March 2018 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Theodolite use in marine mammal research - quick questionnaire
by Sarah Piwetz 28 Mar '18

28 Mar '18

If you have used a THEODOLITE to study marine mammals, we invite you to participate in a very brief online survey (less than 10 questions!). The survey results will be compiled and published in a forthcoming manuscript that includes an overview/history of global theodolite use in marine mammal research. All respondents will remain anonymous. Link to questionnaire - click below or copy and paste into your browser: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TVXJ5V5 The survey will close on 15 April, 2018. Thank you for your time and participation! Sarah Piwetz Texas A&M University at Galveston Department of Marine Biology Marine Mammal Behavioral Ecology Group http://www.tamug.edu/mmbeg/

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Volunteer Internship: Whale Heritage Sites Programme Assistant
by Dylan Walker 28 Mar '18

28 Mar '18

Dear Marmamers, We would like to request applications for the role of Whale Heritage Sites Programme Assistant (volunteer internship); 23 April – 22 June 2018: *Overview* An initiative of the World Cetacean Alliance, Whale Heritage Sites (WHS) are aimed at increasing the protection and conservation of cetaceans and their habitats while contributing to sustainable livelihoods, the arts, science and education. Whale Heritage Site status is granted to those places around the world where cetaceans are celebrated through art, education, research and cultural events; where sustainable practices and livelihoods are continually improved to ensure the health of cetacean habitats and the long-term economic health of human communities; and where respectful coexistence with cetaceans is supported through law, policy and cooperation. The person in this role will report directly to the CEO, receive in-situ training, and work closely with colleagues at WCA Headquarters. The role is available from 23 April – 22 June 2018, and will take place at WCA Headquarters, Brighton, United Kingdom. The WCA is unable to cover personal expenses. *Responsibilities* 1. Build relationships, engage community stakeholders working to meet the WHS criteria, and represent the WHS Programme. 2. Encourage and support collaborations between prospective WHS stakeholders and experts and advisors from within and outside the World Cetacean Alliance. 3. Develop and provide resources to assist stakeholders in applicant sites. 4. Further develop the charter of shortlisted sites. 5. Communicate progress across the WHS network through media and social media. 6. Work alongside WCA staff to set strategy and guide the programme. 7. Liaise with WCA staff to ensure coordinated planning, collaborative work efforts, integrated programming and shared success towards agreed goals. *Knowledge* 1. Experience and knowledge of cetaceans and marine conservation issues. 2. Strong communication skills and ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team to advance the mission. 3. Highly organized and detail-oriented with a strong ability to prioritize and deliver against responsibilities and duties. 4. Ability to thrive in a multi-tasking, high energy environment. 5. Ability to excite and engage stakeholders through meetings and personal outreach. *Qualifications* 1. Degree or higher qualification in environmental / biological / educational subject. 2. Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to multitask. 3. A proven track record of communicating with different audiences. TO APPLY: Please send your C.V. and a cover letter to: dylan(a)worldcetaceanalliance.org Applications must be sent in electronic form no later than 9 April 2018. For more information go to http://whaleheritagesites.org/ Dylan Walker Chief Executive Officer *World Cetacean Alliance * *T *+44 (0)1273 355011 <+44%201273%20355011>* M *+44 (0)7900 471490 <+44%207900%20471490>* S *dylan.wca *E *dylan(a)worldcetaceanalliance.org* W *worldcetaceanalliance.org *W2 *whaleheritagesites.org *W3 *worldwhaleconference.org <http://www.worldwhaleconference.org> *A *Studio 3, Lower Promenade, Madeira Drive, Brighton, BN2 1ET, UK *The World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) is a Partnership of over 90 non-profit organisations, whale and dolphin watching tour operators and individuals in 40 countries worldwide working collaboratively to protect cetaceans and their habitats. World Cetacean Alliance, the Secretariat to the Partnership, is a UK registered Charity no. 1160484. * *The content of this e-mail is intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom it is addressed. If you have received this communication in error, be aware that forwarding it, copying it, or in any way disclosing its content to any other person, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the author by replying to this e-mail immediately.* *Please consider the environment before printing this email or it's attachments. *

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New Zealand PAM course
by Stephanie Barnicoat 28 Mar '18

