July 2019 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Marine mammal eDNA workshop at WMMC
by Kristina Cammen 31 Jul '19

31 Jul '19

We are pleased to announce that a one-day workshop focused on the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) to study marine mammals will be held in Barcelona preceding the World Marine Mammal Conference on Saturday, December 7. The Marine Mammal eDNA workshop will bring together early-career and established researchers interested in applying emerging techniques in environmental DNA (eDNA) to marine mammal species. eDNA is a tool of recent interest, rapid development, and promising potential for marine conservation. This approach is built on the premise that organisms slough cells containing DNA into the water they inhabit and we can extract organismal DNA from a water sample without ever handling, or even seeing, the organism. Researchers exploring these new approaches to surveying marine mammal distribution and diversity will be invited to share lessons learned from past successes and failures in a series of talks. Invited speakers include Owen Wangensteen, Scott Baker, Maggie Hunter, Kim Parsons, and Kathryn Stewart. All participants will engage in small-group discussion via breakout groups on relevant topics such as challenges in eDNA field sampling, setting up an eDNA lab, eDNA beyond species detection, and others based on a pre-survey of participant interests. Throughout the workshop, we aim to broadly address both the challenges and opportunities that eDNA affords for marine mammal science. Registration for the workshop can be completed at the WMMC website: https://www.wmmconference.org/wmmcregistration/. With the generous support of an American Genetic Association Special Event Award, we are able to offer a limited number of reduced registration spots to students interested in attending the workshop. If reduced registration spots remain available, a discount code will appear when participants logged in as students select the workshop for registration. This discount code will need to be added to the cart in order to receive discounted registration. Thank you for considering our workshop, and we look forward to seeing many of you in Barcelona! Kristina Cammen and Morten Tange Olsen (workshop co-organizers) kristina.cammen(a)maine.edu | morten.olsen(a)snm.ku.dk

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Near real-time passive acoustic monitoring
by Mark Baumgartner 31 Jul '19

31 Jul '19

Dear Colleagues, The following paper was recently published in Methods in Ecology and Evolution as an open access article accessible here: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/2041-210X.13244. Persistent near real‐time passive acoustic monitoring for baleen whales from a moored buoy: System description and evaluation Mark Baumgartner, Julianne Bonnell, Sofie Van Parijs, Peter Corkeron, Cara Hotchkin, Keenan Ball, Léo-Paul Pelletier, Jim Partan, Don Peters, John Kemp, Jeff Pietro, Kris Newhall, Andrew Stokes, Tim Cole, Ester Quintana, and Scott Kraus Abstract: 1. Managing interactions between human activities and marine mammals often relies on an understanding of the real-time distribution or occurrence of animals. Visual surveys typically cannot provide persistent monitoring because of expense and weather limitations, and while passive acoustic recorders can monitor continuously, the data they collect are often not accessible until the recorder is recovered. 2. We have developed a moored passive acoustic monitoring system that provides near real-time occurrence estimates for humpback, sei, fin, and North Atlantic right whales from a single site for a year, and makes those occurrence estimates available via a publicly accessible website, email and text messages, a smartphone/tablet app, and the U.S. Coast Guard’s maritime domain awareness software. We evaluated this system using a buoy deployed off the coast of Massachusetts during 2015-2016 and redeployed again during 2016-2017. Near real-time estimates of whale occurrence were compared to simultaneously collected archived audio as well as whale sightings collected near the buoy by aerial surveys. 3. False detection rates for right, humpback, and sei whales were 0% and nearly 0% for fin whales, while missed detection rates at daily time scales were modest (12-42%). Missed detections were significantly associated with low calling rates for all species. We observed strong associations between right whale visual sightings and near real-time acoustic detections over a monitoring range of 30-40 km and temporal scales of 24-48 hours, suggesting that silent animals were not especially problematic for estimating occurrence of right whales in the study area. There was no association between acoustic detections and visual sightings of humpback whales. 4. The moored buoy has been used to reduce the risk of ship strikes for right whales in a U.S. Coast Guard gunnery range, and can be applied to other mitigation applications. Mark Baumgartner Associate Scientist Biology Department Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution MS #33, Redfield 256 Woods Hole, MA 02543 mbaumgartner(a)whoi.edu <mailto:mbaumgartner@whoi.edu> www.whoi.edu/sites/mbaumgartner <http://www.whoi.edu/sites/mbaumgartner> (508)289-2678 phone (508)457-2134 fax

