scholarly journals Is Banning Enough? The Intricacy Inherent to Marine Mammal Conservation

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (05) ◽  
pp. 587-613
Author(s):  
Ilja Richard Pavone
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammal ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Fish Welfare ◽  
Declining Populations ◽  
Over Exploitation ◽  
Specific Species ◽  
Fisheries Law ◽  
Indirect Protection

AbstractDeclining populations of marine mammals have led to growing concern about their conservation. As a result, a series of specific conservation measures have been put in place (bans on hunting and trading, establishment of protected marine areas). Such rules, although restoring the populations of some species of marine mammals, have nevertheless failed to protect them from the most challenging threat to their survival: the bycatch of non-target species. Accordingly, this Article highlights gaps within fisheries law, clarifying the efficacy of existing norms on the protection of the most endangered marine species of marine mammals, with a particular focus on cetaceans, from over-exploitation.To this aim, the Article explores the peculiar norms developed by treaties of global and regional scope and the European Union (EU) with reference to specific species, including whales, seals, small cetaceans—referred to as direct protection. The Article then proceeds to an analysis of fisheries law that addresses, in an incidental manner, marine mammal protection—referred to as indirect protection.The Article is based on the assumption that measures simply banning hunting or fishing, as envisaged by wildlife law, must necessarily be complemented by fisheries law—that is, Inter-regime linkages. Paradoxically, indirect protection can have a major impact in terms of improvement of both fish welfare and conservation; the problem lies in the fact that current fisheries law fails to provide an adequate response to bycatch. This Article proposes methods to improve fisheries law and also discusses whether the emerging concept of fish welfare can be an asset if included in fisheries rules; the Article ultimately contends that welfare issues must necessarily be part of future legal developments.

scholarly journals Getting to the bottom of bycatch: a GIS-based toolbox to assess the risk of marine mammal bycatch

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 37-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Hines ◽  
LS Ponnampalam ◽  
C Junchompoo ◽  
C Peter ◽  
L Vu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Marine Mammal ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Peninsular Malaysia ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Official Journal ◽  
Similar Species ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Irrawaddy Dolphin

Marine mammal bycatch poses a particular challenge in developing countries, where data to document bycatch and its effects are often lacking. Using the Bycatch Risk Assessment (ByRA) toolkit, based on InVEST open-source models, we chose 4 field sites in Southeast Asia with varying amounts of data on marine mammals and fishing occurrence: Trat province in the eastern Gulf of Thailand, the Sibu-Tinggi Islands and Kuching Bay, Malaysia, and Kien Giang Biosphere Reserve in southwestern Vietnam. These field sites have similar species of coastal marine mammals, small-scale and commercial fisheries, and support for research from universities and/or management. In Thailand and Kuching, results showed changing patterns of fishing and Irrawaddy dolphin Orcaella brevirostris habitat use across seasons, showing how bycatch risk could change throughout the year. Risk maps for dugongs Dugong dugon in peninsular Malaysia highlighted patterns of bycatch risk concentrated around a mainland fishing pier, and revealed high risk in a northern subregion. In Vietnam, first maps of bycatch risk for the Irrawaddy dolphin showed the highest risk driven by intensive use of gillnets and trawling gear. ByRA pinpointed areas of spatial and seasonal bycatch exposure, and estimated the consequence of bycatch on local species, providing managers with critical information on where to focus bycatch mitigation and meet new global standards for US Marine Mammal Protection Act and other international regulation (e.g. Official Journal of the European Union 2019; Regulation 2019/1241) compliance. The toolbox, a transferable open-source tool, can be used to guide fisheries management, marine mammal conservation, spatial planning, and further research.

