October 2022 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

{Disarmed} Introductory distance sampling training workshop 09-20 Jan 2023; registration now open
by Eric Rexstad 18 Oct '22

18 Oct '22

Interactive introductory distance sampling training The University of St Andrews has been training ecologists and statisticians in design and analysis of distance sampling studies for decades. Distance sampling methods are widely used in population assessment of cetaceans 🐳. Perhaps you've wanted to attend a previous workshop, but schedules conflicted with your field work. 👨‍🌾 We are offering the training workshop in 10 2.5-hour blocks in January 2023. You will be invited to interact in short lectures on distance sampling principles. 👩‍🎓 Exercises analysing data sets in R will reinforce those principles and the lecturer will be available to assist during the practical session via screen sharing. The session will conclude with a summary of the exercise and question/answer session for both lecture and exercise. 💻 You can participate in polls during the workshop to assess your comprehension of topics discussed. 🤔 In addition to questions at any time during the lectures and practicals, an optional additional half hour will be set aside each session for discussion of topics arising. 🗣 The workshop will be delivered using Zoom web conferencing software along with R-Studio "in the cloud".☁️ You will need (free) accounts for both pieces of software. I encourage you to experiment with Zoom (at https://zoom.us) and https://rstudio.cloud before the workshop begins. 👩‍💻 There will be an internet connection testing and general orientation session prior to the first workshop meeting that takes place on 09 January. Important details * Workshop dates and time: 09-20 January 2023; 1400-1630 British Summer Time. * For the time of day in your time zone, consult * https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=Introductory+dist… 🕰️ * Registration deadline: 30 November 2022📅 * Enrolment limit: 14 * Cost: 225 British pounds 💵 * What is included: Lectures, exercises, code, data all available online📃 Widening participation scholarship One place will have the registration fee waived, for participants from under-represented groups. Details of eligibility and application process at http://workshops.distancesampling.org/widening-participation. Deadline for scholarship application for the January 2023 introductory workshop is 26 October 2022. Distance sampling workshops widening participation scholarship<http://workshops.distancesampling.org/widening-participation> Distance sampling workshops widening participation scholarship. The Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling is committed to encouraging participation in our distance sampling workshops by scientists from countries with fewer resources, and from groups traditionally under-represented in wildlife science. workshops.distancesampling.org  What they are saying I would like to say I really liked RStudio Cloud and it is working just fine and I am really enjoying using it as a student. I'm looking forward to using it as an instructor too. I really liked the first half of the course. I love distance sampling and I am enjoying every second of the course! The only thing I can say about this particular workshop is it deserves more time. -- Kaan Özgencil, PhD student, Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara Further details http://workshops.distancesampling.org/intro-jan-2023.html At the webpage above, you will find a link to the St Andrews online shop where payment is made. After registration, I will contact you with additional details regarding workshop electronic materials, etc. Feel free to contact me with questions. Please share this announcement with interested colleagues. Information regarding all distance sampling workshops can be found at https://workshops.distancesampling.org Distance Sampling Workshops · distancesampling.org<https://workshops.distancesampling.org/> Distance Sampling Workshops. Here you can find content for distance sampling workshops including slides, exercises and other materials. Free online course workshops.distancesampling.org  Eric Rexstad Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling University of St Andrews Registered Charity in Scotland SC013532

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April 2023 ECS workshop on communication - O Grove - Galicia, Spain - 1st posting
by Volker Smit 17 Oct '22

17 Oct '22

Dear Marmam reader, in view of the 2023 European Cetacean Society Annual Conference, that will take place in O Grove, Galicia, Spain, we are considering to present the proposal for the 9^th Workshop on Communicating Marine Mammal Science to the General Public. The last 4 workshop were following specific thematic. However, for this new proposal we would like to open to a wide spectrum of contributions on the issue. With the present communication we are inviting all the interested parties to submit a contribution idea to be presented in the program. It is our desire to embrace all possible fields, journalism, economics, figurative and non-figurative arts, digital, music, teaching, etc. You are invited to submit your idea contacting us: Barbara, Gema, Luigi and Volker To get in touch at this time, please contact Volker Smit via email: smit(a)m-e-e-r.de

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New publication: dolphins, Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia
by Kate Sprogis 16 Oct '22

