May 2022 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New paper unlocks the secrets of wild killer whales' diets using quantitative fatty acid signature analysis
by Anaïs Remili 13 May '22

13 May '22

Dear members of the MARMAM community, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce our recent open-access publication in Scientific Reports: Validation of quantitative fatty acid signature analysis for estimating the diet composition of free-ranging killer whales. <https://rdcu.be/cNtY9> You can find a recap of our main findings aimed at the public, as well as an infographic recap (in English, French and Danish) of the paper here: https://whalescientists.com/killer-whales-diets/ Please reach out to me if you have questions/comments. I am also available to collaborate if you wish to test or validate QFASA on other cetacean species. You can reach me at anais.remili(a)mail.mcgill.ca. We will present the results of this method applied to over 200 wild North Atlantic killer whales at the SMM 2022 in Florida. Here is the abstract: Accurate diet estimates are necessary to assess trophic interactions and food web dynamics in ecosystems, particularly for apex predators like cetaceans, which can regulate entire food webs. Quantitative fatty acid analysis (QFASA) has been used to estimate the diets of marine predators in the last decade but has yet to be implemented on free‐ranging cetaceans, from which typically only biopsy samples containing outer blubber are available, due to a lack of empirically determined calibration coefficients (CCs) that account for fatty acid (FA) metabolism. Here, we develop and validate QFASA for killer whales using full blubber from managed‐care and free‐ranging individuals. First, we compute full, inner, and outer blubber CCs from the FA signatures across the blubber layers of managed‐care killer whales and their long‐term diet items. We then run cross‐validating simulations on the managed‐care individuals to evaluate the accuracy of diet estimates by comparing full-depth and depth‐specific estimates to true diets. Finally, we apply these approaches to subsistence-harvested killer whales from Greenland to test the utility of the method for free‐ranging killer whales, particularly for the outer blubber. Accurate diet estimates for the managed‐care killer whales were only achieved using killer whale‐specific and blubber‐layer‐specific CCs. Modeled diets for the Greenlandic killer whales largely consisted of seals (75.9 ± 4.7%) and/or fish (20.4 ± 2.4%), mainly mackerel, which was consistent with stomach content data and limited literature on this population. Given the remote habitats and below surface feeding of most cetaceans, this newly developed cetacean‐specific QFASA method, which can be applied to outer‐layer biopsies, offers promise to provide a significant new understanding of diet dynamics of free‐ranging odontocetes and perhaps other cetacean species throughout the world’s oceans. Cheers, Anais Remili PS: here is the citation if needed - Remili, A., Dietz, R., Sonne, C. *et al.* Validation of quantitative fatty acid signature analysis for estimating the diet composition of free-ranging killer whales. *Sci Rep* *12, *7938 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-11660-4

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KTP Associate – Marine Acoustic Engineer
by Recruitment 13 May '22

13 May '22

KTP Associate – Marine Acoustic Engineer Location: Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland Appointment: 30 months Deadline: 3 June 2022 Salary: £30,066 – £32,641 or £35,467 – £38,420 (in exceptional circumstances) This is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious graduate in Electronic and Electrical Engineering, or a relevant field covering sensing and instrumentation, to fast-track their career development as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP; https://www.ktp-uk.org/graduates/) Associate. KTP supports partnerships between business and universities or research organisations, placing graduates (KTP Associates) to work on innovative high-profile projects. The successful candidate will undertake a 30-month collaborative project between Ocean Science Consulting Limited (OSC; www.osc.co.uk) and the Environmental Research Institute at the University of the Highlands and Islands (ERI-UHI). The post will be based at the company’s headquarters in Dunbar, East Lothian. The post-holder will lead development of an integrated system for marine mammal mitigation from offshore developments (e.g. windfarm, oil & gas, harbour construction, etc.) on marine mammals. This work will involve design, research into component selection and sourcing, requirements for operations in different jurisdictions, integrating the system components and instruments, and then testing and validating in the field. The successful candidate will receive extensive practical and formal training, gain marketable skills, broaden their knowledge and expertise within an industrially relevant project, and gain valuable research and commercial experience from business and academic mentors. https://eri.ac.uk/we-are-looking-for-a-ktp-associate-marine-acoustic-engine… Recruitment Ocean Science Consulting Limited (OSC) Spott Road, Dunbar, East Lothian, EH42 1RR, Scotland, UK T: +44 (0)1368 865 722 W: www.osc.co.uk Contractor Portal: https://contractors.osc.co.uk/ MMO or PAM requirement? We wrote the book. Now available on Amazon: www.marinemammalobserverhandbook.com

