April 2024 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Job opportunities in Maine, USA
by Summers, Erin L. 27 Sep '24

27 Sep '24

Hello Marmam Community! I wanted to let you know about new job opportunities at the Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) within the Division of Marine Mammal Research. All positions are open until May 1, 2024. They are listed as “Limited Period” but funding for them is expected through at least 2028. For more information on the positions and how to apply, please visit https://www.maine.gov/dmr/about-us/jobs or contact Erin Summers at erin.l.summers(a)maine.gov<mailto:erin.l.summers@maine.gov>. Marine Resource Scientist II – Survey Program Project Lead This position will be leading visual survey projects in the Gulf of Maine using boat-based and aerial survey methodologies. Surveys will be focused on documenting the distribution of North Atlantic right whales but will record other wildlife encountered by the surveys. Marine Resource Specialist II – Survey Program Research Assistant This position will be participating on visual survey projects in the Gulf of Maine using boat-based and aerial survey methodologies. Surveys will be focused on documenting the distribution of North Atlantic right whales but will record other wildlife encountered by the surveys. Marine Resource Scientist II – Habitat and Zooplankton Lead This position will be leading habitat and zooplankton sampling programs in the Gulf of Maine with the primary goal of understanding the dynamics of Calanus finmarchicus, the primary prey item for North Atlantic right whales in this region. Marine Resource Scientist I – Gear Team Research Project Lead This position will lead research projects on the DMR Gear Team focused on collecting data on alternative fishing gears, including on-demand or ropeless gear, and subsea gear location technologies on both agency and commercial fishing vessels. Marine Resource Specialist II (3 positions available) – Gear Team Field Technicians There are three positions available in this job classification on the DMR Gear Team. These positions will work directly in the field with commercial fishermen testing alternative, including on-demand or ropeless gear, collecting associated data, and providing training and demonstrations. Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows

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Reminder - UF Fall online aquatics courses - Aquatic Animal Conservation Issues and Marine Mammal Biology
by Larkin,Iskande (Iske) 09 Aug '24

09 Aug '24

Hi All, Registration is still open for Fall 2023. The University of Florida, Aquatic Animal Health Program is offering the Aquatic Animal Conservation Issues and Marine Mammal Biology courses, fully online. Classes start Wednesday August 23rd and run through Wednesday, December 6th. * Registration will remain open through Aug 29th. Aquatic Animal Conservation Issues Class (VME-4012, VME-6010) is an online course (3 credits) designed to introduce students (upper level undergraduate and graduate) and professionals (with an AA or higher degree) to the controversial issues surrounding aquatic animal species ranging from invertebrates to marine mammals, with an emphasis on marine mammals, but also including sea turtles, fisheries, and marine ecosystems. Students enrolled at any College or University can take this course. Marine Mammal Biology (VME-6014) is an online graduate course that will provide graduate students with a detailed overview of marine mammal species including cetaceans, sirenians, pinnipeds, mustelids, and ursids. Each module will broadly explore a particular ecological, biological, or physiological theme related to the study of marine mammals, including taxonomy and biodiversity, diving physiology, thermoregulation, foraging ecology, and reproduction as well as the many conservation and management issues faced by different marine mammal species. *These classes are also available at the graduate level within our Care & Conservation of Aquatic Animals graduate certificate* For more information about the class or enrollment, contact Dr. Larkin (ivlarkin(a)ufl.edu)<mailto:ivlarkin@ufl.edu%29.*This> Sincerely, Dr Iske Larkin [AAH logo blue E-Mail Sig] Iske V. Larkin, PhD Senior Lecturer & Education Coordinator Director of Aquatic Animal Health Program Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine University of Florida PO Box 100136 2015 SW 16th Ave Gainesville, Florida 32610 Office phone - 352-294-4095 Work cell - 352-494-1742 Fax - 352-392-8289 Program web page: http://aquatic.vetmed.ufl.edu<http://aquatic.vetmed.ufl.edu/> "To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world." -Anonymous ________________________________

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Update to SOCPROG
by Hal Whitehead 01 Jul '24

