December 2019 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

USFWS Alaska Marine Mammal Job Announcement
by Putnam, Christopher 20 Dec '19

20 Dec '19

The Marine Mammals Management Office of the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Alaska Region is recruiting up to three Quantitative Ecologists. Our program is responsible for the conservation and management of polar bears, northern sea otters, and Pacific walruses in Alaska. We promote international coordination between the United States, Russian Federation, Norway, Greenland, and Canada, co-management of subsistence hunting and other activities with Alaska Native people, habitat conservation, species protection, and the regulation of offshore and coastal economic development activities to ensure compliance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, and all other relevant laws and regulations. We seek highly qualified candidates with experience in advanced biometric principles and statistical theories to estimate wildlife populations and dynamics using methods that include hierarchical Bayesian modelling, wildlife population and demographics modeling, GIS spatial and statistical analysis, and spatial analysis integration using R software. If you would like more information about this opportunity, or are interested in applying, please see announcement numbers R7-20-10676947-TC(MP) and R7-20-10676946-TC(DE) on the USAJOBS website, or follow these links: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/554191500, https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/554191600. Christopher Putnam Supervisory Fish and Wildlife Biologist Marine Mammals Management U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service 1011 East Tudor Rd, MS 341 Anchorage, AK 99503-6199 907-786-3844 office 907-268-0577 mobile 907-786-3816 fax "All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost." -- J.R.R. Tolkien

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beaked whales in Indonesia
by Wojtek Bachara 20 Dec '19

20 Dec '19

I would like to announce my new report: Bachara, W. 2019. Beaked whale stranding in Indonesia. *Unpublished report to Whale Stranding Indonesia*. 8 pp can be downloaded at: http://www.whalestrandingindonesia.com/resources.html Abstract With twenty nine beaked whale stranding records Indonesia is one of several stranding hot spots in South Asia. First records for Borneo, Lesser Sunda Island, Maluku Islands, Sulawesi and Sumatra are presented. A female Layard’s beaked whale stranded in Sumatra adds a new extralimital record of its global occurrence. A first record of a Deraniyagala's beaked whale from Sulawesi is reported here. Regards, Wojtek https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Wojtek_Bachara2 <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Wojtek_Bachara2?fbclid=IwAR3GRyW3blcZp…>

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INTERN POSITION 2020 - Cetacean and Marine Fauna Research
by Elena Fontanesi - elena.fontanesi2＠studio.unibo.it 20 Dec '19