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New publication: Cetacean habitat models for the Southern California Current ecosystem
by elizabeth.becker＠noaa.gov 12 May '22

12 May '22

Dear colleagues, We are pleased to announce that our new manuscript, Dynamic habitat models reflect interannual movement of cetaceans within the California Current Ecosystem, by Becker E.A., Forney K.A, Miller D.L., Barlow J., Rojas-Bracho L., Urbán R.J., and Moore J.E., was recently published in Frontiers in Marine Science, section Marine Megafauna. This open access publication is available here: <https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.829523> https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.829523 Abstract The distribution of wide-ranging cetacean species often cross national or jurisdictional boundaries, which creates challenges for monitoring populations and managing anthropogenic impacts, especially if data are only available for a portion of the species range. Many species found off the U.S. West Coast are known to have continuous distributions into Mexican waters, with highly variable abundance within the U.S. portion of their range. This has contributed to annual variability in design-based abundance estimates from systematic shipboard surveys off the U.S. West Coast, particularly for the abundance of warm temperate species such as striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba, which increases off California during warm-water conditions and decreases during cool-water conditions. Species distribution models (SDMs) can accurately describe shifts in cetacean distribution caused by changing environmental conditions, and are increasingly used for marine species management. However, until recently, data from waters off the Baja California peninsula, México, have not been available for modeling species ranges that span from Baja California to the U.S. West Coast. In this study, we combined data from 19922018 shipboard surveys to develop SDMs off the Pacific Coast of Baja California for ten taxonomically diverse cetaceans. We used a Generalized Additive Modeling framework to develop SDMs based on line-transect surveys and dynamic habitat variables from the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM). Models were developed for ten species: long- and short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis delphis and D. d. bairdii), Rissos dolphin (Grampus griseus), Pacific white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), striped dolphin, common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), fin whale (B. physalus), and humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). The SDMs provide the first fine-scale (approximately 9 x 9 km grid) estimates of average species density and abundance, including spatially-explicit measures of uncertainty, for waters off the Baja California peninsula. Results provide novel insights into cetacean ecology in this region as well as quantitative spatial data for the assessment and mitigation of anthropogenic impacts. Best regards, Elizabeth **************************************************** Elizabeth A. Becker, Ph.D. Contractor, California Current Marine Mammal Assessment Program Marine Mammal and Turtle Division Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA 8901 La Jolla Shores Dr. La Jolla, California 92037 USA Elizabeth.Becker(a)noaa.gov <mailto:Elizabeth.Becker@noaa.gov>

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New paper on rehabilitated harbor seal body conditions and growth rates
by Sarah Jessica Teman 12 May '22

