Marine Mammals

The following article has been published in Mammal Review:

Edwards EF, Hall C, Moore TJ, Sheredy C and Redfern JV (2015). Global distribution of fin whales *B**alaenoptera physalus* in the post-whaling era (1980?2012). Mammal Review Volume 45, Issue 4, pages 197-214.

This articles includes the following abstract:

“Abstract:

1. The global distribution of fin whales *B**alaenoptera physalus* is not fully understood. Existing maps can be divided into two conflicting categories: one showing a continuous global distribution and another showing an equatorial hiatus (gap in the global distribution) between approximately 20?N and 20?S. Questions also remain about the seasonal distribution of fin whales.

Ocean Science is the science and technology journal of the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. The latest issue of Ocean Science contains a series of article on the Arctic Council. The Arctic Council describes itself as “the leading intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic states, Arctic Indigenous communities and other Arctic inhabitants on common Arctic issues, in particular on issues of sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic.”

Click here to read the BOEM journal articles on the Arctic Council.

The 30th Annual European Cetacean Society conference will take place in Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal, from 14 – 16 March 2016, organized by the Madeira Whale Museum (Museu da Baleia da Madeira). Associated workshops will take place on the 12 and 13 March.

The theme of the conference is: “Into the Deep – Research and Conservation
on Oceanic Marine Mammals.”

For more information check the conference webpage at
http://europeancetaceansociety.eu/conference/30th-annual-conference-funchal-madeira.

Submission of abstracts and workshop proposals will be welcome from the 14th September (Monday) until the 16 October 2015 (23:45 CET).

NMFS has received a request from the U.S. Navy (Navy) for an Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) to take marine mammals, by harassment, incidental to Civilian Port defense activities within and near the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach from October through November 2015. Pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), NMFS is requesting comments on its proposal to issue an IHA to the Navy to incidentally take, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during the specified activity

NMFS uses “functional hearing groups” to assess marine mammal effects for this proposed IHA.  According to NMFS:

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service has posted the following article discussing the Hawaiian Monk Seal:

“The Hawaiian monk seal is one of
NOAA Fisheries’ Species in the Spotlight.

Background
The Hawaiian monk seal (Neomonachus schaunislandi) is the last surviving species in its genus, and is endemic to the 1,500-mile-long Hawaiian Islands archipelago, from Hawaii Island to Kure Atoll.