Stratification, Composition, and Function of Marine Mammal Blubber:                     The Ecology of Fatty Acids in Marine Mammals

Whale-watching activities provide important socioeconomic benefits for local communities and constitute powerful platform incentives for marine mammals' protection or more broadly marine environments. However, these activities can cause adverse effects on targeted populations, with considerable downside associated risks of injuries and fatality for whale watchers during inwater interactions. France with its overseas territories has the second largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ), in which more than half of existing cetacean species are encountered. In these territories, recreational and commercial whale watching, including swim-with cetacean activities, have recently developed. Yet few studies focused on these activities and their associated impacts across French territories, leading to an unclear assessment of the situation. To address this issue, we reviewed cetaceans' occurrence within the French EEZ, whale-watching industry, targeted species, local management of marine mammal-based tourism activities, and regulations in France mainland and some overseas territories (Reunion Island, Mayotte, and French Polynesia). Fortyeight species are encountered in the French EEZ, and 15 are targeted by whale-watching activities. A total of 185 operators, including 34% offering swim-with-cetaceans tours, offered trips in France and overseas in 2019. While several more or less restrictive regulations exist locally, our results indicate that French's national legal framework for marine mammals' protection remains inadequate and insufficient to cope with the recent development of this activity. As conservation biologists, managers, and stakeholders from these French territories, we cooperated to provide general guidelines for a sustainable development of whale watching at a national scale. We urge (1) to legally acknowledge and regulate whale-watching commercial activities; (2) to create a national legal framework regarding whale watching and swim-with marine mammals practices, while accounting for local distinctiveness and disparities across regions; (3) to conduct more research to evaluate local short- and long-term impacts on targeted marine mammal populations as well as the socioeconomic benefits; and (4) to reinforce synergetic relations between the different stakeholders.

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Cellular and metabolic mechanisms of nutrient actions in immune function

Nutrition and Diabetes ◽

10.1038/s41387-021-00162-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Philip Newsholme

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Fatty Acids ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Immune System ◽

Cell Function ◽

Immune Cell ◽

Cell Structure ◽

Nutritional Intervention ◽

Immune Cell Function ◽

And Function

AbstractVarious nutrients can change cell structure, cellular metabolism, and cell function which is particularly important for cells of the immune system as nutrient availability is associated with the activation and function of diverse immune subsets. The most important nutrients for immune cell function and fate appear to be glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, and vitamin D. This perspective will describe recently published information describing the mechanism of action of prominent nutritional intervention agents where evidence exists as to their action and potency.

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Fa(c)t checking: How fatty acids shape metabolism and function of macrophages and dendritic cells

European Journal of Immunology ◽

10.1002/eji.202048944 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Luís Almeida ◽

Bart Everts

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Dendritic Cells ◽

And Function

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Marine Mammals: Animal Models for Studying the Digestion and Transport of Dietary Fats Enriched in w-3 Fatty Acids. Positional Analyses of Milk Fat Triacylglycerol Molecules

Dietary ω3 and ω6 Fatty Acids ◽

10.1007/978-1-4757-2043-3_33 ◽

1989 ◽

pp. 361-367 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Donald L. Puppione ◽

R. J. Jandacek ◽

S. T. Kunitake ◽

D. P. Costa

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Animal Models ◽

Milk Fat ◽

Marine Mammals ◽

Dietary Fats

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Cetacean Research and Citizen Science in Kenya

Frontiers in Marine Science ◽

10.3389/fmars.2021.642399 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Michael Gilbert Mwango’mbe ◽

Jane Spilsbury ◽

Steve Trott ◽

Judith Nyunja ◽

Nina Wambiji ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Citizen Science ◽

