June 2019 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

PARADEP project: design of a physical depredation mitigation device for pelagic longline fisheries
by Njaratiana RABEARISOA 14 Jun '19

14 Jun '19

Hi all, We are glad to let you know that the PARADEP project has successfully started. Its goal is to develop a physical depredation mitigation device for pelagic longline fisheries impacted by toothed whale depredation. This technological innovation will use a passive and non-invasive system by using bio-based materials. The PARADEP project is an unique collaboration between scientists and fishermen. It involves two French labs, whose research focuses on fisheries science (IRD MARBEC) and marine predator ecology (CEBC CNRS), and a pelagic longline fishing company (ENEZ DU, based in Reunion Island, Indian Ocean). It is funded by the European Funds for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (FEAMP). The project will run for 30 months (July 2018-December 2020) and is managed by Pascal BACH (IRD MARBEC) and Njaratiana RABEARISOA (IRD MARBEC). Along with the device conception, acoustic and economic studies are also being undertaken. You can follow all the updates on https://paradep.com/ For further information, please do not hesitate to contact me by email (njaratiana.rabearisoa(a)ird.fr) or by using the contact form of the project website. Best regards, -- Njaratiana RABEARISOA IRD UMR 248 MARBEC Station Ifremer Avenue Jean Monnet, CS 30171 34203 Sète cedex Tél : +33 (0)4 99 57 32 04

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LAST CALL for Curriculum, Education Materials, Marine Mammal Science and Conservation – Deadline June 17, 2019 - SMM Education Committee
by Patricia Sullivan 13 Jun '19

13 Jun '19

Sent: Thursday, May 9, 2019, 11:59:09 AM EDT Subject: Call for Curriculum, Education Materials, Marine Mammal Science and Conservation – Deadline June 17, 2019 - SMM Education Committee Dear MARMAM Community: Call for Curriculum, Education Materials, Marine Mammal Science and Conservation – Deadline June 17, 2019 Pursuant to our Vision and Goals, the Society for Marine Mammalogy (SMM) Education Committee is compiling a collection of videos, curriculum, and outreach materials, especially in regional languages related to marine mammal science and conservation. Please label subject line "SMM2019" and send links and attach relevant documents including date, title of submission, geographic area (country), language, species and age of target audience to: Patti Sullivan kauaipatty(a)yahoo.com. Thank you, SMM Education Committee See below for Education Committee Vision and Goal Vision: Make marine mammal science accessible and rewarding to all aspiring marine mammal enthusiasts, students, and professionals, with an emphasis on underrepresented groups and nations (e.g., Asia, Africa, the Middle East, South and Central America) Goal: Create and increase awareness and interest about marine mammals in this target group who are new to marine mammals and the field. Patti Patricia Sullivan MS Ed.Author, Educator, President and Co-Founder Sanctuary Education Advisory Specialists SEASThe Society for Marine Mammalogy Education Committee https://www.marinemammalscience.org/conference/2019-world-marine-mammal-sci…

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Introduction to Marine Mammal Medicine course availability
by Liz Goetzl 13 Jun '19

13 Jun '19

Island Dolphin Care in Key Largo, Florida is hosting an Introduction to Marine Mammal Medicine course. This course is an incredibly hands-on, and unique opportunity for any student wanting to learn about and participate in marine mammal health and medicine. Applications for our course are being accepted right away. Course highlights: * Week-long summer courses: * Summer I: July 15th - 20th, 2019 * Summer II: July 22nd - 27th, 2019 * Cost: $1,225 * Housing and educational materials are included in the cost * Students will learn: * Anatomy & physiology * through lectures & hands-on ultrasound experience * Health assessments * students perform daily physical examinations * Husbandry & behavioral/training basics * through discussions & assisting training staff * Lab skills * students will learn to prepare & analyze dolphin blood smear * Various other topics including: * animal welfare, common marine mammal medications and treatments, analyzing ultrasounds and writing reports, diet preparation, etc. * Certificate of Completion earned upon successful completion of the course Please contact liz(a)idckeylargo.org for more information and application instructions! <http://www.islanddolphincare.org> <http://www.islanddolphincare.org>

