May 2014 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Advice on dolphin identification programs
by Colleen Talty 29 May '14

29 May '14

Hi, My company and I (Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center) are conducting research and building a bottlenose dolphin catalogue of our local dolphins. I am also using the data we are collecting for my thesis. We are currently using a program called IMatch, but want to look into other programs that use a server via the internet so several people can access the information at once. We were thinking of using FinScan, but cannot find the actual program anywhere- just papers that describe using the program. I was wondering if anyone had any insight at all about either FinScan or another cetacean identification program that they have used and where I may be able to buy or download the program. Any sort of advice will help, as we really want to move on from IMatch which is a one computer based program. Thank you for your time, Colleen Talty and the Cape May Whale Watch and Research Center

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Manatee GIS and Data Management Position at Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
by Koslovsky, Stacie 29 May '14

29 May '14

Working Title: OPS FISHERIES & WILDLIFE BIOLOGICAL SCIENTIST II Broadband/Class Code: 19-1023-02 Position Number: 77900909-51196773 Annual Salary Range: $16 per hour Announcement Type: Open Competitive City: SAINT PETERSBURG Facility: FISH AND WILDLIFE RESEARCH INSTITUTE Pay Grade/ Pay Band: BB008 Closing Date: 6/17/2014 Job Description: This is a technical position that supports Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI) scientists in managing tabular and spatial (GIS) data for research on the Florida manatee and its habitat. Specific manatee research conducted at FWRI includes population monitoring, carcass recovery and necropsy, telemetry, mark-recapture, and habitat characterization. The incumbent will interact and problem-solve with researchers and field station staff on various projects. The main responsibilities for this position are entering and verifying tabular and spatial data; assisting with the creation, maintenance, quality assurance and quality control of multiple databases; developing cartographic products and tabular data summaries for use in publications, reports, presentations and field research and for management purposes; assisting with metadata documentation and data archive; and locating, retrieving and compiling biological and environmental data. The person in this position will communicate technical information to coworkers, while maintaining a professional working environment that promotes teamwork within working units and with the Marine Mammal Program at FWRI. The person will occasionally participate in public outreach efforts and may have the opportunity to take part in a limited amount of field work, depending on interests, skills and program needs. Required Education: A Bachelor's degree with a major in one of the life or physical sciences. Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: * Knowledge of GIS, relational databases and data management principles. * Knowledge of wildlife ecology, biology, or natural systems. * Skilled at using a personal computer, preferably including experience using Microsoft Word, Excel, Access and ArcGIS 9.x or 10.x. * Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing; ability to work well independently and as a member of a team. Qualified applicants will need to be organized, detail-oriented, self-motivated and adept at problem-solving and time management to succeed in this position. * Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid Driver's License. Preferred Experience: Applicants having experience with SQL Server, Microsoft Lightswitch, Model Builder, Python and/or R may be given preference. Application Requirements: Applicants are required to submit a complete, up-to-date, State of Florida Application Form electronically in People First, by midnight on the closing date listed. Go to: https://peoplefirst.myflorida.com (enter 77900909 in the keyword search field). Additionally, applicants are required to complete the additional application questions and are encouraged to attach a cover letter, resume and three references with their People First application by the closing date. Further supporting documentation may be submitted in People First, but do not replace the requirement for a completed State of Florida application form. If you experience technical difficulties during the application process or when attaching documents, call People First staffing at 1-877-562-7287. If unable to attach supporting documents to your application, they may be faxed to the People First Service Center at 1-888-403-2110. Be sure to include the Requisition number for the position to which you are applying on each page of your faxed documents. WHAT IS OPS EMPLOYMENT? Other Personal Services (OPS) employment is a temporary employer/employee relationship used solely for accomplishing short term or intermittent tasks. OPS employees do not fill established positions and may not be assigned the duties of any vacant authorized position. OPS employees are at-will employees and are subject to actions such as pay changes, changes to work assignment, and terminations at the pleasure of the agency head or designee. WHAT BENEFITS ARE APPLICABLE TO OPS EMPLOYEES? * State of Florida 401(a) FICA Alternative Plan - mandatory * Workers' Compensation - mandatory * Reemployment Assistance (Unemployment Compensation) - mandatory * Participation in state group insurance (upon meeting eligibility requirements) * Deferred Compensation - voluntary * Employee Assistance Program - voluntary The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace. Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or the People First Service Center (1-877-562-7287). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation. The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act. The State of Florida hires only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized alien workers. An Employment Eligibility Verification Check will be conducted in the E-Verify System which is a federal government electronic database that confirms the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States. If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement. ________________________________________ Stacie Koslovsky Research Associate | Marine Mammals Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Fish & Wildlife Research Institute 100 8th Ave. SE | St. Petersburg, FL 33701 727-896-8626 x 4757

