[MARMAM] New publication: Conservation Benefits of Whale Watching in Juneau, Alaska

[Alicia Schuler]

Dear colleagues,

I am excited to announce the publication of the following open access
article in Tourism in Marine Environments:
https://doi.org/10.3727/154427319X15719404264632

Schuler, A.R., & Pearson H.C. (2019). Conservation benefits of whale
watching in Juneau, Alaska. *Tourism in Marine Environments, 14*(4),
231-248. doi: 10.3727/154427319X15719404264632

*Conservation Benefits of Whale Watching in Juneau, Alaska*

*Abstract*:
An increasing number of visitors to Juneau, AK, alongside a predictable
population of humpback whales (*Megaptera novaeangliae*), has supported the
substantial growth of its whale-watching industry. The industry provides
benefits to the community through economic gains, while the experience can
foster environmental awareness and support for protection of whales and the
environment. However, the sustainability of the industry could be
jeopardized if increasing whale-watching vessel pressure affects the health
of its resource, the whales. This study investigates whether participation
in whale-watching tours in Juneau, AK can support conservation of whales
and the environment. Participant knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and
behaviors were obtained from 2,331 respondents in surveys before, after,
and 6 months after a whale-watching tour during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
Following a whale watch, the percentage of participants that indicated
whale watching as a knowledge source increased (p = 0.022), awareness of
guidelines and regulations doubled (p < 0.001), and strong support for
regulations increased (p = 0.016). Six months later, these responses
remained significantly higher than before the whale watch. Despite
knowledge of distance threshold increasing after a whale watch (p = 0.003)
and 6 months after (p = 0.021), getting close to whales remained an
important factor in a participant's whale watch. Participants had a higher
likelihood of strongly supporting guidelines and regulations if they
indicated that boats can have a negative impact on whales or were aware of
guidelines and regulations. Lastly, participants that acknowledged negative
effects on whales from boats had higher overall proenvironmental attitudes.
This study indicates that incorporating messages that facilitate
participant awareness of guidelines/regulations and the purpose of those
measures can support conservation and protection of local whale populations
through managing participant expectations and ultimately encouraging
operator compliance.

The paper can be accessed freely using the following link:
https://doi.org/10.3727/154427319X15719404264632

Please feel free to contact me at alicia.r.schu...@gmail.com if you have
any queries.

Happy holidays!

Alicia R. Schuler, M.Sc.
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[MARMAM] Killer whale focused Research Internship - South Africa - April & May 2020 (last place remaining)

[Simon Elwen]

 Sea Search Research and Conservation (www.seasearch.co.za and
www.facebook.com/seasearch is a Cape Town based NPO which conducts a wide
range of research and education activities in southern Africa with most
researchers/students associated with the University of Stellenbosch.

In April and May 2020, we are conducting 2 months of field work in and
around Cape Town, South Africa focused on southern Africa's elusive killer
whales (including the famous white-shark-eating specialists "Port" and
"Starboard"). This work forms part of a larger collaborative effort to
study killer whales of the southern African subregion in collaboration with
colleagues from the University of Pretoria (SA) and Durham University
amongst others.  There is one more space for a student to join us as a
research intern on this project.

Interns will be involved in all aspects of data collection, helping the Sea
Search team and our collaborators to track down these fast moving top
predators through a combination of boat surveys, shore based monitoring and
responding to sighting reports. Encounters with killer whales will be very
rare - but research efforts will also focus on a number of other cetacean
and prey species around at that time including common, bottlenose and
humpback dolphins, Bryde's and humpback whales.

Research focuses on collecting skin samples for use in global genetic and
trophic ecology
studies, attachment of satellite transmitters to study movements and
photo-identification data to study the population size and individual
movements. We will also be collecting acoustic recordings of animals and
deploying moored hydrophones for long-term monitoring.

Internships are research focused with an emphasis on learning (and using) field
skills in cetacean research such as photo-identification, bioacoustics,
biopsy, capture-recapture and behavioural data collection, as well as data
management and team work.

There is a fee associated with the internship to help cover accommodation,
training and project costs. If you are interested in this placement please
send a copy of your CV and a brief motivation to i...@seasearch.co.za.

More information about our work and this internship can be found here:
www.seasearch.co.za/training 

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions
regarding this training opportunity.
Dr Simon Elwen


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 --  --  --  --  -- --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --  --
 --  --  --
Simon Elwen Ph.D. - Director Sea Search Research & Conservation and the
Namibian Dolphin Project
Research Associate: Department of Zoology and Botany - Stellenbosch
University  & Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria
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[MARMAM] New publication - Tsai and Chang 2019 Pleistocene Eubalaena

[Tsai, CH]

Dear colleagues

We are very pleased to announce a new paper - describing a Pleistocene
*Eubalaena* (right whale) from Taiwan.