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New Publication (Fettermann et al. 2019 - Behaviour reactions of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) to multirotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs))
by Ticiana Fettermann 13 Jun '19

13 Jun '19

Kiora Marmam colleagues, My co-authors and I are very pleased to announce the following publication: Fettermann, T., Fiori, L., Bader, M., Doshi, A., Breen, D., Stockin, K. A., & Bollard, B. (2019). Behaviour reactions of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) to multirotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Scientific Reports, 9(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-019-44976-9 Abstract: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) represent a novel and cost effective research tool to investigate cetacean behaviour, as conventional aircraft are expensive, limited in the altitude they can fly at and potentially disturb sensitive wildlife. In addition, the aerial observation from the UAVs allows assessment of cetacean behaviour from an advantageous perspective and can collect high spatial and temporal resolution data, providing the opportunity to gather accurate data about group size, age class and subsurface behaviour. However, concerns have been raised about the potential risks of disturbance to animals caused by the UAV’s visual and acoustic stimuli. Boat-based surveys were conducted to assess the short-term behavioural responses of resting bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) to a lightweight Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAV flown at 10, 25, and 40 m altitude. Changes in group swim direction and frequencies of surface and aerial behavioural events were recorded from an anchored research vessel before (control) and during the aerial survey. The number of reorientation and tail slap events increased significantly between controls and flights when the UAV was flown at 10 m over the animals. In contrast, no significant differences were detected when the aircraft was flown at 25 and 40 m altitude. However, a precautionary approach is recommended for research applications requiring lower flight altitudes, with further research recommended to assess how different cetacean species and age class may respond to the UAV presence. The paper is available online on https://rdcu.be/bGrc6 <https://rdcu.be/bGrc6> Best Regards, Ticiana Fettermann de Oliveira, M.S. Marine Biologist / +64 21 075 3427 Center For Cetacean Research & Conservation - Rarotonga, Cook Island https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ticiana_Fettermann <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ticiana_Fettermann> www.linkedin.com/in/ticiana-fettermann <http://www.linkedin.com/in/ticiana-fettermann> https://www.flickr.com/photos/ticifettermann/

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Is the dive response an extension of the respiratory sinus arrhythmia in the dolphin?
by Andreas 13 Jun '19

