March 2020 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New publication: Baleen whale acoustic presence and behaviour at a Mid-Atlantic migratory habitat, the Azores Archipelago
by Miriam Romagosa 16 Mar '20

16 Mar '20

Dear Marmam subscribers, We are pleased to announce the publication of the following article in Scientific Reports journal Romagosa, M., Baumgartner, M., Cascão, I. et al. Baleen whale acoustic presence and behaviour at a Mid-Atlantic migratory habitat, the Azores Archipelago. Sci Rep 10, 4766 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-61849-8 The identification of important areas during the annual life cycle of migratory animals, such as baleen whales, is vital for their conservation. In boreal springtime, fin and blue whales feed in the Azores on their way to northern latitudes while sei whales migrate through the archipelago with only occasional feeding. Little is known about their autumn or winter presence or their acoustic behaviour in temperate migratory habitats. This study used a 5-year acoustic data set collected by autonomous recorders in the Azores that were processed and analysed using an automated call detection and classification system. Fin and blue whales were acoustically present in the archipelago from autumn to spring with marked seasonal differences in the use of different call types. Diel patterns of calling activity were only found for fin whales with more calls during the day than night. Sei whales showed a bimodal distribution of acoustic presence in spring and autumn, corresponding to their expected migration patterns. Diel differences in sei whale calling varied with season and location. This work highlights the importance of the Azores as a migratory and wintering habitat for three species of baleen whales and provides novel information on their acoustic behaviour in a mid-Atlantic region. The publication is available online at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-61849-8 Kind regards, -- Miriam Romagosa PhD candidate IMAR - Institute of Marine Research & Okeanos I & D Centre DOP - Department of Oceanography and Fisheries University of the Azores Rua Professor Dr. Frederico Machado 4 9901-862 Horta Portugal

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New publication on food-web dynamics and the trophic position of common dolphins (Delphinus Delphi's) in Rías Baixas, Galicia Spain
by Oriol Giralt 16 Mar '20

16 Mar '20

Dear MARMAM colleagues My coauthors and I are please to share with the MARMAM community the article: Giralt Paradell, O., Díaz López, B., Methion, S., Rogan, E. 2020. Food-web interactions in a coastal ecosystem influenced by upwelling and terrestrial runoff off North-West Spain. Marine Environmental Research. 175. 104933. doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.104933<https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.104933> The article explores the food web dynamics of a coastal ecosystem and the trophic position of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) in this ecosystem. It can be freely accessed for a limited time in sciencedirect using the link below: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141113619307810?dgcid=a… The article can also be accessed using this alternative link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0141113619307810 Abstract Ecopath with Ecosim has been used to create mass-balance models of different type of ecosystems around the world to explore and analyse their functioning and structure. This modelling framework has become a key tool in the ecosystem approach to fisheries management, by providing a more comprehensive and holistic understanding of the interactions between the different species. Additionally, Ecopath with Ecosim has provided a useful framework to study ecosystem maturity, changes in the ecosystem functioning over time and the impact of fisheries and aquaculture on the ecosystem, among other aspects. The present work explores the ecosystem functioning and structure in an anthropogenically impacted coastal area, influenced by seasonal coastal upwelling and high input of nutrients from rias (ancient drowned tectonic valleys) off North-West Spain. A mass-balance model with 23 functional groups was created using Ecopath to study the trophic interactions in the ecosystem during the post-upwelling period (August to October) in 2017. The model described an immature, wasp-waist ecosystem, that shared characteristics of ecosystems found in upwelling areas and ecosystems found in fjords or coastal embayments. Deeper analyses highlighted the importance of small planktivorous pelagic fish as a keystone functional group, and of zooplankton, blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou) and phytoplankton as structuring groups in the ecosystem. Additionally, the study revealed that the existing fishing pressure on species of intermediate-high trophic levels could alter ecosystem functioning and structure, and ultimately affect top predators in the area. Findings of this study provide baseline information in ecosystem functioning and structure in the area and highlight the need to deeper study the effects of fisheries and their potential impacts on top predators. For further questions, please contact me at oriol(a)thebdri.com Best Oriol Giralt Marine Biologist The Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute BDRI Avenida Beiramar 192, O Grove 36980, Pontevedra, Spain http://www.thebdri.com/ 0034 679 813 129 This email is confidential to the intended recipient(s) and the contents may be legally privileged or contain proprietary and private informations. It is intended solely for the person to whom it is addressed. If you are not an intended recipient, you may not review, copy or distribute this email. If received in error, please notify the sender and delete the message from your system immediately. Please note that neither the Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute BDRI nor the sender accept any responsibility for any viruses and it is your responsibility to scan the email and the attachments (if any). Thank you for your cooperation.

