The Important Marine Mammal Area network : a tool for systematic spatial planning in response to the marine mammal habitat conservation crisis

Major support to the IMMA process was provided by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag, through the Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative (GOBI). Funding was also provided by the MAVA Foundation and by the French Biodiversity Agency (OFB) in cooperation with IUCN’s Global Marine and Polar Program. The support from the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation, OceanCare, NRDC, the Animal Welfare Institute, and the Pacific Life Foundation is also gratefully acknowledged.The Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) initiative was launched by the Marine Mammal Protected Areas Task Force of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature in 2016, as a response to a conservation crisis in the protection of marine mammals and wider global ocean biodiversity. IMMAs identify discrete portions of habitat that are important for one or more marine mammal species, and that have the potential to be delineated and managed for conservation. They are identified by scientific experts during regional workshops, on the basis of satisfying one or more of eight criteria that capture critical aspects of marine mammal biology, ecology and population structure. Candidate IMMAs undergo independent scientific review prior to being accepted, and then are publicly available via a searchable and downloadable database and a dedicated online e-Atlas. Between 2016 and 2021, eight expert workshops - engaging more than 300 experts - have resulted in the identification of 173 IMMAs located in 90 countries or territories, across a third of the globe. IMMAs identified to date provide important habitats for 58 of the 131 recognized marine mammal species. Around two-thirds of all IMMAs (65%) were identified on the basis of important habitat for a marine mammal species that is threatened on the IUCN Red List. Approximately 61% of IMMA surface areas occur within Exclusive Economic Zone waters, while 39% fall within areas beyond national jurisdiction. The Task Force undertook implementation planning exercises for IMMAs in Palau (Micronesia), the Andaman Islands (India) and the Bazaruto Archipelago and Inhambane Bay (Mozambique), engaging with a range of stakeholders including government and management bodies. IMMAs are increasingly being utilized in environmental impact assessments, marine planning exercises and in international, national and supra-regional conservation, policy and management initiatives, including the Convention on Migratory Species and Convention on Biological Diversity, as well as the design and management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and the extension of MPA networks. The Task Force is working toward completing a global network of IMMAs that will contribute the scientific information needed to fulfill the current collective goal of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Cetacean response to environmental and anthropogenic drivers of change: Results of a 25-year distribution study in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea

reserved5Marine mammals are in many situations one of the most studied component of marine ecosystems. Their habitat requirements may be used to detect and describe the impacts of changes in the environmental conditions or in the human-induced pressures affecting the area where they live. The aim of this study is to investigate the distribution patterns of the most frequent cetacean species occurring in the area of the Pelagos Sanctuary (Northwestern Mediterranean Sea) and their potential correlations with both environmental and anthropogenic drivers of changes. Two different types of data were used: sighting data from ship-board surveys and strandings data collected along the Ligurian coast by the Italian Stranding Network, spanning from 1986 to 2014. Sighting data were collected during summer surveys conducted from June to September, between 1990 and 2014 in an area of approximately 29,000km2, within the Pelagos Sanctuary for over 115,000km surveyed under favorable conditions. A total of 4,683 sightings of the five most common cetacean species were collected: 3,305 (70.5%) striped dolphins, 814 (17.3%) fin whales, 169 (3.6%) Risso's dolphins, 347 (7.4%) sperm whales and 48 (1.02%) Cuvier's beaked whales. The species time series of both encounter and stranding rates have been investigated in the light of potential drivers of changes. The results suggest that the area may be suffering from some ecosystem change which is causing the observed changes in the distribution pattern of the five species. Potential disturbance from human activities, namely fishery and maritime traffic, could not be excluded.mixedAzzellino, A.; Airoldi, S.; Lanfredi, C.; Podestà, M.; Zanardelli, M.Azzellino, Arianna; Airoldi, S.; Lanfredi, Caterina; Podestà, M.; Zanardelli, M

Modelling Habitat Preferences for Fin Whales and Striped Dolphins in the Pelagos Sanctuary (Western Mediterranean Sea) with Physiographic and Remote Sensing Variables

One of the needs of the Pelagos Sanctuary for the Conservation of Mediterranean Marine Mammals is information on critical habitats for cetaceans. This study modelled habitat use and preferences of fin whales and striped dolphins (the two most abundant species in the area) with the aim of providing this information, using sighting data collected between 1993 and 1999. The study area was divided into a 2¿ latitude by 2¿ longitude grid. The explanatory variables considered in the models were physiographic variables (mean, range and standard deviation of depth and slope, and distance from the nearest coastline) and remotely sensed data (Sea Surface Temperature and Chlorophyll-a concentration). The former were calculated for each cell using GIS tools, while the latter were obtained from AVHRR and SeaWiFS sensors. Generalized Additive Models (GAMs) with multidimensional smoothers were used to model the distribution of fin whales and striped dolphins in relation to these variables, and Classification and Regression Trees were used for habitat characterization and predictive models. The GAMs were coupled with Generalized Estimating Equations (GEEs) to account for temporal autocorrelation in the errors and to help ensure model selection was reliable; the QIC statistic was used alongside GEE-based p-values. Bathymetric features were the most valuable predictors in the Pelagos Sanctuary area for both species. Sea Surface Temperature values were indicators of striped dolphin and fin whale presence, with both species showing a tendency to prefer colder waters (21-24 °C). Chl-a levels were selected by the GAM models only for striped dolphins, and with large associated uncertainty; this may be related to the relatively brief period examined (only 2 years) and/or to any functional relationship operating at a different geographical or temporal scale. This deserves further investigation. The boosted classification trees however indicated an importance of Chl-a for both species. The techniques applied to this dataset proved to be valuable tools to describe habitat use and preferences of cetaceans, and the use of the remotely sensed data can substantially improve the predictions. The results of this study will be used for assessing critical habitats within the Pelagos Sanctuary and will provide information for conservation and management in the Sanctuary.JRC.H.3-Global environement monitorin