13 Jun '19

Dear All My co-authors and I would like to share our recent publication measuring cardiovascular responses in the bottlenose dolphin during breath-holds at rest. In this paper we measure heart rate and stroke volume and calculate cardiac output. We correct the values for the cofounding changes in cardiac function associated with each breath, the Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia, and conclude that the dive response is minimal. We propose that in the dolphin, the dive response (reduced heart rate and cardiac output) is an extension of the Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia and a more generalized physiological response and not a specialized trait for diving. We also provide results that suggest that dolphins can voluntarily alter heart rate and blood flow. This mechanism would allow them to adjust blood flow based on the dive they are planning, and adjust flow during the dive to alter changes due to metabolic demand. Voluntary adjustment of heart rate has been shown previously in other species, such as the harbor porpoise or sea lion, and a limited ability for such an adjustment have also been shown in human elite athletes. We propose that this ability to voluntary alter blood flow as needed during the dive is the key adaptation how they match demand and supply, and may explain how failure of this mechanism during stress can cause diving related issues such as the bends. While controversial, this new article questions the importance of the dive response that has for long been thought to be one of the main mechanisms for how diving animals can perform extended breath-holds, and argues that evolution has enabled dolphins and marine mammals to become efficient at voluntary adjustment of heart rate and blood flow to improve use of the available oxygen. For anyone interested in this Open Access publication, the details and a link are below, or send me an email at afahlman(a)whoi.edu <mailto:afahlman@whoi.edu> for a pdf, or for questions of comments. Sincerely, Andreas Title:Re-evaluating the significance of the dive response during voluntary surface apneas in the bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus Authors:Fahlman, A.,Miedler, S., Rocho-Levine, J., Jabois, A., Arenarez, J., Marti-Bonmati, L., García-Párraga, D., Cauture, F. Journal: Scientific Reports, 9, DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45064-8 URL: www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-45064-8 Abstracts: The dive response is well documented for marine mammals, and includes a significant reduction in heart rate (fH) during submersion as compared while breathing at the surface. In the current study we assessed the influence of the Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) while estimating the resting fH while breathing. Using transthoracic echocardiography we measured fH, and stroke volume (SV) during voluntary surface apneas at rest up to 255 s, and during recovery from apnea in 11 adult bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus, 9 males and 2 females, body mass range: 140-235 kg). The dolphins exhibited a significant post-respiratory tachycardia and increased SV. Therefore, only data after this RSA had stabilized were used for analysis and comparison. The average (± s.d.) fH, SV, and cardiac output (CO) after spontaneous breaths while resting at the surface were 44 ± 6 beats min-1, 179 ± 31 ml, and 7909 ± 1814 l min-1, respectively. During the apnea the fH, SV, and CO decreased proportionally with the breath-hold duration, and after 255 s they, respectively, had decreased by an average of 18%, 1-21%, and 12-37%. During recovery, the fH, SV, and CO rapidly increased by as much as 117%, 34%, and 190%, respectively. Next, fH, SV and CO rapidly decreased to resting values between 90-110 s following the surface apnea. These data highlight the necessity to define how the resting fH is estimated at the surface, and separating it from the RSA associated with each breath to evaluate the significance of cardiorespiratory matching during diving.

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New publication on dynamic species distribution models for highly mobile species
by Briana Abrahms - NOAA Federal 12 Jun '19

12 Jun '19

Dear colleagues, We are pleased to share the recent publication of our paper in Diversity and Distributions: Abrahms, B., Welch, H., Brodie, S., Jacox, M.G., Becker, E.A., Bograd, S.J.,Irvine, L.M., Palacios, D.M., Mate, B.R, and Hazen, E.L. 2019. Dynamic ensemble models to predict distributions and anthropogenic risk exposure for highly mobile species. Diversity and Distributions. DOI: 10.1111/ddi .12940 <https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ddi.12940>. Abstract: Aim: Advances in ecological and environmental modeling offer new opportunities for estimating dynamic habitat suitability for highly mobile species and supporting management strategies at relevant spatiotemporal scales. We used an ensemble modeling approach to predict daily, year-round habitat suitability for a migratory species, the blue whale (*Balaenoptera musculus*), and demonstrate an application for evaluating the spatiotemporal dynamics of their exposure to ship strike risk. Location: The California Current Ecosystem (CCE) and the Southern California Bight (SCB), USA. Methods: We integrated a long-term (1994-2008) satellite tracking dataset on 104 blue whales with data-assimilative ocean model output to assess year-round habitat suitability. We evaluated the relative utility of ensembling multiple model types compared to using single models, and selected and validated candidate models using multiple cross-validation metrics and independent observer data. We quantified the spatial and temporal distribution of exposure to ship strike risk within shipping lanes in the SCB. Results: Multi-model ensembles outperformed single-model approaches. The final ensemble model had high predictive skill (AUC = 0.95), resulting in daily, year-round predictions of blue whale habitat suitability in the CCE that accurately captured migratory behavior. Risk exposure in shipping lanes was highly variable within and among years as a function of environmental conditions (e.g., marine heatwave). Main Conclusions: Daily information on three-dimensional oceanic habitats was used to accurately predict the daily distribution of a highly migratory species, and indicated that management strategies could benefit by incorporating dynamic environmental information. This approach is readily transferable to other species. Dynamic, high-resolution species distribution models are valuable tools for assessing risk exposure and targeting management needs. A PDF version of the article can be accessed here: https://rdcu.be/bFAiB <http://em.rdcu.be/wf/click?upn=lMZy1lernSJ7apc5DgYM8cm2ZL7jGyWqltAtLOLZWrM-…> . Best wishes, Briana Abrahms and coauthors -- *Briana Abrahms*Research Ecologist, Presidential Management Fellowship NOAA SWFSC Environmental Research Division https://sites.google.com/view/brianaabrahms/