Tsai C.-H. and Chang C.-H. 2019. A right whale (Mysticeti, Balaenidae) from
the Pleistocene of Taiwan. Zoological Letters 5:37
doi:10.1186/s40851-019-0153-z

Abstract

Current patterns of biological distribution result from the deep past. Of
particular interest, some closely related species appear at high latitudes
of both hemispheres, but not in between, a pattern known as antitropical
distribution. However, the timing, pathway, and drivers of antitropical
distributions remain mostly unknown. Here we describe a new fossil, a left
tympanic bulla (part of the ear bones), from the Middle/Late Pleistocene
(0.78–0.01 mya, but not excluding the possibility of Holocene in age, as
the specimen was dredged from the sea bottom and the geological horizon
remains uncertain) of Taiwan. The tympanic bulla is diagnostic in baleen
whales, and this specimen shows morphological features that are identical
to extant *Eubalaena*, including: relatively large size (the
anteroposterior length is 117 mm); rectangular outline in medial view;
short anterior lobe, judging from the remaining of the lateral furrow;
squared anterior margin; prominent transverse crease on the involucrum;
transversely compressed in anterior view; well-developed and rounded outer
lip; and parallel involucral and main ridges. Although incomplete, the
morphological characters and overall similarity to extant *Eubalaena* allow
a reliable taxonomic assignment to *Eubalaena* sp. The occurrence of a
Pleistocene *Eubalaena* on the southern margin of the western North Pacific
is the first balaenid fossil evidence indicative of the biotic interchange
between two hemispheres leading to the origin of antitropical distribution
in the Pleistocene; alternatively, this specimen might merely represent an
extra-limital record of the North Pacific *Eubalaena*. Furthermore, this
find suggests that the *Eubalaena* interchange, being one of the largest
species displaying antitropical distribution pairs in the history of life,
likely took place along the western Pacific. Notably, this does not
preclude the *Eubalaena* interchange from other routes, such as the eastern
Pacific or the Atlantic Ocean, and future finds should test the scenario
for the biotic interchange between Northern and Southern Hemispheres of
*Eubalaena*.

The paper is freely accessible:

https://zoologicalletters.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40851-019-0153-z

Alternatively, feel free to email me for a pdf copy or further discussion:

whalet...@ntu.edu.tw or crani...@gmail.com

Happy holidays and happy new year.

Regards
Tsai

蔡政修（Cheng-Hsiu Tsai  さい まさのぶ)
Lab of evolution and diversity of fossil vertebrates（古脊椎動物演化及多樣性實驗室）
Department of Life Science, National Taiwan University（台灣大學生命科學系）
No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei, 106-17, Taiwan（台灣 106-17 台北市羅斯福路 4 段
1 號）
Email: whalet...@ntu.edu.tw; crani...@gmail.com; cheng-hsiu.t...@otago.ac.nz
https://www.facebook.com/NTUWhaleTsai/?modal=admin_todo_tour
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[MARMAM] DOLPHIN RESEARCH INTERNSHIP IN PORTUGAL

[AIMM Internships]

*BACKGROUND: *The Marine Environment Research Association - AIMM, is a
non-profit, non-governmental organization focused on the research and
conservation of marine species, running an ongoing study of cetaceans in
southern Portugal (Algarve). This project aims to obtain baseline
information on species occurrence, behavior, and social structure of the
local cetacean populations in order to obtain scientific data to support
conservation measures and inform marine management policies.

The main species observed are Short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus
delphis), Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and Harbour porpoises
(Phocoena phocoena), although other species such as Minke whales
(Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) can
also be sighted.

AIMM Interns are young, hard-working individuals who are willing to
contribute to the association and support on-going activities, while
experiencing fieldwork at sea, learning data collection and processing
methodologies, and being a part of AIMM's team of researchers and marine
biologists for a period of time. All team members and participants share
accommodation, house tasks, knowledge and experience in an environmental
friendly and multicultural environment.

Interns have the additional option to enrich their time with AIMM by
beginning or improving their SCUBA skills with a PADI-certified instructor.



*WHERE:* Albufeira, Algarve, Portugal



*WHEN:* The field season lasts from 1st of May to 31st October 2020. The
minimum internship attendance is 7 days, preferably starting on a Monday.