28 Mar '18

Dear colleagues, Seiche Training is delivering a New Zealand PAM course 1-5 Oct, Wellington, New Zealand To work in New Zealand as a Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) operator, individuals need to complete the specified training as outlined by the New Zealand Department of Conservation. The Seiche New Zealand PAM Training course aims at providing students with the knowledge and understanding of working as a PAM operator in New Zealand. The course, which is consistent with the standards set out in the 2013 Code of Conduct for minimising acoustic disturbance to marine mammals from seismic survey operations, will equip delegates with a thorough understanding of the Code, as well as PAM. The course is suitable for individuals new to PAM, as well as for industry personnel should they wish to gain more knowledge on the above topics. If you wish to book onto this course or require more information, please contact info(a)seichetraining.com<mailto:info@seichetraining.com#> Best wishes, Steph Seiche Ltd Stephanie Barnicoat Project Officer Seiche Ltd Bradworthy Industrial Estate, Langdon Road, Bradworthy, Holsworthy, Devon, EX22 7SF, United Kingdom T: +44(0)1409 404050 E: s.barnicoat(a)seiche.com W: www.seiche.com Registered in England & Wales No. 3475558, Registered Office: The Custom House, The Strand, Barnstaple, Devon The information contained in this e-mail transmission, and any documents, files or previous e-mail messages attached to it, is privileged and confidential, and solely intended for the use of the individual(s) to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient or a person responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient you should not read, copy, distribute or otherwise use the information, and you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of any of the information contained in or attached to this message is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify sender immediately and delete this e-mail and attached documents.

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Visual health assessment of white-beaked dolphins off the coast of Northumberland, North Sea, using underwater photography
by Marie Van Bressem 27 Mar '18

27 Mar '18

Dear colleagues, We are pleased to announce the publication of our paper entitled 'Visual health assessment of white-beaked dolphins off the coast of Northumberland, North Sea, using underwater photography' in Marine Mammal Science, doi 10.1111/mms.12501 Please email me (mfb.cmed(a)gmail.com) for a pdf copy of the article or access it here with subscriber login: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mms.12501 Abstract A novel method with underwater images was used for a general health assessment of 86 white-beaked dolphins photo-identified off the Northumberland's North Sea coast (UK) in 2011-2016. Tattoo skin disease was observed in 10 dolphins. Sixty-six dolphins (76.7%) had at least one type of nonlethal injury, including white marks, non-linear incisive injuries and linear marks. Injuries of anthropogenic origin, mainly from fisheries related interactions and vessel strikes, were suspected in 15.1% of dolphins. Such injuries are increasingly reported in small cetaceans worldwide, affecting fitness, welfare, longevity and reproduction. Their high prevalence in white-beaked dolphins from Northumberland is of concern. Dr Marie-Francoise Van BressemCetacean Conservation Medicine Group-CMED Peruvian Centre for Cetacean Research-CEPEChttp://www.researchgate.net/profile/Marie-Francoise_Van_Bress…

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VOLUNTEER AND INTERN RECRUITMENT FOR THE MONTENEGRO DOLPHIN PROJECT (SOUTH ADRIATIC SEA)
by Ersin Bas 27 Mar '18