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Marine Mammal Stranding Training (SMM Northeast Student Chapter)
by Raphael Fennimore 12 Jun '19

12 Jun '19

The Society for Marine Mammalogy Northeast Student Chapter (SMM-NE) is excited to announce a training session and orientation for those interested in getting involved in marine mammal stranding response and outreach. Join the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMCS), Dr. Joy Reidenberg, and SMM-NE at the Mt. Sinai School for Veterinary Medicine in Manhattan, NYC, at 10am on Tuesday, June 18th for this super valuable workshop and orientation! Staff from the AMCS will present on their organization’s aims, outreach efforts, local stranding response, the Incident Command System (ICS) protocol that is standard to marine mammal stranding response, and much more. There is a $25 cost for this workshop, and completing it will allow you to volunteer with AMCS in a myriad of capacities, including gaining valuable experience in stranding response, marine mammal conservation efforts, and local outreach in New York and New Jersey! If you are interested in attending, or if you have any questions, send an email to: raphael.fennimore(a)gmail.com and we will provide more details or sign you up for the training. We hope to see you there! SMM-NE Student Chapter

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BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN - ATLANTIC SPOTTED DOLPHIN PROJECT RESEARCH IN VENEZUELA. INTERNS AND VOLUNTEER PROGRAM 2019.
by Sergio Cobarrubia 12 Jun '19

