March 2020 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Job opportunity
by Alexander M. Costidis 08 Mar '20

08 Mar '20

Dear colleagues, Please see below for an exciting job opportunity with the Virginia Aquarium's Stranding Response Program. We are a long-standing response program that handles all sea turtle and marine mammal strandings along the entire state of Virginia. Field Response & Facilities The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center is a public-private partnership between the City of Virginia Beach and the Virginia Aquarium Foundation. The City of Virginia Beach is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). Please visit https://www.vbgov.com/employment for more information or to apply. Kind regards, Alexander M. Costidis, Ph.D. Senior Scientist Stranding Response & Biomedical Research Phone: +1 (757) 385-6482 Cell: +1 (727) 543-6263 ACostidi(a)VirginiaAquarium.com Stranding Response Hotline: (757) 385- 7575 Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center 717 General Booth Blvd. Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451, USA

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New publication on the importance of spatio-temporal dynamics on MPA's design
by Charlotte Lambert 08 Mar '20

08 Mar '20

Dear MARMAMers, We are pleased to annouce the publication of a new article in Peer Community In Ecology on the importance of spatio-temporal dynamics on MPA's design: Lambert, C., Dorémus, G. and V. Ridoux (2020) The persistence in time of distributional patterns in marine megafauna impacts zonal conservation strategies. bioRxiv, 790634, ver. 3 peer-reviewed and recommended by PCI Ecology. doi: 10.1101/790634. (Recommendation can be found at: https://doi.org/10.24072/pci.ecology.100048) The paper is in open access and can be found at https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/790634v3. Abstract: The main type of zonal conservation approach corresponds to Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), which are spatially defined and generally static entities aiming at the protection of some target populations by the implementation of a management plan. For highly mobile species the relevance of an MPA over time might be hampered by temporal variations in distributions or home ranges. In the present work, we used habitat model-based predicted distributions of cetaceans and seabirds within the Bay of Biscay from 2004 to 2017 to characterise the aggregation and persistence of mobile species distributional patterns and the relevance of the existing MPA network. We explored the relationship between population abundance and spatial extent of distribution to assess the aggregation level of species distribution. We used the smallest spatial extent including 75% of the population present in the Bay of Biscay to define specific core areas of distributions, and calculated their persistence over the 14 studied years. We inspected the relevance of the MPA network with respect to aggregation and persistence. We found that aggregation and persistence are two independent features of marine megafauna distributions. Indeed, strong persistence was shown in both aggregated (bottlenose dolphins, auks) and loosely distributed species (northern gannets), while some species with aggregated distributions also showed limited year-to-year persistence in their patterns (black-legged kittiwakes). We thus have demonstrated that both aggregation and persistence have potential impact on the amount of spatio-temporal distributional variability encompassed within static MPAs. Our results exemplified the need to have access to a minimal temporal depth in the species distribution data when aiming to designate new site boundaries for the conservation of mobile species.

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New publication: Sea otter (Enhydra lutris) abundance assessment for the Kuril Island population in Far Eastern Russia.
by Ekaterina Ovsyanikova 08 Mar '20

08 Mar '20

Dear MARMAM Colleagues, My co-authors and I are happy to announce our new publication (Note) in Marine Mammal Science: Sea otter (Enhydra lutris) abundance assessment for the Kuril Island population in Far Eastern Russia. Our paper presents results from the sea otter survey conducted in 2012 along the Kuril Islands. Using this data and several environmental variables, we have calculated the updated abundance estimate for this remote population. Our findings indicate that this population might be undergoing a decline, and we provide recommendations for future research and management priorities. Link to the article: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/mms.12682 To cite: Ovsyanikova, EN, Altukhov, AA, Carswell, LP, Kenner, MC. Sea otter (Enhydra lutris) abundance assessment for the Kuril Island population in Far Eastern Russia. Mar Mam Sci. 2020; 1– 9. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12682 If you would like a pdf of the full-text, please email me at e.ovsyanikova(a)uq.edu.au<mailto:e.ovsyanikova@uq.edu.au> Best regards, Ekaterina Ovsyanikova Ekaterina (Katya) Ovsyanikova PhD Candidate Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory School of Veterinary Science University of Queensland Gatton Campus QLD 4343, Australia Phone: +61 457 615120 Email: e.ovsyanikova(a)uq.edu.au<mailto:e.ovsyanikova@uq.edu.au> CEAL website: http://www.uq.edu.au/whale