27 Mar '18

*VOLUNTEER AND INTERN RECRUITMENT FOR THE MONTENEGRO DOLPHIN PROJECT (SOUTH ADRIATIC SEA)* *OUR PROJECT* The Montenegro Dolphin Project is a scientific project born from the partnership between the Marine Mammals Research Association (DMAD) and the Natural History Association of Montenegro. Our study is the first long term research study of marine mammals in Montenegrin coastal waters. We aim to address questions about marine mammal abundance, distribution and behavior, define critical habitats and investigate the impact of major threats. Our wider attention focuses on the promotion and implementation of awareness initiatives targeted at the local community, particularly youth. *WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR* We offer several volunteering and internship positions: this is an extremely valuable opportunity for graduates, that wish to gain experience in the marine mammal research field, and undergraduates, that would like to obtain internship academic credits. It could be used to develop a scientific project for *BSc *and* MSc thesis. *However, we are also open to accept applications from anyone whose love for dolphins is strong and sincere. Opportunities are available starting from *May 2018 until September 2018 *. The minimum duration of the placements is *2 MONTHS*, with possible exceptions for skilled candidates. *REQUIREMENTS* -True interest for marine conservation, self-motivation, maturity and ability to work responsibly; -Ability to cohabit in a dynamic and multicultural environment; -Respect for the organization's rules and willingness to follow standards and procedures; -Proven experience of working effectively as part of a team; -Fluent English (both spoken and written) and good communication skills; -High computer literacy and willingness to learn new software applications. Background in marine biology and previous fieldwork experience are an advantage. *FIELD WORK AND RESPONSIBILITIES* -Performing land-based surveys at least three times a week, including sunrise and sunset hours; -Performing boat-based surveys at least once a week: boat surveys can be long and often tiring, so you are expected to feel comfortable on board and prepared to handle motion sickness. -Collecting dolphins sighting and behavior data, as well as environmental and anthropogenic data; -Operating theodolite and managing its software Pythagoras; -Data entry and analysis; -Cataloging and matching individuals of target species for photo-ID studies via Discovery software; -Raising stakeholder awareness. -Promoting citizenscience activities *TRAINING* The Montenegro Dolphin Project team will provide lectures and field work training as well as constant mentoring. You will be given the chance to learn the most popular methodologies used in marine mammals research such as: -Theodolite operation and Pythagoras software; -Photo-ID and Discovery software; -Data entry and analysis; -ArcGIS mapping -R software *PROJECT PARTICIPATION FEE* The positions are unpaid and require a contribution fee of* 700 euros / month *which includes: -Accommodation and its expenses -Transportation between the project sites within the country -Training and lectures, ranging from DISTANCE sampling to ArcGIS Mapping -Scientific support -Field work -Use of the equipment Applicants are responsible for their transportation to/from Montenegro, meals, insurance (all participants should have health and/or travel insurance) and personal expenses. *HOW TO APPLY* Email your CV and cover letter to info(a)dmad.org.tr or akkayaaylinn(a)gmail.com (Aylin Akkaya Bas) explaining why you are the perfect asset for our team and which goals you hope to achieve with us! Please mention the PERIOD OF INTEREST AND DURATION OF AVAILABILITY! If you wish to have more info about our work and get to know us better follow our websites: DMAD – DENİZ MEMELİLERİ ARAŞTIRMA DERNEĞİ <http://dmad.org.tr/volunteer/>

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New publication on shipping noise and marine mammals
by Brandon Southall 26 Mar '18

26 Mar '18

MARMAM subscribers, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce a recent publication entitled: "Reducing Noise from Large Commercial Ships: Progress and partnerships." This paper discusses efforts to understand and mitigate impacts from commercial shipping noise on marine mammals and was generated through a multi-disciplinary collaboration of scientists and government, NGO, and academic partners. This article is featured in the current (Spring) issue of Proceedings of the Marine Safety and Security Council - Coast Guard Journal of Safety and Security at Sea, which is openly available at: http://www.uscg.mil/proceedings/ Southall, B. L., Hatch, L. Scholik-Schlomer, A., Bergmann, T., Jasny, M., Metcalf, K., Weilgart, L., Wright, A. J., and Perera, M.E. ^(2018). Reducing Noise from Large Commercial Ships: Progress and Partnerships. /Proceedings of the Marine Safety and Security Council - Coast Guard Journal of Safety and Security at Sea, 1, /58-65/./ Many thanks, Brandon Southall -- Brandon L. Southall, Ph.D. President, Senior Scientist, SEA, Inc. Research Associate, University of California, Santa Cruz 9099 Soquel Drive, Suite 8, Aptos, CA 95003, USA 831.332.8744 (mobile); 831.661.5177 (office); 831.661.5178 (fax) Brandon.Southall(a)sea-inc.net; www.sea-inc.net

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IFAW: Internship Opportunity
by App IFAW 26 Mar '18