12 Jun '19

BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN - ATLANTIC SPOTTED DOLPHIN PROJECT RESEARCH IN VENEZUELA. INTERNS AND VOLUNTEER PROGRAM 2019. Laboratory of Ecosystems and Global Change (LEGC-IVIC) and Provita. BACKGROUND: The Laboratory of Ecosystems and Global Change (LEGC) of the Venezuelan Institute of Scientific Research (IVIC, www.ivic.gob.ve) invites the first season of internships-volunteering (2019) in the study of coastal dolphins. LEGC is a scientific team that among its research lines on the fauna of coastal and riparian ecosystems, it has established the first one on aquatic mammals in Venezuela. On the other hand, Provita is an important NGO that contributes to the research and conservation in Venezuela. This research will begin with a project focused on sociobiology (social structure, social networks and bioacoustics) of resident groups of the coastal bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and the Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) in the central coast of Venezuela. This, after an experience of 5 years in that locality studying ecological aspects of T. truncatus *(https://doi.org/10.1007/s13364-018-0401-1). The coast of Aragua not only houses these species, but also the Bryde's whale (*Balaenoptera edeni*), the common dolphin (Delphinus sp.) and the spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris). Of which basic information is collected too. LEGC interns and volunteers are young, hard-working who are willing to contribute to research by learning as they experience fieldwork in teams, field techniques for collecting and processing data and methodologies. All team members and interns share academic space, housing in the Institute, housework in the study area, knowledge and experience in a friendly and multicultural environment. The internship consists of three weeks: The first week of theoretical-practical preparation (24 theoretical hours and 16 practicals hours) at the IVIC Ecology Center ( www.ivic.gob.ve/es/investigacion-3/centros-31/ecologia-316) The second week of seven field surveys for data collection (42 h) on the Cata Bay (Aragua state) and the third week for data storage and analysis at the IVIC Ecology Center (40 h). The volunteering consist of the second and third weeks. WHERE: Theory: LEGC, Center of Ecology (IVIC) Miranda State, Caracas (10 23 N - 66 58 W). Practice: Cata Bay, western coast of the (rain forest) National Park Henry Pittier, Aragua state (central coast of Venezuela) 150 km from Caracas (DC) (10 29 N - 67 44 W). PROGRAM: Interns (Three weeks) ? Volunteers (Two weeks). 1st WEEK (LEGC-Ecology Center, 40 hours. For Interns). - Monday: What is a cetacean? The cetaceans and the human in history. Origin, evolution and diversity. Adaptations for aquatic life: Anatomy and Physiology. Life histories. Biogeography Distribution. Ecology Behavior. Conservation. - Tuesday: Identification of species reported for Venezuela. Basic logistics for the study of cetaceans on the mainland, sea and air. Basic equipment to collect information. - Wednesday: How to detect cetaceans and record an effective sighting? Basic data to collect during a sighting, calibration and use of GPS. Configuration and use of the SLR cameras. Download of sightings (GIS). Download pictures and selection (software). - Thursday: Daily encounter ratio. Photo-identification as a tool for ecological and behavioral studies. Estimates of abundance. Local distribution and areas of action. - Friday: Residential patterns. Behavior (deployments, states, daily budget). Habitat use. Social structure and social networks. Bioacoustics. Saturday: Break. Sunday: Transfer to the Cata Bay. 2nd WEEK (Cata Bay-Provita, 42 hours. For Interns and Volunteers). The field surveys will be carried out in a fishing vessel of 9 m in length by 2 of beam. The field work will depend on the climatic conditions, however, the Aragua coast offers few climatic inconveniences throughout the year. There will be 5 morning of field surveys in the week, after each survey is lunch, rest and then proceed to download the data of sightings and then interpret them preliminarily and discuss them. In the field surveys, it will be implemented: - The identification and recognition of the elements of the marine landscape and the method of tracking and detection of cetaceans. - Ethical navigation mode to study cetaceans. - The basic data collection / sighting. - Use of GPS. - Use of SRL camera. - Counting of individuals and composition of a group. - Identification of the behavioral states that configure group behavior and its recording. - Use of hydrophone. In the afternoon the information of the sightings will be downloaded: - Sighting forms. - Latitude and longitude. - Photographs and their selection. - Voice recordings (behavior). - Recordings of vocalizations. 3rd WEEK (LEGC-Ecology Center, 40 hours. For Interns and volunteers). PRACTICAL FEES: Accomodation, food and transport (airport-IVIC-Cata Bay-IVIC-airport) are paid. The cost of internships and volunteers is US $ 690 for the compensation of logistical expenses of the field surveys. For more information, please contact:sergio.cobarrubia@gmail.com. WHEN: During the year there will be 6 internships-volunteering sessions (February, April, June, August, October, November). For interns, second, third and fourth week of the months scheduled. For volunteers, third and fourth week of the scheduled months. VACANTS: 4 people / internship or volunteerng. Not included in the rate: - Meals in restaurants - Free time activities - Personal insurance (all participants must have health and / or travel insurance) - Personal expenses. INTEREST IS EXPECTED: - Being over 18 years - Iterns: Preference will be given to undergraduate students and professional students (biology, marine biology, environmental, conservation and plus). - Volunteer: No preferences. - Have a mature attitude towards the investigation of marine mammals and environment - Be autonomous and flexible - To be able to live and work in an international team and mainly outdoors in the sea - Speak Spanish, English or Portuguese. ACADEMIC CREDITS: The LEGC will certify the work performed by intern or volunteer through a diploma with the recognition of the hours (academic-practical) worked. APPLICATION AND QUESTIONS: Applicants must write to sergio.cobarrubia(a)gmail.com with the subject "DOLPHINS PROJECT_Name". You will be sent a confirmation email with all the details about the study area and the species present, the practices and requesting your CV resume, motivation letter (small statement about what your expectations are and why you want to work with LEGC) and the internship month of your choice. Applications will be accepted throughout the year, however, early application is recommended due to limited vacancies. -- *Sergio Enrique Cobarrubia Russo* Laboratorio de Ecosistemas y Cambio Global Centro de Ecología Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas Venezuela.

