November 2025 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Inquiry: Cetacean detection of faraway fishing boats
by Giovanni Bearzi 24 Nov '25

24 Nov '25

Dear colleagues, does anyone know of any published information on how far away distant trawlers (or other fishing boats) can be detected acoustically or visually by cetaceans? If so, could you please share it with me? I am familiar with information reported by Norris and Prescott 1961 and Bonizzoni et al. 2022 for bottlenose dolphins and trawlers, by Jefferson 2000 for Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins and trawlers, and by Thode at al. 2007 for sperm whales and longliners. However, I suspect there is additional information out there. Thank you for any help you may provide! Giovanni Bearzi <giovanni.bearzi(a)gmail.com> http://www.dolphinbiology.org/people/giovanni_bearzi.htm --- REFERENCES Bonizzoni S, Hamilton S, Reeves RR, Genov T, Bearzi G (2022) Odontocete cetaceans foraging behind trawlers, worldwide. Rev Fish Biol Fisheries 32:827-877 Jefferson TA (2000) Population biology of the Indo-Pacific hump-backed dolphin in Hong Kong waters. Wildlife Monogr 144:1-65 Norris KS, Prescott JH (1961) Observations on Pacific cetaceans of Californian and Mexican waters. Univ Calif Publ Zool 63:291-402 Thode A, Straley J, Tiemann CO, Folkert K, O'Connell V (2007) Observations of potential acoustic cues that attract sperm whales to longline fishing in the Gulf of Alaska. J Acoust Soc Am 122:1265-1277

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WWF Conservation Impact Grants for the Wider Caribbean and Coral Triangle Seascapes
by Christopher Johnson 23 Nov '25

23 Nov '25

Hi everyone, The WWF Protecting Whales and Dolphins Initiative has two conservation impact grants available for 2026. We are looking to help support projects in two seascapes - the Wider Caribbean and the Coral Triangle. The theme: Identifying and Safeguarding Blue Corridors: Enhancing Marine Connectivity Conservation for Whales and Dolphins. There is up to AUD$60,000 (Australian dollars) available for each project proposal. If interested, there is more additional information on our website on how to apply: https://wwfwhales.org/conservation-impact-grants-2025 The deadline is Dec 12, 2025. Please reach out if you have any questions. Best Chris CHRIS JOHNSON Global Lead, WWF Protecting Whales & Dolphins Initiative Web: WWFwhales.org | Instagram: @WWF_Whales Based @ WWF-Australia Level 9, 276 Flinders Street, Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA mob: +61 437 226 011 | em: cjohnson(a)wwf.org.au This e-mail message and any attached files are confidential and may contain privileged information. If you are not the addressee of this e-mail, you may not copy, disclose, distribute or otherwise use it, or any part of it, in any form whatsoever. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail or by telephoning 1800 032 551 (or +61 2 8000 0303 outside of Australia) and then delete this e-mail.

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Help restore the Whale Interpretive Centre's Robson Bight exhibit
by Killerwhalecentre 23 Nov '25

23 Nov '25

Dear MARMAM community, The Whale Interpretive Centre in Telegraph Cove, BC is looking for help restoring the journalistic record of Robson Bight that was lost in the December 31, 2024 fire. The WIC lost its archival collection, including many original newspaper and magazine articles that documented the decades-long effort to protect Robson Bight as an Ecological Reserve. These stories were an essential part of our exhibit, capturing the voices of journalists who helped raise awareness about this critical killer whale habitat. To rebuild this important historical record, the WIC needs your help. We are asking for copies of: - Newspaper or magazine articles about the creation and protection of Robson Bight - Investigative or feature stories written by journalists who covered the issue - Photographs, clippings, or newsletters related to the campaign to save Robson Bight - Any personal archives or scrapbook that include media coverage from the time How to contribute: If you have originals, photocopies, or digital scans, please contact us at society(a)killerwhalecentre.org or 250-949-1143. We can arrange scanning, safe handling or pick up if needed. Even a single article can help rebuild the exhibit and preserve this history for future generations. Thank you so much for your help. Warmest regards, Tyra Tyra Bain, Manager Whale Interpretive Centre Telegraph Cove, BC Email: bones(a)killerwhalecentre.org Phone: 250-949-1143 We are privileged to work, live, and learn in the traditional and unceded territories of the Kwakwaka’wakw (Kwakwala-speaking Peoples).