26 Mar '18

Dear all, Please find below the internship description and instructions for application. Thank you. All best, Leonor Galhardo *Email: leonor.galhardo(a)gmail.com <leonor.galhardo(a)gmail.com>* *Skype: leonor.galhardo* *Phone: +351967640406 <+351%20967%20640%20406>* --------------------------------- *Ship speeds in the Strait of Gibraltar* *This internship is through IFAW’s European Marine Conservation Programme and based in the IFAW office in Brussels, Belgium.* *Programme Background* IFAW’s Marine Conservation Programme focuses on protecting critical habitat, conserving endangered cetaceans, and addressing threats to cetaceans such as whaling, entanglement, ship strike and anthropogenic noise. IFAW works to reduce the risk of ship strikes to whales in known vessel-whale hotspots, while continuing to identify other high risk areas. IFAW is also a permanent observer at the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Whaling Commission (IWC). As part of IFAW’s efforts to protect marine life from the impacts of ocean noise we educate the public about this global pollution problem, work within the IMO to provide expert advice on marine mammals and focus on governmental and industry change to decrease underwater noise pollution throughout the world’s oceans. *Background* The Strait of Gibraltar is transited by an increasingly large number of ferries and fast ferries on the North-South axis, and cargos on the East-West axis. Approximately 110,000 voyages occur in the Strait each year connecting numerous North African and Middle Eastern ports with those in North, Central, and South America. This, along with passenger and fast ferries that transport 4,000,000 passengers per year, private yachts, whale-watching and fishing vessels, makes the area a major vessel-strike risk to whales. Following review by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a 13-knot speed limit recommendation between April and August was endorsed through the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) to reduce the risk of ship strike to sperm whales. This recommended speed restriction was added to International Nautical Charts, and disseminated as a Notice to Mariners (published on January 2007 by the Spanish Navy Hydrographical Institute). In so doing, this measure became the first vessel speed recommendation instituted in a TSS (Traffic Separation Scheme) for the purposes of cetacean conservation. *Internship Duties* Between June and September 2018 the intern, based in the Brussels office, will: 1. Review recent information on cetacean distribution in the area engaging with local researchers, and conduct interviews. 2. Assess how the speed limit has been communicated and respected (or not) in the past years, where feasible, and continue ship monitoring via www.marinetraffic.com to enable analysis of shipping behaviour to continue. 1. Investigate how information regarding the voluntary speed limit is communicated to ship operators (nautical charts, radio broadcasts via VHS Spain, sailing directions etc.), the proportion of ship operators informed/aware of the speed limit, when information is received (e.g. in time to incorporate in voyage planning or not) etc. 2. Continue investigation and compile information on speeds of ships travelling through speed limit area of 13 knots (24 km/hr). 3. Identify approximately 20 of biggest container ships, identify owner/operator and compile contact details. 4. Evaluate numbers and types of ships exceeding the speed limit. Evaluate responses from ship operators. Outreach to ship operators, Spanish and Moroccan governments. *Requirements:* 1. Must be at least 18 years old and an EU citizen. 2. Be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program, or to have graduated within 3 years. 3. Able to follow written and oral staff directions and protocols effectively and able to work in teams and individually. 4. Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. 5. Must be able to commit to a minimum 4 days a week during the internship session. 6. Fluent in English and good level of Spanish is preferable. *Preferable:* Undergraduate or graduate of biology, zoology, ecology, nautical engineer or related field. *Important Information* · This internship is unpaid and housing and transportation are the responsibility of the intern. IFAW will provide intern with expenses reimbursements and cover travel costs to Spain as necessary. · Interns intending to receive academic credit are responsible for making all arrangements with their educational institution. · Please email any questions regarding academic credits and general questions to: applications.ifaw(a)gmail.com. *Application materials due by:* *13 April, 2018* *Internship starts 1st June 2018.* *Only complete applications will be considered.* Required application materials (you must provide all three): · Cover Letter · Resume or C.V. · One Letter of Recommendation from college professor or supervisor.

