June 2022 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New publication: Effect of a new offshore gas platform on harbor porpoises in the Dogger Bank
by Dr. Laura Williamson 17 Jun '22

17 Jun '22

Dear MARMAM colleagues, My co-authors and I would like to share our new publication in Marine Mammal Science titled: Effect of a new offshore gas platform on harbor porpoises in the Dogger Bank. Abstract: Offshore Oil and Gas (O&G) exploration and production has been cycling from cradle to grave for over 100 years, spanning many generations of marine fauna. Despite global occurrence of offshore infrastructure, implications of their presence for apex predators, including cetaceans, is understudied. We analyzed data from autonomous underwater passive-echolocation-click detectors (C-PODs) deployed at an offshore O&G production platform and at control locations to investigate acoustic activity of harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from 2015 to 2020, before, during, and after platform construction. Despite a statistically significant decrease in porpoise detections following platform construction and initial drilling operations (2015–2016), detections returned to baseline levels within five months. We detected no long-term effects of platform presence on porpoise-detection rates. While additional study is required to further understand activity of porpoise at O&G platforms during continued operation through to decommissioning, our findings, nonetheless, have important implications for Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), which do not currently consider effects of platform presence on marine mammals in any context other than short-term noise mitigation. While we know porpoise forage at ageing platforms, this is the first study to demonstrate porpoise also utilize space around new platforms, which must be accommodated in long-term EIA processes. The paper can be downloaded from: https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12949 Best wishes, Laura Dr. Laura Williamson Senior Analyst Ocean Science Consulting Limited (OSC) Spott Road, Dunbar, East Lothian, EH42 1RR, Scotland, UK M: +44 (0)7528 545 167 T: +44 (0)1368 865 722 W: www.osc.co.uk . MMO or PAM requirement? We wrote the book. Now available on Amazon: www.marinemammalobserverhandbook.com Check out my latest papers on: Distribution modelling:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2022.110011 Cetaceans & oceanography: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02977-3 Harbour porpoise distribution: https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12839 Animal movement around tidal turbines: https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsab017

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New book: Marine Mammals: the Evolving Human Factor
by Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara 17 Jun '22

17 Jun '22

Dear Colleagues, we wish to bring to your attention the appearance of the book: Marine Mammals: the Evolving Human Factor, published by Springer Nature and available on https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-98100-6 <https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-98100-6> The seventh volume in the series “Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Marine Mammals” describes aspects of the often-complex relationship between humans and marine mammals. From a primeval condition of occasional predators, during the last century humans have become a major factor negatively affecting the status of most marine mammals through over-hunting, habitat encroachment and environmental degradation. This has led to the extirpation of many marine mammal populations and even to the extinction of species. However, in parallel to this destructive drive, since antiquity humanity has been influenced by a strong fascination for marine mammals, which contributes today to an increased human appreciation of the natural world admixed with widespread concern for its degrading condition. The special status occupied by marine mammals in human imagination and affection stands in stark contrast with the current predicament of many populations still threatened by the doings of Homo sapiens: a condition emblematic of the relationship of humanity with nature, and key to understanding where humanity is heading. Table of contents: Randall R. Reeves: Cetacean Conservation and Management Strategies Erich Hoyt: Conserving Marine Mammal Spaces and Habitats Philippa Brakes, Luke Rendell: Conservation Relevance of Individuals and Societies Lori Marino: Cetacean Brain, Cognition, and Social Complexity Ryan R. Reisinger, Chris Johnson, Ari S. Friedlaender: Marine Mammal Movement Ecology in a Conservation and Management Context Peter Corkeron: Marine Mammal Captivity, an Evolving Issue E. C. M. Parsons, N. A. Rose: The History of Cetacean Hunting and Changing Attitudes to Whales and Dolphins Lars Bejder, James E. S. Higham, David Lusseau: Tourism and Research Impacts on Marine Mammals: A Bold Future Informed by Research and Technology Melissa Collier, Janet Mann, Sania Ali, Shweta Bansal: Impacts of Human Disturbance in Marine Mammals: Do Behavioral Changes Translate to Disease Consequences? Mark P. Simmonds, Laetitia Nunny: Marine Mammals Seeking Human Company Helene Marsh, Luis Ahuanari, Valentina del Aguila, Bradford Haami, Mauricio Laureano, Frank Loban et al.: Elders’ Voices: Examples of Contemporary Indigenous Knowledge of Marine Mammals Lori Marino, Thomas I. White: Cetacean Personhood, Rights, and Flourishing Claudio Campagna, Daniel Guevara: “Save the Whales” for Their Natural Goodness Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara, Bernd Würsig: Helping Marine Mammals Cope with Humans Cheers, Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara and Bernd Würsig

