[MARMAM] Italo-Tunisian research project

[Ceto News]

A pool of Italian and Tunisian research bodies
has started a yearly joint project on monitoring cetacean in the Region between
Sicily and Tunisia. In order to: systematically survey regularly the region 
throughout
the years also in high sea areas;  reduce
reduces spatial heterogeneity; and to make more efficient the use of the budget
resources the project, co-financed from ACCOBAMS, uses regular passengers
ferries as platform of observations.
http://itucre.blogspot.it/
 
Due to high productive values, the region between
Sicily and Tunisia is considered one of the potential wintering grounds for fin
whale. The area is also considered a critical habitat for cetacean species due
to important anthropogenic pressures such as fishing, aquaculture, maritime
traffic, oil and gas industry, communication cables and construction of
wind-mill farms. Despite this, no systematic monitoring study has never been
undertaken so far.
In order to start a systematic cetacean monitoring of
the area, a partnership of Tunisian and Italian research bodies participated
with success to the ACCOBAMS 2012 open call for “Monitoring, research, training
and projects relating to the conservation of Cetaceans”. Main aim of the
project was capacity building issues and, to reach this goal, a partnership
within the scientific international network that monitors cetacean using
ferries as platforms of observation was built. Moreover, two ferry companies
were involved in the project allowing to monitor the area among Tunisia, Sicily
and Sardinia. Collected data will allow to: assess cetacean presence and
distribution in this poorly surveyed area; investigate seasonal trends in
cetacean presence and distribution (sighting will be shared on OBIS Sea Map);
investigate fin whale migration patterns. In addition, the project will
contribute to assess the quantity of events of collision risks. Networking with
the other partners that use the same monitoring protocol is an important added
value that will allow a synoptic view of cetacean in the Western Mediterranean
Sea Region. Overall, the project goal is also to enact policies, between
Tunisia and Italy, so to strengthen the cooperation and dialogue between
peoples through the sectors of scientific research, culture and friendship___
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[MARMAM] New publication: Humpback whale songs during winter in subarctic waters

[Edda Elísabet Magnúsdóttir]

Dear MARMAMERS,

We are proud to announce a publication of our paper on humpback whale songs
during winter in subarctic waters:

Magnúsdóttir, E. E., Rasmussen, M. H., Lammers, M. O., & Svavarsson, J.
Humpback whale songs during winter in subarctic waters. *Polar Biology*,
37:427 - 433. doi:10.1007/s00300-014-1448-3

The songs of the male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) have
traditionally
been associated with mating at tropical and subtropical mating grounds
during winter.
However, songs also occur out of mating season, both on feeding grounds in
spring,
late summer and fall. This study provides the first report of humpback
whale singing
behaviour in the subarctic waters off Northeast Iceland (Skjálfandi Bay)
using long term
bottom-moored acoustic recorders during September 2008-February 2009 and
from
April-September 2009. Singing started in late November and peaked in
February,
within the breeding season. No songs were detected from spring to fall,
despite of
visual detections of humpback whales. Non-song sound signals from humpback
whales were detected during all recording months. Songs were partly
composed of
fundamental units common with other known mating grounds, and partly of
song units
likely unique to the study area. The variety of song unit types in the
songs increased at
the end of the winter recordings, indicating a gradual change in the songs
throughout
the winter season; as has been shown on traditional mating grounds. The
relative
proportion of songs compared to non-song signals was higher during dark
hours than
daylight hours. The short light periods of the winter, and where food is
available, likely
influence the daily occurrence of humpback whales' songs in the subarctic.

The paper can be found at the Polar Biology website:
http://download.springer.com/static/pdf/497/art%253A10.1007%252Fs00300-014-1448-3.pdf?auth66=1392543504_c9bae10107a800351ccea9d57cbdcaa8&ext=.pdf


Best wishes,
Edda

Edda Elísabet Magnúsdóttir (e...@hi.is)
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