20 Dec '19

WINTER AND SPRING INTERN POSITION 2020 DELFINI DEL PONENTE RESEARCH PROJECT, IMPERIA, ITALY Cetacean and Marine Fauna research Delfini del Ponente is currently looking for and accepting interns to join our pilot project on bottlenose dolphins in the Westerns Ligurian Sea, Imperia (Italy) from March to June. (DEADLINE 10th January) The project The dolphin research project “Delfini del Ponente” is the first project focused on monitoring bottlenose dolphins in the Western Ligurian Sea. Due to the morphology of the seafloor, this area is not a usual habitat for this species and historically, sightings have a been rarer and more sporadic than in the Levantine side of the region. The continental shelf is, in fact, very short and high depths (around 2000 m) are reached quite close to the shore making the area suitable for other cetacean species but not for bottlenose dolphins, which tend to remain in waters with depth not exceeding 200 m. Despite this knowledge of the range of the species, an interesting change has been noted in recent years in the area, where sightings of bottlenose dolphins have almost tripled. For this reason, Costa Balenae started in 2018 the project Delfini del Ponente to monitor bottlenose dolphins in the region to understand the extent of this change and what drove it. The project is structured on an annual basis, to obtain data not only on the distribution during the Summer, but also changes during the different seasons. The project is already providing very interesting information about bottlenose dolphins and their distribution in the study area, and also about the seasonal presence of other marine fauna such as Mediterranean shearwaters (Puffinus yelkouan), Scopoli’s shearwaters (Calonectris diomedea), Northern gannets (Morus bassanus), Sandwich terns ( Thalasseus sandvicensis), sunfish (Mola mola) among others. WHERE: Imperia, Italy WHEN: 1 March-30 May 2020; Minimum required: 30 days Number of interns for month: 2 /3 Activities: * boat-based surveys monitoring the presence and distribution of bottlenose dolphins * data collection of other cetaceans, fishes, seabirds, turtles * classwork, database updating * photo-id matching and analysis * land-based surveys /opportunistic surveys * lessons and training about cetacean ecology, biology and research techniques PIERCE This is a great opportunity to get involved in cetacean research, encounter marine biodiversity while gaining fieldwork experience, travel and explore the beautiful Liguria region and support cetacean research and conservation. Surveys will be made in coastal waters onboard a dedicated zodiac (6 m inflatable boat) around 10 times per month. Training will focus on collecting photo for photo-ID purposes, environmental, marine traffic, geographical (GPS) and dolphins' behavioural data. Land-based surveys will be done In Imperia, in 2 different points around 10-12 times/month collecting data on the presence/absence of dolphins, fishing boats and marine birds. Surveys are weather dependent, and their number can change each month. Office work (6 hours per day) includes training, lessons, photo-id work, transcription of data, data entry, QGIS work etc. Interns will be involved 5 days a week, 6-8 hours/day (depending on fieldwork or lab work) During free time, interns will have the opportunity to experience all sorts of activities: swimming, diving, hiking, exploring historical sites, visit museums, sailing. Skills/qualification: * Minimum age of 18 * Prior experience in cetaceans or boat-based surveys is not required, but preferred * Degree or on-going studies in biology, natural science, veterinary or similar (preferred) * Strong motivation and interest in cetaceans and research * Speak, read and write in fluent English * Be adaptable as fieldwork is weather dependent * Be willing to spend many hours on a small zodiac (5-6 m) and under the sun * Be sociable as they are expected to live and work in an international team Internship fee Delfini del Ponente is a self-funded research project, so participation in this programme requires a tuition fee. Fee includes the accommodation in an apartment in Imperia, tuition and all associated field costs during the internship period (use of research vessel, training, use of equipment, field trips). Transportation expenses to and from Imperia (Italy), own insurances and food costs during the stay are not included in the fee. How to apply: Send your CV with a letter of interest to delfinidelponente(a)gmail.com<mailto:delfinidelponente@gmail.com> before 10th of January For any further enquiries and details, please send an email to delfinidelponente(a)gmail.com<mailto:delfinidelponente@gmail.com> Davide Ascheri and Elena Fontanesi

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MSc programmes at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, UK
by Luke Rendell 19 Dec '19