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New publication on harbour seal aggression
by Anders Galatius 15 Mar '20

15 Mar '20

Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are happy to announce our new publication on the harbour seal mating system, and male-male aggression in relation to mating: Galatius A, Teilmann J, Tougaard J, Dietz R. 2020 "Variation of male-male aggression patterns in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina)" in Aquatic Mammals. We briefly review available evidence of male-male aggression in relation to harbour seal mating, and with new data from Denmark, provide evidence that patterns of aggression are different in different areas. A pdf copy is available upon request. Best regards, Anders Galatius ___________________________________________ Anders Galatius, PhD Senior scientist, Biologist Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University Section for Marine Mammal Research Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark Phone: +45 87158694 Mobile: +45 28710372 http://person.au.dk/en/agj@bios.au.dk [sender_logo_uk]

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New Publication: "Exploring variability in the diet of depredating sperm whales in the Gulf of Alaska through stable isotope analysis."
by Lauren Wild 14 Mar '20

14 Mar '20

Dear colleagues, The following paper was recently published in Royal Society Open Science: Wild L.A., Mueter F.J., Witteveen B., Straley J.M. 2020. Exploring variability in the diet of depredating sperm whales in the Gulf of Alaska through stable isotope analysis. Royal Society open science 7: 191110. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.191110 Abstract: Sperm whales interact with commercially important groundfish fisheries offshore in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA). This study aims to use stable isotope analysis to better understand the trophic variability of sperm whales and their potential prey, and to use dietary mixing models to estimate the importance of prey species to sperm whale diets. We analysed tissue samples from sperm whales and seven potential prey (five groundfish and two squid species). Samples were analysed for stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios, and diet composition was estimated using Bayesian isotopic mixing models. Mixing model results suggest that an isotopically combined sablefish/dogfish group, skates and rockfish make up the largest proportion of sperm whale diets (35%, 28% and 12%) in the GOA. The top prey items of whales that interact more frequently with fishing vessels consisted of skates (49%) and the sablefish/dogfish group (24%). This is the first known study to provide an isotopic baseline of adult male sperm whales and these adult groundfish and offshore squid species, and to assign contributions of prey to whale diets in the GOA. This study provides information to commercial fishermen and fisheries managers to better understand trophic connections of important commercial species. The paper is available freely to download at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.191110 Please contact with any questions: lauren.a.wild(a)gmail.com Lauren Wild PhD - Fisheries University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences lauren.a.wild(a)gmail.com www.seaswap.info (907)747-7789 - office (907)738-5315 - cell

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New paper: Description and classification of echolocation clicks of Indian Ocean humpback (Sousa plumbea) and Indo-Pacific bottlenose (Tursiops aduncus) dolphins from Menai Bay, Zanzibar, East Africa. (Liangliang Yang)
by Liangliang YANG 14 Mar '20

