November 2022 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New publication on blubber cortisol levels of Humpback Whales along the Antarctic Peninsula
by Logan Pallin 25 Nov '22

25 Nov '22

Greetings: My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our open-access paper in Scientific Reports: Pallin, L.J., Botero-Acosta, N., Steel, D. et al. Variation in blubber cortisol levels in a recovering humpback whale population inhabiting a rapidly changing environment. Sci Rep 12, 20250 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-24704-6 Abstract: Glucocorticoids are regularly used as biomarkers of relative health for individuals and populations. Around the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), baleen whales have and continue to experience threats, including commercial harvest, prey limitations and habitat change driven by rapid warming, and increased human presence via ecotourism. Here, we measured demographic variation and differences across the foraging season in blubber cortisol levels of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) over two years around the WAP. Cortisol concentrations were determined from 305 biopsy samples of unique individuals. We found no significant difference in the cortisol concentration between male and female whales. However, we observed significant differences across demographic groups of females and a significant decrease in the population across the feeding season. We also assessed whether COVID-19-related reductions in tourism in 2021 along the WAP correlated with lower cortisol levels across the population. The decline in vessel presence in 2021 was associated with a significant decrease in humpback whale blubber cortisol concentrations at the population level. Our findings provide critical contextual data on how these hormones vary naturally in a population over time, show direct associations between cortisol levels and human presence, and will enable comparisons among species experiencing different levels of human disturbance. cheers, Logan *Logan J. Pallin, Ph.D.* Postdoctoral Researcher The University of California, Santa Cruz Bio-Telemetry & Behavioral Ecology Lab <https://btbel.pbsci.ucsc.edu/logan-pallin/> lpallin(a)ucsc.edu pronouns: (*he/him/his*)

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Call for information about marine mammal internship possibilities
by students＠europeancetaceansociety.eu 25 Nov '22

25 Nov '22

The ECS student group is collecting information about internships / volunteering positions for students interested in gaining experience in marine mammal research and conservation around Europe and the Mediterranean Sea. If you have student programs in your organization that are accepting students for the upcoming season and you want to help us make this information more accessible to all students, please share the possibilities you offer in this link - https://forms.gle/F6LFgtVREUArtNcL8 Thank you

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Seeking Assistant Marine Mammal Stranding Coordinator - University of North Carolina Wilmington
by Tift, Michael S. 25 Nov '22

25 Nov '22

Hello, The Department of Biology and Marine Biology at University of North Carolina Wilmington invites applications for a full-time non-tenure track Assistant Stranding Coordinator to begin February 2023. This is a nine-month term-limited appointment opportunity with the possibility for renewal based on additional funding obtained by the UNCW Marine Mammal Stranding Program. Applications will be accepted until 12/15/2022 at 11:59pm EST. To apply, please follow this link (https://jobs.uncw.edu/postings/26797) The following material should be prepared and uploaded with the application. * Cover Letter - letter of interest outlining why you are interested in the position and your prior experience with Marine Mammal Stranding response, necropsies, data/tissue collection, management of others and stance on diversity, equity and inclusion * Curriculum vitae * List of Three Professional References The successful applicant should have previous experience working or volunteering with a marine mammal stranding program and will have actively participated with necropsies. Applicants should have the ability to collect and record data in multiple data programs, be well-organized, work well with others under adverse and challenging conditions, and be trained to work independently on tasks. We are especially interested in applicants who can contribute to building and sustaining an equitable, diverse, and inclusive academic community (see https://uncw.edu/bio/sand_home.html<https://nam12.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Funcw.edu%…>). Minimum Education and Experience Requirements * 4-year college degree and appropriate certifications or equivalent directly related experience required to perform the assigned duties. Preferred education, professional skills and experience * Bachelor of Science degree in a scientific discipline * Previous marine mammal stranding experience * Graduate work in a scientific discipline, with a preference for work with marine mammals * Maintains a current valid driver's license * Previous beach driving experience (4-wheel drive vehicle). * Ability to lift at least 50 pounds * Ability to walk long distances (at least 3 miles) across multiple coastal habitats * Demonstration of ability to participate in necropsy and to use sharp instruments safely * Ability to work weekends and extended evening hours with little advanced notice * Ability to travel away from our home institution for multiple days, with little advanced notice, and work under adverse environmental conditions * Previous field experience working with marine mammals * Experience maintaining databases and image catalogs * Experience supporting equity, diversity, and inclusion in previous academic, work, or volunteer settings * Extensive necropsy experience * Ability to forensically examine strandings and collect high-quality samples * Ability to coordinate unusual mortality events and/or multi-agency responses to strandings * Experience working with NOAA on marine mammal management and conservation issues Thank you, Dr. Michael Tift (He/Him/His) Assistant Professor Department of Biology and Marine Biology University of North Carolina Wilmington 601 S. College Rd. Wilmington, NC 28403. U.S.A. Telephone: +1-(910) 962-2777 Lab Website: https://michaeltift.weebly.com/ For Shipments use: Dobo Hall 1008 4978 Cahill Drive Wilmington, NC 28403-5915 NOTICE: Emails sent and received in the course of university business are subject to the North Carolina Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. §132-1 et seq.) and may be released to the public unless an exception applies.