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New publication on grey seal saliva use for steroid analysis
by Vaida Surviliene 15 Jun '22

15 Jun '22

Dear all, On the behalf of my co-authors, I would like to announce our new publication on grey seal pup saliva use for steroid analysis: V. Survilienė, O. Rukšėnas, P.P. Pomeroy, S.E.W. Moss and K.A. Bennett. 2022. Evaluating suitability of saliva to measure steroid concentrations in grey seal pups. General and Comparative Endocrinology, Volume 326, 114070, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114070. You can find this article using a 50-day free access link: https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1fD0u3oGhS0K%7E If you miss a cut-off date for free access, please feel free to contact me by email (vaida.surviliene(a)gmail.com) twitter (@SurvilieneVaida) or a researchgate. Abstract Measurement of steroids in wild pinnipeds can facilitate assessment of breeding, nutritional and stress status, and is useful in understanding behavioral responses. Even in young animals, sex steroids may be important in behavioral interactions and immune modulation. Use of saliva can avoid the large fluctuations seen in some steroids in plasma, and can negate the need for venipuncture, making it a potentially useful matrix in the wildlife. However, its utility in estimating steroid levels in wild young pinnipeds has not been evaluated. Here, we investigated the suitability of saliva for steroid hormone analysis in wild grey seal pups during their suckling and post-weaning fast periods. We collected saliva (n = 38) and plasma (n = 71) samples during the breeding season on the Isle of May, Scotland, 2012. We investigated the success of sample collection, ease of preparation, accuracy and precision of analysis, and, where possible, comparability of measurements (n = 27) from saliva and plasma. Plasma sampling was rapid, whereas sampling saliva took up to five times longer. Analytical performance criteria (parallelism, accuracy, and precision (intra and inter assay coefficient of variation (% CV)) of commercial ELISA kits to measure estradiol, testosterone and cortisol in both matrices were assessed. Estradiol and cortisol assays performed well and can be used in plasma and saliva. However, we could not confidently validate testosterone for either matrix. Saliva estradiol correlated with levels in plasma. Saliva sample preparation was faster and simpler than plasma preparation because it did not require extraction. However, given the additional time taken to obtain saliva in the wild, the possibility of blood contamination from oral damage and the lower success rate in obtaining sufficient sample for analysis, we recommend that this matrix only be used as an alternative to plasma sampling measurement in pinnipeds when animals are anaesthetized, tolerate mouth swabbing, or have been trained to accept saliva sampling in captivity. All the best, Vaida Pagarbiai/ Regards, Vaida Survilienė Mob.: + 370 66211047 PhD Student/Junior research fellow Institute of Biosciences Life Sciences Center Vilnius University

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2022 SMM workshop -- 'Shiny' tools for management rules
by Leah Crowe - NOAA Affiliate 15 Jun '22

15 Jun '22

Hello MARMAM, The 2022 SMM conference is coming up in a month and a half, and what better way to kick things off than spending your whole weekend inside in the air conditioning coding your heart out? We are hosting a 2-day workshop preceding the conference entitled ‘Shiny tools for management rules: Using R and ‘shiny’ to streamline marine mammal conservation’. In this workshop, we will focus on streamlining the processing of survey data, dissemination of results, and the implementation of management rules relevant to the conservation of marine mammals. We will highlight applications we have built that are currently used for determining dynamic protection zones for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) ( https://github.com/NEFSC/READ-PSB-LWT-narwss_rwsas_apps) and for collating and displaying large whale survey results in near real-time ( https://github.com/hansenjohnson/WhaleMap) These examples will be used to demonstrate how effective conservation tools can be developed by researchers without formal computer science training using accessible, open source tools. We aim for this workshop to help connect folks across our field to form a supportive and enduring network within the marine mammal research community. For more information and to register to attend in person, check out the conference website ( https://www.smmconference.org/workshops/#1623437746343-7125b365-e27b) In addition, you can check out our Github wiki page for more details on the workshop schedule and preparation details: https://github.com/NEFSC/READ-PSB-LWT-Shiny_SMM21/wiki Please email leah.crowe(a)noaa.gov to inquire about virtual attendance. If you have repeatable processes that you would like to make more efficient, consistent, and transparent, come join us in the sun-Shiny state! Leah & Hansen -- Leah M. Crowe (she/her) Protected Species Branch Northeast Fisheries Science Center 166 Water Street Woods Hole, MA 02543 www.nefsc.noaa.gov/psb/