19 Dec '19

Dear all, We are currently accepting applications for our unique and intense one-year MSc programmes at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, UK for September 2020 entry. Marine Mammal Science The MSc in Marine Mammal Science has been running for 13 years. The programme reflects the research interests and expertise of the staff at the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU). This unique Master's has a strong focus on quantitative methods and applied techniques and is designed to prepare students fully for a professional career involved with conservation of and research into marine mammals. Optional modules take full advantage of the research strengths of the SMRU covering biologging, bioacoustics, behaviour and population biology. The optional Antarctica field course involves a vessel-based field expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula (requires additional payment of a substantial expedition fee). For detailed information on the Marine Mammal Masters including content, entry requirements and how to apply please refer to the MSc MMS website: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/marine-biology/marine-mammal-science-… Animal Behaviour The MSc Animal Behaviour programme provides an intellectual and practical overview of modern animal behaviour research, covering key topics such as cognition, behavioural ecology and movement ecology, as well as the latest techniques used to study these. The programme is taught within the School of Biology's Centre for Biological Diversity, an internationally recognised centre of excellence for animal behaviour research. Staff who teach this programme are renowned researchers in areas of animal cognition, cultural evolution, biologging and the study of complex behavioural systems. A core curriculum focused on training in valuable transferable skills is supplemented with a range of specialised options allowing students to explore topics of particular interest at an advanced level. Students will have the exciting opportunity to conduct fieldwork in the local area and in southern Portugal as part of a core module and further afield as part of optional field courses (extra cost applicable) in Antarctica (polar ecology) or Indonesia (scientific diving). You will also undertake a detailed independent research project within one of the School of Biology's research groups. For more information see the MSc AB page at https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/biology/animal-behaviour-msc/, Applications for the upcoming academic year (starting September 2020) must be received by Friday, 31 July 2020. Marine Ecosystem Management The MSc in Marine Ecosystem Management reflects the research interests and expertise of the staff at the Scottish Oceans Institute (SOI) at the University of St Andrews. Students study marine environments from the tropics to polar regions as integrated systems, exploring biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. This course has a strong focus on quantitative methods and applied techniques to prepare students fully for a professional career involved with conservation of marine ecosystems. Students can opt to join the Antarctic expedition (see above) or take a field course in scientific diving in Indonesia. For detailed information including content, entry requirements and how to apply please refer to the MSc MEM website https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/marine-biology/marine-ecosystem-manag…. Applications for the upcoming academic year (starting September 2020) must be received by Friday, 31 July 2020. All applications must be submitted online via the St Andrews Postgraduate Admission Portal: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/study/pg/apply/taught/. Please get in touch if you have further questions, via email: pgtaughtbiology(a)st-andrews.ac.uk Best wishes, Luke -- Dr. Luke Rendell MASTS (masts.ac.uk) Reader in Biology Tel: (44)(0)1334 463499 E-mail: ler4(a)st-andrews.ac.uk WWW: http://biology.st-andrews.ac.uk/staff/ler4 Twitter: @_lrendell School of Biology, University of St. Andrews Sir Harold Mitchell Building, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9TH U.K. -- I sometimes send emails at odd times but I do not expect them to be read, or to receive a response, outwith your normal working hours. The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland (SC013532)

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New review paper on bycatch and small cetaceans (Brownell et al.)
by Tilen Genov 19 Dec '19

19 Dec '19

Dear MARMAMers We would like to share the following review paper in Endangered Species Research: Brownell R.L. Jr., Reeves R.R., Read A.J., Smith B.D., Thomas P.O., Ralls K., Amano M., Berggren P., Chit A.M., Collins T., Currey R., Dolar M.L.L., Genov T., Hobbs R.C., Kreb D., Marsh H., Zhigang M., Perrin W.F., Phay S., Rojas-Bracho L., Ryan G.E., Shelden K.E.W., Slooten E., Taylor B.L., Vidal O., Ding W., Whitty T.S. and Wang J.Y. 2019. *Bycatch in gillnet fisheries threatens Critically Endangered small cetaceans and other aquatic megafauna*. *Endangered Species Research* 40: 285-296. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00994 Abstract The conservation status of small cetaceans has significantly worsened since the 1980s, when the baiji was the only species of small cetacean listed as Endangered by IUCN. Now the baiji is almost certainly extinct and 13 other species, subspecies, or populations (hereafter units-to-conserve or units) of small cetaceans are listed as Critically Endangered (CR) on the IUCN Red List. Bycatch is the main threat to 11 of the CR units. Entanglement in gillnets contributed to the extinction of the baiji and is responsible for the imminent extinction of the vaquita. Unfortunately, there is no simple technical solution to the problem of bycatch of small cetaceans. If the 8 CR units with 100 or fewer remaining individuals are to be saved, conservation zones must be established where gillnets are eliminated and bans on their use are strictly enforced. Recent experience with the vaquita in Mexico demonstrates that enforcement of such conservation zones can be very difficult. Ineffective enforcement is also a problem for at least 4 of the other CR units. Time is very short and, unless major efforts are made now to address the bycatch problem, the prospects for CR small cetaceans and other at-risk aquatic megafauna are grim. The ultimate long-term solution to the bycatch problem is the development of efficient, inexpensive, alternative fishing gear that can replace gillnets without jeopardizing the livelihoods of fishermen. Good fishery governance and the direct involvement of fishing communities are also essential to the successful conservation of most threatened populations of small cetaceans. The paper is Open Access and available at: https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/esr/v40/p285-296/ Corresponding author: Robert L. Brownell Jr. (robert.brownell(a)noaa.gov) Best regards, Tilen ___________________________________________ Tilen Genov | IUCN Cetacean Specialist Group | | Morigenos - Slovenian Marine Mammal Society | | Sea Mammal Research Unit, University of St Andrews | | twitter: @TilenGenov <https://twitter.com/TilenGenov> | @Morigenos_org <https://twitter.com/Morigenos_org> | @_SMRU_ <https://twitter.com/_SMRU_> | @IUCNCetaceanSG <https://twitter.com/IUCNCetaceanSG> |