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New publications
by Stephanie Plön, PhD 23 Nov '25

23 Nov '25

Dear colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors, I am excited to share two recent open-access publications: Adams, Inge A., Roussouw, Natasha, Reed, Cecile, Ham, Gin S. and Plön, Stephanie. 2025. Long-term host parasite dynamics in eight odontocete species from south-eastern South Africa. *International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife *28: 101133. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2025.101133 Abstract: Although investigations of stranded and bycaught cetaceans have been conducted since the 1970s, little is known about parasites infecting the 25 species found in the South African subregion. For this study, we retrospectively identified parasites from eight bycaught and stranded odontocete species along the south-eastern coast of South Africa between 1970 and 2015 to produce a list of parasite species affecting southern African odontocetes and examine patterns of infection in host species with regards to age, sex, time intervals and collection method. Parasites were identified in 192 out of the 2599 individuals examined. Previously unreported parasite species were found for several southern African odontocete species, underscoring the importance of museum collections for biological research. Offshore and stranded odontocetes generally had a higher prevalence of parasites, although there were a few exceptions. Binomial logistic regression models showed significantly higher probability of parasitic presence (p < 0.05) in stranded *Delphinus delphis *than bycaught individuals, and significantly lower probability of parasitic presence (p < 0.05) in neonates and calves of stranded *Tursiops aduncus* and *Stenella coeruleoalba *than adult animals. No significant difference (p > 0.05) was detected between the sexes of all odontocete species investigated (p > 0.05). Parasitic prevalence was highest during the most recent years (2000–2015) for half of the odontocete species investigated, in agreement with the models. Accurate morphological identification of parasites affecting marine mammals is essential for comprehending disease epidemiology, assessing the health of cetacean populations, and developing effective conservation and management strategies. And Roussouw, Natasha, Froneman, P. William, Weltz, Kay, Venter, Kirsty, Conry, Danielle, Smale, Malcolm J. and Plön, Stephanie. 2025. Feeding down the food web?! Trophic cascading reflected in the long-term dietary trends of endangered Indian Ocean humpback dolphins *Sousa plumbea *from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. *Ecological Indicators* 181: 114442. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.114442 Abstract: Approximately 60 % of coastal cetacean species globally are at risk of extinction, despite these organisms role as indicators of Ocean Health. Changing food availability due to overfishing and/or climate change has been identified as one stressor among cumulative impacts on cetacean populations. Using a multi-method approach of analysing stomach contents (n = 107), stable isotopes (n = 30) and blubber thickness (n = 87) data (as a proxy for condition), we investigated long-term dietary trends (1972–2017) of incidentally bycaught Indian Ocean humpback dolphin *Sousa plumbea* off the KwaZulu-Natal coast, South Africa. A total of 64 teleost and three cephalopod species were identified. A diet shift was observed in the stomach contents between 2001 and 2020, with new prey species being recorded, which was validated by the significant difference in prey species diversity over time (p < 0.001). In addition, significant decreases in δ13C signatures between time intervals (p = 0.01), due to differences between the 2011–2020 decade and the 1971–1980 and 1981–1990 intervals, also indicated a change in prey. A significant decrease was found in the mid-dorsal body condition index (calculated using blubber thickness) between the 1981–1990 and 2001–2010 intervals (p = 0.02). Our study provides evidence of a dietary shift in the endangered *S. plumbea* along South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal coastline from 2001 to 2020, likely driven by declining prey availability resulting from overfishing and/or climate change. This highlights the species’ role as an indicator of environmental change in the coastal zone of the Indian Ocean and the importance of long-term data for assessing Ocean Health in the region. Please reach out if you have any questions: stephanie.ploen(a)gmail.com Thank you, Stephanie Plön, PhD BioConsult SH, Germany and University of Cape Town, South Africa

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New Book - "Ridgway and Harrison's Handbook of Marine Mammals, Volume 2: Oceanic Dolphins"
by Thomas Jefferson 23 Nov '25

23 Nov '25

Dear MARMAM, I am happy to announce the publication of "Ridgway and Harrison's Handbook of Marine Mammals, Volume 2: Oceanic Dolphins" (edited by T. A. Jefferson). Academic Press. This book is Volume 2 in the Handbook of Marine Mammals series; it focuses on dolphins, the remarkable marine mammals that live in our seas and oceans. For centuries, dolphins have fascinated humans with their intelligence and adaptability. As our understanding of marine mammals expands, there is a growing need for comprehensive references on their ecology and biology. This series, created to meet this need, provides definitive reviews of all living species of whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, sea lions, sea cows, and marine otters and bears. This volume features chapters written by leading global experts on offshore and oceanic dolphin species. Each chapter includes detailed descriptions of the species, covering aspects such as distribution and abundance, anatomy, physiology, behavior, ecology, reproduction, parasites and diseases, and the effects of human activities on these species. For more information or to order a copy, visit: https://shop.elsevier.com/books/oceanic-dolphins/foundation/978-0-443-13667… Best wishes, Tom Jefferson Clymene Enterprises / VIVA Vaquita sclymene(a)aol.com