Conserving and recovering vulnerable marine species: a comprehensive evaluation of the US approach for marine mammals

2018 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 1813-1831 ◽  
Author(s):  
André E Punt ◽  
Paula Moreno ◽  
John R Brandon ◽  
Michael A Mathews
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammal ◽  
Management System ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Comprehensive Evaluation ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
Abundance Estimate ◽  
Biological Removal ◽  
Management Objectives ◽  
Strategy Evaluation ◽  
The Us

Abstract Human-caused mortality due primarily to bycatch in fisheries is considered a major threat to some long-lived, slow-growing, and otherwise vulnerable marine species. Under many jurisdictions these species are designated as “protected”, and fisheries are subject to a management system that includes monitoring and assessment of bycatch impacts relative to management objectives. The US management system for marine mammals is one of the most sophisticated in the world, with a limit on human-caused mortality computed using the potential biological removal (PBR), formula. Fisheries are categorized according to their impact relative to PBR, and take reduction teams established to develop take reduction plans (TRPs) when bycatch exceeds PBR. The default values of the parameters of the PBR formula were selected in the late 1990s using management strategy evaluation (MSE), but the system, in particular the classification of fisheries, has yet to be evaluated in its entirety. A MSE framework is developed that includes the PBR formula, as well as the processes for evaluating whether a stock is “strategic”, assigning fisheries to categories, and implementing TRPs. The level of error associated with fisheries classification was found not to impact the ability to achieve the conservation objective established for a stock under the US Marine Mammal Protection Act (i.e. maintain or recover the stock to/at optimum sustainable population). However, this ability is highly dependent on the life history and absolute abundance of the species being managed, as well as on the premise that bycatch is reduced if bycatch is estimated to exceed the PBR. The probability of correctly classifying fisheries depends on both the coefficient of variations (CVs) of the estimates of bycatch and the marine mammal stock’s abundance because classification depends on the ratio of the estimate of bycatch by fishery-type to the stock’s PBR, and the precision of the former depends on the bycatch CV and the latter on the abundance estimate CV. Moreover, the probability of correctly classifying a fishery decreases for smaller populations, particularly when a fishery has low to moderate impact.

Recommendations for Sustainable Cetacean-Based Tourism in French Territories: A Review on the Industry and Current Management Actions

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 211-235
Author(s):  
Josephine Chazot ◽  
Ludovic Hoarau ◽  
Pamela Carzon ◽  
Jeanne Wagner ◽  
Stéphanie Sorby ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammal ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
French Polynesia ◽  
Legal Framework ◽  
Whale Watching ◽  
Cetacean Species ◽  
Commercial Activities ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
Overseas Territories ◽  
Socioeconomic Benefits

Whale-watching activities provide important socioeconomic benefits for local communities and constitute powerful platform incentives for marine mammals' protection or more broadly marine environments. However, these activities can cause adverse effects on targeted populations, with considerable downside associated risks of injuries and fatality for whale watchers during inwater interactions. France with its overseas territories has the second largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ), in which more than half of existing cetacean species are encountered. In these territories, recreational and commercial whale watching, including swim-with cetacean activities, have recently developed. Yet few studies focused on these activities and their associated impacts across French territories, leading to an unclear assessment of the situation. To address this issue, we reviewed cetaceans' occurrence within the French EEZ, whale-watching industry, targeted species, local management of marine mammal-based tourism activities, and regulations in France mainland and some overseas territories (Reunion Island, Mayotte, and French Polynesia). Fortyeight species are encountered in the French EEZ, and 15 are targeted by whale-watching activities. A total of 185 operators, including 34% offering swim-with-cetaceans tours, offered trips in France and overseas in 2019. While several more or less restrictive regulations exist locally, our results indicate that French's national legal framework for marine mammals' protection remains inadequate and insufficient to cope with the recent development of this activity. As conservation biologists, managers, and stakeholders from these French territories, we cooperated to provide general guidelines for a sustainable development of whale watching at a national scale. We urge (1) to legally acknowledge and regulate whale-watching commercial activities; (2) to create a national legal framework regarding whale watching and swim-with marine mammals practices, while accounting for local distinctiveness and disparities across regions; (3) to conduct more research to evaluate local short- and long-term impacts on targeted marine mammal populations as well as the socioeconomic benefits; and (4) to reinforce synergetic relations between the different stakeholders.