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New publication: Remote blubber sampling paired with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for steroidal endocrinology in free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
by Greta Dalle Luche 31 Jul '19

31 Jul '19

Dear Colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce that the following article has been published: Boggs ASP, Ragland JM, Zolman ES, Schock TB, Morey JS, Galligan TM, Dalle Luche G, Balmer BC, Wells RS, Kucklick JR, Schwacke LH (2019) “Remote blubber sampling paired with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for steroidal endocrinology in free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus)”. General and comparative endocrinology 281: 164-172 ABSTRACT: Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry allows for the measurement of steroid hormone suites in the blubber of marine mammals. By combining this technology with minimally invasive techniques such as remote biopsy, endocrine profiles can be assessed, allowing for studies of hormonal profile variation over time. In this study, we explored associations among different steroidogenic pathways and seasonal differences in blubber hormone profiles of free-ranging common bottlenose dolphins along the coast of South Carolina, USA. Male dolphins experience a peak in testosterone, androstenedione, progesterone, and 17-hydroxyprogesterone in the spring, likely related to an upregulation of the androgen steroidogenic pathway during mating season. We also observed increased cortisol concentrations during summer compared to winter. Among females, there was an increase in androstenedione with elevated progesterone concentrations indicative of pregnancy, highlighting another potential endocrine marker for pregnancy in free-ranging dolphins. This work emphasizes the importance of selecting the appropriate season for studies on endocrine status to effectively uncover physiological variation or disruption in free-ranging cetaceans. Feel free to contact me (greta.dalleluche(a)griffithuni.edu.au <mailto:greta.dalleluche@griffithuni.edu.au>) for a PDF copy. Kind regards, Greta - Greta Dalle Luche PhD Candidate Griffith University, Environmental Futures Research Institute (EFRI) SOPOPP | Southern Ocean Persistent Organic Pollutants Program Nathan Campus, 170 Kessels Road, QLD 4111 | Brisbane, Australia

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New publication:
by Betty, Emma 30 Jul '19

30 Jul '19

Dear MARMAM subscribers, We are pleased to announce the publication of the following new paper in the Journal of Mammalogy: Emma L Betty, Karen A Stockin, Adam N H Smith, Barbara Bollard, Mark B Orams, Sinéad Murphy, Sexual maturation in male long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas edwardii): defining indicators of sexual maturity, Journal of Mammalogy, Volume 100, Issue 4, 27 July 2019, Pages 1387–1402, 1402, https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyz086 Abstract: Male reproductive biology is described for the Southern Hemisphere long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas edwardii), a subspecies that regularly mass strands along the New Zealand coastline. Ten mass stranding events sampled over a 7-year period enabled assessments of key life history parameters. Sexual maturation in immature, maturing, and mature males was assessed using morphological data and histological examination of testicular tissue. Variation was observed in the age (11–15 years) and length (450–490 cm) at which individuals attained sexual maturity. Using Bayesian cumulative logit regression models, we estimated the average age and length at the attainment of sexual maturity to be 13.5 years and 472 cm, respectively. Combined testes weight, combined testes length, an index of testicular development (combined testes weight/combined testes length), and mean seminiferous tubule diameter were all good indicators of sexual maturity status. Combined testes length was the best nonhistological indicator, and all testicular measures were found to be better indicators of sexual maturation for G. m. edwardii than age or total body length. Sexual maturity was attained before physical maturity (> 40 years and 570 cm), and at a younger age and smaller body length than previously reported for Globicephala melas melas in the North Atlantic. Given the ease of collection, minimal processing, and applicability to suboptimal material collected from stranding events, future studies should assess the value of testicular size as an indicator of sexual maturity in pilot whales and other cetacean species. Estimates of the average age and length at sexual maturity for G. m. edwardii provided in this study may be used to inform population models required for conservation management of the subspecies, which is subject to high levels of stranding-related mortality. Download here: https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article/100/4/1387/5510509 or email e.l.betty(a)massey.ac.nz for a PDF. Sexual maturation in male long-finned pilot whales ( Globicephala melas edwardii ): defining indicators of sexual maturity<https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article/100/4/1387/5510509> academic.oup.com Abstract. Male reproductive biology is described for the Southern Hemisphere long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas edwardii), a subspecies that regularly Regards, Emma. Dr Emma Betty Coastal-Marine Research Group | School of Natural & Computational Sciences | College of Sciences | Massey University Private Bag 102904 | Albany, Auckland 0745 | New Zealand Physical Address: Massey University Auckland | Gate 4| The Station Crescent | Building 5 | Albany 0632 E-mail: e.l.betty(a)massey.ac.nz<mailto:s.wilk@massey.ac.nz> | Telephone: +64 9 414 0800 - Internal Ext: 43513 - DDI 09 213 6513

