer checks to see if the environmental databases are already installed so that future upgrades will install much faster. -- David C. Mountain, Ph.D. Professor of Biomedical Engineering Boston University 44 Cummington St. Boston, MA 02215 Email: dcm(a)bu.edu Website: http://www.bu.edu/hrc/research/laboratories/auditory-biophysics/ Phone: (617) 353-4343 FAX: (617) 353-6766 Office: ERB 413

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Final Announcement: JASA special issue on Methods for Marine Mammal Passive Acoustics
by sara.heimlich 18 Jun '12

18 Jun '12

Dear Colleagues. This is a reminder that the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America intends to publish a special issue on Methods for Marine Mammal Passive Acoustics, and that *papers intended for the special issue should be submitted by midnight (PST) June 30, 2012.* The intent is that all papers accepted on or before October 1, 2012, will be passed on to the production department for publication. Given that a sufficiently large number of papers are accepted, these papers will appear as a group in a separate publication which will be the second part of a regular issue. Examples of such special issues may be found in the Part Two's of the January 2002, March 2005, September 2008, and November 2011 issues. *Authors are instructed to send an e-mail to the Guest Editor, David K. Mellinger (david.k.mellinger(a)noaa.gov <mailto:david.k.mellinger@noaa.gov>) informing him of their submission. Please also copy it to me (sara.heimlich(a)oregonstate.edu <mailto:sara.heimlich@oregonstate.edu>**), as I will be working with Dave on the production of this Special Issue.* Sincerely, Sara Heimlich General Topic The use of passive acoustics has been successful over the last several decades in advancing the study of marine mammals in their natural environment. Because marine passive acoustic data are typically collected for months to years at a time, automated techniques for detection, classification, and localization are crucial for data analysis. Such techniques have advanced rapidly in quantity and quality in the last few years. Concurrently, passive acoustic monitoring has also incorporated techniques for population density estimation, which is now a rapidly growing field. Papers are encouraged that describe new techniques or report on developments in previously-existing approaches, and which detail the advantages and drawbacks of the described methods. Papers that offer singular insight from different research and academic fields including biology, physiology, acoustics, oceanography, signal processing, mathematics, electronics, and computer science are also invited. However, prospective authors should note that papers published in JASA must fulfill the requirement that the content be "truly acoustics," rather than merely applicable to acoustics. How to Submit Papers Papers should be submitted in the usual manner for JASA via the Peer X-Press site. Go to the site http://asadl.org/jasa/ and click on the item "Submit to Journal." When you submit a paper via the online submission process, you will fill out an outline form that is the same for all papers that are submitted. However, the form will include a new feature in the portion of the form that has a tab for "Keywords and PACS-43 Index Terms." There will be a drop-down list at the bottom of the page that is labelled as "Special Issues." All special issues currently in progress will be listed in this drop-down list. The special issue you should select is MMA (for Methods for Marine Mammal Passive Acoustics). To make doubly certain that your paper will be grouped with others intended for the special issue, you should upload a cover letter that identifies the paper as intended for the special issue on Methods for Marine Mammal Passive Acoustics. A footnote with such an identification should also appear on the title page of the manuscript. Authors should also send an e-mail to the Guest Editor, David K. Mellinger (david.k.mellinger(a)noaa.gov <mailto:david.k.mellinger@noaa.gov>) informing him of the submission. The editor reserves the right of deciding whether the topic of the submission is appropriate for the special issue, but all submitted papers will be considered for publication in the Journal. Peer-review and editorial decisions of submitted articles will be handled with the usual processes, but those accepted for the special issue will be be grouped together for the publication in the special issue. Deadlines and Relevant Dates Papers intended for the special issue should be submitted before June 30, 2012. The intent is that all papers accepted on or before October 1, 2012, will be passed on to the production department for publication as a special issue. It is recognized that the progression of submitted manuscripts through the JASA Peer X-Press system takes a variable amount of time, sometimes as long as a year, although 3 months is the desired objective. If a manuscript is not fully accepted before November 1, 2012, it is unlikely that it will be possible to include it in the special issue. It is highly unlikely that any manuscript submitted after June 30 will be accepted sufficiently rapidly to be included. The best strategy, if one desires a manuscript to be included, is to submit it as soon as possible. Papers accepted after the deadline will be published in the Journal, but not in the special issue. Introductory Editorial A brief editorial introducing the topic and the papers will be written by the Guest Editor David K. Mellinger in collaboration with the authors of the accepted papers. -- Sara Heimlich CIMRS/OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center Newport, OR. 97365 (541) 867-0328 office (541) 961-1737 cell

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New paper on a sighting of a western North Atlantic right whale in the Azores
by Mónica Cordeiro de Almeida e Silva 18 Jun '12

18 Jun '12

Dear colleagues, We are pleased to announce the recent publication of the following paper on the winter sighting of a North Atlantic right whale from the western population in the Azores: Silva MA, Steiner L, Cascão I, Cruz MJ, Prieto R, Cole T, Hamilton PK and Baumgartner M. 2012. Winter sighting of a known western North Atlantic right whale in the Azores. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 12(1): 65-69. -------------- Abstract A right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) from the western North Atlantic population, sighted in the Azores, was subsequently found to have moved back to the northwest Atlantic. The whale was sighted in the Azores on 5 January 2009 travelling in a west-south westerly direction at a constant speed. A photographic match was found to an adult female in the North Atlantic Right Whale Catalogue. The whale's previous last sighting, on 24 September 2008 in the Bay of Fundy, Canada, implies movement to the Azores of at least 3,320km in 101 days. It was subsequently resighted in the Bay of Fundy on 2 September 2009, 237 days after being seen in the Azores. This appears to be the only documented evidence of a western North Atlantic right whale outside its normal range in winter, and provides additional evidence of the potential for interbreeding between western North Atlantic right whales and the remnant eastern population. Kindest regards, Mónica Silva Mónica Almeida e Silva Post Doctoral Fellow ------------------------------------------------------------------- Centro do IMAR da Universidade dos Açores Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas 9901-862 Horta, Portugal Tel: (351) 292207800 Fax: (351) 292207811 E-mail: monica(a)uac.pt http://www.horta.uac.pt/projectos/cetamarh/ <http://www.horta.uac.pt/projectos/cetamarh/> http://www.portulano.org/wkit/index.html <http://www.portulano.org/wkit/index.html> ---------------------------------------------------------------- Biology Department, MS#33 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA E-mail: msilva(a)whoi.edu http://www.whoi.edu/ <http://www.whoi.edu/>

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