Marine Mammals

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service has issued the following warning:

“NOAA Fisheries alerts boaters that right whales are migrating near the coast. Be on the lookout as this endangered species travels south for the winter.

North Atlantic right whales are on the move, making their way south along the Atlantic coast of the U.S. for the winter, and NOAA is cautioning boaters to give them plenty of room.

Marine biologists with NOAA Fisheries, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission remind boaters, anglers, and coastal residents that North Atlantic right whale calving season begins in mid-November and runs through mid-April and boaters should stay alert and keep their distance.

The U.S. Department of the Navy has published its Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement/Overseas Environmental Impact Statement for Navy Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing.

The goal of this EIS/OIS is to evaluate the potential environmental effects associated with continuing to conduct military readiness activities, which consist of training activities and research, development, testing, and evaluation  activities in the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing Study Area. The Study Area consists of sea space in and airspace over the Atlantic Ocean along the eastern coast of North America, portions of the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico.

A natural toxin that has spread throughout the marine ecosystem off the West Coast, killing sea mammals and poisoning various other species.

Kathi Lefebvre, the lead research biologist at the Wildlife Algal Toxin Research and Response Network, said Wednesday that her organization had examined about 250 animals stranded on the West Coast and had found domoic acid, a toxic chemical produced by a species of algae, in 36 animals of several species.

“We’re seeing much higher contamination in the marine food web this year in this huge geographic expanse than in the past,” Lefebvre said.

The international Workshop “Bottlenose dolphin conservation and monitoring in the North-Western Mediterranean Sea”, organized by the GIS3M in partnership with the French Marine Protected Area Agency, WWF France, ACCOBAMS and the Pelagos Sanctuary, will take place on the 1st & 2nd December at the Villa Mediterranean in Marseille (France). This workshop will gather scientists and international experts in order to share knowledge and discuss about ecology and monitoring on the Mediterranean bottlenose dolphin, strategies of conservation, measures of conservation and networking.

Everyone interested is welcomed; participation fees for the two-day workshop are 50 Euros, which include coffee break and icebreaker.

If you are interested in participating to the workshop, registration is still possible on http://www.gdegem.org/international-workshop