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Field Course "Marine Mammal Ecology & Conservation: Research Techniques" in British Columbia, Canada
by Stelle, Lei Lani 27 May '14

27 May '14

Field Course "Marine Mammal Ecology & Conservation: Research Techniques" University of British Columbia, in association with Coastal Ecosystems Research Foundation (CERF), is offering a field course on the biology of marine mammals in British Columbia. The course is taught at the Salmon Coast Field Station in the remote Broughton Archipelago, British Columbia, Canada. The course will run over two weeks. Each day will include a mix of lectures and field activities, such as boat trips for direct observation of marine mammals. There will be an emphasis on learning practical field skills, including photo-identification, sampling techniques and behavioral observations, along with GIS mapping. Students may obtain academic credit by enrolling in UBC course Biology 448 (Directed Studies) or potentially through their home institution. Alternatively, participation can be as an internship experience with a certificate of completion. The course will be taught by Dr. Lei Lani Stelle, Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Redlands and Research Biologist with CERF. She has worked in BC over the last 15 years studying gray whales, river otters, and Steller sea lions. She also leads a study in Southern California that examines human impacts on all marine mammal species. Professional artist and photographer, Shane Keena, MFA, will teach skills in photographing animals in the field, including editing software (example images can be viewed at http://ShaneKeenaPhotography.com) The UBC contact is Dr. Wayne Goodey (Lecturer, UBC). Accommodations are in a house with shared, dorm-style beds, full bathroom, running water and electricity. Meals will be prepared communally. Dates Sunday August 3 - Friday, August 16th, 2014 Field Cost ~$1500 CDN * Course is limited to 10 participants * Deposit of 50% of the course fee is required to reserve your space Includes: * Instruction * Accommodation at field station * All meals * Round-trip transport between Telegraph cove and Salmon Coast field station * All activities (i.e. boat surveys) Does not include: * UBC tuition fees (payable directly to UBC) * Travel insurance * Alcohol * The cost of getting to Telegraph Cove * Expenses incurred before/after the course or spending money Additional information and applications are available at http://cerf.bc.ca/courses/ubc.asp Any questions should be directed to Dr. Stelle; leilani_stelle(a)redlands.edu<mailto:leilani_stelle@redlands.edu> Lei Lani Stelle, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Biology University of Redlands 1200 E Colton Avenue Redlands, CA 92373 (909) 748-8628

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New publication: boto and pilot whale behaviors during close encounters with human feeders and swimmers
by michaelscheer＠t-online.de 27 May '14

