Cetaceans of Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem Cetaceans of the Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem, 2011 CCMLE Survey Report to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Delphinus delphis, Photo fecit A. Djiba February 2012 Consultant: Dr Koen Van Waerebeek Centro Peruano de Estudios Cetológicos - CEPEC Lima 20, PERU 1 Cetaceans of Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem 1. Documents submitted 1.1. Overview of Output Title : Cetaceans of the Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem, 2011 CCMLE Survey. Type : The present document. Reporting synthesis for UNESCO Contract n° 4500160357 1.2. 2011 CCMLE Survey Report Title : Van Waerebeek K. & Djiba A. (2012) Marine mammal observations during the FAO/CCMLE Ecosystemic Ship-board Survey off Northwest Africa, October – December 2011. Contract report to UNESCO, February 2012. Concerns Contract item: Article I.i. (a) (b) (c) and I. ii.(a). Format : PDF and Open document text (.odt): Unesco_CCMLE_2011Survey_Report Contents : Report on the 2011 CCMLE marine mammal survey on the platform-of-opportunity Norwegian R/V dr. Fridjoff Nansen. 1.3. 2011 CCMLE Survey Database : Accessory Material Title : Van Waerebeek K. & Djiba A. (2012). Database of marine mammal sightings made during 2011 CCMLE Survey. Editor, K.Van Waerebeek. Concerns Contract item: Article I. i. (a) (b) nd I. ii.(a). Format: Open document spreadsheet (.ods) and MS-Excel (.xls) Unesco_CCMLE2011Survey_database. Summary: A total of 37 data fields are presented for 123 cetacean sightings made during the survey, 83 (Conakry-Nouadhibou) under the supervision of K. Van Waerebeek and 40 (Nouadhibou-Agadir) under the supervision of Djiba. Of these 118 were primary sightings and five (in blue) were concluded to be re-sightings. Parameters include: Unique Sighting Number, GPS Waypoint, Observers, Vessel Mode (cruise, sampling), Date, Time (GMT) 1st cue, Radial distance (m), Closest Distance (m), Angle (relative to bow, dd), Effort (On, Off), Re-sighting, Sea State (Beaufort), Swell (low, moderate, high), Visibility (good, moderate, poor, night), Water Depth (m), Water Colour, Sea Surface Temperature (°C), Species Common Name (English), Common Name (French), Scientific Name, Status record (confirmed, unconfirmed, unidentified), Group Size best estimate, Group Size minimum estimate, Group Size maximum estimate, Longitude West degrees (dd), Longitude West minutes (mm.mm), Longitude West (decimal), Latitude North degrees (dd), Latitude North minutes (mm.mm), Latitude 2 Cetaceans of Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem North (decimal), EEZ, Behaviour (descriptive), Reaction to vessel (positive, neutral, negative), Morphology/features, Heading of Ship, Direction of travel (cetaceand), Photos. 1.4. West African Cetacean Database (WAFCETDATA) Title : Comprehensive database of cetacean records in western Africa, 1946-2011. Includes specimens, sightings, strandings, (by)catches. First edition: partim Northwest Africa. Editor : K. Van Waerebeek Format : Database file, version 2012-02 : Open database format (.dbf ) and MS-Excel (.xls) (Unesco Cetacean Database Wafrica v4.1) Concerns Contract Item : Article I.ii.(a) “Baseline information on the spatial and temporal distribution of marine mammals in the Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem region” * Summary : The current 29 data fields (variables) include: Original Record or Catalogue Number, Species Scientific Name, Species English Name, Species French name, Record Type (sighting or specimen), Specimen Type (stranding, by-catch, directed take, ...), Group Size best estimate, Group Size minimum estimate, Group Size maximum estimate, Condition Code, Species ID status (supported, unsupported, confirmed, unconfirmed, under study, ...), Locality, Region, Range State, Date, Longitude West degrees (dd), Longitude West minutes (mm.mm), Longitude West (decimal), Latitude North degrees (dd), Latitude North minutes (mm.mm), Latitude North (decimal), Voucher type, Archive, Legit/Observer, References, Standard length (cm), Sex, Age, Comments. * As of 15/02/2012 a total of 615 unique records, most from published sources, have been critically evaluated one-by-one (for reliability, details, voucher material ) and entered in database, including 2011 CCMLE sightings. This database should be considered “a work in progress” and records will continue to be added. Also, older non-georeferenced records (95% of total) can be manually converted to georeferenced, based on geographic descriptions of sites and Garmin's MapSource software or Google Earth. This is however a slow and laborious procedure. * The complete list of references, plus scientific papers and other documents that were checked for potential relevant records are listed in Appendix 2. 