01 Jul '24

A new and updated version of SOCPROG, SOCPROG2.9 (both compiled and uncompiled downloads) is available at: http://whitelab.biology.dal.ca/SOCPROG/social.htm SOCPROG is a MATLAB-based package of programs for the analysis of animal social structures, movements and populations. The compiled version does not need MATLAB itself. This version is compatible with MATLAB2018b (although it will likely work well on recent and soon-to-be-released versions of MATLAB). It fixes a few bugs and adds functionality compared to previous versions (especially association complexity). Thanks Hal Whitehead, Dalhousie University, Canada

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New publication: Quantifying minimum survey effort to reliably detect Amazonian manatees using an unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) at an ex situ soft-release site
by Sarah Farinelli 30 Apr '24

30 Apr '24

Dear Colleagues, My coauthors and I are excited to share our recent, open-access publication in the Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals Special Issue on the Biology and Conservation of Manatees. Our paper explores the factors affecting the probability of detecting an Amazonian manatee using an occupied aerial vehicle, or drone, at an ex situ study site, where the number of manatees present is controlled. It also estimates the minimum survey effort, including the number of repeat surveys and the time-to-detection, required to reliably detect manatees present at the study site and under the observed conditions. Based on the results, we suggest various ways UAVs can be used to study Amazonian manatees, both independently and in conjunction with existing methods and other technologies. Citation: Farinelli, S., Keith-Diagne, L., Garnica, J., Keiman, J. ., & Luther, D. (2024). Quantifying minimum survey effort to reliably detect Amazonian manatees using an unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) at an ex situ soft-release site. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 19(1), 42-60. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00319. The article can be accessed here: https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00319 The Special Issue can be accessed here: https://www.lajamjournal.org/index.php/lajam/issue/view/53 Please feel free to contact me at sfarinelli(a)cmaquarium.org<mailto:sfarinelli@cmaquarium.org> with any questions. Best, Sarah Sarah Farinelli, PhD Postdoctoral Marine Mammal Scientist Mobile 703-628-5915 Email sfarinelli(a)cmaquarium.org<mailto:sfarinelli@cmaquarium.org> Website www.CMAResearchInstitute.org<http://www.cmaresearchinstitute.org/>

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LAJAM Special Issue on the Biology and Conservation of Manatees
by Meirelles, Carol 30 Apr '24

