Evaluating drivers of recent large whale strandings on the East Coast of the United States
Conservation Biology,
Год журнала:
2024,
Номер
38(6)
Опубликована: Май 29, 2024
Anthropogenic
stressors
threaten
large
whales
globally.
Effective
management
requires
an
understanding
of
where,
when,
and
why
threats
are
occurring.
Strandings
data
provide
key
information
on
geographic
hotspots
risk
the
relative
importance
various
threats.
There
is
currently
considerable
public
interest
in
increased
frequency
whale
strandings
occurring
along
US
East
Coast
United
States
since
2016.
Interest
accentuated
due
to
a
purported
link
with
offshore
wind
energy
development.
We
reviewed
spatiotemporal
patterns
strandings,
mortalities,
serious
injuries
humpback
(Megaptera
novaeangliae),
species
most
frequently
involved,
for
which
government
has
declared
"unusual
mortality
event"
(UME).
Our
analysis
highlights
role
vessel
strikes,
exacerbated
by
recent
changes
distribution
traffic.
Humpback
have
expanded
into
new
foraging
grounds
years.
Mortalities
strikes
significantly
these
newly
occupied
regions,
show
high
traffic
that
also
markedly
during
UME.
Surface
feeding
shallow
waters
may
been
contributing
factors.
found
no
evidence
development
contributed
or
mortalities.
This
work
need
consider
behavioral,
ecological,
anthropogenic
factors
determine
drivers
injury
informed
guidance
decision-makers.
Язык: Английский
Marine Mammal Stranding Networks in the 21st Century: Whence and Whither?
Marine Mammal Science,
Год журнала:
2025,
Номер
unknown
Опубликована: Апрель 12, 2025
Язык: Английский
Science priorities to evaluate the effects of offshore wind energy development on fish and fisheries in the Gulf of America
Marine and Coastal Fisheries,
Год журнала:
2025,
Номер
17(3)
Опубликована: Май 1, 2025
ABSTRACT
Objective
Offshore
wind
(OSW)
farms
are
slated
for
development
in
the
Gulf
of
America
(also
known
as
Mexico),
presenting
a
timely
need
to
understand
potential
effects
their
construction
and
operation
on
marine
ecosystems.
Methods
To
help
address
this
need,
we
convened
transdisciplinary
working
group
scientists,
managers,
representatives
commercial
recreational
fisheries
identify
assess
research
priorities
recommendations
related
OSW
fish
America.
Results
Here,
share
these
shrimp,
reef
fishes,
coastal
migratory
pelagics,
forage
oceanic
pelagic
elasmobranchs,
invasive
species.
We
then
detail
needs
that
oceanographic
ecological
processes,
provide
specific
management,
spatial
planning,
detection
social
economic
effects.
Our
synthesis
highlights
three
overarching
considerations:
(1)
targeted
data
collection
is
needed
disentangle
from
those
concurrent
natural
anthropogenic
stressors,
(2)
measuring
will
require
maintaining
integrity
long-term
fisheries-independent
surveys
augmenting
such
with
comprehensive
before-after-control-impact
or
before-after-gradient
designs,
(3)
there
differences
public
participation
processes
nascent
versus
established
management
should
be
considered
allow
meaningful
societal
participation.
Conclusions
Scientists
resource
managers
have
unique
opportunity
recommendations,
shaping
understanding
OSW.
Язык: Английский
Drone-based observations of scarring patterns in humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the New York Bight provide insight into foraging behavior and anthropogenic threats
PLoS ONE,
Год журнала:
2025,
Номер
20(5), С. e0324121 - e0324121
Опубликована: Май 30, 2025
Large
whales
face
a
range
of
threats,
including
vessel
strikes
and
entanglement
in
fishing
gear.
Elevated
humpback
whale
mortality,
predominantly
juveniles,
has
occurred
the
Northeast
US
since
2016.
The
New
York
Bight,
region
with
dense
shipping
traffic,
become
hotspot
for
these
strandings.
Scarring
patterns
can
provide
information
on
anthropogenic
as
well
predation
behavior.
We
used
drone
imagery
to
examine
scarring
reflective
entanglements,
strikes,
killer
interactions
bottom
feeding
both
juvenile
adult
Bight.
vast
majority
(87.1%)
(86.8%)
humpbacks
showed
scars,
indicating
that
frequently
interact
gear
across
age
classes.
Vessel
strike
scars
were
observed
more
(14.2%)
than
adults
(2.2%),
contrast
prior
observations
north
our
study
area
Gulf
Maine,
though
difference
was
borderline
significance
(mean
p
-value
0.051,
Fisher’s
Exact
tests
1000
bootstrapped
populations
incorporating
uncertainty
length
measurements).
These
results
support
previous
suggestions
Bight
may
be
particularly
vulnerable
due
inshore
surface
feeding,
suggest
obtained
locally.
Killer
are
thought
primarily
target
young
animals,
often
juveniles
(11.6%)
(4.4%),
this
not
significant
0.26).
Jaw
scuffing
indicative
(68.9%)
(27.4%;
mean
3.47
x
10
−5
),
suggesting
behavior
is
acquired
mature.
Our
findings
underscore
differences
between
highlight
exposure
threats
heavily
urbanized
coastal
regions.
Язык: Английский
A “war” over lobster and whales: The issue-attention cycle, media discourse, and political ecology of right whale science and conservation in six US newspapers
Frontiers in Communication,
Год журнала:
2024,
Номер
9
Опубликована: Авг. 23, 2024
News
organizations
and
journalists
are
important
influential
actors
in
environmental
politics.
Their
reporting
on
social
issues
often
follows
issue-attention
cycles
(IACs)
that
emphasize
drama
problematization
to
maintain
public
interest.
This
study
examined
nearly
13
years
of
news
coverage
understand
the
media
discourse
about
Critically
Endangered
North
Atlantic
right
whale
(NARW)
its
conservation.
Content
analysis
critical
were
used
analyze
356
texts
published
six
large
US
newspapers
between
January
1,
2010
March
15,
2023.
NARW
conservation
management
received
increased
attention
an
IAC
began
2017
after
Unusual
Mortality
Event
began,
with
75
percent
sampled
articles
(
n
=
267)
from
on.
The
Boston
Globe
a
majority
209)
reporter
David
Abel
was
most
prolific
journalist
50
bylines.
featured
themes
representing
threats
species,
science
technological
development,
tourism,
local
lifestyle,
culture.
common
topic
American
lobster
fishing
gear
entanglements
162,
45.5%).
In
emphasized
political
ecology
conservation,
focusing
disagreements
experts
advocates
commercial
fishermen
their
allies
as
they
sought
influence
decision
making
by
National
Marine
Fisheries
Service.
Journalists
presented
issue
through
conflict
frame
each
group
distinct
discursive
strategies
attempt
shape
opinion
related
new
or
stricter
regulations
for
fishery
designed
reduce
risk
entanglement
NARWs.
Findings
suggest
this
has
already
moved
at
least
three
five
key
stages
will
inevitably
lose
interest,
which
implications
future
communication
advocacy
case
demonstrates
continued
importance
–
forums
discussion,
essential
parts
organizational
change,
externality
can
outcomes.
Support
research
practice
vital
successful
Язык: Английский