12 May '22

Dear MarMam Community, My co-authors and I are glad to announce our new paper, "Variability in body condition and growth rates for rehabilitated harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) pups", published in Aquatic Mammals. We thank all of the stranding networks and rehabilitation organizations for their hard work of responding to, treating, rehabilitating, and releasing harbor seals. The paper is available free and open-access at: https://www.aquaticmammalsjournal.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=art… Abstract: In the United States, Canada, and Europe harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) pups are commonly rehabilitated after stranding and then released. Size at release is likely important to post-release survival; however, data have not been compiled to track the body condition of rehabilitated harbor seals at release across the U.S. To better understand spatiotemporal variations in harbor seal morphometrics during rehabilitation and at release, this study retrospectively analyzed body conditions, weights, lengths, and growth rates of rehabilitated harbor seal pups in the U.S. Body condition index (BCI) was calculated, and weight and BCI were modeled regionally and temporally. There was significant variation in weight, length, BCI, and growth rate for rehabilitated and released seals between the East and West Coasts of the U.S. and among different years. Growth rates during rehabilitation were slower than reported for wild pups from birth to weaning. Length at release was not a strong predictor of weight. Because animals of similar weights can have different lengths, weight alone might not be the best criterion for pre-release body condition. A body condition score incorporating weight, length, and possibly other variables such as age or axillary girth could be more informative; however, data on post-release survival are needed to evaluate these options. -- Please feel free to contact us with any questions - Sarah Teman SeaDoc Society sjteman(a)ucdavis.edu

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Marine Mammal Bycatch: New Fact Sheet & Resources
by Emily Knight 12 May '22

12 May '22

Thanks to all who joined us for Marine Mammal Month in March, featuring two of our projects on marine mammal bycatch. We wanted to follow up and share with you our new fact sheet summarizing the main findings and final products of the Marine Mammal Bycatch Working Group: https://www.lenfestocean.org/en/news-and-publications/fact-sheet/summary-of… For our next steps: * We are having the fact sheet translated into French and Spanish (which we will disseminate); * The Marine Mammal Bycatch WG will be conducting a hybrid workshop at the 24th Biennial Conference<https://marinemammalscience.org/conference/#:~:text=will%20be%20held%20on%2….> on the Biology of Marine Mammals; and * The Bycatch Assessment in Chile project will be continuing to develop products, including meeting in Chile in September 2022. Also, for those that want to revisit the webinars: * Webinar recording of Best Practices to Assess Marine Mammal Bycatch: https://www.lenfestocean.org/en/news-and-publications/multimedia/webinar-on… * Webinar recording of Marine Mammal Bycatch Assessment in Chile: https://www.lenfestocean.org/en/news-and-publications/multimedia/webinar-on… Please share these resources with your networks, and let me know if you would like to connect with us or the research leads of the two projects. Best, Emily Knight Manager, Lenfest Ocean Program eknight(a)pewtrusts.org<mailto:eknight@pewtrusts.org> -- Emily Knight Manager, Lenfest Ocean Program [LenfestOceanProgram-Logo-Color-(2)] 901 E Street NW, 3rd Floor Washington, DC 20004 SIGN UP<https://www.lenfestocean.org/en/about-us/contact-us/lenfest-newsletter-sign…> FOR LENFEST OCEAN NEWS w: 202-540-6389 | c: 202-384-6534 | e: eknight(a)lenfestocean.org<mailto:eknight@lenfestocean.org> www.lenfestocean.org<http://www.lenfestocean.org/>|twitter: @lenfestocean<https://twitter.com/LenfestOcean>

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Cetacean Sessions #10 - killer and blue whales
by Jared Towers 12 May '22

12 May '22

Join us on Sunday, May 15th at 6:00 pm PT for Cetacean Session #10. In this session we will discuss the extent of the role of killer whales as marine apex predators. John Totterdell, Rebecca Wellard, Isabella Reeves, and Robert Pitman will provide an overview of their studies on orcas in Western Australia including their article “The first three records of killer whales (Orcinus orca) killing and eating blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus)” recently published in Marine Mammal Science. Presentation and discussion will be followed by live Q&A with the audience. Please visit our Crowdcast channel to register and for more information on our upcoming and past sessions. https://www.crowdcast.io/cetaceansessions Sincerely, Jared Towers Director, Bay Cetology https://baycetology.org

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New publication: 40-year analysis of marine mammal stranding patterns in Texas
by Sarah Piwetz 12 May '22