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New publication of the Underwater noise pollution in the Yangtze River and its impact to the Yangtze finless porpoise
by wangzhitao1230 07 Mar '20

07 Mar '20

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New publication on La Plata dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei)
by Marcos Santos 07 Mar '20

07 Mar '20

Dear Marmamers, on behalf of all authors I'm sharing this notification on the publication of a recent investigation on the feeding habits of La Plata dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei). Campos, LB, Lopes, XM, da Silva, E & Santos, MCO. 2020. Feeding habits of the franciscana dolphins (*Pontoporia blainvillei*) of south-eastern Brazil. Journal of the Marine Biological Association, UK. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315420000120. Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 February 2020 Abstract: This study evaluated the feeding habits of the franciscana dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei) in south-eastern Brazil. Stomach contents were collected from a total of 145 dead specimens found incidentally caught by fishing vessels or stranded between 2005 and 2015. Fish otoliths, cephalopod beaks and whole non-digested prey were used for prey species identification. A total of 9337 prey items were identified, including 26 species of teleost fishes and three species of cephalopods. The most important prey families were Sciaenidae among fish and Loliginidae among cephalopods. Franciscana dolphins tended to feed on small fish (mean = 5.25 cm) and cephalopods (mean = 8.57 cm). The index of relative importance (IRI) showed that Pellona harroweri and Doryteuthis plei were the most important prey for both males and females. The PERMANOVA test confirmed that there is no significant difference between the feeding habits of different sexes, but detected a significant difference among seasons. Overall, our results show that franciscana dolphins are predominantly ichthyophagous and non-selective in relation to the type of prey, feeding on pelagic, demersal and pelagic-demersal prey. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315420000120 Cheers, Prof. Marcos Cesar de Oliveira Santos Laboratorio de Biologia da Conservacao de Mamiferos Aquaticos (LABCMA) http://www.sotalia.com.br

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Sirenews call for articles
by James Powell 07 Mar '20

07 Mar '20

Sirenews call for articles. The editors of Sirenews, the IUCN newsletter for the Sirenia Specialist Group, wish to invite authors to submit short articles related to sirenian research and conservation to sirenews(a)sea2shore.org. Material should be submitted in MS Word, less than 500 words in length and may contain photographs, tables and graphs. Recent literature, abstracts, announcements, and news of general interest may also be submitted. Deadline for submission is 1 April 2020. James Powell, PhD Robert Bonde, PhD Editors

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REMINDER - ICES special theme session on marine top predators (07-10 Sep 2020)
by Gilles, Anita 07 Mar '20