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DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP IN PORTUGAL
by AIMM Internships 30 Jul '19

30 Jul '19

*BACKGROUND: *The Marine Environment Research Association - AIMM, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization focused on the research and conservation of marine species, running an ongoing study of cetaceans in southern Portugal (Algarve). This project aims to obtain baseline information on species occurrence, behavior, and social structure of the local cetacean populations in order to obtain scientific data to support conservation measures and inform marine management policies. The main species observed are Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), although other species such as Minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) can also be sighted. AIMM Interns are young, hard-working individuals who are willing to contribute to the association and support on-going activities, while experiencing fieldwork at sea, learning data collection and processing methodologies, and being a part of AIMM's team of researchers and marine biologists for a period of time. All team members and participants share accommodation, house tasks, knowledge and experience in an environmental friendly and multicultural environment. Interns have the additional option to enrich their time with AIMM by beginning or improving their SCUBA skills with a PADI-certified instructor. *WHERE:* Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal *WHEN:* The field season lasts from 1st of May to 31st October 2019. The minimum internship attendance is 7 days, preferably starting on a Monday. *FIELDWORK: *The field trips are conducted in AIMM's research vessel, Ketos, or in opportunistic platforms (commercial dolphin-watching boats). Fieldwork is dependent on weather conditions and seat availability in the dolphin-watching boats. Field days can be intense, especially in the peak of summer, but are fulfilling and good fun. The interns will be trained to: · Conduct on-board surveys of marine species occurrence; · Record effort tracks on a handheld GPS; · Collect data on behavior, group size, species, etc.; · Collect photos to photo-identification, acoustic recording, and underwater videos while on-board; · Secchi disk methodology; · Help to collect of drone footage from the marine mammals. *DATA ANALYSIS: *This will be conducted on a daily basis and will entail entering data into established databases and spreadsheets, photo-identification processing, and preliminary data interpretation. *INTERNSHIP FEES:* AIMM is a non-profit organization that relies on donations from our volunteers, partners, and conservation-minded people like you so that we may continue our important research and education programs in the Algarve. This internship requires a monetary contribution which is used to off-set the cost of accommodation and running a non-profit. For more information on internship fees for the 2019 season, please contact: interns(a)aimm-portugal.org We have a special deal for you book the internship in May or June 2019. *Included* in the fee is: · Accommodation in the research house; · Transportation to/from the marina; · Meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner); · Fieldwork in the research vessel or commercial dolphin-watching vessels. *Not included* in the fee is: · Transportation to/from Albufeira; · Meals in restaurants and snacks; · Free time activities; · Personal insurance (all participants should have health and/or travel insurance); · Personal expenses. *INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO:* · Be above the age of 16; · Have a mature attitude towards marine mammal research and environment; · Be autonomous and flexible; · Be able to live and work in an international team and mainly outdoors at sea; · Speak English; · Participate for minimum 7 days. *Preference will be given* to those who have: · Relevant marine mammal field experience · Working experience on research vessels · Experience working from dolphin/whale watching platforms · Experience in photo-identification · Professional cameras that can be used for photo-ID · Availability to stay for longer periods of time *INTERNSHIP APPLICATION: * Applicants should fill up the online application at: http://www.aimmportugal.org/dolphin-research-internship AIMM will send a confirmation e-mail with all the details about the internship and asking for your Resume/CV, motivation letter (small statement on which are your expectations and why do you want to work with AIMM) and the period of time that you want do the program. OR Applicants should send an e-mail to: interns(a)aimm-portugal.org, with the subject “*DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP*”. You will receive and e-mail with the availability and all the others details. Applications will be accepted during all season, however, early application is recommended due to limited vacancies. The follow link is a short video about the internship in Albufeira. You get a different perspective and feedback from old participants about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zTIEQEsftA *Contacts*: interns(a)aimm-portugal.org | www.aimmportugal.org | <http://aimm-marineresearch.blogspot.com/> -- *AIMM Portugal* - Ass. Investigação do Meio Marinho | Marine Environment Research Association *Website*: www.aimmportugal.org [image: AIMM Portugal | facebook] <https://www.facebook.com/AIMM.org/> [image: AIMM Portugal | twitter] <https://twitter.com/AIMMPortugal> [image: AIMM Portugal | instagram] <https://www.instagram.com/aimmportugal_org/> [image: AIMM Portugal | youtube] <http://www.youtube.com/c/AimmportugalOrg>