12 May '22

On behalf of my co-authors, we are pleased to share our recent publication "Forty-year historical analysis of marine mammal strandings in Texas from 1980-2019". The publication is open access through the Journal of Cetacean Research and Management and can be accessed here: *https://journal.iwc.int/index.php/jcrm/article/view/345* <https://journal.iwc.int/index.php/jcrm/article/view/345> Citation: Piwetz S, Ronje EI, Whitehead HR. Forty-year historical analysis of marine mammal strandings in Texas, from 1980 – 2019. JCRM [Internet]. 2022 May 11 [cited 2022 May 11];23(1):27-4. Abstract: Long-term trends in marine mammal stranding patterns can provide useful information on basic life history parameters, spatiotemporal distribution, natural and human-related mortality events, and potentially vulnerable populations. Between 1980 and 2019, a total of 5,301 marine mammal strandings were recorded in Texas, USA. In total, 23 species were identified, including 19 odontocete species (toothed whales and dolphins), 3 mysticete species (baleen whales), and 1 sirenian species (manatee). Common bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops truncatus*) stranded most frequently (94%). Six unusual mortality events occurred with causes attributed to disease, harmful algal blooms, or unknown etiologies. Common bottlenose dolphin stranding events increased significantly in late winter/early spring, with an early onset in southern Texas, and had a consistent peak in March involving primarily calves and adults. Spatial analyses using kernel density estimation within seven coastal Texas stock management areas, delineated by the National Marine Fisheries Service, identified potential hotspots for common bottlenose dolphin strandings near higher human population density and deep water channels. Peak stranding density estimates in each stock area ranged from 0.32 – 4.6km-2 for presumed bay, sound and estuarine (BSE) stocks and 0.82km-2 for the presumed Western Gulf of Mexico Coastal Stock. Common bottlenose dolphin stranding events were positively male-biased, including a significantly higher number of stranded male fetuses and neonates, and sexual dimorphism was observed in total body length of adults, with significantly greater length in males. For all records where human interaction (HI) could be determined as ‘yes’ or ‘no’, 30% were positive for HI, with the highest proportion of HI events occurring in the central and southern-most BSE stock areas; however, it is unknown how many HI cases contributed to mortality. This longitudinal study provides a comprehensive overview of marine mammal stranding patterns in Texas and serves as a useful resource for stranding investigators and Gulf-wide natural resource managers. Please feel free to contact me with questions. Thank you, Sarah Piwetz ------------------------- Sarah Piwetz, PhD Stranding Biologist Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network 4700 Avenue U, Galveston, TX 77551 Phone: 281.686.1681 Email: spiwetz(a)tmmsn.org www.DolphinRescue.org researchgate.net/profile/Sarah_Piwetz

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New Article: Interactions between the common dolphin,Delphinus delphis, and the Portuguese purse seine fishery over a period of 15 years (2003–2018)
by Ana Marçalo 12 May '22

12 May '22

Dear MARMAN Subscribers, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce the publication of our new research in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. Dias, I., Marçalo, A., Feijó, D., Domingues, I. & Silva, A. (2022). Interactions between the common dolphin, Delphinus delphis, and the Portuguese purse seine fishery over a period of 15 years (2003–2018). Aquatic Conservation Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. DOI: 10.1002/aqc.3828. Abstract 1. Interactions between cetaceans and the purse seine fishery in coastal waters of mainland Portugal were investigated using onboard observations over a period of 15 years (2003–2018). In 10% of the fishing sets, there were interactions with one of three species of cetaceans: common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), and harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). The common dolphin was the most frequently observed species, occurring in 89% of all interaction events, and the only species with observed mortality. Therefore, this study focused only on the interactions with common dolphins. 2. A generalized additive model (GAM) was applied to observer data to investigate how the fishing activity and the abundance of small pelagic fish influenced the probability of occurrence of interactions between the common dolphin and the purse seine fishery between 2003 and 2018. The results revealed significant annual and geographic variation in the occurrence of interactions, and a significant influence of fishing effort and catch per unit effort of sardine (Sardina pilchardus). 3. A second GAM in a hurdle model was used to model the number of common dolphins that interacted with the fishing activity as a function of fishing seasonality and the local abundance of pelagic fish. There was a significant effect of the seasonality of the fishing activity and catch per unit effort of sardine and chub mackerel (Scomber colias) on the number of common dolphins interacting with the fishery. 4. The results of this study suggest that the probability of interactions and the number of common dolphins interacting with the fishery were affected by the local abundance of sardine and chub mackerel. 5. As the common dolphin population appears to be increasing in the study area, the risk of by-catch also increases, thus the monitoring of the Portuguese purse seine fishery is important to inform the implementation of management plans, and also as a response to global efforts for sustainable fisheries and marine mammal conservation. The full paper may be accessed via this link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aqc.3828 or upon request. Kind Regards, Ana Ana Marçalo, PhD Fisheries biologist; Researcher/Assistant Professor email: amarcalo(a)ualg.pt; amarcalo(a)gmail.com CCMAR - Centro de Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal Office: L 23 *https://www.ccmar.ualg.pt/users/amarcalo <https://www.ccmar.ualg.pt/users/amarcalo>* https:// <https://www.facebook.com/inovpesca>www.raalg.pt /Algarve Stranding Network Coordinator