27 May '14

Dear MARMAM subscribers, on behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce the publication of a new book chapter: Scheer, M., Alves, L. C. Pinto de Sá, Ritter, F., Azevedo, A. de Freitas & Andriolo, A. (2014) Behaviors of botos and short-finned pilot whales during close encounters with humans: management implications derived from ethograms for food-provisioned versus unhabituated cetaceans. In J.B. Samuels (Ed.) Dolphins: Ecology, Behavior and Conservation Strategies (pp. 1-36). New York, U.S.A.: Nova Science Publishers, Inc. The chapter is available as an ebook version online at: https://www.novapublishers.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=49794&o… Or please contact me at michaelscheer(a)t-online.de to receive a pdf. Abstract Wildlife encounters of humans diving, swimming and wading in the vicinity of cetaceans in open water environments have increased worldwide. At the same time, the quality and quantity of close-up or interactive cetacean behaviors addressed towards humans appear to vary widely. In the past, free-ranging cetaceans were reported to avoid, affiliatively or aggressively interact with, injure or even kill humans. Indirect effects compromising the health status of target species such as entanglements, boat strikes or alterations of behavior have been reported as negative by-products. From the management perspective, encounters have to be regulated in order to reduce the likelihood of detrimental outcomes for both sides. It has been proposed to conduct studies on the quality of behavioral interactions to enable a comparison between species and locations, as well as to conduct research before commercial programs are implemented. However, self-initiated cetacean behaviors addressed towards huma ns still have received little attention, hence their structure and function largely remain unclear. This study compares self-initated behaviors addressed towards human feeders and swimmers as well as intraspecific behaviors adressed towards cetacean conspecifics during encounters with food-provisioned Amazon botos (Inia geoffrensis ) and unhabituated short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus ) in the Canary Islands. Encounters with botos were observed for a total of 18 h 30 min in Novo Airão city, Amazonas State (Brazil), during two field seasons in 2008 and 2009. Short-finned pilot whales were observed 9 h 06 min off Tenerife and La Gomera (Spain) during three field seasons in 1996, 2001 and 2012. For the first time, an á priori ethogram on interand intraspecific behaviors was used in each location and for each species to enable a comparison. During the majority of encounters (71%), short-finned pilot whales addressed affiliative behaviors towards swimmers. Neutral or avoidance behavior was shown during 29% of encounters. Intraspecific agonistic behaviors were rare. In contrast, botos did not show avoidance reactions to human feeders but were permanently attracted to them. During 36% of encounters, botos initiated affiliative behaviors. However, risky behaviors occurred during all encounters and botos also showed agonistic behaviors towards conspecifics. Nearly all risky interspecific behaviors remained constant or increased and all agonistic intraspecific behaviors increased from 2008 to 2009. Thus, humans continually were exposed to health risks. Food-provisioning of botos is now being managed aiming to reduce risky interactions. Swim programs seem to be the more preferable form to closely encounter cetaceans in the wild. However, it remains unclear how unhabituated animals would react when being exposed to repeated swim activities. Thus, we recommend that close interactions between humans and cetaceans -be it feeding or swimming- should be ge nerally discouraged. Where such interactions with tourists take place, they have to be regulated ideally from the very beginning. Our results can be used as referential data before initiating new interactive programs. Kind regards Michael --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael Scheer, Dipl. Biol. Brunnenstr. 15-16 28203 Bremen Germany T +49 - (0)421 - 731 87 F +49 - (0)421 - 764 82 M +49 - (0)173 - 238 61 56 www.pilot-whales.org www.pilotwale.de www.swim-with-whales-and-dolphins.org mscheer(a)uni-bremen.de ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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New publication on anomalous colored Pacific white-sided dolphins
by Keiko Sekiguchi 27 May '14