16 Oct '22

Dear Colleagues, The scientific article 'Coastal dolphins and marine megafauna in Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia: Informing conservation management actions in an area under increasing human pressure' is published in CSIRO's journal Wildlife Research. It is free to download: https://doi.org/10.1071/WR22023. Authors: Kate R. Sprogis and Guido J. Parra. Context: Exmouth Gulf is adjacent to the Ningaloo Marine Park, a UNESCO-listed area in Western Australia. The gulf remains largely unprotected, and is under increasing anthropogenic pressure from proposed industrial activities that pose threats to marine megafauna inhabiting the gulf. Threatened and near threatened species, such as the Australian humpback dolphin (Sousa sahulensis) and Indo Pacific bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus), reside in the gulf; however, detailed information on their ecology and behaviour is lacking. Aims: The aim was to (1) provide baseline data on the distribution, encounter rate, group size and behaviour of coastal dolphins over an area where current industrial developments are proposed, and (2) report on the occurrence of other marine megafauna within this area. Methods. Boat-based photo- identification surveys were conducted on the western coastline of Exmouth Gulf along pre- determined line transects (150 km2) over austral autumn/winter 2021. Key results: Across 809.35 km of surveyed waters (181 h), a total of 93 bottlenose dolphin, 15 humpback dolphin, and six interspecific dolphin groups were sighted. Bottlenose dolphin groups were encountered at a rate of 0.077/km, humpback dolphin groups at 0.015/km and interspecific dolphin groups at 0.005/km. Dolphins were predominantly recorded in shallow (mean 10 m) and warm (mean 21°C) waters, and were commonly travelling and foraging. In total, 199 individual bottlenose dolphins and 48 humpback dolphins were photo-identified (excluding calves). There were 30 bottlenose dolphin calves (including three newborns) and four humpback dolphin calves (including two newborns) identified. Other marine megafauna group sightings included humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae; n = 32), southern right whales (Eubalaena australis, n = 1), dugongs (Dugong dugon, n = 25), turtles (n = 54), sea snakes (n = 27), manta rays (Mobula alfredi, n = 13) and sharks (n = 2). Conclusions: The presence of threatened marine species feeding, socialising, and resting highlights the importance of these waters for the identified species. Implications. The information provided is applicable for the spatial management and conservation efforts of these species, and aids in informing environmental impact assessments of individual and cumulative pressures. Reference: Sprogis, KR, and Parra, GJ. 2022. Coastal dolphins and marine megafauna in Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia: Informing conservation management actions in an area under increasing human pressure. Wildlife Research. https://doi.org/10.1071/WR22023. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. Kind regards, Kate and Guido Kate Sprogis, PhD Research Fellow Great Southern Marine Research Facility Albany campus WA 6330 Australia +61 8 9842 0881 * kate.sprogis(a)uwa.edu.au [UWA on Twitter]<https://twitter.com/KateSprogis>[UWA on Instagram]<https://www.instagram.com/katesprogis/>[UWA on Linked In]<linkedin.com/in/kate-sprogis-23abb58b>[cid:image005.png@01D8E205.1BA658B0]<http://www.katesprogis.wordpress.com/> [cid:image006.png@01D8E205.1BA658B0] [cid:image009.jpg@01D8E205.C9A2C070] We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Noongar Country and pay our respects to the custodians of the land and sea on which we live and work. Recent publications: * Sprogis, K.R., Sutton, A.L., Jenner, M.N., McCauley, R.D., Jenner, K.C.S. 2022. Occurrence of cetaceans and seabirds along the Indian Ocean 110°E meridian from temperate to tropical waters. Deep Sea Research (Part II, Topical Studies in Oceanography). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2022.105184 * Arranz, P., M. Glarou, and K.R. Sprogis. 2021b. Decreased resting and nursing in short-finned pilot whales when exposed to louder petrol engine noise of a hybrid whale-watch vessel. Scientific Reports 11:21195. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-00487-0

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New publication: Multi-event modeling of true reproductive states of individual female right whales provides new insights into their decline
by Joshua Reed (HDR) 16 Oct '22