30 Apr '24

Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of the Editorial board of the Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals (LAJAM), led by our Editor-in-Chief Dr. Miriam Marmontiel and our Managing Editor Dr. Daniel González-Socoloske, I would like to announce the publication of a Special Issue on the Biology and Conservation of Manatees. As many of you may already know, LAJAM is an open access peer-reviewed scientific electronic journal that publishes articles on research, management and conservation biology of aquatic mammals in Latin America. Guest editors for the special issue were Drs Carol Meirelles(MMRU/UBC), Rodrigo Amaral (IFAM), João Carlos G. Borges (FMA), and Nataly Castelblanco-Martínez (ECOSUR). This special issue brings you ten articles and three notes, and these are: Editorial Meirelles et al. 2024. Manatees across borders: Introduction to the special issue on the biology and conservation of manatees. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 19(1), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00316 Articles Do Val et al. 2024. Influence of sex and home range on released Antillean manatees’ behavior in Brazil. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 19(1), 7-14. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00325 Deeks et al. 2024. Proximity to freshwater and seagrass availability mediate the impacts of climate change on the distribution of the West Indian manatee. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 19(1), 15-31. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00321 Allen et al. 2024. Conservation challenges and emerging threats to the West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus) in Florida and Puerto Rico. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 19(1), 32-41. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00324 Farinelli et al. 2024. Quantifying minimum survey effort to reliably detect Amazonian manatees using an unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) at an ex situ soft-release site. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 19(1), 42-60. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00319 Corona-Figueroa & Cifuentes-Espinosa 2024. Perceptions on the distribution, threats, strandings, and conservation of the Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) in the Río Dulce National Park, Izabal, Guatemala. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 19(1), 61-71. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00328 Pinheiro et al. 2024. Morphological analysis of the digestive tract of Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus, Linnaeus, 1758) in northeast Brazil. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 19(1), 72-81. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00326 Cubero-Pardo et al. 2024. Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) occurrence and grazing spots in three protected areas of Costa Rica. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 19(1), 82-90. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00329 Arevalo-Gonzalez et al. 2024. Stranding reports of the Antillean manatee in the middle Magdalena Basin, Colombia 2011 to 2023. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 19(1), 91-99. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00330 Moreira-Lima et al. 2024. Searching for relations between manatee Trichechus manatus manatus calf strandings and environmental degradation in two Northeastern Brazil estuaries. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 19(1), 100-111. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00332 Choi-Lima et al. 2024. Density and abundance estimation of West Indian manatee, Trichechus manatus, between the states of Ceará and Piauí, Northeast Brazil, using active acoustics. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 19(1), 112-119. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00333 Notes da Silva et al. 2024. Oral cleft in an Amazonian manatee (Trichechus inunguis) (Mammalia, Sirenia). Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 19(1), 120-124. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00320 Meirelles et al. 2024. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire: Hypotheses for the high incidence of West Indian manatee calf strandings on the Brazilian semi-arid coast. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 19(1), 125-132. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00323 Ramos et al. 2024. Antillean manatees feed on floating Halophila baillonii in Placencia Lagoon, Belize. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 19(1), 133-140. https://doi.org/10.5597/lajam00322 Please click the following link to have full access to the publications: https://lajamjournal.org/index.php/lajam/announcement/view/31 We hope you enjoy reading these contributions, and we also invite you to consider our journal to submit your next manuscripts: https://lajamjournal.org/index.php/lajam/about/submissions<https://lajamjournal.org/index.php/lajam/about/submissions%EF%BF%BC> Kind regards, Carol Meirelles Carol Meirelles, PhD (she/her) Research Associate Marine Mammal Research Unit Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC, Canada

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JNCC MMO course (remote delivery) and online PSO course
by Carolyn Barton 30 Apr '24

30 Apr '24

Spaces are available on a JNCC-recognised MMO course for UK waters on 27th and 28th May 2024, remote delivery by Zoom. Also available is an online self-navigated PSO course for the US Gulf of Mexico and US Atlantic. The JNCC-recognised MMO course will cover all the information needed for work as a Marine Mammal Observer in UK waters. Taught by an instructor with over 25 years experience, the course content includes: 1) Impacts of noise on marine mammals 2) Introduction to activities that require mitigation 3) Legislation protecting marine mammals and marine licensing 4) Detailed examination of the JNCC guidelines for geophysical surveys, pile driving and explosives 5) Data recording and reporting requirements 6) Visual monitoring and distance estimation 7) Overview of passive acoustic monitoring 8) Working as an MMO/ PAM operator 9) Identification of marine mammals Zoom sessions will be a mixture of lectures and exercises, over 1.5 days. Any exercises not completed during the sessions can be completed in your own time. There is also an online multiple choice exam to be done at your convenience after the Zoom sessions (re-sits are possible if you don't pass first time). Each delegate gets individual feedback on their exercises and the exam. The cost of the MMO course is £180 (180GBP). On successful completion of the course (including the exercises and exam) you will receive JNCC-recognised certification, which is required for work as an MMO in UK waters. Online, self-navigated PSO course: this course is for Protected Species Observers who will be working in offshore waters of the US Gulf of Mexico and US Atlantic on activities such as geophysical surveys and offshore wind energy developments. Topics include: 1) Marine mammals and sea turtles, their biology and threats to populations 2) Sound in the seas and the impact of noise on marine mammals 3) US legislation protecting marine mammals and sea turtles 4) Activities requiring mitigation 5) Geophysical survey mitigation 6) Vessel strike avoidance 7) Explosive removal of structures 8) Offshore wind energy developments and mitigation 9) Visual monitoring and distance estimation 10) Introduction to passive acoustic monitoring 11) Working as a PSO 12) Life at sea 13) Identification of marine mammals and sea turtles 14) Final assessment The cost of the PSO course is £180 (180GBP). On successful completion of the course (including the exam) you will receive PSO certification, which is required as part of the approval process for work as a PSO in US waters. For further details and for a registration form for either course see www.carolynbarton.co.uk or e-mail info(a)carolynbarton.co.uk .

