[MARMAM] Call for submissions to Frontiers in Marine Science Special Issue 'Impacts of shipping on marine fauna'
Dear MARMAM colleagues, On behalf of Jessica Redfern, Christine Erbe, David Peel and myself as Guest Editors of the Frontiers in Marine Science Special Issue 'Impacts of shipping on marine fauna', we invite you to submit your manuscripts for consideration within this Research Topic. Detailed information on the Research Topic and the peer review submission process can be found on the Frontiers website at https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/8654/impacts-of-shipping-on-marine-fauna. This Research Topic reflects the growing body of research working towards better understanding, quantifying, and managing shipping impacts on marine fauna and aims to cover a broad range of areas from ship strike and ship noise to eco--toxicological, biofouling and oil spill studies. All submissions are welcome and we invite you to distribute to your other colleagues and share widely. Abstract deadlines are at the end of September 2018 and submission of manuscripts end of January 2019. We look forward to receiving your submissions. Regards Joshua Smith (Guest Editor) Dr Joshua Smith Research Fellow, Murdoch University Josh Smith: Murdoch University Cetacean Research Unit<http://mucru.org/group-member/josh-smith/> Centre for Sustainable Aquatic Ecosystems Harry Butler Institute ORCID ID https://orcid.org/-0001-9912-422X ___ MARMAM mailing list MARMAM@lists.uvic.ca https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam
[MARMAM] New publication: Vessel Strike of Whales in Australia: The Challenges of Analysis of Historical Incident Data
Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to share our new open access publication about vessel strike incidents of whales In Australia and the common challenges of analysing this data which is published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science. Peel D, Smith JN and Childerhouse S (2018) Vessel Strike of Whales in Australia: The Challenges of Analysis of Historical Incident Data. Front. Mar. Sci. 5:69. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2018.00069 The full paper can be found at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2018.00069 Abstract: Death or injury to whales from vessel strike is one of the primary threats to whale populations worldwide. However, quantifying the rate of occurrence of these collisions is difficult because many incidents are not detected (particularly from large vessels) and therefore go unreported. Furthermore, varying reporting biases occur related to species identification, spatial coverage of reports and type of vessels involved. The International Whaling Commission (IWC) has compiled a database of the worldwide occurrence of vessel strikes to cetaceans, within which Australia constitutes ∼7% (35 reports) of the reported worldwide (∼471 reports) vessel strike records involving large whales. Worldwide records consist largely of modern reports within the last two decades and historical evaluation of ship strike reports has mainly focused on the Northern Hemisphere. To address this we conducted a search of historical national and international print media archive databases to discover reports of vessel strikes globally, although with a focus on Australian waters. A significant number of previously unrecorded reports of vessel strikes were found for both Australia (76) and worldwide (140), resulting in a revised estimate of ∼15% of global vessel strikes occurring in Australian waters. This detailed collation and analysis of vessel strike data in an Australian context has contributed to our knowledge of the worldwide occurrence of vessel strikes and challenges the notion that vessel strikes were historically rare in Australia relative to the rest of the world. The work highlights the need to examine historical records to provide context around current anthropogenic threats to marine fauna and demonstrates the importance of formalized reporting structures for effective collation of vessel strike reports. This paper examines the issues and biases in analysis of vessel strike data in general that would apply to any jurisdiction. Using the Australian data as an example we look at what information can be inferred from historical data and the dangers of inference without consideration of the reporting biases. Regards, Joshua Smith Dr Joshua Smith Research Fellow, Cetacean Research Unit School of Veterinary and Life Sciences Murdoch University South Street Murdoch WA 6150 * Tel (61-8) 9360 2439 | * joshua.sm...@murdoch.edu.au<mailto:joshua.sm...@murdoch.edu.au> ___ MARMAM mailing list MARMAM@lists.uvic.ca https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam
[MARMAM] New publication; Quantifying ship strike risk to breeding whales in a multiple-use Marine Park: The Great Barrier Reef