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New Paper: Design Considerations for Estimating Survival Rates With Standing Age Structures
by Taylor, Rebecca 26 Mar '18

26 Mar '18

We are pleased to announce the following new publication: Taylor, R. L. and Udevitz, M. S. (2018), Design considerations for estimating survival rates with standing age structures. Wildl. Soc. Bull., 42: 32-39. doi:10.1002/wsb.858 <https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.858> ABSTRACT Survival rate estimates are critical to understanding the dynamics and status of a population, and they are often inferred from samples of the population’s age structure. A recently developed method uses time series of standing age-structure data with information about population growth rate or fecundity to provide explicit maximum likelihood estimators of age-specific survival rates, without assuming population stability or stationarity. We explored properties of these estimators and determined sample size requirements for the estimators to achieve desired levels of precision, limit bias, and limit the probability a rate will be inestimable or its estimate inadmissible (>1).We show that estimating combined rates for adjacent age classes is an effective method of overcoming sensitivity to sampling noise in situations where collecting a larger sample of data is not feasible. -- Rebecca Taylor Research Statistician USGS Alaska Science Center 4210 University Drive Anchorage, AK 99508 907-786-7004 rebeccataylor(a)usgs.gov

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New publication on the Sperm Whale in the Mediterranean Sea
by Daniela Silvia Pace 26 Mar '18

26 Mar '18

Dear colleagues on behalf of all co-authors, I am very pleased to inform you on the publication of the following paper in The Journal of Wildlife Management: Pace DS, Arcangeli A, Mussi B, Vivaldi C, Ledon C, Lagorio S, Giacomini G, Pavan G, Ardizzone G. 2018. Habitat suitability modeling in different sperm whale social groups. DOI:10.1002/jwmg.21453 Abstract The identification of significant habitats for highly mobile marine vertebrates is essential for their conservation. Evidence is often difficult to obtain for deep‐diving species such as sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), where standard visual survey methods are not sufficient to detect the species. Sperm whales rely on sound for most of their activities, so acoustics is a crucial tool to locate them in the environment and collect information about their daily life. We used a maximum entropy (MaxEnt) modeling approach to predict potential habitats for sperm whales during 2007–2015 in an area of the Mediterranean Sea (characterized by submarine canyon systems) where sperm whale singletons, social units of females and calves, and clusters with immature males, were regularly encountered in sympatry. Models to test species’ distribution and the potential differences between groups of varying composition and life stages were based on 3 independent variables (depth, slope, and Euclidean distance from the nearest coast) and a combination of presence‐only visual and acoustic data from boat‐based surveys. One variable (depth) was the strongest predictor in all encounters (pooled data) and clusters, whereas distance from coast and slope best predicted encounters with singletons and social units, respectively. The model predicted suitable locations in areas that were well‐known sperm whale habitat and in new regions of previously overlooked habitat, which possibly represent key areas for this endangered species in the Mediterranean. This study highlights that consideration should be taken regarding type of social aggregation when using modeling techniques for generating suitable habitat maps for conservation purposes. © 2018 The Wildlife Society. This is the link where you can download the paper https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jwmg.21453 Researchgate https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324000022_Habitat_suitability_mode… Thank you and very best wishes, Daniela -- Daniela Silvia Pace, PhD Department of Environmental Biology Sapienza University of Rome Viale dell’Università 32 00185 Rome, Italy mobile: +39 346 1039652 office: +39 06 4991 4763 skype: lagenorinco -- ___________________________________________ *Il tuo 5 diventa 1000* Fai crescere la tua università Dona il 5 per mille alla Sapienza Codice fiscale: *80209930587* https://www.uniroma1.it/it/pagina/fai-crescere-la-tua-universita-con-il-cin…

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Whalefish CPD course
by Els Vermeulen 26 Mar '18

26 Mar '18

Dear colleagues, At Whalefish we are running our annual Career Professional Development course at FSC Millport (Scotland) from the 10th to the 12th of August 2018. This course is titled 'Marine Research Techniques & Conservation' < https://www.whalefish.org/whalefish-course> and aimed at marine science students, recent graduates and environmental professionals to provide an introduction to marine megafauna research techniques, career options and marine conservation issues. It is an IMarEST accredited course and will be taught by our team of experienced field biologists actively working in research, industry and conservation. Discount prices are available for students and include 2 nights of accommodation full pension. For more information and bookings, please contact info(a)whalefish.org or look at our website www.whalefish.org Kind regards, Els ------------------------------------- Els Vermeulen, PhD Research Manager and Post-doctoral research fellow Mammal Research Institute Whale Unit Department of Zoology and Entomology University of Pretoria, South Africa Co-founding director Whalefish -www.whalefish.org PI Sea Search - www.seasearch.co.za Cell: +27 (0)60 9714301

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