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New publication on short-finned pilot whale morphometrics using drones
by Patty Arranz 25 Nov '22

25 Nov '22

*New publication on short-finned pilot whale **morphometrics using drones.* Dear Colleagues, The paper ‘Body Condition and Allometry of Free-Ranging Short-Finned Pilot Whales in the North Atlantic’ has been published in the journal *Sustainability*. You can download the pdf from this link: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/22/14787 The work is the result of the joint effort of researchers from the University of La Laguna (Spain), Aarhus University (Denmark), University of Iceland (Iceland), University of Western Australia (Australia), Carleton University (Canada) and University of Amsterdam (Netherlands). Authors: P. Arranz, F. Christiansen, M. Glarou, S. Gero, F. Visser, M. Oudejans, N. Aguilar de Soto, K. Sprogis. Anthropogenic disturbance on animals can affect the nutritional health of individuals. The morphometrics, allometrics and body condition of individuals can be used to assess and monitor the health of cetacean populations. We examined the body shape, allometric relationships and body condition of free-ranging short-finned pilot whales (*Globicephala macrorhynchus*) in three locations across the North Atlantic: Tenerife, the Canaries; Terceira, the Azores; and Dominica, the Lesser Antilles. Using unmanned aerial vehicles, the body length (BL) and width (along the body axis) were measured from photographs of the dorsal side, while body height (dorso-ventral distance) was measured of the lateral side. The body shape was similar among reproductive classes, with the widest point being anterior of the dorsal fin. The cross-sectional body shape of the whales was flattened in the lateral plane, which increased towards the peduncle and fluke. The rostrum-blowhole distance and fluke width increased linearly with body length. There was no difference in body condition among reproductive classes or locations. These results contribute to the long-term monitoring of the health status of these populations and the better understanding of their vulnerability to potential anthropogenic stressors with implication in management conservation of the short-finned pilot whales across the North Atlantic. Reference: P. Arranz, F. Christiansen, M. Glarou, S. Gero, F. Visser, M. Oudejans, N. Aguilar de Soto, K. Sprogis. 2022. Body condition and allometry of free-ranging short-finned pilot whales in the North Atlantic. Sustainability 14(22):14787. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. Kind regards, Patricia Arranz (University of La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain) arranz(a)ull.edu.es

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New 2023 Environmental Training Course Calendar
by Emily Ricketts 24 Nov '22

