First records of anomalously white harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the Turkish seas with a global review

Dede, Ayhan/0000-0002-7712-615X; YESILCICEK, TUNCAY/0000-0002-3236-8227; Tonay, Arda M./0000-0003-2718-9328; Kose, Ozay/0000-0002-3565-160XWOS: 000320413100012Three anomalously white harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) were reported in Turkish Seas. One of them was bycaught on 19 June 2011 in bottom gill nets off the eastern coast of the Turkish Black Sea. the second one was observed four times in May and early June 2012 in the Istanbul Strait. the last one was stranded alive on 7 July 2012 in the Istanbul Strait. Records (published and unpublished) of anomalously white harbour porpoises in the world were reviewed. in total, 34 records were found from the world seas: the Black Sea, North Sea, Baltic Sea, North Atlantic Ocean and North Eastern Pacific Ocean. According to these records, three patterns of pigmentation were suggested.Recep Tayym Erdogan UniversityRecep Tayyip Erdogan University [BAP 2010.103 03 2]; Istanbul UniversityIstanbul University [BAP 184761, BAP 27942]The authors thank S. Berrow, O K. Didockson, K. Flannery, PG H Evans, A. Gob, Z. Gunelidze, I Hasselmeier, L Hutchings, W Keener, C.C. Kinze, L Morison, S. Pezeril, D. Quigley, K Robinson, D. Schulte, R Sears, A. U for observation data and old photos, A. Beird for photos, A.E. Kutukcu for video in Istanbul Strait, E. Danyer and I Aytemiz for necropsy report, H Bayar for necropsy assistance, 13 Topaloglu for photos of case 3 and logistic, S. Akmermer, K Akmermer and U. Akmermer for help in Size, L Eadie, T de Haas, N. Tonay and Kirecburnu's fishermen in Istanbul, Coast Guard for cooperation in IU/TUDAV Cetacean Stranding Network; V. Onar and P.S C. Turetken for help in fixation case 3, P Korkmazel, K. Guzey/ANIMA for colour grading and video time warping, B. Ozturk, P Gol'din and D Fertl for their valuable advises; A A Ozturk, R. Bilgin, C. Torso for their contributions during editing Case I study was supported by Recep Tayym Erdogan University, Scientific Research Project (BAP 2010.103 03 2). Case 2 study was supported by Istanbul University, Scientific Research Pealed (BAP 184761 Case 3 preserving and exhibit was provided by Istanbul University, Scientific Research Project (BAP 27942

Insights from 180 years of mitochondrial variability in the endangered Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus)

Mediterranean monk seals (MMS) are among the most endangered marine mammals on Earth.We screened mitochondrial variability (control region [CR1] and mitogenomes) of the species through a 180‐yr timeframe and extended by 20% (n = 205) the number of samples from a previous investigation, including historical specimens from 1833 to 1975. Although we detected two new, rare CR1 haplotypes, genetic diversity remained extremely low. Fully resolved haplotype median network and rarefaction analysis both suggested low probability for further unscreened haplotypes. There was no clear phylogeographic structure across the 12 marine subdivisions covered by the species' range. Haplotypes previously considered diagnostic of the extant North Atlantic and eastern Mediterranean populations had their distributions extended into the western Mediterranean and the North Atlantic, respectively, by both historical and recent samples. Our study suggests that MMS have been genetically depauperate since at least the mid‐19th century, and that the massive 1997 die‐off in Western Sahara (North Atlantic) could have caused local haplotype extinctions. Our results support the hypothesis of past metapopulation dynamics across the species range, where the current segregation into geographically distant and genetically depauperate breeding populations (i.e., North Atlantic and eastern Mediterranean Sea) derives from the combined effects of historical extinctions, genetic drift on small breeding groups, and persistently low levels of genetic diversity

Estimates of cetacean by-catch in the turbot fishery on the Turkish Western Black Sea Coast in 2007 and 2008