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New PhD position on ecotoxicology of belugas
by Verreault, Jonathan 30 Jul '19

30 Jul '19

A new PhD position on ecotoxicology of St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) belugas is available at the Université du Québec à Montréal (Montréal, QC, Canada). Project Title Environmental Contaminants, Body Condition and Photogrammetry of St. Lawrence Estuary Belugas Project Synopsis The St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) beluga population has been listed at risk of extinction in 2017 under the Species at Risk Act. This small population of about 900 individuals lives in a marine ecosystem that is strongly impacted by anthropogenic activities upstream. As a result, chronic exposure to environmental contaminants has been suggested as a factor that may affect the health of belugas in the SLE, and hence the recovery of this population. Exposure to a cocktail of contaminants via consumption of contaminated preys may interfere with lipid metabolism, and ultimately alter their body condition and survival. However, the effects of contaminants on lipid metabolism in SLE belugas are still unknown. The objective of this four-year PhD project is to investigate the linkages between exposure of SLE belugas to several organic contaminants and proxies of body condition including blubber tissue histology, metabolomic profile, expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism and activity of associated enzymes, and photogrammetry (body size measurements obtained from drone's photographs). This project is a collaboration between UQAM (principal supervisor: Jonathan Verreault), UQAR (Zhe Lu), Environment and Climate Change Canada (Magali Houde), GREMM (Robert Michaud), and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Véronique Lesage). Additional Information + PhD-level funding provided for 4 years. + Field and laboratory work. Requirements + Meet the basic admission requirements of the UQAM's PhD program in biology; + B.Sc and/or M.Sc. in biochemistry, biology or a related discipline. Knowledge in ecotoxicology, marine mammal biology, and statistics is an asset; + Very good command of spoken and written English and French. To apply, send your CV and transcripts (B.Sc. and M.Sc.) before September 15th, 2019 to: Jonathan Verreault Département des sciences biologiques Université du Québec à Montréal Phone: 514-987-3000, ex. 1070 E-mail: verreault.jonathan(a)uqam.ca

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Manatee Internships
by Howell, Amber 30 Jul '19