16 Oct '22

Dear MARMAN community, On behalf of my co-author, we are pleased to share our paper in Frontiers in Marine Science, which is open access and available here<https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.994481/full>. Reed J, New L, Corkeron P and Harcourt R (2022) Multi-event modeling of true reproductive states of individual female right whales provides new insights into their decline. Front. Mar. Sci. 9:994481. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.994481. Abstract: Abundance and population trends of Critically Endangered North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis, NARW) have been estimated using mark-recapture analyses where an individual's state is based upon set delineations of age, using historical estimates of age at first reproduction. Here we assigned individual females to states based upon their reproductive experience, rather than age. We developed a Bayesian mark-recapture-recovery model to investigate how survival, recapture, site-fidelity and dead-recovery probabilities vary for female NARW in different states, using data collected from 1977-2018. States were assigned as calves for individuals in their first year; pre-breeder for individuals greater than one year of age who had yet to produce a calf, or breeder if an individual had reproduced. A decline in abundance of female NARW was seen starting in 2014, with 185 females declining yearly to 142 by 2018. The largest decline was seen in breeding females, with 72 estimated to be alive at the beginning of 2018, while female pre-breeder abundance plateaued at around 70 between 2011- 2018. Females born from 2000 onwards had an average 4% (95% CI:0.03-0.06) chance of transitioning from pre-breeder to breeder, compared to 8% (95%CI:0.06-0.1) for females born prior. This reduction in transition rate from non-breeder to breeder for the current cohort resulted in breeding females declining to 51% of the female population by 2018. We show that a collapse in fecundity of breeding females, and the failure of pre-breeders to start breeding, is an important factor in understanding the current decline in abundance of the NARW. Kind regards, Josh ______________________________ Joshua Reed PhD Candidate Marine Predator Research Group Room 385 E8A (14 Eastern Road) School of Natural Sciences Macquarie University Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia

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Alaska Dept Fish and Game Job Posting - Lead Biologist
by Polasek, Lori K (DFG) 14 Oct '22

14 Oct '22

**Looking for our next lead biologist for the Gulf and Bering Marine Mammal Program** The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation is recruiting for a Fishery Biologist 4 located in Juneau or Anchorage. The department is seeking an individual with an interest in marine mammal research and conservation with vision to lead a skilled team of scientists. The position will design, plan, coordinate and complete scientific publications for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Gulf and Bering Marine Mammal Program. See required skills in posting. https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/alaska/jobs/3757381/wildlife-biologi…<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gover…>

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TT Position - Assistant Professor of Marine Megafauna Biology - Old Dominion University
by Bartol, Ian K. 14 Oct '22

14 Oct '22

The Department of Biological Sciences at Old Dominion University invites applications for a full-time, ten-month tenure-track, Assistant Professor with expertise in Marine Megafauna. We seek candidates working on the biology, physiology, behavior, ecology, and/or evolution of megafauna inhabiting the world’s oceans, including large fishes, marine mammals, sea turtles, and seabirds. The successful candidate is expected to have strong quantitative skills and play a key role in the very popular Marine Biology Concentration Program for undergraduates. ODU borders the largest estuary in North America and is near oceanic migratory routes of many marine megafauna, with numerous research opportunities within close proximity, including the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center and Virginia Sea Grant. Responsibilities: The successful candidate is expected to develop and maintain active research programs that are externally funded, teach undergraduate and graduate courses, and contribute to service in the department. Candidates who are prepared to engage in interdisciplinary research will be especially welcome. Potential teaching responsibilities include vertebrate zoology; marine vertebrate ecology, management, and conservation; and/or graduate-level courses related to the candidate’s research discipline. Qualifications: Candidates must have a doctorate (Ph.D. or equivalent) in biology or related discipline. Candidates must have a strong scholarship record commensurate with experience, demonstrated potential to establish an externally funded active research program, evidence of excellence in teaching, and strong communication skills. Postdoctoral or equivalent experience is required. We are seeking candidates who share ODU’s commitment to the principle that diversity and inclusion are critical to maintaining excellence. ODU and the College of Sciences are committed to inclusive excellence, recognizing that diversity enhances and enriches our educational mission, employment experience, and community engagement. We seek candidates whose research, teaching, and/or service experiences have prepared them to fulfill our commitment to inclusion. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. ODU (www.odu.edu) <http://www.odu.edu/> is a minority-serving, state-supported, Carnegie classified R1 institution enrolling approximately 25,000 students, including 6,000 graduate students. It is located in Norfolk, a historic waterfront city in southeastern Virginia offering outstanding quality of life (www.norfolk.gov<http://www.norfolk.gov/>). The department has strong graduate programs, including a M.S. in Biology and Ph.D. in Ecological Sciences, and we are in the process of adding a broader Ph.D. in Biological Sciences (www.odu.edu/biosci<http://www.odu.edu/biosci>). The department is also a main participant in the interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences program. Interested individuals should submit: a cover letter describing their qualifications for the position, a curriculum vitae, a statement of research achievements and research plans (2 page max), a teaching statement (1 page max), a diversity statement explaining your experience with and commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion (1 page max), unofficial graduate transcripts, and names and contact information for at least three references electronically through the job title posting at https://jobs.odu.edu/postings/17184. <https://jobs.odu.edu/postings/17184> Incomplete applications will not be considered. For full consideration, please apply by November 15, 2022, however the position will be open until filled. Questions about the position can be directed to Dr. Ian Bartol, Search Committee Chair (ibartol(a)odu.edu<mailto:ibartol@odu.edu>). It is the policy of Old Dominion University to provide equal employment, educational and social opportunities for all persons, without regard to race (or traits historically associated with race including hair texture, hair type, and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, religion, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), national origin, gender identity or expression, age, veteran status, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation or genetic information. Minorities, women, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. <=:{::: <=:{::: <=:{::: <=:{::: Ian Bartol, PhD Professor Department of Biological Sciences Old Dominion University Norfolk, VA 23529-0266 Office: 757.683.4737 Lab: 757.683.5571 Email: ibartol(a)odu.edu<mailto:ibartol@odu.edu> |Website: http://fs.wp.odu.edu/ibartol/<https://na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Ffs.wp.odu.e…>