*FIELDWORK: *The field trips are conducted in AIMM's research vessel,
Ketos, or in opportunistic platforms (commercial dolphin-watching boats).
Fieldwork is dependent on weather conditions and seat availability in the
dolphin-watching boats. Field days can be intense, especially in the peak
of summer, but are fulfilling and good fun. The interns will be trained to:

·Conduct on-board surveys of marine species occurrence;

·Record effort tracks on a handheld GPS;

·Collect data on behavior, group size, species, etc.;

·Collect photos to photo-identification, acoustic recording, and
underwater videos while on-board;

·Secchi disk methodology;

·Help to collect of drone footage from the marine mammals.



*DATA ANALYSIS: *This will be conducted on a daily basis and will entail
entering data into established databases and spreadsheets,
photo-identification processing, and preliminary data interpretation.



*INTERNSHIP FEES:* AIMM is a non-profit organization that relies on
donations from our volunteers, partners, and conservation-minded people
like you so that we may continue our important research and education
programs in the Algarve. This internship requires a monetary contribution
which is used to off-set the cost of accommodation and running a
non-profit. For more information on internship fees for the 2020 season,
please contact: inte...@aimm-portugal.org

We have a special deal for you, if you book you internship until 31th
December 2019.



*Included* in the fee is:

·Accommodation in the research house;

·Transportation to/from the marina;

·Meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner);

·Fieldwork in the research vessel or commercial dolphin-watching
vessels.



*Not included* in the fee is:

·Transportation to/from Albufeira;

·Meals in restaurants and snacks;

·Free time activities;

·Personal insurance (all participants should have health and/or
travel insurance);

·Personal expenses.



*INTERNS ARE EXPECTED TO:*

·Be above the age of 16;

·Have a mature attitude towards marine mammal research and
environment;

·Be autonomous and flexible;

·Be able to live and work in an international team and mainly
outdoors at sea;

·Speak English;

·Participate for minimum 7 days.



*Preference will be given* to those who have:

·Relevant marine mammal field experience

·Working experience on research vessels

·Experience working from dolphin/whale watching platforms

·Experience in photo-identification

·Professional cameras that can be used for photo-ID

·Availability to stay for longer periods of time



The follow links are a shorts videos about the internship in Albufeira.

You get a different perspective and feedback from old participants about
it:

 https://youtu.be/hTJJQPHBdI0


   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zTIEQEsftA



*INTERNSHIP APPLICATION: *

Applicants should fill up the online application at:

https://www.aimmportugal.org/application-form

AIMM will send a confirmation e-mail with all the details about the
internship and asking for your Resume/CV, motivation letter (small
statement on which are your expectations and why do you want to work with
AIMM) and the period of time that you want to do the program.

OR

[MARMAM] PSO Training in Clearwater FL Feb 29 - Mar 1, 2020

[Angela Bostwick]

MPSC is holding a training course which provides Protected Species 
Observer (also known as Marine Mammal Observer) certification in 
Clearwater, FL on February 29 - March 1, 2020.  This class will include 
a vessel trip and admission to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where the 
course will be taking place.  The vessel trip will provide opportunity 
to practice the protected species monitoring identification techniques 
discussed in class; students will also be able to practice manual 
settings for wildlife photography using digital SLR cameras, and will 
learn to estimate distance using binoculars with reticles (cameras and 
binoculars provided for use). This training is approved by the federal 
agencies Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and Bureau of Safety 
and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) in coordination with National 
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to provide Protected Species Observer 
certification for seismic surveys in the Gulf of Mexico, and is a 
long-standing industry standard which is often accepted in various other 
regions or industries (such as renewable energy, dredging, construction, 
blasting, and pile driving) where monitoring and mitigation for 
protected species is needed.


The course examines the regulations for reducing impacts to marine 
mammals and sea turtles, how to visually locate and identify the 
animals, and objective documentation of animal behavior for reporting to 
regulatory agencies.  Discounts are available for students/recent 
graduates, government, and members of non-profit organizations.  Lunch 
is provided each day, along with various identification guides and 
regulatory documents (yours to keep), advice on applying to PSO 
positions, admission to the aquarium, the vessel trip, and the 
professional certification.


Additional information may be found on the MPSC website at 
http://www.protectedspeciesobservers.com/, by contacting me at 
abostw...@psocertifications.com, or by phone at 832-523-2402.


Angela Bostwick
Founder / Marine Protected Species Consulting
ProtectedSpeciesObservers.com
https://Facebook.com/ProtectedSpeciesObservers/
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