14 Mar '20

Dear Marmam readers, On behalf of my co-authors, I am very pleased to announce the publication of our paper. Yang L, Sharpe M, Temple AJ, Jiddawi N, Xu X, Berggren P (2020) Description and classification of echolocation clicks of Indian Ocean humpback (*Sousa plumbea*) and Indo-Pacific bottlenose (*Tursiops aduncus*) dolphins from Menai Bay, Zanzibar, East Africa. PLoS ONE 15(3): e0230319. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230319 *Abstract*: Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is a powerful method to study the occurrence, movement and behavior of echolocating odontocetes (toothed whales) in the wild. However, in areas occupied by more than one species, echolocation clicks need to be classified into species. The present study investigated whether the echolocation clicks produced by small, at-risk, resident sympatric populations of Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (*Sousa plumbea*) and Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin (*Tursiops aduncus*) in Menai Bay, Zanzibar, East Africa, could be classified to allow species specific monitoring. Underwater sounds of *S. plumbea* and *T. aduncus* groups were recorded using a SoundTrap 202HF in January and June-August 2015. Eight acoustic parameters, i.e. -10 dB duration, peak, centroid, lower -3 and lower -10 dB frequencies, and -3 dB, -10 dB and root-mean-squared bandwidth, were used to describe and compare the two species’ echolocation clicks. Statistical analyses showed that *S. plumbea* clicks had significantly higher peak, centroid, lower -3 and lower -10 dB frequencies compared to *T. aduncus, *whereas duration and bandwidth parameters were similar for the two species. Random Forest (RF) classifiers were applied to determine parameters that could be used to classify the two species from echolocation clicks and achieved 28.6% and 90.2% correct species classification rates for *S. plumbea* and *T. aduncus*, respectively. Both species were classified at a higher rate than expected at random, however the identified classifiers would only be useful for *T. aduncus* monitoring. The frequency and bandwidth parameters provided most power for species classification. Further study is necessary to identify useful classifiers for* S. plumbea*. This study represents a first step in acoustic description and classification of *S. plumbea* and *T. aduncus *in the western Indian Ocean region, with potential application for future acoustic monitoring of species-specific temporal and spatial occurrence in these sympatric species. The paper is open access and freely available to read or download at: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0230319 If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me at yllxmu(a)gmail.com All the best, Liangliang -- Dr. Liangliang Yang Postdoc Research Associate Marine Megafauna Lab School of Natural and Environmental Sciences Newcastle University, UK Email: yllxmu(a)gmail.com Phone: +44 (0)1912085091

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New publication: Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena vomerina) Catching and Handling Large Fish on the U.S. West Coast
by cindy Elliser 13 Mar '20

13 Mar '20

Dear Marmam, My colleagues and I are pleased to announce the publication of our short note in Aquatic Mammals: Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena vomerina) Catching and Handling Large Fish on the U.S. West Coast Elliser, C.R., Hessing, S., MacIver, K.H., Webber, M.A., Keener, W. 2020. Short Note: Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena vomerina) Catching and Handling Large Fish on the U.S. West Coast. Aquatic Mammals 46(2), 191-199. DOI 10.1578/AM.46.2.2020.191 Summary This short note documents the catching and handling of American Shad (Alosa sapidissima) and salmon sp. (including coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch) and pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) salmon) by harbor porpoises along the U.S. West Coast including the Salish Sea (inland waters of Washington State and Canada), San Francisco Bay, California and Cook Inlet Alaska. These species have not previously been reported as prey for harbor porpoises in this region, and are larger in length and mass than the majority of prey species known to be consumed by harbor porpoises. This note provides unique insights into previously undocumented harbor porpoise behavior and diet. Wild harbor porpoise behavior remains poorly understood, and reports such as this are important to improve our knowledge of this difficult to observe species and highlight the need for further research and monitoring to fully understand their behavioral repertoire and ecological relationships. The article can be found at: https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/index.php?option=com_content <https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=art icle&id=2003:harbor-porpoises-phocoena-phocoena-vomerina-catching-and-handli ng-large-fish-on-the-u-s-west-coast&catid=186&Itemid=326> &view=article&id=2003:harbor-porpoises-phocoena-phocoena-vomerina-catching-a nd-handling-large-fish-on-the-u-s-west-coast&catid=186&Itemid=326 Please feel free to contact me with any questions at cindy.elliser(a)pacmam.org! Best, Cindy R. Elliser, PhD Research Director Pacific Mammal Research www.pacmam.org <http://www.pacmam.org> 360-202-2860