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Orca ID Match Iceland - Italy
by Orca Guardians Iceland 19 Dec '19

19 Dec '19

Dear MARMAM community, We are excited to announce that the orcas near the harbor of Genoa, Italy, have been identified. This is the first ever record of orcas migrating between Iceland and Italy in killer whale research history, and with over 5.200 km one of the longest migration routes ever recorded in the world to date. The individuals were identified as SN113, SN114, SN115, and SN116 from the West Iceland catalogue by Orca Guardians Iceland (www.orcaguardians.org ). The matching was done by Marie Mrusczok from Orca Guardians with high quality pictures received first from Biagio Violi and his team at Menkab / Artescienza and the University of Genoa, which yielded matches for 3 individuals. A 4th member was identified via pictures sent to Orca Guardians by Tethys Research (M. Colombo). Orca Survey Scotland was assisting in the matching and finding of good quality images. However, there were a lot of members of the public involved in making this match happen, and we received many images and videos that helped us in the process. We are very grateful for all the collaboration and the support we have received. It has been quite overwhelming! Remarkably, this finding was made through non-invasive research only, with data collected in West Iceland onboard Láki Tours, who receive a special thank you here for their constant support over the years in everything we do. You can find information and updates on our social media for the moment ( www.facebook.com/orcaguardians) but we are also working on a more detailed publication. We will now try to reconstruct the migration route of the orcas, to see if they have turned up/were photographed in other places before. If you recognize the individuals via your high quality photo-identification images, please do get in touch with us at: info(a)orcaguardians.org Best wishes, Marie Mrusczok Founder of Orca Guardians Iceland Website: www.orcaguardians.org E-Mail: info(a)orcaguardians.org

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New publication: Best Practice Guidelines for Cetacean Tagging
by Russ Andrews 18 Dec '19

18 Dec '19

We would like to announce the publication of the article ‘Best Practice Guidelines for Cetacean Tagging’ in the Journal of Cetacean Research and Management (JCRM): Andrews, R.D., Baird, R.W., Calambokidis, J., Goertz, C.E., Gulland, F.M.D., Heide-Jørgensen, M.P., Hooker, S.K., Johnson, M., Mate, B., Mitani, Y., Nowacek, D.P., Owen, K., Quakenbush, L.T., Raverty, S.A., Robbins, J., Schorr, G.S., Shpak, O.V., Townsend, F.I.Jr., Uhart, M.M., Wells, R.S. and Zerbini, A.N. 2019. Best Practice Guidelines for Cetacean Tagging. J. Cetacean Res. Manage. 20:27–66. The article provides best practice recommendations for cetacean tag design, deployment and follow-up assessment of tagged individuals. It was compiled by 21 biologists and veterinarians from nine different countries. We hope that the guidelines will serve as a global resource to assist tag users, veterinarians, ethics committees and regulatory agency staff in the implementation of high standards of practice, and to promote the training of specialists in this area. The recommended guidelines were endorsed by the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission at the May 2019 meeting. The article can be downloaded from the website for volume 20 of JCRM: https://archive.iwc.int/?r=9654 It can also be found at: www.cetaceantagging.info

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Marine Ecology and Oceanography postdoctoral opportunities
by Elliott Hazen 18 Dec '19