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Registration is now open for The Whale Museum's 2022 Virtual Summer Marine Naturalist Training Program
by tracie merrill 14 Jun '22

14 Jun '22

The Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, WA, has been training marine naturalists since 1994. We are offering our 2022 marine naturalist training program (MNTP) summer session virtually. Dates for this session are: July 28-30 & August 1-3. Our marine naturalist training course is an intensive 6-day overview of the natural history of the San Juan Islands and the marine waters of Washington and Southern British Columbia (known as the Salish Sea). These will be mostly full days, usually running from around 9:00 am-5:00 pm Pacific Time. This course includes an in-depth treatment of the ecology and conservation of local marine species, including cetaceans (especially Southern Resident killer whales), pinnipeds, mustelids, and marine invertebrates and birds. Not only will participants learn identification and biology of species but also about TWM's marine mammal research (San Juan County Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Marine Mammals Sighting Network/Database, Be Whale Wise laws and guidelines and Soundwatch Boater Education Program, and collaboration in shore based observation/acoustic research at Lime Kiln Point State Park). Presentations will be given by highly trained local naturalists, environmental educators, and scientists. The upcoming summer session will be a dynamic, high-quality virtual experience that leaves graduates qualified as a regional professional or volunteer naturalist after completing 10 practicum hours. Clock hours are available. Presentations will either be pre-recorded videos or recorded at the time and recordings will be made accessible to registrants. Tuition is $425 for members of The Whale Museum/Orca Adopters or $475 for non-members. A limited number of Diversity & Inclusion Scholarships are available for college students. While the Summer MNTP is virtual, we hope to be able to offer an additional experience in-person later this year. MNTP participants will be given first opportunity to enroll separately in an in-person weekend program on San Juan Island. More details will be announced as soon as we can confirm. More information as well as course registration can be found at https://whalemuseum.org/pages/marine-naturalist-training<https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwhalemuse…>. You can email Tracie Merrill, Education Curator at TWM, at tracie(a)whalemuseum.org with any questions. Sent from Outlook<http://aka.ms/weboutlook>

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Paper on movements and diving behavior of Offshore killer whales
by Greg Schorr 14 Jun '22

14 Jun '22

Dear colleagues, We are pleased to announce the recent publication, available online: Schorr, G. S., Hanson, M. B., Falcone, E. A., Emmons, C. K., Jarvis, S. M., Andrews, R. D., et al. (2022). Movements and Diving Behavior of the Eastern North Pacific Offshore Killer Whale (Orcinus orca). *Front. Mar. Sci.* 9, 854893. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.854893 <https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.854893>. Abstract: The Pacific Offshore killer whale population is currently listed as data deficient on the IUCN Red List and Threatened in Canada. The population is estimated at 300 individuals with a range extending from Southern California to the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. Only 157 encounters with this ecotype have been photo-documented between 1988 and 2014; consequently, movement and behavioral data are limited and restricted to areas commonly surveyed. To better understand movements, habitat use, and diving behavior, we deployed seven dart-attached satellite tags during two encounters with Offshores off California and one encounter off Washington State in 2013. Group size estimates were 6, 9, and 30 whales, respectively. Transmission durations ranged from 6.3 to 147.4 days providing a combined 2,469 location estimates. Whales tagged in Southern California travelled from 30.7°N to 59.3°N degrees latitude, covering a larger latitudinal range in 75 days than all previous sightings (33.5°N to 60.0°N). Within most of the California Current (southern extent of locations up to 48.5°N), Offshores typically used waters deeper than the 200 m isobath. As they approached the northern extent of the California Current and travelled into British Columbia and Alaska, locations were more common near or inside the 200 m isobath. Individuals tagged in the same group disassociated and re-associated within the tracking duration, with animals tagged together separating by as much 1,339 km. Two of the tags also reported summarized diving behavior, and tags captured 1,110 total dives with median dive depths of 41 m and 100 m for each tagged whale; the maximum dive depth was 480 m. Dives were typically short (median = 3.9 and 4.1 min respectively, max = 12.3). A comparison of dive depths and bathymetry suggests that whales typically dove to or near the seafloor in continental shelf habitat. Despite the small number of tag deployments, these data provide new information on social structure, individual ranges, diving behavior, and habitat use of this seldom encountered killer whale ecotype. The paper is available at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.854893/full?&utm_so… Best regards, Greg -- Greg Schorr Research Scientist Marine Ecology and Telemetry Research 2468 Camp McKenzie Trail NW, Seabeck WA 98380-4513 206-931-4638 www.marecotel.org Follow MarEcoTel on Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/marecotel/> Follow MarEcoTel on Twitter <https://twitter.com/marecotel>

