Dear Colleagues, on behalf of my co-authors, we are excited to bring you this 
new open-source article from the Hines lab and Lenfest Oceans project on marine 
mammal bycatch in Chilean fisheries.

https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.11541

Combining potential and realized distribution modeling of telemetry data for a 
bycatch risk assessment
Abstract
Establishing marine species distributions is essential for guiding management 
and can be estimated by identifying potential favorable habitat at a population 
level and incorporating individual-level information (e.g., movement 
constraints) to inform realized space use. In this research, we applied a 
combined modeling approach to tracking data of adult female and juvenile South 
American sea lions (Otaria flavescens; nā€‰=ā€‰9) from July to November 2011 to 
make habitat predictions for populations in northern Chile. We incorporated 
topographic and oceanographic predictors with sea lion locations and 
environmentally based pseudo-absences in a generalized linear model for 
estimating population-level distribution. For the individual approach, we used 
a generalized linear mixed-effects model with a negative exponential kernel 
variable to quantify distance-dependent movement from the colony. Spatial 
predictions from both approaches were combined in a bivariate color map to 
identify areas of agreement. We then used a GIS-based risk model to 
characterize bycatch risk in industrial and artisanal purse-seine fisheries 
based on fishing set data from scientific observers and artisanal fleet logs 
(2010ā€“2015), the bivariate sea lion distribution map, and criteria ratings of 
interaction characteristics. Our results indicate population-level associations 
with productive, shallow, low slope waters, near to river-mouths, and with high 
eddy activity. Individual distribution was restricted to shallow slopes and 
cool waters. Variation between approaches may reflect intrinsic factors 
restricting use of otherwise favorable habitat; however, sample size was 
limited, and additional data are needed to establish the full range of 
individual-level distributions. Our bycatch risk outputs identified highest 
risk from industrial fisheries operating nearshore (within 5 NM) and risk was 
lower, overall, for the artisanal fleet. This research demonstrates the 
potential for integrating potential and realized distribution models within a 
spatial risk assessment and fills a gap in knowledge on this species' 
distribution, providing a basis for targeting bycatch mitigation outreach and 
interventions.



Ellen Hines, PhD
Estuary & Ocean Science Center
Professor Emeritus, School of the Environment

San Francisco State University
3150 Paradise Dr
Tiburon, CA. 94940
ehi...@sfsu.edu<mailto:ehi...@sfsu.edu>

https://eoscenter.sfsu.edu/ellen-hines



Adjunct Scientist: Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA


_______________________________________________
MARMAM mailing list
MARMAM@lists.uvic.ca
https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam

Reply via email to