30 Jul '19

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Southeast manatee field station is seeking candidates for two 6 month internships: Fall/Winter: October 1st - March 31st *Closing date is August 18th Winter/Spring: January 7th- July 2nd *Closing date is October 6th Interns will assist with manatee rescue, carcass salvage, necropsy, and research in South Florida. Start/end dates are flexible. Working hours are typically five days a week, 9am to 5pm, with some nights and weekends required. The position is located in Tequesta (east coast of Florida, just north of Palm Beach). Interns will assist with manatee rescues, field necropsies, water temperature monitoring research, photo ID, and other projects. Interns will help complete mortality and rescue reports and assist with other office and public outreach work as needed. To perform the duties of the position, interns will operate trucks, trailers, and boats up to 27' in length. The intern is required to complete a project and present a 10-15 minute presentation at the end of their internship. Qualifications: Junior or senior college students and recent graduates are eligible. Applicants should have some research field experience; be able to drive large trucks; be computer literate; be comfortable speaking to the public; and be proficient in the use of digital cameras, telephoto lenses, and filters. Previous animal-handling experience and ability to trailer boats is desirable. Interns must possess a valid driver's license, be physically fit and able to lift and carry 50 pounds, and be able to swim proficiently. Applicants should understand that this internship will require them to be wet, dirty, and outdoors in all weather conditions. This position is unpaid and housing is not provided. Interns must provide their own transportation to and from the field station. To apply, please send: · A cover letter describing which season you are applying for, and the dates you are available · A résumé describing training and experience · A list of three references · An unofficial copy of your academic transcript Please send these items as e-mail attachments to: Interns(a)MyFWC.com<mailto:Interns@MyFWC.com> Or mail hard copies to: Internship Coordinator Fish and Wildlife Research Institute 100 Eighth Avenue SE St. Petersburg, FL 33701-5020 https://myfwc.com/research/manatee/research/internships/se-fl-intern/ Amber Howell Research Associate- Marine Mammals Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 19100 SE Federal Hwy, Tequesta FL 33469 561-398-5914 24 hour FWC Hotline: 888-404-3922

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Post-doctoral position in behavioural ecology on St. Lawrence beluga
by Lesage, Veronique 30 Jul '19

30 Jul '19

Diving behaviour and foraging activity of St. Lawrence beluga in the context of noise exposure This is an update of a previously-posted post-doctoral position that aims to clarify the qualifications required by candidates. A post-doctoral candidate is sought to undertake a two- to three-year project to exploit digital-tag behavioural data from St. Lawrence beluga to examine their diving behaviour and foraging activity in the context of noise exposure. Applicants should possess an internationally-recognised doctoral degree from an accredited institution. The candidate should be self-motivated, and able to work within a team framework. He/she should have an interest in applied ecology, and a strong background in behavioural ecology exploiting archival tag data, and in statistics and computer science. We seek a candidate to begin work ASAP in October-November 2019 (or earlier) and to continue until March 2022. The successful candidate will be employed as a Research Scientist level 01 (RES01) within the Canadian Government. Salary starts at around $57,000 CAD/year. A portion (up to a cap) of moving expenses can be covered. This offer is made under the Post-doctoral Program of the Canadian Government, which is managed via Natural Resources Canada (NRCAN). https://www.rncan.gc.ca/carrieres/17881 The position will be based at the Maurice Lamontagne Institute of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Mont-Joli, Quebec, Canada. The project will be conducted under the supervision of Dr. Véronique Lesage, and will involve significant collaboration with Drs. Yvan Simard (DFO Research Scientist, and Chair in Acoustics at University of Quebec in Rimouski) and Florian Aulanier (DFO Research Scientist). Knowledge of French is an asset, but is not essential for the position. However, a demonstrated ability to write and communicate efficiently in English is absolutely essential for this position. Candidates interested in the position should email veronique.lesage(a)dfo-mpo.gc.ca<mailto:veronique.lesage@dfo-mpo.gc.ca> and submit a resume including a list of publications and contact information for three references. Veronique Lesage, Ph.D. Cetacean Research Scientist Fisheries and Oceans Canada Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Mont-Joli, Quebec, Canada veronique.lesage(a)dfo-mpo.gc.ca<mailto:veronique.lesage@dfo-mpo.gc.ca>

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NEW PAPER - Food for thought: Harbor porpoise foraging behavior and diet inform vulnerability to disturbance
by Cormac Booth 30 Jul '19