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Postdoctoral position: Pelagic food-web interactions and modelling
by Mónica Silva 13 Mar '20

13 Mar '20

Dear Colleagues, The Institute of Marine Research (IMAR), in the Azores, is opening a call for a post-doctoral position in food-web interactions and modelling, with a special focus on mesopelagic organisms and their megafauna predators. The position is for 2 years but can be extended up to 3 years, and is expected to start in May 2020. The successful candidate will be based at the Azores Whale Lab, led by Dra. Mónica A. Silva, and will develop her/his research activities within two research projects: H2020 - SUMMER - Sustainable management of mesopelagic resources (GA 817806), and MISTIC SEAS III - Developing a coordinated approach for assessing Descriptor 4 via its linkages with D1 and other relevant descriptors in the Macaronesian sub-region (GA 110661/2018/794676/SUB/ENV.C2). The successful candidate will join an international, multidisciplinary research environment both within the research team at IMAR and across the projects’ consortia. 1-Position description: The successful candidate will work on the assessment of food-web interactions and on the development and application of an ecosystem model for the pelagic ecosystem of the Azores using the Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) model. 2- Scientific area. Marine Biology, Marine ecology or related field 3- Admission requirements: Candidates must meet the following requirements to apply for the position: 1- Hold a PhD in Marine Biology, Marine Ecology, or related field, obtained in the three years prior to the date of the submission of the application; 2 - Document experience in trophic ecology research, through a publication record in international peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations; 3 - Good communication skills in English (written and spoken); 4 - Ability to travel internationally for project meetings and workshops. In addition, the following skills and qualities will be highly valued: 5 - Strong skills in numerical ecology and modelling, preferably in ecosystem modelling using the EwE modelling system; 6 - Participation in scientific cruises, experience with field-based sampling and laboratory work; 7 - Ability to work independently, in international and multidisciplinary teams and to meet deadlines. 4- Work plan: The successful candidate will have the following specific tasks: * Participate in scientific cruises to collect data and samples for the projects; * Prepare samples for DNA, stable isotope, fatty acid and gut content analyses; · Estimate diet and trophic levels of mesopelagic organisms and their megafauna predators (eg, cetaceans, seabirds, sharks, tuna) and quantify trophic links in the mesopelagic ecosystem, based on results from DNA, stable isotopes, fatty acids and gut contents; · Collate and organize data relevant for EwE models; · Develop, modify and parameterize an existing EwE model for the pelagic ecosystem of the Azores, including megafauna predators; * Write and contribute to peer-reviewed publications; * Support students and research assistants in data analysis and fieldwork; * Participate in project meetings, workshops and events; * Assist in producing reports, project deliverables and background documents for meetings, throughout the duration of projects in a timely manner. 5- Applicable legislation: Law Decrete nº 40/2004 of August 18, that established the Statute of the Scientific Research Fellow , with all the changes introduced: (Law Decrete nº 202/2012 of August, 27, Law Decrete nº 89/2013 of 9 July, Law Decrete nº 233/2012 of 29 october , Law nº 12/2013 of 29 January, Law Decrete nº 123/2019 of August 28) Research Fellowship Regulations of the Foundation for Science and Technology I.P. in force; https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/regulamento.phtml.pt 6- Workplace: The work will be developed at IMAR – Institute of Marine Research, hosted by the Department of Fisheries and Oceanography of the University of the Azores (DOP-UAc) in Horta (Faial Island), under the coordination of Dra. Mónica Almeida e Silva, Dr. Pedro Afonso and Dr. Telmo Morato. 7- Duration of the scholarship: The fellowship will have the maximum duration of 24 months, renewable up to 36 months, starting on May 2020, or as soon as the selection process is completed. 8- Compensation: The research fellow will receive a monthly allowance of 1,600.00 €, in accordance to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) official table of fellowships (http://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/valores) The fellow will be covered by a personal insurance and voluntarily contribution to the national social security system. 9-Selection criteria: The selection of candidates will be based on curriculum evaluation, taking into account the academic record and the demonstration of the skills listed in the admission requirements. Candidates who do not meet admission requirements in points 1 to 4. Admitted candidates will be excluded. Interviews may be conducted to better assess the capability of the candidadtes. 10- Application submission: The call will be open from 09 to 27 March (15 working days).Applications must be submitted by email with the subject “Call IMAR/Postdoc – Food-web interactions and modeling”) to Doutora Mónica Almeida e Silva (monica.silva.imar(a)gmail.com,) CC: Dra Sandra Silva (sandra.eg.silva(a)uac.pt) with the following documents: letter of motivation with justification of skills for the position, detailed Curriculum Vitae, and copy of university degrees and other certificates. Failure to submit the requested documents will result in the exclusion of the applicant. 11- Evaluation committee: Dra. Mónica Almeida e Silva (President of the jury), Dr Pedro Afonso (vogal), Dr. Telmo Morato (vogal). The composition of the evaluation committee may be changed in case of eventual conflict of interests with competing candidates. 12- Notification of results: The final results will be presented in a list ranked by the candidates’ final scores, to be sent by e-mail to all applicants. The successful candidate will be notified via email. If the decision is unfavourable, the candidates have 10 working days to appeal. The jury reserves the right not to award the scholarship based on the adequateness of the applications. Mónica Almeida e Silva (Marine Biologist, PhD) ----------------------------------------------------- MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre IMAR - Institute of Marine Research Rua Frederico Machado, 4 9901-862 Horta Portugal Phone: (+351) 292200400 Email: <mailto:masilva@mare-centre.pt> masilva(a)mare-centre.pt; <mailto:monica.silva.imar@gmail.com> monica.silva.imar(a)gmail.com <http://whales.scienceontheweb.net> http://whales.scienceontheweb.net ----------------------------------------------------- Guest Investigator WHOI – Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA

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Marine Mammal Volunteer Position, Kaikoura, New Zealand
by Krista Hupman 12 Mar '20

12 Mar '20

Marine Mammal Volunteer Position, Kaikoura, New Zealand A volunteer is required to assist with an ongoing study investigating the occurrence, residency and movement of marine mammals (primarily leopard seals) around New Zealand. This work involves desktop research including data entry and photo-identification. This project is part of the ongoing research for the Marine Megafauna Group at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research and in collaboration with LeopardSeals.Org. DATES: March - September 2020. A minimum commitment of three months is required and priority will be given to those who can commit for longer periods. During these months the volunteer must be available full-time (i.e. 38 hours per week), however work hours can be flexible to accommodate part-time work if desired. LOCATION: Kaikoura, New Zealand As this is a volunteer position, there is unfortunately no monetary compensation or living provisions. The successful candidate should arrange their own accommodation, living expenses, travel costs and visa. Local assistance can be provided to find suitable accommodation. QUALIFICATIONS: . The project is well suited to upper level undergrads, recent graduates and graduate students who have some background in biology, marine biology, ecology, zoology or related fields. . Computer proficiency in MS Office (especially Excel) is a requirement. APPLICATION PROCESS: . Email your CV to krista.hupman(a)niwa.co.nz<mailto:krista.hupman@niwa.co.nz> . Outline why you would like to work on this project, the dates when you are available to assist on the project, your qualifications and relevant experience. [https://www.niwa.co.nz/static/niwa-2018-horizontal-180.png]<https://www.niwa.co.nz> Dr Krista Hupman Cetacean Biologist/Ecologist +64-4-386-0527 | National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research Ltd (NIWA) 301 Evans Bay Parade Hataitai Wellington New Zealand Connect with NIWA: niwa.co.nz<https://www.niwa.co.nz> Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/nzniwa> LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/niwa> Twitter<https://twitter.com/niwa_nz> Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/niwa_science> To ensure compliance with legal requirements and to maintain cyber security standards, NIWA's IT systems are subject to ongoing monitoring, activity logging and auditing. This monitoring and auditing service may be provided by third parties. Such third parties can access information transmitted to, processed by and stored on NIWA's IT systems