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New publication on Antillean manatee feeding in Belize
by Eric Angel Ramos 29 Apr '24

29 Apr '24

Greetings MARMAM, We are pleased to share our newest publication on manatee feeding in Belize in the *Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals *titled: "Antillean manatees feed on floating Halophila baillonii in Placencia Lagoon, Belize" The Open Access note can be downloaded free here: https://www.lajamjournal.org/index.php/lajam/article/view/1649 *Citation:* Ramos, E.A., Tellez, M., Castelblanco-Martínez, N., May-Collado, L. (2024). Antillean manatees feed on floating Halophila baillonii in Placencia Lagoon, Belize. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals. doi: 10.5597/lajam00322 If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Best regards, *Eric Angel Ramos, Ph.D.* Scientist at FINS (Fundación Internacional para la Naturaleza y la Sustentabilidad) Member of the IUCN SSC Sirenian Specialist Group for Mesoamerica www.finsconservation.org <https://finsconservation.org/> E-mail: eric.angel.ramos(a)gmail.com Facebook <https://www.facebook.com/ericangelramos> | Twitter <https://twitter.com/EricAngelRamos> | Instagram <https://www.instagram.com/eric.angel.ramos/> ResearchGate <https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Eric_Ramos> | ORCiD <https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4803-3170> | LinkedIn <https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-angel-ramos-aa9b4915/>

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UF Summer online aquatics courses - Manatee Health
by Larkin,Iskande (Iske) 29 Apr '24

29 Apr '24

Hi All, Registration is currently open for Summer 2023. The University of Florida, Aquatic Animal Health Program is offering the Manatee Health & Conservation course, fully online. Classes starts Monday May 15th and run through Friday Aug 11th. Registration will remain open through May 17th. Manatee Health and Conservation Class (VME4016 and VME6017) is an online course (3 credits) that will provide students (upper level undergraduate and graduate) and professionals (with an AA or higher degree) with a detailed overview of manatee natural history, health assessment, and research findings as well as explore conservation issues. For more information about the class or enrollment, contact Dr. Iskande Larkin (ivlarkin(a)ufl.edu)<mailto:ivlarkin@ufl.edu%29.*This> Sincerely, Dr Iske Larkin [AAH logo blue E-Mail Sig] Iske V. Larkin, PhD Senior Lecturer & Education Coordinator Director of Aquatic Animal Health Program Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences College of Veterinary Medicine University of Florida PO Box 100136 2015 SW 16th Ave Gainesville, Florida 32610 Office phone - 352-294-4095 Work cell - 352-494-1742 Fax - 352-392-8289 Program web page: http://aquatic.vetmed.ufl.edu<http://aquatic.vetmed.ufl.edu/> "To the world you might be one person, but to one person you might be the world." -Anonymous ________________________________

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new publication: From the sky and on the beaches: complementary tools to evaluate common dolphin bycatch in the Bay of Biscay
by Hélène Peltier 27 Apr '24