scholarly journals Cetacean Research and Citizen Science in Kenya

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Gilbert Mwango’mbe ◽  
Jane Spilsbury ◽  
Steve Trott ◽  
Judith Nyunja ◽  
Nina Wambiji ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Citizen Science ◽  
Marine Mammal ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
Conservation Strategies ◽  
Science Data ◽  
Pilot Whale ◽  
Area Of Interest ◽  
Mammal Conservation ◽  
Kenyan Coast

In 2011, several non-governmental and government agencies established the Kenya Marine Mammal Network (KMMN) to provide a platform for the consistent collection of data on marine mammals along the Kenyan coast, identify areas of importance and engage marine users and the general public in marine mammal conservation. Prior to the KMMN, relatively little was known about marine mammals in Kenya, limiting conservation strategies. The KMMN collects data nationwide through dedicated surveys, opportunistic sightings and participative citizen science, currently involving more than 100 contributors. This paper reviews data on sightings and strandings for small cetaceans in Kenya collated by the KMMN. From 2011 to 2019, 792 records of 11 species of small cetaceans were documented. The most frequently reported inshore species were the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin and Indian Ocean humpback dolphin. Offshore species, included killer whales, short-finned pilot whale and long-snouted spinner dolphin. Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, long-snouted spinner dolphins, striped dolphins and Risso’s dolphins were recorded through stranding reports. The efforts of the KMMN were disseminated through international meetings (International Whaling Commission, World Marine Mammal Conference), national status reports, outreach and social media. Data has also supported the identification of three IUCN Important Marine Mammal Areas and one Area of Interest in Kenya. Further research is needed to improve estimates of cetacean abundance and distribution, particularly in unstudied coastal areas, and to assess the extent of anthropogenic threats associated with fisheries, coastal and port development, seismic exercises and unregulated tourism. The expansion of the network should benefit from the participation of remote coastal fishing communities, government research agencies, tourism and seismic operations, among others. The KMMN demonstrated the value of dedicated and citizen science data to enhance marine mammal conservation strategies to boost awareness and eco-tourism and to bring the public and science closer together, promoting research and effective conservation efforts.

scholarly journals Sumberdaya Kuda Laut (Hippocampus spp.) di Perairan Pulau Bintan, Teluk Lampung dan Pulau Tanakeke

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Masayu Rahmia Anwar Putri ◽  
Astri Suryandari ◽  
Joni Haryadi
Keyword(s):  
Marine Species ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
South Sulawesi ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
Management Measures ◽  
Data Deficient ◽  
Study Sites ◽  
Habitat Damage ◽  
Over Exploitation ◽  
Sexually Mature

<strong>Seahorse Resources (Hippocampus spp.) in the Waters of Bintan Island, Lampung Bay and Tanakeke Island</strong>.Information on seahorse resources is very limited, from 35 species of marine species listed on the IUCN redlist, 20 species are listed as "data deficient" which illustrates the lack of information related to sea horses, even for highly exploited species. This research was conducted to inventory sea horse resources (<em>Hippocampus</em> spp.), covering spesies information, size, sex ratio and density of seahorses from three potential locations, they are Bintan Island, Lampung and Tanakeke Island Waters. Field observation for seahorse resources was conducted at Bintan Island (Riau Islands Province) in March 2016, Lampung Bay (Lampung Province) in May 2016 and Tanakeke Islands (Takalar Regency, South Sulawesi) in June 2016 by purposive sampling method, interview with fisherman and collector and also literature study. A total of 5 seahorse species were found in three research locations, 4 species found in Bintan waters <em>(H. comes</em>, <em>H. spinossisimus</em>, <em>H. hystrix</em> and <em>H. kuda</em>), 2 species found in Lampung Bay (<em>H. comes</em> and <em>H. kuda</em>) and only 1 species found in Tanakeke (<em>H.barbouri</em>). Most of seahorse found during the study were categorized as sexually mature, dominated with seahorse 11-12 cm in size. The different types and densities of seahorses in the three study sites are supported by differences in habitat where seahorses are occupied. The density of seahorses tended to be low due to over-exploitation, environmental change and habitat damage. Management measures based on biological aspects and ecological conditions of each region need to be carried out for sustainable seahorse fisheries.