24 Nov '22

Edgewise Environmental's 2023 environmental training course calendar is now live. We are offering Canada-Marine Mammal Observer (Atlantic and Pacific), Seabird Observer, Passive Acoustic Monitoring Operator, and Canada-MMO Bridging Program (online). All course theory is online with some courses completely virtual. Those with practical components will be offered throughout Canada in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and British Columbia. To view our full 2023 calendar click here <https://www.edgewiseenvironmental.com/events/> or email info(a)edgewiseenvronmental.com for inquiries. -- *Emily Ricketts* *Marketing and Business Development Support/Logistics Coordinator* Edgewise Environmental Ltd. St. John's, NL, Canada www.edgewiseenvironmental.com [image: Facebook icon] <https://www.facebook.com/edgewiseenvironmental> [image: LinkedIn icon] <https://www.linkedin.com/company/edgewise-environmental/> [image: Twitter icon] <https://twitter.com/edgewiseNL> [image: Instagram icon] <https://www.instagram.com/edgewiseenvironmental> CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: *The contents of this email message and any attachments are intended solely for the addressee(s) and may contain confidential and/or privileged information and may be legally protected from disclosure. If you are not the intended recipient of this message or their agent, or if this message has been addressed to you in error, please immediately alert the sender by reply email and then delete this message and any attachments. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, dissemination, copying, or storage of this message or its attachments is strictly prohibited.*

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EAAM 50th symposium
by President Elect - EAAM 23 Nov '22

23 Nov '22

One Month Left! Submit Your Talk, Video,Workshop and Poster Abstracts & Join Us in Valencia (Spain)! 50th European Association for Aquatic Mammals symposium March 7-10, 2023 Oceanografic, Valencia, Spain Deadline: 18th of December 2022 " Marine Mammals in need, let people know we are part of the solution." Marine mammals are facing massive threats worldwide, such as noise and chemical pollution, bycatch, prey depletion, and global warming, at an unprecedented and ever-increasing scale. Though actions have been taken by governments and NGOs to help dolphins, pinnipeds, or sirenians in the wild, the threats have only increased and there is a crucial need for relevant scientific information to improve conservation effectiveness. Zoological institutions hosting marine mammals have a long history in scientific research, the rescue of aquatic animals, and in educating millions of people. Their expertise has been challenged by a few but very vocal organizations but remains a scientific reality. The upcoming conference wants to show that we share the greater goal, the preservation of nature and all its fascinating marine mammals, and make all relevant stakeholders understand that they can count on ex-situ expertise and rigorous scientific based work to participate actively in marine mammals' conservation and guarantee their welfare in zoos and in the wild. The EAAM invites authors to submit abstracts and proposals for the upcoming 50th Annual Symposium, which is due to take place in physical presence at the Oceanogràfic in Valencia, Spain, 7th to 10th of March 2023. Abstracts must be submitted through the online form https://www.oceanografic.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/2023_EAAM_Call_For_… [1] by December the 18th, 2022 at 23:45 (CET) As part of the 50th Conference of the European Association for Aquatic Mammals, we will organize a series of events that will allow participants to learn and share their expertise while enjoying the hospitality of the Oceanografic and the marvelous City of Valencia For more information, visit www.eaam.org [2] or www.oceanografic.org/eaam-2023/ [3] If you have any further questions, please contact us at: eaam2023(a)oceanografic.org Looking forward to seeing you in Valencia, Warm regards, Silvia Tecles Chair of the Local Organising Committee EAAM 2023 50th EAAM Conference - Oceanografic - Valencia, Spain -- Martin Böye President Elect - EAAM _- __Find her_ [4]e _factual data on _ [4] _marine mammals in humane care_ [4] _-_ Links: ------ [1] https://fra01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ocean… [2] http://www.eaam.org [3] https://fra01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ocean… [4] https://eaam.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Protection-of-Cetaceans.pdf

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SMASS & WDC's Marine Forum 26 Nov 2022
by Mariel ten Doeschate 23 Nov '22

23 Nov '22

Dear all Just a quick message to let you all know that the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS) and Whale and Dolphin Conservation Shorewatch (WDC) are hosting another edition of the Marine Forum in Scotland, this Saturday the 26th November 2022. The Marine Forum is SMASS & WDC's annual knowledge exchange event, providing an opportunity for the exchange of ideas between researchers, citizen scientists, industry, NGO’s, and other parties interested in the marine environment and conservation. This hybrid event will take place at the Advanced Research Centre in Glasgow, with the morning talks also being streamed online via zoom. More information, including the packed programme and speakers, can be found on the Facebook Event Page: https://fb.me/e/2h7VAdelX We are completely sold out of tickets to attend in person - but you can still register for the live stream via : https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/online-live-streaming-marine-forum-2022-tick… We hope to have many of us join us online this weekend! Cheers, Mariel on behalf of the entire Marine Forum team (Alice, Katie, Emma, and Andrew)