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MARINE ANIMAL REHABILITATION & ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION INTERNSHIP
by Gabbie Nicoletta 13 Oct '22

13 Oct '22

MARINE ANIMAL REHABILITATION & ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION INTERNSHIP The National Marine Life Center (NMLC) is now accepting applications for the Marine Animal Rehabilitation and Environmental Education Internship for the Spring 2023 session. The application deadline is November 1, 2022. The internship will run from the first week of January 2023 through the third week of May 2023. Animal Care Responsibilities: Depending on need, case load, and time of year, interns may assist with the care of the NMLC rehabilitation patients including seals, sea turtles, and a variety of native turtle species. Animal Care duties may include animal restraint; cleaning; disinfecting tanks, equipment, and environmental enrichment devices; diet preparation; administering feeds (including tube feeding); record keeping; facility maintenance; and water quality testing. Interns may also assist animal care staff with medical procedures, admission exams, animal necropsies, and release events. Education Responsibilities: Interns may assist with environmental education programs, including on-site programs, off-site programs, fairs, and festivals. Programs will focus on marine animals, rehabilitation practices, conservation, and STEM activities. Interns may learn how to effectively interpret and educate guests of NMLC on marine animals and conservation. Interns may be asked to work in the gift shop and assist with various office projects such as fundraising and data entry. There may be opportunities to create different educational materials needed that are aligned with the Massachusetts State Frameworks and Ocean Literacy Principles. Please note that the summer internship session offers the most opportunity for education experience. Fall and Spring sessions offer less opportunity given the time of year, so the focus may shift to operations or administrative tasks. Other Responsibilities: Each intern is assigned to multiple projects in different areas of the organization, e.g. research, fundraising, rehabilitation, marketing, social media or education. A weekly chore will be delegated to each intern to assist with the upkeep of the facility and equipment. Each intern is required to attend regularly scheduled meetings throughout their time at NMLC. At the end of the internship, the intern will deliver a presentation about their experience and projects to staff and volunteers. Qualifications: * Must be currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from an accredited college or university; preference will be given to students or recent graduates working towards biology, environmental studies, marine science, education, or other related fields. * Must demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills. * Must be adaptable, responsible, hard working, willing to learn, and have attention to detail. * Must be able to work independently and as part of a team. * Must be willing to engage in a positive and informative manner with members of the public on a regular basis. * Must be willing to participate in and receive constructive feedback. * Must expect to work 40 hours per week, which can include early morning and/or late night seal feedings depending on the season. * Interns may be required to work some holidays. * Interns may be required to participate in fundraisers held by NMLC, which may occur outside of normally scheduled hours * International applicants are responsible for their own VISA arrangements, etc. * If an intern plans to receive school credit for an internship they must notify staff prior to the internship start date, and it will be the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all required paperwork is completed and submitted. Physical Requirements: * Must be able to endure some physical exertion, such as long periods of standing; recurring bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, or similar activities; recurring lifting of moderately heavy items such as medical equipment and boxes of medical supplies. * The work may require specific but common physical characteristics and abilities such as lifting up to 50 pounds, above-average agility, and dexterity. Intern positions are unpaid. Interns must have their own transportation. Housing is not provided, but NMLC will offer suggestions. To Apply: Send your resume, cover letter, and one letter of recommendation to internship(a)nmlc.org<mailto:internship@nmlc.org> or P.O. Box 269, Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts 02532. Due to the high number of applications, only qualified candidates will be contacted. Gabriella Nicoletta Animal Care, Necropsy, & Operations Coordinator National Marine Life Center P.O. Box 269, 120 Main Street Buzzards Bay, MA 02532-0269 Office: (508)-743-9888 Cell: (585)-775-5354 Email: gnicoletta(a)nmlc.org www.nmlc.org

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Dolphin acoustic job opening in Maryland, USA
by Testa, Jamie 13 Oct '22