scholarly journals Resurgence of an apex marine predator and the decline in prey body size

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (52) ◽  
pp. 26682-26689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Ohlberger ◽  
Daniel E. Schindler ◽  
Eric J. Ward ◽  
Timothy E. Walsworth ◽  
Timothy E. Essington
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Chinook Salmon ◽  
Marine Mammal ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Size Structure ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Killer Whales ◽  
Selective Predation ◽  
Marine Predator

In light of recent recoveries of marine mammal populations worldwide and heightened concern about their impacts on marine food webs and global fisheries, it has become increasingly important to understand the potential impacts of large marine mammal predators on prey populations and their life-history traits. In coastal waters of the northeast Pacific Ocean, marine mammals have increased in abundance over the past 40 to 50 y, including fish-eating killer whales that feed primarily on Chinook salmon. Chinook salmon, a species of high cultural and economic value, have exhibited marked declines in average size and age throughout most of their North American range. This raises the question of whether size-selective predation by marine mammals is generating these trends in life-history characteristics. Here we show that increased predation since the 1970s, but not fishery selection alone, can explain the changes in age and size structure observed for Chinook salmon populations along the west coast of North America. Simulations suggest that the decline in mean size results from the selective removal of large fish and an evolutionary shift toward faster growth and earlier maturation caused by selection. Our conclusion that intensifying predation by fish-eating killer whales contributes to the continuing decline in Chinook salmon body size points to conflicting management and conservation objectives for these two iconic species.

scholarly journals The impacts of climate change on marine mammals: early signs of significant problems

Oryx ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark P. Simmonds ◽  
Stephen J. Isaac
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Marine Mammal ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Delphinapterus Leucas ◽  
Polar Regions ◽  
Baleen Whale ◽  
Direct Observations ◽  
Management Plans ◽  
Conservation Plans ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

Climate change is now known to be affecting the oceans. It is widely anticipated that impacts on marine mammals will be mediated primarily via changes in prey distribution and abundance and that the more mobile (or otherwise adaptable) species may be able to respond to this to some extent. However, the extent of this adaptability is largely unknown. Meanwhile, within the last few years direct observations have been made of several marine mammal populations that illustrate reactions to climate change. These observations indicate that certain species and populations may be especially vulnerable, including those with a limited habitat range, such as the vaquita Phocoena sinus, or those for which sea ice provides an important part of their habitat, such as narwhals Monodon monoceros, bowhead Balaena mysticetus and beluga Delphinapterus leucas whales and polar bears Ursus maritimus. Similarly, there are concerns about those species that migrate to feeding grounds in polar regions because of rapidly changing conditions there, and this includes many baleen whale populations. This review highlights the need to take projected impacts into account in future conservation and management plans, including species assessments. How this should be done in an adequately precautionary manner offers a significant challenge to those involved in such processes, although it is possible to identify at this time at least some species and populations that may be regarded as especially vulnerable. Marine ecosystems modellers and marine mammal experts will need to work together to make such assessments and conservation plans as robust as possible.