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New Publication: "Short-term effects of whale watching boats on the movement patterns of southern right whales in Península Valdés, Patagonia, Argentina"
by ailen chalcobsky 12 Mar '20

12 Mar '20

Dear colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors, Enrique A. Crespo and Mariano A. Coscarella, and I, we're pleased to announce the publication of our paper: “Short-term effects of whale watching boats on the movement patterns of southern right whales in Península Valdés, Patagonia, Argentina”. Abstract: Whale watching in Patagonia began in 1973, with the southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) as a target. Thus far, only short-term effects of whale watching on behaviour have been evaluated. The southern right whale population is increasing locally and expanding to adjacent areas. We evaluated boat effects on the biological system through the analysis of breathing rate, linearity, reorientation rate and total distance travelled. Short-term movement patterns of SRW in the area are not severely affected by whale watching operations in Puerto Pirámide at this level of activity. However, significant changes in breathing rates in the presence of boats deserve further attention considering that whales return the same location. In light of the present work, the whales that breed at Península Valdés may be tolerant to whale watching boats. The paper is available to read or download at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.104927 If you have any questions or would like a copy please do not hesitate to contact me via email at ailenchalco(a)cenpat-conicet.gob.ar Kind regards, Ailen -- Lic. Ailen Chalcobsky Laboratorio de Mamiferos Marinos Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR) Centro Nacional Patagónico (CONICET) Bv. Brown 2915 CP 9120, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina Tel: 54 (0280) 488-3184<callto:54%20(0280)%20488-3184> Int.1243 Fax:54 (0280) 488-3543<callto:54%20(0280)%20488-3543> e-mail: ailenchalco(a)cenpat-conicet.gob.ar web: www.cenpat.edu.ar<http://www.cenpat.edu.ar/>

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New paper on near real-time passive acoustic monitoring from gliders
by Mark Baumgartner 12 Mar '20

12 Mar '20

Dear Colleagues, The following paper was recently published in Frontiers in Marine Science, and is available as an open access article here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2020.00100/full. Slocum gliders provide accurate near real-time estimates of baleen whale presence from human-reviewed passive acoustic detection information Mark Baumgartner, Julianne Bonnel, Peter Corkeron, Sofie Van Parijs, Cara Hotchkin, Ben Hodges, Jacqueline Bort Thornton, Bryan Mensi, and Scott Bruner Mitigating the effects of human activities on marine mammals often depends on monitoring animal occurrence over long time scales, large spatial scales, and in real time. Passive acoustics, particularly from autonomous vehicles, is a promising approach to meeting this need. We have previously developed the capability to record, detect, classify, and transmit to shore information about the tonal sounds of baleen whales in near real time from long-endurance ocean gliders. We have recently developed a protocol by which a human analyst reviews this information to determine the presence of marine mammals, and the results of this review are automatically posted to a publicly accessible website, sent directly to interested parties via email or text, and made available to stakeholders via a number of public and private digital applications. We evaluated the performance of this system during two 3.75-month Slocum glider deployments in the southwestern Gulf of Maine during the spring seasons of 2015 and 2016. Near real-time detections of humpback, fin, sei, and North Atlantic right whales were compared to detections of these species from simultaneously recorded audio. Data from another 2016 glider deployment in the same area were also used to compare results between three different analysts to determine repeatability of results both among and within analysts. False detection (occurrence) rates on daily time scales were 0% for all species. Daily missed detection rates ranged from 17 to 24%. Agreement between two trained novice analysts and an experienced analyst was greater than 95% for fin, sei, and right whales, while agreement was 83–89% for humpback whales owing to the more subjective process for detecting this species. Our results indicate that the presence of baleen whales can be accurately determined using information about tonal sounds transmitted in near real-time from Slocum gliders. The system is being used operationally to monitor baleen whales in United States, Canadian, and Chilean waters, and has been particularly useful for monitoring the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale throughout the northwestern Atlantic Ocean. Mark Baumgartner Senior 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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