The Editors of the Journal of Marine Animals and Their Environment (JMATE) are pleased to announce that the latest issue (vol 5, # 1 June/July) has been completed and is available free online at: http://www.oers.ca/journal/journal.html The Editors would like to thank all of the reviewers and staff for their assistance in making another issue possible! The Editors are also pleased to announce that JMATE has launched a new section under ‘Original Manuscripts’ that is specifically dedicated to encourage students at any level in the field of marine animal research to publish their work. Volume 5, Issue 1; 2012 Journal of Marine Animals and Their Ecology (JMATE) TABLE of CONTENTS EDITORIAL...................................................................................................................... pg 1 ANNOUNCEMENT JMATE launches new section featuring student manuscripts........ pg 2 COMMENTARY Exploring anthropogenic activities that threaten endangered blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) off Sri Lanka. Ilangakoon AD……........................................................................................................... pg 3-7 REVIEW ARTICLE A review of the key genetic tools to assist imperiled species conservation: analyzing West Indian manatee populations. Bonde RK, McGuire PM, Hunter ME ............................................................................... pg 8-19 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPTS * STUDENT PAPER * A comparison of published brevetoxin tissue levels in West Indian manatee, bottlenose dolphin and double crested cormorants in southwest Florida. Sadchatheeswaran S, Belanger MP, Wittnich C ............................................................... pg 20-27