27 May '14

Dear MARMAM members, We are pleased to announce a new paper on anomalous colored Pacific white-sided dolphins in the new book "Dolphins" (2014, ed. by J.B. Samuels, NOVA Science Publishers, Inc., NY, 252pp.) Sekiguchi, K., Jefferson, T. A., Iwahara, Y., Yoshioka, M., Mori, K., Ford, J.K.B., Mitani, Y., and Gorter, U. (2014) An infrequently-occurring anomalous color pattern on Pacific white-sided dolphins, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens p.183-189. In: Dolphins. Ed. by J.B. Samuels, NOVA Science Publishers, Inc., NY, 252pp. Abstract: Anomalous body coloration often appears on many mammal species. In the case of cetaceans, coloration patterns may be particularly important and have functional and adaptive value. However, white animals for many cetacean species have been sighted world-wide, and also some anomalous color patterns have been reported. Anomalous, albinistic and leucistic coloration has been reported for the Pacific white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), distributed in the cold temperate waters of the North Pacific. One pattern first reported by Brownell (1965) has been seen infrequently, but 19 more sighting/capture records are restricted to nearshore regions in the eastern North Pacific (e.g., southern California, Monterey Bay, off San Francisco, Washington, and Alaska). We added seven sightings of these anomalous-colored animals over the wide range of the mid-western and central North Pacific in different years; five in 1987 and two in 2012. Color patterns for these animals were very similar, despite occurrence at different times and in widely separated locations. Although variable animals with this anomalous coloration, animals had darker thoracic patches often completely bordered dorsally and laterally by an extensive, white stripe. However, for some animals this white stripe was distinguished strongly only above the eyes. We compiled 27 records of this anomalous form, over a wide range in the North Pacific. The distribution of these records suggests genetic restriction in the sighting region (i.e. the mid-western to eastern N. Pacific). This type of anomalous color pattern has not been reported around Japanese coasts. Hayano et al. (2004) concluded that there are genetically-distinct populations around Japan. Anomalous animals observed in the mid-western, central and eastern North Pacific, but not off Japan, appear to support their conclusion. Corresponding author: Keiko Sekiguchi, e-mail address: ksekiguc(a)hawaii.edu Regards, Keiko Sekiguchi **************************************************************************** ******************* Keiko Sekiguchi, Ph.D. (Cetacean Biology) Research Fellow, the International Christian University, Tokyo, Japan E-mail: <ksekiguc(a)hawaii.edu> **************************************************************************** *******************

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Protected Species Observers needed
by Jay Litchfield 27 May '14

27 May '14

Protected Species Observer A.I.S., Inc. is recruiting trained and experienced PSOs for several upcoming projects in the US Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and North Pacific. Work is available starting in June. Candidates will be selected based on their experience performing PSO duties. At a minimum candidates should have the following: * NMFS and BOEM approved training * HUET-Helicopter Underwater Egress Training * Water safety/survival training with swing rope training * CPR and 1st Aid certifications Candidates with Passive Acoustic Monitoring experience are also encouraged to apply. Pay will be commensurate with experience. Travel expenses to and from the staging location will be reimbursable. To Apply: Please click the following link ( http://goo.gl/3Aydai ) send a resume, cover letter detailing your PSO experience, 5 references (name, email address and phone number), and any applicable credentials/certificates. For additional information please see our website: www.aisobservers.com

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SOCPROG2.5
by Hal Whitehead 23 May '14

23 May '14

An update of SOCPROG, SOCPROG2.5 (both compiled and uncompiled versions), is available at *http://myweb.dal.ca/hwhitehe/social.htm <http://myweb.dal.ca/hwhitehe/social.htm>*. SOCPROG is a series of MATLAB programs written by Hal Whitehead for analyzing data on the social structure, population structure and movements of identified individuals. SOCPROG2.5 includes a number of bug fixes and enhancements since SOCPROG2.4. The most important changes are: 1. Addressing compatibility issues with the change from MATLAB7 to MATLAB8. 2. Compiled version of SOCPROG2.5 should work on Windows 7 or Windows 8. 3. Social association can now be defined using locational data. 4. Export to GraphML format. 5. Output of estimated standard errors of association indices. 6. Adjustment of association indices for gregariousness (Godde et al. Animal Behaviour 2013). 7. Estimation of mortality using social relationship data (Whitehead and Gero Methods in Ecology and Evolution 2013). I hope SOCPROG2.5 is useful. Let me know about any problems that remain, or have been introduced. Thanks Hal Hal Whitehead (*hwhitehe(a)dal.ca <hwhitehe(a)dal.ca>*) Biology Department, Dalhousie University

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New publication: Whales sustain fisheries: Blue whales stimulate primary production in the Southern Ocean
by Trish Lavery 22 May '14