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International Save the Vaquita Day 2019
by Thomas Jefferson 12 Jun '19

12 Jun '19

Dear MARMAMers, Saturday, July 6th,is International Save the Vaquita Day!! This is an annual event similar toEarth Day, but with a specific focus on raising awareness and appreciation ofthe world’s most endangered marine mammal, the vaquita (Phocoena sinus). Events around the globe direct the attentionof people to the plight of this tiny porpoise species, and what needs to bedone to save it from extinction. There are booths, games, music, freeprizes, educational brochures, inspirational talks, face painting, and severallife-size models of vaquitas on hand to draw attention to and appreciation ofthe vaquita, Mexico’s “Panda of the Sea”. The primary goal isto make as many people as possible aware of the vaquita and its plight, andspur them to act. The species is nearly extinct, with <22 individualsleft, and is declining at about 50% per year! We will have a simplemessage for folks about what they can do to help. Secondary goals are togather signatures for our petitions to the Mexican government, and supportother vaquita conservation efforts. The event is designed to be fun, aswell as educational, and kid-friendly! Go to our website for more informationand a complete list of locations: http://www.vivavaquita.org/international-save-the-vaquita-day-2019.html Check back regularlyfor updates. We hope you will join us onSaturday, July 6th! VIVA VaquitaTom Jefferson sclymene(a)aol.com

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New paper: An integrated approach for cetacean knowledge and conservation in the central Mediterranean Sea using research and social media data sources
by Daniela Silvia Pace 11 Jun '19

11 Jun '19

Dear colleagues on behalf of all co-authors, I am very pleased to inform you on the publication of the following paper in Aquatic Conservation: Pace DS, Giacomini G, Campana I, Paraboschi M, Pellegrino G, Silvestri M, Alessi J, Angeletti D, Cafaro V, Pavan G, Ardizzone G, Arcangeli. 2019. An integrated approach for cetacean knowledge and conservation in the central Mediterranean Sea using research and social media data sources. DOI: 10.1002/aqc.3117 Abstract 1. Sources of data other than those derived from conventional research protocols may contribute valuable information to fill gaps in knowledge about cetacean occurrences and diversity in a given area and help address conservation issues. 2. The performance of a method to examine cetacean communities based on presence records systematically derived from shared photographs and videos posted by boaters and maritime operators on social media (e.g. YouTube and Facebook) combined with patchy distributed visual/acoustic data collected by researchers has been evaluated. 3. Records (N = 1,274) gathered over a 10‐year period (2008–2017) have been used to obtain insights into species' presence and habitat selection in a scattered study area of the central Mediterranean Sea (Italy). The effectiveness of the method, practical and theoretical advantages, limitations, and challenges of using data originated from social media for research and conservation purposes are discussed. 4. Seven out of the eight cetacean species regularly residing in the Mediterranean have been reported in the area, with different relative densities. Maximum entropy modelling techniques have been applied to the datasets derived from (a) social media, (b) research surveys, and (c) the combination of the two, using six fixed variables as proxies for cetacean presence. Distance from the coast and depth emerged as the main variables predicting encounters, with specificities related to the ecology of the species. 5. The approach was reliable enough to obtain broad‐scale, baseline information on cetacean communities in the region, on the basis of which initial conservation recommendations and future research programmes can be proposed. 6. With the increasing need for studying whale and dolphin population ecology coming from national/international directives, support from citizens to aid research may act as a practical, inexpensive solution to gathering extensive spatial–temporal data for regional‐scale monitoring and for the development of management priorities. This is the link where you can download the paper https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aqc.3117 Thank you and very best wishes, Daniela -- Daniela Silvia Pace, PhD Department of Environmental Biology Marine Ecology Lab Sapienza University of Rome Viale dell’Università 32 00185 Rome, Italy mail: danielasilvia.pace(a)uniroma1.it mobile: +39 346 1039652 office: +39 06 4991 4763 skype: lagenorinco [image: Risultati immagini per logo sapienza] -- ___________________________________________ *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… <https://www.uniroma1.it/it/pagina/fai-crescere-la-tua-universita-con-il-cin…>

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