27 Apr '24

Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are enthusiastic to inform you of the publication of this new paper in open access. It presents an estimate of mortality at sea based on small cetacean carcasses observed during aerial surveys in French Atlantic waters and analysed by Distance Sampling during the winter of 2021. It also explores the complementarity of these results with estimates inferred from strandings collected on beaches using the reverse drift method. Peltier H, Laran S, Dabin W, Daniel P and others (2024) From the sky and on the beaches: complementary tools to evaluate common dolphin bycatch in the Bay of Biscay. Endang Species Res 53:509-522. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr01310 Abstract: Since 1989, multiple stranding events of common dolphins have been regularly recorded along the French Atlantic coast. Examination of the carcasses revealed that most animals presented evidence of bycatch. Using stranding data to infer bycatch levels reveals the highest levels of bycatch to have been recorded since 2016 (4000 to 9000 bycaught individuals). This approach is directly influenced by drift conditions, which can greatly contribute to or hinder our ability to estimate bycatch at sea. In the winter of 2021/2022, the French stranding network recorded an unusually high number of strandings until mid-February and few records in March. Investigation of drift conditions revealed low probability of stranding in March due to constant east-west winds. Reverse drift modelling of carcasses stranded in January and February resulted in an estimate of 3670 (95% CI [2750; 5170]) bycaught common dolphins. Dedicated aerial surveys were conducted in the same area during this period, designed to assess abundance and distribution of marine megafauna in French waters. A high number of carcasses of small Delphininae were observed in March 2021, and the number of carcasses floating at sea could be estimated using conventional distance sampling methodology. In March 2021, mortality at sea was thus estimated at 3250 (95% CI [1288;10198]) common dolphins. The complementary use of both methodologies resulted in an estimate of 6920 (95%CI [4038;15368]) bycaught individuals during winter 2021/2022. This case study highlights that a decrease in strandings does not imply a decrease in mortality at sea. Trends in strandings need to be considered in the light of scientific evidence to avoid delays in decision making. I remain at your disposal for any questions. Best wishes, Helene Peltier -- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ J'ai envoyé ce mail à une heure pratique pour moi. Je n'attends pas de réponse en dehors de vos heures de travail habituelles. I have sent this email at a time that is convenient for me. I do not expect you to respond to it outside of your own usual working hours. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Hélène Peltier *- PhD Observatoire PELAGIS – UAR 3462 La Rochelle Université - CNRS Pôle Analytique 5, Allées de l'Océan 17000 La Rochelle, FRANCE St: 05 46 44 99 10 LD: 05 46 50 76 83https://www.observatoire-pelagis.cnrs.fr/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "S'il n'y a pas de solution, c'est qu'il n'y a pas de problème" proverbe Shadockien.

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New publication on Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins' response to oceanographic processes
by Paul Gui 26 Apr '24

26 Apr '24

Dear Colleagues, My co-authors and I would like to share with you our recent publication in Ocean & Coastal Management: Quan Xie, Duan Gui, Wenbo Wang, Yi Zhang, Heng Zhang, Lirong Yuan, Wenping Gong, Predictable oceanographic processes drive the formation of a distribution hotspot for Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins at a manmade harbor, Volume 253, 2024, 107160 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2024.107160. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0964569124001455 Abstract: Marine mammals often aggregate and forage in specific ‘hotspot’ areas, which are associated with the predictability of prey sources driven by certain oceanographic processes. However, our understanding of the interactions between marine predators and the oceanographic processes remains incomplete, particularly in near-coastal and estuarine regions. This study investigated how predictable oceanographic processes influence the distribution patterns of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (*Sousa chinensis*) foraging in a known hotspot within the Pearl River Estuary, characterized by the complex topography of its manmade harbor and the interplay between strong tidal flows and river plumes. To address the fine-scale spatial distribution pattern of dolphin foraging, we conducted fixed passive acoustic monitoring of foraging ‘buzzes’ both inside and outside the harbor. Additionally, boat-based transect surveys were conducted to explore the relationship between dolphin foraging and associated water properties and current fields driven by oceanographic processes. Temporal trend analyses of buzzes revealed a pronounced tidal-related pattern in dolphin foraging activity, with increased detections during ebbing tides outside the harbor. Transect surveys indicated areas with elevated chlorophyll and turbidity levels attracted more dolphins during flood tides, whereas regions with high surface salinity gradients were preferred by dolphins during ebb tides. Oceanographic analysis recognized these bio-physical links as indicators of oceanographic features, including chlorophyll-rich river plumes, converging fronts, and shear-induced turbulence. These features enhance prey abundance and availability for humpback dolphins. This study highlights that oceanographic processes are crucial for determining the fine-scale spatiotemporal distribution of foraging in coastal dolphins, and offers insights into the effective prediction of dolphin aggregation. The full article is available open access for 50 days at https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1izfo3RKK--rQl Please do not hesitate to contact me at guiduan3(a)mail.sysu.edu.cn with any questions or for additional information. Best Wishes！ Duan Gui Sun Yat-Sen University Zhuhai China Email: guiduan3(a)mail.sysu.edu -

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