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New publication: Passive Acoustic Monitoring Reveals Temporal and Environmental Drivers of the Cetacean Community in the Southern Great Barrier Reef
by Isabel Taylor 21 Nov '25

21 Nov '25

Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share a new publication entitled: Passive acoustic monitoring Passive Acoustic Monitoring Reveals Temporal and Environmental Drivers of the Cetacean Community in the Southern Great Barrier Reef Abstract Monitoring cetaceans in Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is essential for understanding their ecological roles and informing conservation, yet traditional visual surveys are limited by logistical constraints. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) offers a complementary solution, particularly in acoustically complex coral-reef habitats of the southern GBR. Over 2 years, we deployed an autonomous recorder at Lady Elliot Island to document cetacean presence and assess environmental associations. We detected vocalizations from humpback whales (*Megaptera novaeangliae*), dwarf minke whales (*Balaenoptera acutorostrata* subsp.), and delphinids, likely spinner (*Stenella longirostris*) and/or bottlenose dolphins (*Tursiops* spp.). Humpback whale song dominated recordings from June through October, while dwarf minke whale “Star-Wars” calls occurred from May to August, marking the first acoustic evidence of this subspecies within the southern GBR. Dwarf minke whale detections correlated positively with chlorophyll-*a* concentration, whereas humpback whale detections were negatively associated with wind speed. Rorqual vocalizations declined during periods of elevated anthropogenic noise, while odontocete detections remained unaffected. These results highlight PAM's effectiveness for detecting cetaceans within complex reef soundscapes and suggest acoustic niche partitioning among taxa. These critical baseline data inform management strategies for understudied GBR cetacean populations and establish a robust framework for future long-term monitoring efforts and effective conservation actions. Citation: Taylor, I. A. R., S. Beutel, C. L. Dudgeon, et al. 2026. “ Passive Acoustic Monitoring Reveals Temporal and Environmental Drivers of the Cetacean Community in the Southern Great Barrier Reef.”*Marine Mammal Science * 42, no. 1: e70098. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70098. If you have any questions or would like a copy of the PDF, please feel free to reach out to me directly. I’m also happy to discuss the study further or explore potential collaborations with others working in related areas. Sincerely, Isabel Taylor, B.Sc. (Hons) Email: isabelaprilrosetaylor(a)gmail.com On Fri, 21 Nov 2025 at 6:42 am, Isabel Taylor < isabelaprilrosetaylor(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Dear MARMAN moderators, > > Please kindly consider the following mailing list submission to your > valued community: > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Dear MARMAM community, > > On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share a new publication > entitled: > Passive acoustic monitoring Passive Acoustic Monitoring Reveals Temporal > and Environmental Drivers of the Cetacean Community in the Southern Great > Barrier Reef > > Abstract > Monitoring cetaceans in Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is essential > for understanding their ecological roles and informing conservation, yet > traditional visual surveys are limited by logistical constraints. Passive > acoustic monitoring (PAM) offers a complementary solution, particularly in > acoustically complex coral-reef habitats of the southern GBR. Over 2 years, > we deployed an autonomous recorder at Lady Elliot Island to document > cetacean presence and assess environmental associations. We detected > vocalizations from humpback whales (*Megaptera novaeangliae*), dwarf > minke whales (*Balaenoptera acutorostrata* subsp.), and delphinids, > likely spinner (*Stenella longirostris*) and/or bottlenose dolphins ( > *Tursiops* spp.). Humpback whale song dominated recordings from June > through October, while dwarf minke whale “Star-Wars” calls occurred from > May to August, marking the first acoustic evidence of this subspecies > within the southern GBR. Dwarf minke whale detections correlated positively > with chlorophyll-*a* concentration, whereas humpback whale detections > were negatively associated with wind speed. Rorqual vocalizations declined > during periods of elevated anthropogenic noise, while odontocete detections > remained unaffected. These results highlight PAM's effectiveness for > detecting cetaceans within complex reef soundscapes and suggest acoustic > niche partitioning among taxa. These critical baseline data inform > management strategies for understudied GBR cetacean populations and > establish a robust framework for future long-term monitoring efforts and > effective conservation actions. > > Citation: > Taylor, I. A. R., S. Beutel, C. L. Dudgeon, et al. 2026. “ Passive > Acoustic Monitoring Reveals Temporal and Environmental Drivers of the > Cetacean Community in the Southern Great Barrier Reef.”* Marine Mammal > Science * 42, no. 1: e70098. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70098. > > If you have any questions or would like a copy of the PDF, please feel > free to reach out to me directly. I’m also happy to discuss the study > further or explore potential collaborations with others working in related > areas. > > Sincerely, > > Isabel Taylor, B.Sc. (Hons) > Email: isabelaprilrosetaylor(a)gmail.com > > > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Kind regards, > > Isabel. > >