18 Dec '19

Dear colleagues, Our group at University of California Santa Cruz / NOAA’s Environmental Research Division is looking for a postdoctoral quantitative ecologist (in addition to an oceanographer) with strong training and experience in spatio-temporal statistics and species distributional modeling to play a leadership role in an ongoing project. The project includes 2 years of funding, and is focused on understanding how both the physical and forage environment are influencing the presence and abundance of marine mammals using in situ and remotely sensed oceanographic data, fisheries acoustics, passive acoustics, and shipboard survey data. While this project is the main responsibility of the postdoctoral researcher, we have an extremely collaborative research group and would hope to hire someone that could work across multiple projects in our lab. The postdoc will be responsible for leading analysis and ultimately writing manuscripts related to this project and others in our lab. If interested in the position, please see the full description and instructions for applying at this link: http://mjacox.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/UCSC-Postdoctoral-Research-Ad_… Thank you in advance for any help you can provide in distributing this announcement and please let me know if you have any questions. Sincerely, Elliott Hazen https://hazen.sites.ucsc.edu/

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Publication: Seismic surveys reduce cetacean sightings across a large marine ecosystem
by Ailbhe Kavanagh 18 Dec '19

18 Dec '19

My co-authors and I are pleased to announce our new publication entitled 'Seismic surveys reduce cetacean sightings across a large marine ecosystem' in *Scientific Reports.* The paper is freely available https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-55500-4 Kavanagh, A.S., Nykänen, M., Hunt, W., Richardson, N., Jessopp, M. *Abstract:* Noise pollution is increasing globally, and as oceans are excellent conductors of sound, this is a major concern for marine species reliant on sound for key life functions. Loud, impulsive sounds from seismic surveys have been associated with impacts on many marine taxa including mammals, crustaceans, cephalopods, and fish. However, impacts across large spatial scales or multiple species are rarely considered. We modelled over 8,000 hours of cetacean survey data across a large marine ecosystem covering >880,000 km2 to investigate the effect of seismic surveys on baleen and toothed whales. We found a significant effect of seismic activity across multiple species and habitats, with an 88% (82–92%) decrease in sightings of baleen whales, and a 53% (41–63%) decrease in sightings of toothed whales during active seismic surveys when compared to control surveys. Significantly fewer sightings of toothed whales also occurred during active versus inactive airgun periods of seismic surveys, although some species-specific response to noise was observed. This study provides strong evidence of multi-species impacts from seismic survey noise on cetaceans. Given the global proliferation of seismic surveys and large propagation distances of airgun noise, our results highlight the large-scale impacts that marine species are currently facing. Contact: Ailbhe kavanagh (ailbheskavanagh(a)gmail.com) or Mark Jessopp ( m.jessopp(a)ucc.ie)

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Conservation Education Internship at The Marine Mammal Center (San Luis Obispo Operations)
by Aliah Meza 17 Dec '19

17 Dec '19

To MARMAM, The Marine Mammal Center's San Luis Obispo Operations (SLO) is currently recruiting for the Winter 2020 Conservation Education Internship. ROLE DESCRIPTION The Conservation Education Intern is a member of the Conservation Education Team within the broader San Luis Obispo Operations Team. The intern will actively engage the local community through outreach events, education opportunities, festivals and fairs, and interaction with the public on the beach during stranded marine mammal response. The intern will learn and convey information on The Marine Mammal Center’s global conservation mission and local activities that support this mission, with the goal of inspiring our audiences to become ocean stewards and supporters of The Marine Mammal Center. The intern will work with the Conservation Education Team to brainstorm and plan outreach and education events. There may be limited opportunities if interested and as needed to learn and assist in marine mammal rescue and care, however the focus of the position is conservation education. The position will collaborate with other staff, interns and student programs at the Morro Bay facility, as well as team members across the Center’s range. The intern will be supported and supervised by the San Luis Obispo Operations Assistant and the Operations Manager. To Apply Click here<https://recruiting.paylocity.com/recruiting/jobs/Details/205766/Marine-Mamm…> to apply. The deadline to apply for the Winter 2020 Conservation Education Internship at San Luis Obispo Operations is Sunday, December 20th or until the position is filled. Thank you, Aliah [cid:f5754d4e-6836-4f3c-b0a4-43d49c356dea] Aliah Meza Operations Assistant - San Luis Obispo MezaA(a)tmmc.org<mailto:EMAIL@tmmc.org> | T: 805.771.8300 | MarineMammalCenter.org<http://www.marinemammalcenter.org/> The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Sausalito, CA 94965

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