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Job Opening: Marine Mammal Team Leader Supervisor opportunity at Archipelagos
by Beatriz Tintore 14 Jun '22

14 Jun '22

MARINE MAMMAL TEAM LEADER OPPORTUNITY AT ARCHIPELAGOS INSTITUTE OF MARINE CONSERVATION http://archipelago.gr/en/ Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation is looking for 1 *Marine Mammal Team Leader Supervisor* to join us *ASAP*, to assist with our expanding team and conservation efforts. We are recruiting for both term positions for the summer/autumn months (Starting July), as well as for long-term cooperation. *WE OFFER* For the trial period the travel expenses and full board accommodation are covered. If the trial period is successful, a remuneration package is possible, as we aim to develop long-term partnerships. With the use of 3 research boats, Archipelagos' Marine Mammal Team carries out research and conservation work, collecting data and monitoring the populations of dolphins, whales, monk seals and sea turtles of the region. A key aspect of this work is the assessment of habitats and population status, as well as the impact of the different factors threatening their survival. Knowledge acquired in this way enables us to fill in important knowledge gaps, as well as develop successful, targeted management and conservation plans. More information can be found at http://archipelago.gr/en/our-work/marine-mammals/ ESSENTIAL REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES: MSc Degree in marine sciences, with experience in marine mammal research Good comprehension of data collection methods and research and analysis principles and techniques Previous experience in marine mammal field research Experience managing and training students and/or volunteers Demonstrated leadership, supervision and team building skills Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships Ability to conduct fieldwork in all weather conditions Ability to write scientific reports and papers Fluency in English Fluency in Greek (optional) Excellent computer skills Sincere interest in issues related to the protection of the environment Willingness to occasionally work during weekends and holidays Valid international driver’s license or driver’s license for the EU LOCATION: Lipsi, Samos and other northeastern Aegean islands APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS: Please submit a current resume, a list of three references, and a cover letter expressing your interest (*and availability*) to info(a)archipelago.gr *Beatriz Tintoré* *Head of the Marine Mammal Research Department* *MSc in Marine Biology*

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Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust is recruiting
by Conor Ryan 13 Jun '22

13 Jun '22

Fieldwork Research Manager Permanent, full-time (37 hours per week), worked flexibly via an annualised hours contract, £24,000 - £26,400 per annum, depending on experience. The Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust is looking for a Fieldwork Research Manager to lead its long-term marine mammal monitoring project on board Silurian. This is a rare and exciting opportunity to lead HWDT’s core marine mammal monitoring programme on board our charity owned and operated research vessel, Silurian. We are looking for somebody experienced in marine mammal fieldwork and volunteer training to lead a programme of visual, photographic, and acoustic data collection. The ability to create high quality training materials, along with a genuine enthusiasm for teaching skills to others is essential to this role. We are seeking someone who loves being at sea and enjoys living and working in a close team. Experience working on boats or sailing would be an advantage. A valid medical fitness certificate (i.e. ML5 or ENG1) is required to work on board Silurian. Our ideal candidate will have strong project management skills and be confident troubleshooting and problem solving, both remotely and in the field. Experience of data management is essential, along with the ability to manage budgets and monitor and report on project outputs. Ideally, we are looking for someone who is a confident spokesperson and will enjoy promoting the project, our activities on board and its scientific outputs. Read the full role description here: https://hwdt.org/vacancies/fieldwork-research-manager To apply send a CV, a covering letter explaining how your skills and experience meet the role responsibilities and person specification, and details of two references to Alison Lomax at alison.lomax(a)hwdt.org with ‘Fieldwork Research Manager’ in the subject line. The closing date for applications is midnight, Sunday 19th June 2022. Interviews will take place in person in Tobermory, Isle of Mull. For an informal chat about the role, contact Alison Lomax on +44 (0)1688 302620 Best wishes Conor Ryan (HWDT Scientific Committee)