30 Jul '19

Dear MARMAM-Users, I am pleased to announce a new paper on how incorporating prey energy into assessments of energy balance can help improve our understanding of harbour porpoise energetics: Booth CG. Food for thought: Harbor porpoise foraging behavior and diet inform vulnerability to disturbance. Mar Mam Sci. 2019;1 – 14. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12632 Abstract: “Research has shown that noise disturbance can disrupt the behavior of harbor porpoises. The significance of such disturbance is unclear. However, these animals may be vulnerable to starvation when disturbed due to their high energy requirements. Important parameters determining harbor porpoise energy balance are the size and energy content of prey, their foraging behavior and their energetic requirements for homeostasis, growth, and reproduction. Energy intake can be estimated using published data from tagged animals. Such analysis indicates a broad range of plausible levels of energy intake, in line with those from captive studies. Metabolizable energy intake estimates were most strongly affected by variations in target prey size and to a lesser extent, by the foraging intensity of porpoises. In all but the worst case scenarios, harbor porpoises are well equipped for their ecological niche due to their generalist diet, consisting of a range of moderate to high energy-density prey combined with ultra-high foraging rates and high capture success. If animals can find suitable prey, porpoises may be capable of recovering from some lost foraging opportunities. Minimizing disturbances is, however, important for their health. Further research into prey and the environment are required to fully test the assumption of vulnerability.” If you would like a copy of the paper, please contact me at cgb(at)smruconsulting.com. Kind regards, Cormac Booth Dr Cormac Booth Principal Scientist [SMRU_Consulting_Horizontal_(rgb) (1)_smaller] SMRU Consulting | New Technology Building | North Haugh | St Andrews | Fife KY16 9SR | UK Email: cgb(a)smruconsulting.com<mailto:cgb@smruconsulting.com> |Tel: +44 (0)131 46 38 555 |Mob: +358 40 321 9235 | Main Office: +44-1334-464746 www.smruconsulting.com<http://www.smruconsulting.com/> | Twitter: @SMRU_Consulting | http://www.linkedin.com/company/smru-marine P Please consider whether you really need a hard copy of this email before printing it - thank you NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIALITY: This message, and any attachments, are intended solely for the addressee and may contain privileged or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, any disclosure, copying, distribution or action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. If you believe that you have received this email in error, please contact the sender immediately and destroy this email. Although we have taken steps to ensure that this email and any attachments are free from any virus, we advise that, in keeping with good computing practice, the recipient should ensure they are actually virus free. SMRU Consulting is a trading name of SMRU Limited, which is a limited company registered in Scotland, Registered Number: SC296937. Registered Office: 5 Atholl Crescent, Edinburgh EH3 8EJ.

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New publication: Spatio-temporal patterns in fin whale Balaenoptera physalus habitat use in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence
by Anna Schleimer 30 Jul '19

30 Jul '19

Dear MARMAM Community, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce the publication of the following article in Marine Ecology Progress Series: Schleimer A, Ramp C, Plourde S, Lehoux C, Sears R, Hammond PS (2019) Spatio-temporal patterns in fin whale Balaenoptera physalus habitat use in the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 623:221-234. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13020 ABSTRACT: Significant ecosystem changes in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (GSL), Canada, have had far-reaching effects at all trophic levels. The abundance of fin whales Balaenoptera physalus has declined significantly in the northern GSL over the past decade. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the observed decline was correlated to changing environmental conditions. Cetacean sightings data from 292 surveys, resulting in 2986 fin whale encounters from 2007 to 2013, were used to fit 2 separate generalised additive models in terms of (1) bathymetric and oceanographic variables (the proxy model) and (2) modelled krill biomass (the prey model). The concept of ‘handling time’ was introduced to correct for time off search effort, applicable to other studies relying on opportunistically sampled data. While a positive correlation between krill biomass and fin whale numbers was found, the performance of the proxy model (24.2% deviance explained) was overall better than the prey model (11.8%). Annual predictive maps derived from the final proxy model highlighted 2 key areas with recurrently high relative fin whale abundance and a significant overlap with shipping lanes. While both models provided evidence for an annual decline in relative fin whale abundance, static bathymetric features were the most important predictors of habitat use, and no correlation between dynamic variables and the decline was found. High resolution prey data and a better understanding of the feeding ecology of fin whales are proposed to further investigate the predator-prey relationship and decline of fin whales in the GSL. The paper can be downloaded here: https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v623/p221-234/ Alternatively, you can email achs(a)st-andrews.ac.uk to request a PDF. best wishes, Anna Schleimer PhD student University of St Andrews | University of Groningen

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