 TURTLE
GUARDS
During 2007 Ketos Ecology released a document
outlining the problem of accidental mortality of marine turtles in the tail
buoys towed by seismic survey vessels (Ketos
Ecology, 2007). The document contained
information on the mechanism of turtle entrapment in this equipment and
recommendations for minimising its occurrence via the use of 'turtle
guards'. During October 2007, this information was distributed to the IAGC, the OGP
and various seismic regulatory authorities with the aim of raising awareness
and finding a long-term solution to the problem. In late 2008 and 2009 it became apparent that turtle fatalities were
continuing to occur in seismic gear fitted with particular 'turtle guard' designs.
The
Turtle Guard section of the website has been updated accordingly, and Ketos Ecology
is continuing efforts to address this problem.
A guidance document on establishing a protocol
for operations to release turtles trapped in discarded fishing nets has also
been produced by Ketos Ecology and information is available on the
Turtle Rescue page.
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 ATLANTIC HUMPBACK DOLPHIN DOLPHIN PROJECT
Ketos Ecology carried out pioneering work
on Atlantic humpback dolphins (Sousa teuszii) in Angolan waters
during January and June/July 2008. This small cetacean species is
endemic to coastal waters between Angola and Morocco, and is very poorly
known. Information on Atlantic humpback dolphins, the survey methods
and results and a catalogue of the individual humpback dolphins photographed
off Angola can be downloaded following the link above. A scientific paper
outlining the ecological findings of the humpback dolphin study is due for
publication during early 2010, and a paper on the whistles produced by the
dolphins is also due for publication during 2010.
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Publications by (or involving) Ketos Ecology during 2010
and 2011
include:
Elwen, S.H. , Findlay, K.P., Kiszka, J. and Weir, C.R. Cetacean
research in the southern African subregion: a review of previous
studies and current knowledge. In Press, African Journal of
Marine Science.
Weir, C.R.
(2011). Ecology and conservation of cetaceans in the waters between Angola
and the Gulf of Guinea, with focus on the Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa
teuszii). PhD Thesis, University of Aberdeen, UK.
Weir, C.R.
(2011). Distribution and seasonality of cetaceans in tropical waters between
Angola and the Gulf of Guinea. African Journal of Marine Science, 33:
1–15.
Weir, C.R.,
Van Waerebeek, K., Jefferson, T.A. and Collins, T. (2011). West Africa’s
Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii): endemic, enigmatic and
soon Endangered? African Zoology, 46: 1–17.
Weir, C.R.,
Calderan, S., Unwin, M. and Paulatto, M. (2011). Cetaceans observed in the
waters around Montserrat, eastern Caribbean Sea, 2007 and 2010, including
new species state records. Marine
Biodiversity Records, Volume 4, e42, 2011.
Weir, C.R.,
Collins, T., Carvalho, I. and Rosenbaum, H.C. (2010). Killer whales (Orcinus
orca) in Angolan and Gulf of Guinea waters, tropical West Africa.
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 90:
1601–1611.
Weir, C.R. (2010). A
review of cetacean occurrence in West African waters from the Gulf of Guinea
to Angola. Mammal Review, 40: 2–39.
Weir, C.R.
(2010). First description of Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii)
whistles, recorded off Angola. Bioacoustics, 19: 211–224.
Weir, C.R. (2010).
Cetaceans observed in the coastal waters of Namibe Province, Angola, during
summer and winter 2008. Marine Biodiversity Records, 3: e27.
doi:10.1017/S1755267210000230.
Weir, C.R.
(2010). Sightings of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus Smith 1828) off
Angola and Nigeria. Marine Biodiversity Records, Volume 3, e50, 2010.
doi:10.1017/S1755267209990741, published online by Cambridge University
Press, 2010.
Weir, C.R.,
Van Waerebeek, K., Jefferson, T.A. and Collins, T. (2010). Challenges and
priorities for the conservation of the Vulnerable Atlantic humpback dolphin
(Sousa teuszii), with a case study from Namibe Province, Angola.
Paper SC/62/SM6 presented to the Scientific Committee of the International
Whaling Commission, Agadir, 2010.
Weir, C.R. (2010).
Conservation of the vulnerable Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii)
in southern Angola: an uncertain future? 24th Annual Conference of the
European Cetacean Society, Stralsund (Germany), 22-24 March 2010. |