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Distance Sampling Data Analyst job
by Emma Dvorak 13 Jun '22

13 Jun '22

Integrated Statistics is looking for a Distance Sampling Data Analyst to support the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fishery Service (NMFS) Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC). The Distance Sampling Data Analyst will assist NEFSC's Protected Species Branch (PSB) with the analysis of two disparate types of data on marine mammal distributions. PSB's mission includes assessing the population status of protected species (cetaceans, sea turtles, seabirds, and seals) within U.S. waters, and evaluating threats to species and populations due to anthropogenic activities. Detailed assessments of species distributions and abundances are essential to understand broad scale spatial and temporal movements and behaviors. For risk assessment and mitigation of impacts, information on seasonal and inter-annual variability in distribution, ecology, and behavior at smaller spatial scales is used to estimate potential impacts on protected species due to localized activities (e.g., fishery bycatch, military exercises, energy exploration, shipping traffic, etc.). The objective of this one-year study is to compare high-resolution aerial imagery survey and visual survey methodologies from marine mammal line transect surveys conducted over the New York Bight. The reason for the comparison is to explore avenues to integrate data from both data streams to be able to create a consistent time series of aerial survey data results from both imagery and visual data. The line-transect survey data comes from two main sources: traditional visual aerial survey effort; and digital aerial survey effort using high-definition cameras. A third source, visual 2-team visual aerial survey efforts conducted by NMFS, may augment the main two data sources. *Duties* The project tasks include: * Processing the data from two main sources to allow comparison of these two datasets. * Conducting summary analyses of the datasets, modelling the datasets, and evaluating assumptions of the analyses and modeling. * Comparing the results from the two data sources. * Developing a report or peer-reviewed journal paper of the methods used and results. The analyses include, but are not limited to, developing general spatiotemporal summaries of the raw data. The modeling includes, but is not limited to, developing spatiotemporal distribution and abundance maps and estimates using Distance sampling methods. Results from the two datasets should be compared using appropriate statistical evaluation. *Qualifications and Skills* The successful candidate should possess: * A Master's or PhD in a biological field of study that included statistical and programming coursework, or equivalent. * Expertise in using the R software, with these specific skill sets: o Manipulating large datasets. o Conducting statistical evaluations. o Analyzing line-transect data using the Distance R packages such as mrds. o Fitting density surface models to line-transect data using R packages such as dsm, mgcv, etc. * Track record of success in working independently within a team environment, with limited supervision. * Demonstrated ability to develop timely reports or journal papers documenting scientific results. * Excellent written and oral communication skills. * Ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities and strict timelines. * US citizenship and presence. Ability to comply with EO 14042. The position is expected to last one year. The position may be filled remotely within the US, with the ability to travel to Woods Hole, MA for meetings. The rate of pay will depend on skills and experience, and the position is eligible for the benefits described on the Integrated Statistics website. To apply for this position, go to https://jobs.intstats.com/JobDetails.jsp?jobListingId=297 or visit www.integratedstatistics.com, click Employment Opportunities, click the job name and click the Apply Here link. Integrated Statistics is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, national origin, race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Consistent with its obligations under federal law, Integrated Statistics is committed to taking affirmative action to employ and advance in employment qualified women, minorities, disabled individuals, special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam era, and other eligible veterans. For assistance with accessibility of applications, posters, forms, and/or documents, please email the Integrated Statistics office. -- Integrated Statistics, Inc. 16 Sumner Street Woods Hole, MA 02543 Cell: (508) 648-8308 Office: (508) 540-8560 Fax: (508) 721-6841

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NOAA Fisheries Hiring
by Benjamin Laws - NOAA Federal 13 Jun '22

13 Jun '22

NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service has announced 4 vacancies for Marine Resources Management Specialists implementing the Incidental Take Provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act in the Office of Protected Resources. The announcement closes on June 28th. https://www.usajobs.gov/job/659742900

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