1.5. Research Article on humpback whales Title : Van Waerebeek K., Djiba A., Krakstad J.O., Almeida, A. & Mass Mbye, E. (2012) New wintering/nursing ground of humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae on the Northwest African 3 Cetaceans of Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem continental shelf exhibits a Southern Hemisphere seasonality signature. Contents: Research article (draft), in preparation for publication. Target journal: African Zoology or African Journal for Marine Science. Possibly to be submitted to IWC Scientific Committee (2012 meeting). Format : PDF and Open document text (.odt). 2. Recommendations on optimized methodologies Concerns : Article I.ii. (b) “ Recommendations on optimized methodologies for marine mammal surveys for the Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem region, increased involvement of African experts in marine mammal surveys, and actions to encourage long-term marine mammal surveys. 2.1. Technological 2.1.1. Marine mammal work on CCMLE surveys are significantly restricted due to the inevitable platform-of-opportunity methodology. Surveying is done exclusively in 'passing mode', so none of the cetacean sightings were approached (one exception was allowed, as to ascertain the presence of a calf humpback whale). About half of sightings could not be identified due to great distance (typically several km). High-performing optical equipment could help to reduce significantly the proportion of non-identified sightings. (i) Urgent need for more powerful equipment : image-stabilized (IS) binoculars with high magnification (e.g. Canon IS series binoculars, 12x 36mm, or 18x 50mm). The methodology is to locate the marine mammals with regular, wide-angle 7x50 marine binoculars; then identify and observe behaviour with IS binoculars. (ii) For the 2011 survey a (relatively obsolete) CANON EOS350D SLR body was available. In future, a new camera body (e.g. CANON EOS 60D) with high-resolution still and video capabilities, should be used. (iii) Acquire an image-stabilized CANON 70-300mm IS-USM telephoto lens. In combination with a new SLR camera body, resolution of photographic evidence will be dramatically enhanced and should allow a significant increase in additional identifications based on photographic evidence even where real-time observation and identification may not have permitted to secure a confirmed ID, with ship proceeding. 2.1.2. Currently all marine mammal observation effort is opportunistic, passive. It has 4 Cetaceans of Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem occurred that the ship moved out of a zone while an unusual and significant cetacean sighting was on-going near the vessel, thus jeopardizing the opportunity to properly identify and document (photograph) individuals. If a preset number of micro-effort dedicated periods (e.g. 10 x 10 minutes, i.e. 100min per cruise) could be granted to the marine mammal team, to be implemented on request and in consultation with the ship's master or the officer-on- duty, this would maximize documentation ability. Flexibility would be essential since sightings being stochastic events, can ofcourse not be foreseen nor planned. It was understood from one cruise leader that this option might be possible logistically but that any dedicated time would need to be rented as a fraction of a daily ship's operation cost. Alternatively, survey organisers might start think it worthwhile and consider it reasonable to dedicate a minor number of minutes to marine mammals. 2.2. Participants-trainees It would be highly desirable to involve several additional African scientists in the marine mammal component of CCMLE. However, the main obstacle is the severe lack of berths on the vessel, and the impracticality (impossibility) to take cabin space away from oceanographic scientists. We are currently allowed to have a single marine mammal observer onboard, who can alternate with other(s) during a port call. For training purposes it is far preferable to have one expert and a trainee simultaneously observing, considering that much of the training is by gaining hands-on expertise. This can be arranged only if one or more oceanographic scientist(s) disembark earlier than programmed or embark later than planned. A new, bigger, Norwegian (NORAD) research vessel is under construction, with more berth spaces. However it will not yet be operational in time for the next 2012 CCMLE survey. 3. Future Project Proposal outlines 3.1. CCMLE 2012 Ecosystemic Survey Title : FAO Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCMLE) Survey, with Marine Mammal component. Implementation Period : 8 May – 22 July 2012 Departure-Arrival : Conakry - Las Palmas; with port calls at Dakar (23 May), Nouakchott (5 June), Las Palmas (25 June), Casablanca (18 July). Summary : Third Ecosystemic research cruise off Northwest Africa