Marine mammals and Japanese long-line fishing vessels in Australian waters: operational interactions and sightings

2006 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Bell ◽  
Peter Shaughnessy ◽  
Margie Morrice ◽  
Bob Stanley
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammal ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
East Coast ◽  
Fishing Gear ◽  
Killer Whales ◽  
Fishing Vessels ◽  
Long Line ◽  
Target Fish ◽  
Pilot Whales ◽  
Warm Temperate

Observers from the Australian Fisheries Management Authority worked on randomly chosen Japanese long-line vessels in the Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ) between 1980 and 1997. Observer reports (n = 451) were inspected for interactions or sightings of marine mammals. An operational interaction was defined as an activity or behaviour that involved direct contact between a marine mammal and fishing gear, bait, target fish or bycatch, or indications that the marine mammal was feeding. A sighting was defined as the recording of marine mammals that passed the vessel without changing course and/or did not appear to interact with the vessel or its gear. Observers witnessed 23 interactions and made another 44 sightings of marine mammals. A further 24 interactions and sightings were relayed by crew members. Killer whales were reported most frequently: most incidences of fish being damaged, taken or frightened away were attributed to them. Eleven marine mammals were caught: two died, seven were released, and the fate of two others was not recorded. Between 1991 and 1996, when observer coverage was 11.5% overall in the AFZ, the incidence of interactions was 1.71 per million hooks set. The estimated number of interactions in that seven-year period was 157 in the AFZ. Since 1997, the long-line fishery has been conducted by Australian vessels, primarily off the east coast of mainland Australia in warm-temperate waters. A higher proportion of interactions can be expected with killer whales and short-finned pilot whales in these waters, and fewer with seals.

scholarly journals Marine mammals' influence on ecosystem processes affecting fisheries in the Barents Sea is trivial

2009 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 204-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter J Corkeron
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammal ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Gadus Morhua ◽  
Fishery Management ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Primary Component ◽  
Clupea Harengus ◽  
Balaenoptera Acutorostrata ◽  
The Barents Sea

Some interpretations of ecosystem-based fishery management include culling marine mammals as an integral component. The current Norwegian policy on marine mammal management is one example. Scientific support for this policy includes the Scenario Barents Sea (SBS) models. These modelled interactions between cod, Gadus morhua , herring, Clupea harengus , capelin, Mallotus villosus and northern minke whales, Balaenoptera acutorostrata . Adding harp seals Phoca groenlandica into this top-down modelling approach resulted in unrealistic model outputs. Another set of models of the Barents Sea fish–fisheries system focused on interactions within and between the three fish populations, fisheries and climate. These model key processes of the system successfully. Continuing calls to support the SBS models despite their failure suggest a belief that marine mammal predation must be a problem for fisheries. The best available scientific evidence provides no justification for marine mammal culls as a primary component of an ecosystem-based approach to managing the fisheries of the Barents Sea.

scholarly journals Marine mammals through time: when less is more in studying palaeodiversity

2008 ◽  
Vol 276 (1658) ◽  
pp. 887-892 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix G Marx
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammal ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Sedimentary Rock ◽  
Rock Outcrop ◽  
Less Is More ◽  
Apparent Correlation ◽  
Mammal Evolution ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Mammal Diversity ◽  
Marine Sedimentary Rock

The validity of biological explanations of patterns of palaeodiversity has been called into question owing to an apparent correlation of diversity with the amount of sedimentary rock preserved. However, this claim has largely been based on comprehensive estimates of global marine Phanerozoic diversity, thus raising the question of whether a similar bias applies to the records of smaller, well-defined taxonomic groups. Here, new data on European Caenozoic marine sedimentary rock outcrop area are presented and compared with European occurrences of three groups of marine mammals (cetaceans, pinnipedimorphs and sirenians). Limited evidence was found for a correlation of outcrop area with marine mammal palaeodiversity. In addition, similar patterns were identified in the cetacean and pinnipedimorph diversity data. This may point to the preservation of a genuine biological signal not overwhelmed by geological biases in the marine mammal diversity data, and opens the door to further analyses of both marine mammal evolution and geological bias in other small and well-defined groups of taxa.

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