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NOAA Fisheries is Extending the Public Comment Period for the Proposed Regulations for the Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to the Ocean Wind 1 Offshore Wind Energy Project
by Kelsey Potlock - NOAA Federal 23 Nov '22

23 Nov '22

NOAA Fisheries is extending the public comment period for the Marine Mammal Protection Act Incidental Take Regulations to govern the taking, by harassment, of marine mammals incidental to the construction of the Ocean Wind 1 Offshore Wind Energy Facility offshore of New Jersey. The public comment period, which was originally scheduled to end on November 25, 2022, will be extended an additional 15-days to December 10, 2022. Any comments previously submitted do not need to be submitted again. Documents associated with this proposed action, including how to submit a public comment, are available at: *https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/incidental-take-authorization-ocean-wind-lcc- <https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/action/incidental-take-authorization-ocean-w…> construction-ocean-wind-1-wind-energy-facility*. Thank you, Kelsey - - - - - *Kelsey Potlock, Marine Resources Management Specialist **(she/her/hers)* Permits and Conservation Division Office of Protected Resources NOAA Fisheries | U.S. Department of Commerce www.fisheries.noaa.gov Google Voice Phone Number: (301) 427-8410 Email: *kelsey.potlock(a)noaa.gov <kelsey.potlock(a)noaa.gov>*><((((º>·.¸. ·.¸.·´¯`·...¸.·´¯`·...¸.·><((((º> ·.¸.·´¯`·...¸.·´¯`·...¸.·><((((º>·.¸.·´¯`·...¸.·´¯`·...¸.·><((((º> [image: icon-facebook.png] <https://www.facebook.com/NOAAFisheries>[image: icon-twitter.png] <http://www.twitter.com/noaafisheries>[image: icon-youtube.png] <http://www.youtube.com/usnoaafisheriesgov>[image: icon-instagram.png] <http://www.instagram.com/noaafisheries>[image: icon-linkedin.png] <http://www.linkedin.com/company/noaa-fisheries>

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Dolphin Research Internship Program in Portugal.
by AIMM Internships 23 Nov '22

23 Nov '22

*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. All team members and participants share accommodation, house tasks, knowledge and experience in an 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, hiking, kayaking, surf classes and others. *WHERE:* Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal *WHEN:* The field season lasts from 1st April to 30st November 2023. The minimum internship attendance is 7 days, preferably starting on a Monday. *FIELDWORK: *The field trips are conducted in AIMM's research vessel, Ketos. Fieldwork is dependent on weather conditions. The 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; - Access and collect environmental data; - Collect data on behavior, group size, species, etc.; - Collect photos to photo-identification, acoustic recording, and underwater videos; - Measure water visibility with the Secchi disk methodology; - Help to collect of drone footage from the marine mammals; - Land base monitoring of 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 2023 season, please contact: interns(a)aimmportugal.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. *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:* You can apply on AIMM website www.aimmportugal.org/opportunities/dolphin-research-internship/ *or * Send us an e-mail to: interns(a)aimmportugal.org, with the subject “*DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP*” with your CV and motivation letter. We will send you a confirmation email 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 will get a different perspective and feedback from old participants about it: http://bit.ly/aimm-movie <https://bit.ly/AIMM-movie> https://youtu.be/hTJJQPHBdI0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zTIEQEsftA *Contacts*: interns(a)aimmportugal.org | www.aimmportugal.org | <http://aimm-marineresearch.blogspot.com/>

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PSO and PAM operators in the Eastern Mediterranean
by Ori 22 Nov '22

22 Nov '22

Hello MARMAM subscribers, Seeking PSO and PAM operators located in the eastern Mediterranean for a 3 week project in the Levantine Basin, early 2023.Cyprus / Greece / Turkey based would be preferred, and final dates are still TBD. Please get in touch if this may apply to you - ogalili(a)marineventures.com Many thanks,Ori Galili

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