This is the first study estimating cetacean by-catch in the Turkish western Black Sea turbot fishery. One turbot fishing boat was observed during two fishing seasons, from April through July 2007 and April through mid-September 2008. During this time, 24 harbour porpoises and one bottlenose dolphin were caught in turbot trammel nets. The by-catch rate was found to be 0.18 for harbour porpoise and 0.01 for bottlenose dolphin individuals per kilometre in 2007, and 0.19 for harbour porpoise individuals in 2008. It is estimated that the total numbers of harbour porpoises killed in the Turkish western Black Sea during the legal fishing period (April and July) were 167 +/- 153 (CV: 0.92) in 2007 and 329 +/- 220 (CV: 0.67) in 2008, and the number killed during both legal and illegal periods of turbot fishing were 2011 +/- 742 (CV: 0.37) in 2007 and 2294 +/- 806 (CV: 0.35) in 2008. The estimated range of harbour porpoise by-catch in the turbot fishery on the Turkish western Black Sea coast is between these two estimates. The by-caught harbour porpoises were between 1-8 years of age. About half of them were within the age range of 4 (26%) and 5 (21%) years old, and 78% were physically immature individuals. Turbot fishing carried out with bottom nets, especially in May and June, when turbot fishing is banned, is a threat to the sustainability of harbour porpoise stocks

Estimates of cetacean by-catch in the turbot fishery on the Turkish Western Black Sea Coast in 2007 and 2008

This is the first study estimating cetacean by-catch in the Turkish western Black Sea turbot fishery. One turbot fishing boat was observed during two fishing seasons, from April through July 2007 and April through mid-September 2008. During this time, 24 harbour porpoises and one bottlenose dolphin were caught in turbot trammel nets. The by-catch rate was found to be 0.18 for harbour porpoise and 0.01 for bottlenose dolphin individuals per kilometre in 2007, and 0.19 for harbour porpoise individuals in 2008. It is estimated that the total numbers of harbour porpoises killed in the Turkish western Black Sea during the legal fishing period (April and July) were 167 +/- 153 (CV: 0.92) in 2007 and 329 +/- 220 (CV: 0.67) in 2008, and the number killed during both legal and illegal periods of turbot fishing were 2011 +/- 742 (CV: 0.37) in 2007 and 2294 +/- 806 (CV: 0.35) in 2008. The estimated range of harbour porpoise by-catch in the turbot fishery on the Turkish western Black Sea coast is between these two estimates. The by-caught harbour porpoises were between 1-8 years of age. About half of them were within the age range of 4 (26%) and 5 (21%) years old, and 78% were physically immature individuals. Turbot fishing carried out with bottom nets, especially in May and June, when turbot fishing is banned, is a threat to the sustainability of harbour porpoise stocks

Preliminary study of acoustic identification of odontocetes in the Istanbul Strait, Turkey

February 20-21, 2012, BANGKOK, THAILANDIn the Istanbul Strait, three odontocetes species are observed; the harbor porpoise which belongs to Phocoenidae and the common dolphin and the bottlenose dolphin which belong to Delphinidae. Previous visual observation conducted in the middle of this Strait showed, Phocoenidae appeared frequently in March and April, whereas Delphinidae appeared throughout the year. However, visual observation can only occur during daytime. On the other hand, acoustic observation can be used all day long, but is not suitable to identify and distinguish different species. In this study, we examined whether a two band acoustic comparison of biosonar sounds can identify family or species of odontocetes. We compared the sound intensity ratio of two frequency bands at 70 kHz and 130 kHz. Narrow-band sounds, with dominant frequency around 130 kHz, correspond to a large ratio of two band intensities, possibly originating from Phocoenidae. In contrast, broad-band sounds provide similar intensities at both frequencies, which possibly originating from Delphinidae. The results show Phocoenidae appeared frequently in March and April, whereas Delphinidae appeared during all months. These findings are consistent with previous visual observations and suggest that two band acoustic monitoring of small odontocetes could be useful for the identification of harbor porpoises from Delphinidae species in a long term study