07 Mar '20

- REMINDER ABSTRACT DEADLINE 11 March 2020 - Dear colleagues, I would like to call your attention to this special theme session on "Top predators, food webs, and ecosystem-based fisheries management" at the next ICES Annual Science Conference (ASC), 7 – 10 September 2020, Copenhagen, Denmark. This session is especially meant to share research on top predators including marine mammals, seabirds, turtles and large fish and provides a great opportunity to dive deep into the food web. Please consider submitting an abstract, via the ASC home page. http://ices.dk/news-and-events/asc/ASC2020/Pages/default.aspx Abstracts should be submitted by the deadline of 11 March 2020. More information on the session below. Best regards, Anita Gilles, anita.gilles(a)tiho-hannover.de<mailto:anita.gilles@tiho-hannover.de> (co-chair ICES Working Group on Marine Mammal Ecology) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Theme session A Top predators, food webs, and ecosystem-based fisheries management convened by Christopher Lynam, Anita Gilles and Ian Mitchell. In ecosystem-based fisheries management, non-target stocks, habitats, and predators that are in part dependent on commercially exploited stocks must be taken into account. Currently, fish stock advice focuses on Total Allowable Catch and does not explicitly take into account prey levels available to piscivorous sharks, marine mammals, or seabirds. Similarly, conservation efforts tend to focus on key habitats and species of concern with less attention paid to the prey species that support them. Ecosystem-based management is the framework that allows these related aims to be considered jointly. When fully implemented, ecosystem-based management shall support efforts to restore and maintain biodiversity and simultaneously provide productive sustainable fisheries in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals<https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/supporting-shift-more-…> and regional frameworks such as the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive<https://ec.europa.eu/environment/marine/eu-coast-and-marine-policy/marine-s…>. This theme session provides an opportunity to discuss key issues of importance to conservation and fisheries management, to review methods and to demonstrate a way forward to ecosystem advice and ecosystem-based management. Abstracts are welcome on the following topics: * Foodweb modelling to identify consumption requirements of top predators along with the production of fish prey (e.g. multispecies functional response and dynamic energy budget models) * Spatio-temporal empirical studies to identify overlap between predators and prey * Evidence of indirect interactions between fisheries and top predators: specifically, competition for food sources or fisheries losses (discard/slippage/offal discharge) as a food source * Assessment approaches that can deliver ecosystem advice including but not limited to the extension of multi-species fisheries models to include top predators, Bayesian network analyses and risk-based models * Management options that enable productive fisheries and support conservation aims, including spatial and temporal management of fishing fleets through protected areas, seasonal closures, catch restraints and effort limits ------------------------------------------------------------------ Dr. Anita Gilles University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW) Werftstr. 6 | 25761 Büsum Germany Phone: +49 (0)511-8568177 Fax: +49 (0)511-8568181 anita.gilles(a)tiho-hannover.de<mailto:anita.gilles@tiho-hannover.de> http://www.tiho-hannover.de/index.php?id=5380 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Anita_Gilles

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New publication: Habitat modeling of Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) in the Eastern Gulf of Thailand
by Ellen M Hines 06 Mar '20

06 Mar '20

Greetings all, on behalf of our co-authors, we are pleased to share our new open access publication: Habitat modeling of Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) in the Eastern Gulf of Thailand DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6023 Justine Jackson-Ricketts1, Chalatip Junchompoo2, Ellen M. Hines3, Elliot L. Hazen4, Louisa S. Ponnampalam5, Anoukchika Ilangakoon6, Somchai Monanunsap7 1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California 2Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development Center, The Eastern Gulf of Thailand, Rayong, Thailand 3Estuary & Ocean Science Center, San Francisco State University, Tiburon, California 4NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Environmental Research Division/ Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Monterey, California 5The MareCet Research Organization, Shah Alam, Malaysia 6Maharagama, Sri Lanka 7Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, Southern Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center, Songkhla, Thailand Abstract Aim: The Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) is an endangered cetacean found throughout Southeast Asia. The main threat to this species is human encroachment, led by entanglement in fishing gear. Information on this data-poor species’ ecology and habitat use is needed to effectively inform spatial management. Location: We investigated the habitat of a previously unstudied group of Irrawaddy dolphins in the eastern Gulf of Thailand, between the villages of Laem Klat and Khlong Yai, in Trat Province. This location is important as government groups plan to establish a marine protected area. Methods: We carried out boat-based visual line transect surveys with concurrent oceanographic measurements and used hurdle models to evaluate this species’ patterns of habitat use in this area. Results: Depth most strongly predicted dolphin presence, while temperature was a strong predictor of group size. The highest probability of dolphin presence occurred at around 10.0 m with an optimal depth range of 7.50 to 13.05 m. The greatest number of dolphins was predicted at 24.93°C with an optimal range between 24.93 and 25.31°C. Dolphins are most likely to occur in two primary locations, one large region in the center of the study area (11o54′18′′N to 11o59′23′′N) and a smaller region in the south (11o47′28′′N to 11o49′59′′N). Protections for this population will likely have the greatest chance of success in these two areas. Main Conclusions: The results of this work can inform management strategies within the immediate study area by highlighting areas of high habitat use that should be considered for marine spatial planning measures, such as the creation of marine protected areas. Species distribution models for this species in Thailand can also assist conservation planning in other parts of the species’ range by expanding our understanding of habitat preferences. Ellen Hines, PhD Associate Director and Professor of Geography & Environment Estuary and Ocean Science Center San Francisco State University 3150 Paradise Dr. Tiburon, CA 94920 415 338 3512, ehines(a)sfsu.edu<mailto:ehines@sfsu.edu> http://eoscenter.sfsu.edu/content/ellen-hines