My co-authors and I are happy to share our new publication, which is open-access and can be downloaded at https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00067 Joshua N. Smith, Natalie Kelly, Simon Childerhouse, Jessica V. Redfern, Thomas J. Moore and David Peel Quantifying ship strike risk to breeding whales in a multiple-use Marine Park: The Great Barrier Reef ABSTRACT: Spatial risk assessments are an effective management tool used in multiple-use marine parks to balance the needs for conservation of natural properties and to provide for varying socio-economic demands for development. The multiple-use Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) has recently experienced substantial increases in current and proposed port expansions and subsequent shipping. Globally, large whale populations are recovering from commercial whaling and ship strike is a significant threat to some populations and a potential welfare issue for others. Within the GBRMP, there is spatial conflict between the main breeding ground of the east Australian humpback whale population and the main inner shipping route that services several large natural resource export ports. The east coast humpback whale population is one of the largest humpback whale populations globally, exponentially increasing (11% per annum) close to the maximum potential rate and estimated to reach pre-exploitation population numbers in the next 4-5 years. We quantify the relative risk of ship strike to calving and mating humpback whales, with areas of highest relative risk coinciding with areas offshore of two major natural resource export ports. We found females with a dependent calf had a higher risk of ship strike compared to groups without a calf when standardized for group size and their inshore movement and coastal dependence later in the breeding season increases their overlap with shipping, although their lower relative abundance decreases risk. The formalization of a two-way shipping route has provided little change to risk and projected risk estimates indicate a three- to five-fold increase in risk to humpback whales from ship strike over the next 10 years. Currently, the whale Protection Area in the GBRMP does not cover the main mating and calving areas, whereas provisions within the legislation for establishment of a Special Management Area during the peak breeding season in high-risk areas could occur. A common mitigation strategy of re-routing shipping lanes to reduce risk is not a viable option for the GBRMP due to physical spatial limitations imposed by the reef, whereas speed restrictions could be the most feasible based on current ship speeds. Cheers Josh Dr Joshua Smith Research Fellow, Murdoch University Aquatic Megafauna Research Unit<http://amru.org.au/group-member/josh-smith/> ORCID ID https://orcid.org/-0001-9912-422X | * joshua.sm...@murdoch.edu.au<mailto:joshua.sm...@murdoch.edu.au> ___ MARMAM mailing list MARMAM@lists.uvic.ca https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam
[MARMAM] New publication
My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our open access paper in Ecological Applications Validation of presence‐only models for conservation planning and the application to whales in a multiple‐use marine park Joshua N. Smith, Natalie Kelly and Ian W. Renner Identification of species’ Biologically Important Areas (BIAs) is fundamental to conservation planning and species distribution models (SDMs) are a powerful tool commonly used to do this. Presence‐only data are increasingly being used to develop SDM’s to aid the conservation decision‐making process. The application of presence‐only SDM’s for marine species’ is particularly attractive due to often logistical and economic costs of obtaining systematic species’ distribution data. However, robust model validation is important for conservation management applications that require accurate and reliable species’ occurrence data (e.g. spatially explicit risk assessments). This is commonly done using a random subset of the data and less commonly with fully independent test data. Here, we apply a spatial block cross‐validation (CV) approach to validate a MaxEnt presence‐only model using independent presence/absence survey data for a highly mobile, marine species (humpback whale, Megaptera novaengliae) in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). A MaxEnt model was developed using opportunistic whale sightings (2003 - 2007) and then used to identify areas differing in habitat suitability (low, medium, high) to conduct a systematic, line‐transect aerial survey (2012) and derive a density surface model. A spatial block CV buffering strategy was used to validate the MaxEnt model, using the opportunistic sightings as training data and independent aerial survey sightings data as test data. Moderate performance measures indicate MaxEnt was reliable in identifying the distribution patterns of a mobile whale species on their breeding ground, indicated by areas of high density aligned to areas of high habitat suitability. Furthermore, we demonstrate that MaxEnt models can be useful and cost‐effective for designing a sampling scheme to undertake systematic surveys that significantly reduces sampling effort. In this study, higher quality information on whale reproductive class (calf versus non‐calf groups) was obtained that the presence‐only data lacked, while sampling only 18% of the GBR World Heritage Area. The validation approach using fully independent data provides greater confidence in the MaxEnt model, which indicates significant overlap with the main breeding ground of humpback whales and the inner shipping route. This is important when evaluating presence‐only models within certain conservation management applications, such as spatial risk assessments. The paper is in the Accepted Articles section of the journal and available at: https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2214 Regards Josh ___ MARMAM mailing list MARMAM@lists.uvic.ca https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam