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New Publication: Rice's whale news media analysis
by Reamer, Marcus 21 Nov '25

21 Nov '25

MARMAM Community, Please see below for information about a new research article, which is available Open Access in <https://www.doi.org/10.1007/s13280-025-02265-y> Ambio<https://www.doi.org/10.1007/s13280-025-02265-y>. We encourage you to read this article even if you are not directly involved in Rice's whale science, conservation, or management. We compare our results to previous research on news media coverage about North Atlantic right whales and offer broader insights about the role of human communication and media in conservation, all to help our readers understand media systems at a deeper level to improve strategic conservation communication across ecosystems and geographies. I am the corresponding author and welcome questions and discussion. Title: Discovering the world's most endangered great whale species did not advance an issue-attention cycle in news media: Implications for Rice's whale conservation and management Abstract: Issue-attention cycles (IACs) follow the predictable rise and fall of media and public attention to topics through five defined stages. Using content analysis and critical discourse analysis, we analyzed newspaper texts (2021–2024) about the Rice’s whale, a newly discovered and Critically Endangered species exclusive to the Gulf of Mexico. We investigated whether this discovery was enough to advance an IAC and found that, while Rice’s whale science, conservation, and policy has the elements of a topic likely to undergo an IAC, it remains in the first stage of the IAC with limited media attention and a focus on regional stakeholders and policy debates. Comparing this case to the North Atlantic right whale IAC (2010–2024), we offer insights for scientists, professionals, and advocates to prepare for potential future media attention and conservation conflict. Our findings highlight the importance of strategic communication and media analysis to conservation. Suggested citation: Reamer, M.B., Yeager, E. (2025). 'Discovering the world’s most endangered great whale species did not advance an issue-attention cycle in news media: Implications for Rice’s whale conservation and management'. Ambio, 1-23. https://www.doi.org/10.1007/s13280-025-02265-y Best fishes 🦈🐠🐟 Marcus Reamer, Ph.D. (he/him) Lecturer, Department of Environmental Science and Policy Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science ResearchGate<https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Marcus-Reamer-2> | LinkedIn<http://linkedin.com/in/mreamer> | ORCiD<https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4140-0989> |

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New publication on integration of assessment outcomes with a case study on marine mammals
by Matthieu Authier 21 Nov '25

21 Nov '25

Dear MARMAM community, please find a new publication on how to integrate assessment outcomes as required under some conservation instruments such as the Marine Strategy Framework Directive of the European Union. The publication has a case study on marine mammals, building on the work of the OSPAR Quality Status Report of 2023. Title: Integration of indicator outcomes for assessing good environmental status: A model-based approach Abstract: Integrated assessments are required to track ecosystem status, any change thereof and progress due to conservation measures. The European Union Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD), which aims among others at maintaining biodiversity, requires regular quantitative assessments built from monitoring data and indicator developments to decide on the environmental status of each element in a marine ecosystem. Beyond the daunting tasks incurred with large-scale monitoring and timely analyses, collapsing the multivariate information from indicators on several species into a single number reflecting an overall environmental status is the challenge associated with integration. The ‘One Out, All Out’ (OOAO) integration rule is currently in use in part due its simplicity and ease of use. Its main drawback is its built-in sensitivity to error in binary assessment outcomes: statistical noise will dominate integration with an increasing number of species or indicators. We developed a model-based approach to integration for MSFD assessments within the statistical framework of Signal Detection Theory. We benchmarked the model performance against the OOAO integration rule in a simulation study. The model-based integration scheme redresses known deficiencies with the OOAO rule and clarifies statistical assumptions behind integration rules, unifying them across a continuum. We illustrated our approach with a case study on the ecosystem component ’marine mammals’ in the Northeast Atlantic. We believe our model-based approach provides a more comprehensive integrated output of ecosystem assessments that aligns better with decision-making under uncertainty in evidence-based policy. Reference: Authier, M. & Gilles, A. (2025) Integration of indicator outcomes for assessing good environmental status: A model-based approach. Ecological Informatics, 92, 103502. 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2025.103502 The full-text is available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1574954125005114 Cheers Matthieu -- Matthieu Authier - Ingénieur de Recherche La Rochelle Université Observatoire Pelagis UAR 3462 CNRS-LRUniv 5 allée de l'océan 17 000 La Rochelle telephone: +00 33 (0)7 77 22 32 67 (remote-working/télé-travail) https://www.observatoire-pelagis.cnrs.fr/pelagis-2/lequipe/matthieu-authier/ Try again. Fail again. Fail better. (Samuel Beckett) Verzögerungen im Betriebsablauf (Deutsche Bahn) Being an academic doesn’t mean that everyone thinks you’re smart; it means that a few smart people think you’re wrong. (Thomas Basboell) 🍍 🦉🐛