Demography and conservation of the Mediterranean fin whales (balenoptera physalus): what clues can be obtained from photoidentification data

Long-lived and slow reproducing species, such as cetaceans, are among the most critical conservation units: a demographic approach can be very useful for their management and conservation. In the present work, we examined, by demographic tools, the most exhaustive photo-identifiation database available for the Mediterranean fi whale (Balaenoptera physalus) population, recorded by Tethys Research Institute between 1990 and 2007 in theWestern Ligurian Sea. A total of 31,782 km were covered and 548 fi whale sightings were recorded. The occurrence of the target species was uneven across the years and months: an anomalous reduction of sightings occurred between 2001 and 2004. Moreover, the target species is likely to concentrate in the study area in the summer months and probably moves to other areas in the early autumn. Using the photo-identifiation technique, 431 diffrent individuals were photoidentifid, but only 318 of them were sized: 6 calves (≤10 meters), 33 immature (10-15 m), 261 adolescent-adult (>15 m) and 18 olds (≥20 m). For the fist time the size of the fi whale subpopulation in the Pelagos Sanctuary was obtained by photo-identifiation and mark-recapture techniques. These techniques were used to estimate the size of the sub-population composed by individuals >15 meters as 539 fi whales (95% confience interval = 345-732) over the period 1990-1999. The number of calves was likely underestimated, as the sighting period (late spring-summer) was shifted with respect to the peak of births (late autumn). To fil this gap of knowledge we propose a simple mathematical model for the yearly dynamics of calves. After correcting the number of calves, a static life history table for the period 1990-2007 was set out. Our results highlight the highest survival proportions between calf and immature (61.1%) and the minimum between adolescent-adult and old (2.5%) vital stages. The overall life expectancy is estimated to be 6.3 years while the life expectancy of individuals entering the adolescent-adult stage is 14.3 years. This paper aims at providing a contribution for improving the conservation effrts and the demographic knowledge on fi whales in the Pelagos Sanctuary

Satellite tagging of Mediterranean fin whales: working towards the identification of critical habitats and the focussing of mitigation measures

Mediterranean fin whales comprise a genetically distinct population, listed as Vulnerable (VU) in the IUCN Red List. Collisions with vessels are believed to represent the main cause of human-induced mortality. The identification of critical habitats (including migration routes) incorporating satellite telemetry data is therefore crucial to develop focussed conservation efforts. Between 2012 and 2015 thirteen fin whales were equipped with satellite transmitters, 8 in the Pelagos Sanctuary (although two ceased within two days) and 5 in the Strait of Sicily, to evaluate movements and habitat use. A hierarchical switching state-space model was used to identify transiting and area-restricted search (ARS) behaviours, believed to indicate foraging activities. All whales undertook mid- to longdistance migrations, crossing some of the world’s busiest maritime routes. Areas where the animals predominantly engaged in ARS behaviour were identified in both study areas. The telemetry data were compared with results from ecosystem niche modelling, and showed that 80% of tagged whale positions was near (<7 km) the closest suitable habitat. The results contribute to the view that precautionary management should include establishment of a coordinated and dynamic basin-wide management scheme; if appropriate, this may include the establishment of protected areas by specific regional Conventions.JRC.D.2-Water and Marine Resource

Long‐term photo‐identification study of fin whales in the Pelagos Sanctuary (NW Mediterranean) as a baseline for targeted conservation and mitigation measures.

1. Historical abundance estimates are important for establishing baselines fromwhich trends can be determined using more recent data. Long-term studies basedon photo-identification were merged and used to estimate population size,survival rate and sex ratio (biopsy sampling) of fin whales in the North-westernMediterranean.2. Merging four existing photo-id catalogues yielded a Mediterranean cataloguewith 507 individually identified fin whales. Ninety-five (18.7%) individuals wereresighted at least once during the study period (1990–2007): 71 whales wereresighted in different years, 24 within the same season and 13 both in the sameseason and in different years. The number of resightings within-season rangedfrom one to four, over periods from 1 to 90 days.3. Capture histories from these individuals were used in the capture–recaptureanalyses. Estimates of the animals present in the area each year between 1991and 1995 through different modelling approaches were consistent: 900–1,000from a POPAN open population model; 1,200 from a multi-sample closedpopulation model; and 900–1,100 from simple two-sample closed populationmodels for pairs of consecutive years, all with heavily overlapping 95%confidence intervals.4. The estimated apparent survival rate of 0.916 (95% CI=0.773–0.972) was lowerthan expected, which may be linked to temporary or permanent emigration, ormortality possibly owing to ship strikes.5. Conservation and mitigation measures such as Important Marine Mammal Areasand Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas are presented and discussed