[MARMAM] PhD opportunity - Australian southern right whales
Dear colleagues, We wanted to let you know of an exciting PhD opportunity to study the conservation status and population dynamics of Australia's endangered southern right whales through the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) of the University of Tasmania in Hobart. IMAS has a strong reputation in Fisheries and Aquaculture, Ecology and Biodiversity, and Oceans and Cryosphere with cross-disciplinary themes of Climate Change. Critical to this project will be an understanding of how climate change has and likely will impact upon the recovery of this species. Project title: Population Dynamics of Right Whales<https://www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/available-projects/projects/marine-and-antarctic/population-dynamics-of-right-whales?fbclid=IwAR3cNET0TSoy9PuHwTrEa-bhaN-lHtbjnsxtbXb07WyJQ74dqb7Kxleqi_A> This PhD project will utilise a long-term program (over four decades) of annual aerial survey data on Australia's southern right whale population that was initiated and maintained by the late John Bannister since the mid 1970's. The successful candidate will contribute to the curation, analysis, and publication of the southern right whale aerial survey dataset and strongly collaborate with the Australian and international southern right whale research community on ongoing research into Australian southern right whale population dynamics and potential impacts from climate change on southern right whales. The candidate will: - conduct time series analysis of the aerial survey count data to determine long-term population trends and associated variability; - assess methods to estimate population size and estimate change in the spatial distribution of sightings over the survey period; - determine whether oceanographic conditions on Southern Ocean summer feeding grounds correlate with annual calving rates by developing past climate histories in likely foraging areas; and, - assess the utility of satellite imagery to complement or replace annual aerial surveys for annual censuses of right whales in southern Australia. Funding Applicants will be considered for a Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship or Tasmania Graduate Research Scholarship (TGRS) which, if successful, provides: - a living allowance stipend of $31,500 per annum (2023 rate, indexed annually) for 3.5 years - a relocation allowance of up to $2,000 - a tuition fees offset covering the cost of tuition fees for up to four years (domestic applicants only) If successful, international applicants will receive a University of Tasmania Fees Offset for up to four years. Furthermore, applicants will also be considered for an additional generous top-up by the John L Bannister Memorial Top-Up Scholarship of $7,500 per annum for 3.5 years, if successful. This scholarship is funded from the John L Bannister Memorial. Selection Criteria The project is competitively assessed and awarded. Selection is based on academic merit and suitability to the project as determined by the College. Additional essential selection criteria specific to this project: - Strong quantitative skills - Experience with programming languages analysis and display software, such as python, R or Matlab. Additional desirable selection criteria specific to this project: - Experience with image processing software - Understanding of Southern Ocean ecosystem dynamics - Understanding of Southern Ocean physical processes Application process - Full details of the application process can be found at the UTAS website for the Project<https://www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/available-projects/projects/marine-and-antarctic/population-dynamics-of-right-whales?fbclid=IwAR3cNET0TSoy9PuHwTrEa-bhaN-lHtbjnsxtbXb07WyJQ74dqb7Kxleqi_A> - Select your project, and check that you meet the eligibility and selection criteria, including citizenship; - Contact the Primary Supervisor Dr Stuart Corney (stuart.cor...@utas.edu.au<mailto:stuart.cor...@utas.edu.au>) to discuss your suitability and the project's requirements; and In your application: - Copy and paste the title of the project from this advertisement into your application. If you don't correctly do this your application may be rejected. - Submit a signed supervisory support form, a CV including contact details of 2 referees and your project research proposal. - Apply prior to 25 September 2023. The Project team consists: Dr Stuart Corney, Dr Mike Double, Dr Virginia Andrews-Goff, Dr Madeleine Brasier, Dr Joshua Smith and strong collaborations with the Great Australian Bight Right Whale Study and Dr Claire Charlton. Project link: (https://www.utas.edu.au/research/degrees/available-projects/projects/marine-and-antarctic/population-dynamics-of-right-whales?fbclid=IwAR3cNET0TSoy9PuHwTrEa-bhaN-lHtbjnsxtbXb07
