Marine Mammals

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service has published its intent to conduct a 5-year review for the endangered western distinct population segment of Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) under the Endangered Species. NMFS is required by the ESA to conduct 5-year reviews to ensure that the listing classifications of species are accurate.

The 5-year review must be based on the best scientific and commercial data available at the time of the review. NMFS requests submission of any such information on the Western DPS of Steller sea lion, particularly information on the status, threats, and recovery of the species that has become available since the final listing determination in May, 1997.

The Marine Mammal Commission Published the following notice:

“The U.S. Marine Mammal Commission is requesting pre-proposals for our current Fiscal Year 2018 funding opportunity.  The focal area for this year is “Community-driven conservation approaches to eliminate, manage, or mitigate threats to marine mammals”.

Marine mammals continue to face an array of threats ranging from fisheries, noise, and vessel traffic to environmental change. Conservation action is needed to eliminate, manage, or mitigate these threats.  Successful conservation programs require not only an understanding of species and ecosystems, but also of the needs, values, perceptions, and cultures of the relevant human communities. Individuals need to become engaged, informed, and inspired to work toward altering human behavior. The Commission believes that increased awareness of examples of successful innovative, community-driven approaches to conservation will help.

The 2018 International Association of Geophysical Contractors Conference will occur Tuesday, February 20, 2018, at WesternGeco Schlumberger, 10001 Richmond Ave., Houston, TX 77042. Click here for more information.

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service has published for comment a draft national Procedural Directive clarifying the process for eligible permit applicants to obtain releasable marine mammals for public display purposes under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Releasable marine mammals are those that were successfully rehabilitated by the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program’s network of stranding centers and have been determined by the rehabilitation facility’s attending veterinarian to be candidates for return to the wild. NMFS will no longer grant permits for the specific purpose of retaining releasable marine mammals for public display. Instead, applicants will now need to apply for a permit to take (collect) animals from the wild pursuant to the MMPA. Non-releasable animals, on the other hand, may still be obtained through NMFS’ administrative procedures.

The 32nd annual European Cetacean Society conference will take place in La Spezia, Italy in April 2018. The theme of this years conference is: ‘Marine Conservation – Forging Effective Strategic Partnerships.’

Participants in the 2018 conference are encouraged to bring presentations that relate to this theme or otherwise consider how this issue affects their work, although as usual scientific submissions on all issues relating to marine mammals are welcome. Keynote speakers will help to elaborate the theme along with special focal sessions.

WORKSHOPS: Friday 6, Saturday 7 April 2018
CONFERENCE: Sunday 8 – Tuesday 10 April 2018

The 32nd annual European Cetacean Society conference will be taking place in La Spezia, Italy, on Friday, April 06, 2018 – Tuesday, April 10, 2018. The theme of this years conference is: ‘Marine Conservation – Forging Effective Strategic Partnerships.’

The achievement of effective marine conservation measures requires more than good science and the theme of the 2018 ECS conference is intended to help explore the role that partnerships with all other stakeholders have in this. Participants in the 2018 conference are encouraged to bring presentations that relate to this theme or otherwise consider how this issue affects their work, although as usual scientific submissions on all issues relating to marine mammals are welcome. Keynote speakers will help to elaborate the theme along with special focal sessions.

Conservation Letters on the management of cumulative underwater noise pollution published the following paper: Merchant, N.D., Faulkner, R.F., Martinez, R. (in press) Marine noise budgets in practice. Conservation Letters here.

This paper has the following abstract:

Science News recently posted the following article:

“A new discovery is turning the hemispheric history of a mysterious whale species upside-down. Two fossils recently unearthed in Italy and Japan suggest that a southern whale was briefly a denizen of northern waters more than half a million years ago.

Until now, all available evidence suggested that the pygmy right whale, Caperea marginata, and its ancestors have been steadfast Southern Hemisphere residents for the past 10 million years.

On October 11, 2017, the center for Biological Diversity petitioned the federal government to list beaked whales in the Gulf of Mexico under the Endangered Species Act.  Click here for more information and relevant links.

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service has received a request from the U.S. Navy for authorization to take, by harassment, marine mammals incidental to conducting pier construction at the Navy Submarine Base New London in Groton, Connecticut, beginning October 2018 and ending March 2022. NMFS proposes to issue this authorization pursuant to the implementing regulations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act. NMFS seeks public comments and information on this proposed action. Comments and information must be received by NMFS no later than November 1, 2017. Click here for more detail and relevant links.