Focus Group on the Conservation Status of White-beaked Dolphins in the Northwest Atlantic: Understanding knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research

Organized by Chiara G. Bertulli, Michael J. Tetley and Marianne H. Rasmussen in association with the 4^th International Marine Conservation Congress (IMMC), St. John’s, YYT, Canada, August 3^rd 2016.

The white-beaked dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris, is an endemic species of cold temperate and sub-arctic North Atlantic waters. The species is considered to have a conservation status favorable across most of its range. However, recent assessments of the Northeast Atlantic range describe potential impacts from climate change, habitat and prey depletion, noise and chemical pollution and bycatch in fisheries, which may negatively affect the long-term survival and favorable conservation status of this species. Genetic sampling of Northeast Atlantic animals found a very low nucleotide diversity making this species highly vulnerable, whilst further information compiled for the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) has also indicated a knowledge gap on white-beaked dolphins in the NW Atlantic. These conditions have made the process of preparing assessments of Conservation Status across the species range difficult.

Therefore, to further understand our current knowledge gaps, urgent recommendations on a white-beaked dolphin research strategy for the NW Atlantic region are needed. Such information can help to enhancement future conservation planning, in particular the North Atlantic status of White-beaked dolphins by IUCN Red List and CMS, and national bodies such as the Canadian department of fisheries and oceans (DFO).

The goals of the proposed Focus Group of experts attending the IMCC are to:

1) Determine what information may already be available but not yet collated for this species in its Northwest Atlantic range;

2) Provide recommendations on the drafting of a research strategy to enhance international collaboration on white-beaked dolphin research for the Northwest Atlantic region and;

3) Feedback knowledge on the potential status in its Northwest Atlantic range to the CMS and IUCN Red List for future North Atlantic scale assessments of the species conservation status.

These goals will be achieved through a short session of presentations on the current knowledge of Northwest Atlantic white-beaked dolphins and facilitated breakout discussions.

To register your interest in participating in the Focus Group please contact Chiara Bertulli (chiara.bertulli@gmail.com) before April 24^th for further information on pre-registration and participant fees. For those interested in also attending the wider IMCC4 please also see the conference mini-site for additional information http://conbio.org/mini-sites/imcc-2016 for which early registration is open between March 26^th – May 1^st.

Regards

The Focus Group Organizing Panel

Chiara Giulia Bertulli, Ph.D.

Faculty of Life and Environmental Science

University of Iceland

Faxafloi Cetacean Research

http://www.faxa-cetacean.org

ResearchGate

http://www.researchgate.net/profile/Chiara_Bertulli/contributions