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New book on Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Sirenia
by Helene Marsh 12 May '22

12 May '22

Topic New book on The Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Sirenia https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-90742-6<https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flink.spri…> * Edited by Helene Marsh * summarises most recent information on sirenian conservation biology * feeding, diving, movement, social and reproductive behaviors are discussed * written by an international team of experts

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New Publication: Hookworm infection in Australian Sea lion pups’ -- Ecoimmunological approach
by María Ignacia Meza Cerda 11 May '22

11 May '22

Dear MARMAM Colleagues My co-authors and I would like to share our most recent publication in Frontiers In Vet Science with all members of the Group. Meza Cerda M-I, Gray R, Thomson PC, Butcher L, Simpson K, Cameron A, Marcus AD and Higgins DP (2022). Developing Immune Profiles of Endangered Australian Sea Lion (*Neophoca cinerea*) Pups Within the Context of Endemic Hookworm (*Uncinaria sanguinis*) Infection. Front. Vet. Sci. 9:824584. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.824584 Abstract As a top predator, the endangered Australian sea lion (Neophoca cinerea) is a sentinel of ecosystem change, where population trends can reflect broader shifts in the marine environment. The population of this endemic pinniped was historically diminished by commercial sealing, and recovery has been slowed by fishery interactions, disease and, potentially, pollutants. Hookworm infects 100% of neonatal pups and has been identified as a contributor to population decline. Here, a multivariable approach using traditional serological and novel molecular tools such as qPCR and ddPCR was used to examine immune phenotypes of developing Australian sea lion pups infected with the endemic hookworm (Uncinaria sanguinis) from two South Australian colonies. Results show changing immunophenotypes throughout the patent period of infection represented by pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6), IgG and acute-phase proteins. Although cytokines may prove useful as markers of resistance, in this study, IL-6 is determined to be an early biomarker of inflammation in Australian sea lion pups, excluding the alternative hypothesis. Additionally, immunological differences between animals from high- and low-intensity hookworm seasons, as well as ivermectin-treated animals, indicate hookworm infection modulation of the host immune response, as evidenced by a lower IL-6 mRNA expression in the non-treated groups. This study of the Australian sea lion is an example of an ecoimmunological approach to disease investigation, which can be applied to evaluate the impact of environmental and anthropogenic factors on susceptibility to infectious diseases in free-ranging species. The paper is open access and can be downloaded at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360080042_Developing_Immune_Profil… All the best, Ignacia *M. Ignacia Meza Cerda* Master of Phil. Science | *The University of Sydney* DVM (Hon.), Médico Veterinario | *Universidad de Chile* Diplomado en Gestión Ambiental Veterinaria VPDS Clinical Pathology | Senior Technical Officer (Lab Manager) |* The University of Sydney * +61 452289 203 mariaignaciamezac(a)gmail.com Ignacia.meza(a)sydney.edu.au

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