22 May '14

Dear Colleagues, We are pleased to announce the release of a new publication in Marine Mammal Science: Whales sustain fisheries: Blue whales stimulate primary production in the Southern Ocean. Trish J. Lavery, Ben Roudnew, Justin Seymour, James G. Mitchell, Victor Smetacek, Steve Nicol. It has previously been asserted that baleen whales compete with fisheries by consuming potentially harvestable marine resources. The regularly applied ‘surplus-yield model’ suggests that whale prey becomes available to fisheries if whales are removed, and has been presented as a justification for whaling. However, recent findings indicate that whales enhance ecosystem productivity by defecating iron that stimulates primary productivity in iron-limited waters. While juvenile whales and whales that are pregnant or lactating retain iron for growth and milk production, non-breeding adult whales defecate most of the iron they consume. Here, we modify the surplus-yield model to incorporate iron defecation. After modeling a simplistic trajectory of blue whale recovery to historical abundances, the traditional surplus-yield model predicts that 1011 kg of carbon yr-1 would become unavailable to fisheries. However, this ignores the nutrient recycling role of whales. Our model suggests the population of blue whales would defecate 3×106 kg of iron yr-1, which would stimulate primary production equivalent to that required to support prey consumption by the blue whale population . Thus, modifying the surplus-yield model to include iron defecation indicates that blue whales do not render marine resources unavailable to fisheries. By defecating iron-rich feces, blue whales promote Southern Ocean productivity, rather than reducing fishery yields. Please contact Dr. Trish Lavery for re-prints: tricia_lavery(a)yahoo.com.au

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Reminder: Brief Survey to Assess Regulator Resources and Decision-Making Tools
by Holly Morin 22 May '14

22 May '14

Regulators have needs for comprehensive, easy to understand, and rapidly accessible resources.To meet these needs, the Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS; www.dosits.org) Team will be developing targeted resources over the next 18 months. To best serve the regulatory community, the team has created a brief survey designed to identify high priority topics and resource formats. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. All members of the international regulatory community (government employees, federal and state contractors, NGO employees, and industry representatives that deal with underwater sound and/or marine animals) are encouraged to complete the survey. Your responses will directly influence the development of these new resources, which will be publically available on the DOSITS website. To complete the DOSITS Needs Assessment for the Regulatory Community, please follow this link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/regulatoryneeds. Please be sure to answer all survey questions, if possible. Many thanks to those of you that have already participated in this survey. Please remember, if you started the survey, but discontinued your efforts for whatever reason, as long as you are on the same computer/machine on which you started things, you should be able to log back in and complete your survey. The survey will remain open until May 30, 2014. However, we would appreciate your completion of the survey as soon as possible. If you have any questions or problems with the survey, please contact Holly Morin (holly_morin(a)mail.uri.edu) Thank you for helping us help you! Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS; www.dosits.org) is a comprehensive, educational website on underwater sound, designed to provide accurate scientific information at levels appropriate for all audiences, including regulators and policy-makers Holly Morin Marine Research Associate II University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography holly_morin(a)mail.uri.edu 401-874-6414

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New paper on variation in harbour porpoise activity in response to seismic survey noise
by Enrico Pirotta 22 May '14

22 May '14

Dear MARMAM colleagues, We are pleased to announce that the following paper has been published online: Enrico Pirotta, Kate L. Brookes, Isla M. Graham and Paul M. Thompson (2014). Variation in harbour porpoise activity in response to seismic survey noise. Biology Letters 10(5): 20131090. ABSTRACT: Animals exposed to anthropogenic disturbance make trade-offs between perceived risk and the cost of leaving disturbed areas. Impact assessments tend to focus on overt behavioural responses leading to displacement, but trade-offs may also impact individual energy budgets through reduced foraging performance. Previous studies found no evidence for broad-scale displacement of harbour porpoises exposed to impulse noise from a 10 day two-dimensional seismic survey. Here, we used an array of passive acoustic loggers coupled with calibrated noise measurements to test whether the seismic survey influenced the activity patterns of porpoises remaining in the area. We showed that the probability of recording a buzz declined by 15% in the ensonified area and was positively related to distance from the source vessel. We also estimated received levels at the hydrophones and characterized the noise response curve. Our results demonstrate how environmental impact assessments can be developed to assess more subtle effects of noise disturbance on activity patterns and foraging efficiency. KEY WORDS: activity budget, anthropogenic disturbance, environmental impact assessment, foraging efficiency. A PDF copy of the work can be downloaded from: http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/10/5/20131090.abstract Please do not hesitate to contact me for any question regarding our work. Best Regards, Enrico Pirotta

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