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Job Opening - Marine Mammal Supervisor and Bioacoustician
by Patrice Hostetter 06 Mar '20

06 Mar '20

Dear All, Please find information about an open position of Marine Mammal Supervisor and Bioacoustician at Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation. *Marine Mammal Team Supervisor and Bio-acoustician Position* *ARCHIPELAGOS INSTITUTE OF MARINE CONSERVATION IN GREECE* http://archipelago.gr/en/ Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation is looking for a “Marine Mammal Team Supervisor and Bio-acoustician” to join us as soon as possible (March) at our research bases, located in the NE Aegean islands. The goal of the Archipelagos’ Marine Mammal Research Team is to monitor the regional status of marine mammal and sea turtle populations and their habitats in the Aegean, an area where data relating to these species is largely deficient. By gathering data on species populations and their respective threats, the research team works to fill these knowledge-gaps, identifying critical habitats that are especially susceptible to human and environmental impacts. The primary role of the Supervisor will be leading these surveys, training and guiding interns, and general base management. The position will be open until filled. *ESSENTIAL REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:* • MSc Degree in a related field. • Managing and training students and volunteers and demonstrated leadership, supervision, and team-building skills. • Knowledge of methods of data collection and principles and techniques of research and analysis, in particular: bioacoustics technics, P-ID, behaviour, GIS, data analysis and modelling. • Previous experience in research conservation projects and field surveys on marine mammals. • Able to conduct fieldwork in all weather conditions and be comfortable to spend a long time on a research vessel. • Excellent verbal and written English communication skills and good computer skills. • Ability to write scientific reports and papers. • Work during weekends and holidays when required. • Drive license. *PREFERRED EXPERIENCE: * Experience in field research projects on marine mammal, boat-based survey, bioacoustics and GIS. *Location*: Lipsi and Samos Islands, Greece. *We offer:* Supervisor: salary according to the experience, accommodation and full board. *APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:* Please submit a current resume (maximum 5 pages), list of three references, and a cover letter expressing your interest to info(a)archipelago.gr Regards, *Patrice Hostetter* *Head of Marine Mammal Research* *MSc in Marine Biology & Ecology* *Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation* *www.archipelago.gr <http://www.archipelago.gr/>* Marine Research Base: P.O. Box 42, Pythagorio, Samos 83103, Greece Telephone: +30 22730 61191 Fax: +30 22730 37533

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DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP IN PORTUGAL
by AIMM Internships 06 Mar '20

06 Mar '20

*DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP IN PORTUGAL* *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 2020. 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 2020 season, please contact: interns(a)aimm-portugal.org *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 · Availability to stay for longer periods of time *INTERNSHIP APPLICATION: * Applicants should fill up the online application at: https://www.aimmportugal.org/application-form 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 to 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 other details. Applications will be accepted during all season. However, early application is recommended due to limited vacancies. The follow links are a shorts videos about the internship in Albufeira. You get a different perspective and feedback from old participants about it: https://youtu.be/hTJJQPHBdI0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zTIEQEsftA *Contacts*: interns(a)aimm-portugal.org | www.aimmportugal.org | -- *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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