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New publication: Characterization of blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) audible calls recorded in the Northwest Atlantic
by Amanda Babin 21 Nov '25

21 Nov '25

Dear colleagues, On behalf of my coauthors, I am excited to share our recent open-access publication in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America: Babin, Amanda B., Macklin, Gabrielle F., McLean, Sarah N., Wingfield, Jessica E., Beslin, Wilfried A.M., Adams, Michael J., and Moors-Murphy, Hilary B. 2025. Characterization of blue whale (*Balaenoptera musculus*) audible calls recorded in the Northwest Atlantic. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. 158(5): 3767-3780. doi:10.1121/10.0039869 <https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0039869> Abstract: Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) produce infrasonic calls (A, B, and AB), which are very low-frequency (16–20 Hz) vocalizations made by males for reproductive purposes, and higher frequency (25–120 Hz) audible calls (downsweep and arch), which are produced by both sexes potentially for feeding and/or socializing purposes. Infrasonic calls have been well characterized and tend to be observed more in winter, whereas audible calls tend to be observed more in summer. This paper quantifies the duration and frequency characteristics of audible calls from recordings collected in the Northwest Atlantic off eastern Canada. There were at least 5 distinct subtypes among the 132 calls examined: short, medium, and long downsweeps were primarily differentiated by duration and shape, hooks began with a limited bandwidth upsweep followed by a downsweep, and arches began with a near-full bandwidth upsweep followed by a downsweep. The variation in start, end, minimum, maximum, and peak frequencies, as well as bandwidth, duration, and slope of the upsweep and/or downsweep portions of all calls were measured for each audible call subtype. These descriptions can support future blue whale passive acoustic studies, including more rigorous examination of seasonal acoustic occurrence, differences among call types, and comparison between populations. Please reach out if you have any questions: amanda(a)babin-labs.com Thank you, Amanda Babin, PhD Aquatic Science Biologist Fisheries and Oceans Canada

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Dolphin Research and Conservation Field Course in Sardinia- Summer 2026
by IFR Info 21 Nov '25

21 Nov '25

Dear colleagues, The Institute for Field Research (IFR), in partnership with MareTerra, is offering a two-week field course on Dolphin Ecology & Marine Conservation <https://ifrglobal.org/program/italy-sardinia-ecology/> in beautiful Sardinia, Italy from June 1-June 13, 2026. This immersive, two-week summer program offers participants the opportunity to study wild bottlenose dolphins, gain field research experience, and contribute to real-world conservation efforts while earning academic credit. Participants will gain field and lab-based research skills, working alongside experts to collect dolphin bioacoustic data and contribute to conservation strategies for managing human-marine mammal interactions. The program includes an online pre-departure module, beachfront accommodations, and cultural excursions, with 4 semester/6 quarter credits awarded through Connecticut College. *Course highlights include:* - Practical experience in boat-based monitoring of cetacean behavior and habitat use in the stunning Capo Caccia MPA, a Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot - Training in photo identification, PAM data collection, GIS and Raven Pro analysis and more - Engage with local fishers and tourism stakeholders to advance conservation strategies - A home base in Alghero, a lively town with Catalan heritage, fantastic food, and access to Sardinia’s best beaches and cultural sites. Applications are now open and we welcome participation from all majors and academic backgrounds. Please feel free to share this opportunity with students or colleagues who may be interested. More info & apply: [Field Course Webpage <https://ifrglobal.org/program/italy-sardinia-ecology/>] [Download Flyer <https://ifrglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/IFR-Sardinia-Program-Sheet…>] [Request Info <https://mailchi.mp/ifrglobal.org/request-info>] For questions, contact us at info(a)ifrglobal.org. Thank you for sharing! -- Institute for Field Research ifrglobal.org (877) 839-4374 +1 (424) 209-1173

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