13 Oct '22

The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), Chesapeake Biological Laboratory (CBL), is accepting applications for a full-time analyst for dolphin and porpoise calls and processing of audio recordings from offshore of Ocean City, Maryland in support of a impact study of the imminent MARWIN Offshore Windfarm (US Wind). This position is a 1-year Faculty Research Assistant II position, renewable for up to 6 years, to evaluate dolphin and porpoise occurrence within the Southern Mid-Atlantic Bight. Duties include: post-hoc review of audio recordings for dolphin calls and other ambient sounds, analyzing seasonal and inter-annual detections of dolphins and porpoises from click detections recorded on Chelonia F-POD devices, participation in project team meetings and field work, and contributing to report writing and manuscripts. Applicants should have experience with cetacean bioacoustics, including skills with Chelonia C-PODs or F-PODs, statistics and coding in R, and the acoustics programs Raven and Pamguard. Applicants must live within daily commuting distance to Solomons, Maryland, USA for team meetings; teleworking can be accommodated. Salary is dependent upon qualifications and experience. *Applications are due October 23, 2022. Anticipated start date is January 2023*. The full job posting and application port can be found here: https://umces.peopleadmin.com/postings/1611. Questions about the position can be sent to Dr. David Secor (secor(a)umces.edu) Project Manager of TAILWINDS (https://tail-winds.github.io/) *Jamie Clare Testa* Project Coordinator for Chesapeake DolphinWatch <https://www.umces.edu/dolphinwatch> & Wave of Plastic <https://www.umces.edu/waveofplastic> Faculty Research Assistant at University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory (UMCES CBL <https://www.umces.edu/cbl>) JCTesta(a)umces.edu Pronouns <https://www.mypronouns.org/she-her>: she, her, hers

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Publication Announcement: Subseasonal forecasts provide a powerful tool for dynamic marine mammal management
by Julia Stepanuk 13 Oct '22

13 Oct '22

Hello MARMAM, We are excited to announce the open access publication of our manuscript "Subseasonal forecasts provide a powerful tool for dynamic marine mammal management" in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. The publication is available here: https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fee.2506 ABSTRACT: Adaptive approaches are needed to effectively manage dynamic marine systems, and ecological forecasts can help managers anticipate when and where conservation issues are likely to arise in the future. The recent development of subseasonal global environmental forecasts provides an opportunity to inform management by forecasting species distributions in advance over operational timeframes. We demonstrate the utility of environmental forecasts for managing marine mammals by integrating species distribution models with subseasonal forecasts to predict the arrival of migratory humpback whales (*Megaptera novaeangliae*) at foraging grounds in the Northeast US. Environmental forecasts showed high model skill at lead times of up to 2 weeks and resulting humpback whale models performed well in predicting humpback arrival. Forecasts of whale distribution can shape management efforts to minimize both impacts on whales and economic costs. Applying subseasonal forecasts to anticipate future risk presents a powerful tool for the dynamic management of marine mammals. Cheers, Julia Stepanuk, PhD -- Julia Stepanuk (she/her) Quantitative Ecologist Biodiversity Research Institute PhD, MS, Stony Brook University www.briwildlife.org

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UKIRSC23 - registration OPEN
by UK Regional Student Chapter for the Society of Marine Mammals 13 Oct '22

13 Oct '22

Dear all, The committee of the UK and Ireland Regional Student Chapter (UKIRSC) of the Society for Marine Mammalogy are pleased to announce that the registration for our 17th annual conference is now OPEN. After two years of online conferences, we are pleased to announce that this year #UKIRSC23 will be held in-person at the University of St Andrews on the 11th to the 13th of January 2023 (with a hybrid online experience for those of you that cannot attend in person). Abstract submission deadline is Monday 14th November 2022. This is a free conference which aims to bring together postgraduate students from all across the United Kingdom and Ireland who are interested in and study marine mammals. Students are encouraged to present and discuss their work with colleagues in a friendly environment and have the opportunity to attend workshops and talks given by experienced scientists and specialists. To register to attend, please visit: https://ukrsc.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/conference-2023/ For more information on the workshops and conference visit: https://ukrsc.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/2022/10/13/ukirsc-2023-workshops-announce… We are looking forward to meeting you all in January. Any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch. The 2023 committee can be contacted by emailing: ukrsc(a)st-andrews.ac.uk<mailto:ukrsc@st-andrews.ac.uk> Best wishes, Helen, Jules, Tim, Becca, Alice, Maeva & Morgane UKIRSC Committee Follow us on social media https://www.facebook.com/UKIRSC/ https://twitter.com/UKIRSC_SMM

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