Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are delighted to announce a recent publication of our paper in Marine Mammal Science: Martins, M. C., Sette, L. , Josephson, E. , Bogomolni, A. , Rose, K. , Sharp, S. M., Niemeyer, M. and Moore, M. (2019), Unoccupied aerial system assessment of entanglement in Northwest Atlantic gray seals (Halichoerus grypus). Mar Mam Sci. doi:10.1111/mms.12590
Entanglement prevalences in hauled-out gray seals were estimated using Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for the first time. In Massachusetts and Maine, U.S.A. Prevalences ranged from 0.83% to 3.7% which is high compared to other pinniped populations. The only identifiable material causing these entanglements was monofilament net, which reflects the presence of gillnet fisheries in New England waters. Gillnet ligatures around the necks of growing seals lacerate underlying vital structures and are a severe animal welfare concern. UAS are an important tool for detecting entanglements. This study advances our understanding of the conservation and animal welfare aspects of fisheries entanglements. An online version of the article can be accessed here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mms.12590 King Regards,Maria Clara Iruzun Martins and co-authors
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