Marine Mammal ◽

Marine Mammals ◽

Bottlenose Dolphins ◽

Conservation Strategies ◽

Science Data ◽

Pilot Whale ◽

Area Of Interest ◽

Mammal Conservation ◽

Kenyan Coast

In 2011, several non-governmental and government agencies established the Kenya Marine Mammal Network (KMMN) to provide a platform for the consistent collection of data on marine mammals along the Kenyan coast, identify areas of importance and engage marine users and the general public in marine mammal conservation. Prior to the KMMN, relatively little was known about marine mammals in Kenya, limiting conservation strategies. The KMMN collects data nationwide through dedicated surveys, opportunistic sightings and participative citizen science, currently involving more than 100 contributors. This paper reviews data on sightings and strandings for small cetaceans in Kenya collated by the KMMN. From 2011 to 2019, 792 records of 11 species of small cetaceans were documented. The most frequently reported inshore species were the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin and Indian Ocean humpback dolphin. Offshore species, included killer whales, short-finned pilot whale and long-snouted spinner dolphin. Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, long-snouted spinner dolphins, striped dolphins and Risso’s dolphins were recorded through stranding reports. The efforts of the KMMN were disseminated through international meetings (International Whaling Commission, World Marine Mammal Conference), national status reports, outreach and social media. Data has also supported the identification of three IUCN Important Marine Mammal Areas and one Area of Interest in Kenya. Further research is needed to improve estimates of cetacean abundance and distribution, particularly in unstudied coastal areas, and to assess the extent of anthropogenic threats associated with fisheries, coastal and port development, seismic exercises and unregulated tourism. The expansion of the network should benefit from the participation of remote coastal fishing communities, government research agencies, tourism and seismic operations, among others. The KMMN demonstrated the value of dedicated and citizen science data to enhance marine mammal conservation strategies to boost awareness and eco-tourism and to bring the public and science closer together, promoting research and effective conservation efforts.

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Resurgence of an apex marine predator and the decline in prey body size

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1910930116 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 116 (52) ◽

pp. 26682-26689 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Jan Ohlberger ◽

Daniel E. Schindler ◽

Eric J. Ward ◽

Timothy E. Walsworth ◽

Timothy E. Essington

Keyword(s):

Life History ◽

Body Size ◽

Chinook Salmon ◽

Marine Mammal ◽

Marine Mammals ◽

Size Structure ◽

Economic Value ◽

Killer Whales ◽

Selective Predation ◽

Marine Predator

In light of recent recoveries of marine mammal populations worldwide and heightened concern about their impacts on marine food webs and global fisheries, it has become increasingly important to understand the potential impacts of large marine mammal predators on prey populations and their life-history traits. In coastal waters of the northeast Pacific Ocean, marine mammals have increased in abundance over the past 40 to 50 y, including fish-eating killer whales that feed primarily on Chinook salmon. Chinook salmon, a species of high cultural and economic value, have exhibited marked declines in average size and age throughout most of their North American range. This raises the question of whether size-selective predation by marine mammals is generating these trends in life-history characteristics. Here we show that increased predation since the 1970s, but not fishery selection alone, can explain the changes in age and size structure observed for Chinook salmon populations along the west coast of North America. Simulations suggest that the decline in mean size results from the selective removal of large fish and an evolutionary shift toward faster growth and earlier maturation caused by selection. Our conclusion that intensifying predation by fish-eating killer whales contributes to the continuing decline in Chinook salmon body size points to conflicting management and conservation objectives for these two iconic species.

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Relevance of Fatty Acids to Sperm Maturation and Quality

Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity ◽

10.1155/2020/7038124 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 2020 ◽

pp. 1-14 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Giulia Collodel ◽

Cesare Castellini ◽

Jetty Chung-Yung Lee ◽

Cinzia Signorini

Keyword(s):

Biological Sciences ◽

Fatty Acids ◽

Fatty Acid ◽

Fatty Acid Profile ◽

Human Sperm ◽

Dietary Fatty Acids ◽

Pathological Conditions ◽

Sperm Membrane ◽

And Function

Almost 50% of infertility cases are associated with human male infertility. The sperm membrane is a key structure influencing sperm morphology and function in normal and pathological conditions. The fatty acid profile determines the performance not only of sperm motility but also of acrosomal reaction and sperm-oocyte fusion. This review presents available knowledge on the role of fatty acid composition in human sperm and spermatogenesis and discusses the influence of dietary fatty acids on the sperm fatty acid profile. Recent studies in biological sciences and clinical researches in this field are also reported. The topic object of this review has potential application in medicine by identifying potential causes of infertility.

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The impacts of climate change on marine mammals: early signs of significant problems

Oryx ◽

10.1017/s0030605307001524 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

pp. 19-26 ◽

Cited By ~ 113

Author(s):

Mark P. Simmonds ◽

Stephen J. Isaac

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Marine Mammal ◽

Marine Mammals ◽

Delphinapterus Leucas ◽

Polar Regions ◽

Baleen Whale ◽

Direct Observations ◽

Management Plans ◽

Conservation Plans ◽

Impacts Of Climate Change

Climate change is now known to be affecting the oceans. It is widely anticipated that impacts on marine mammals will be mediated primarily via changes in prey distribution and abundance and that the more mobile (or otherwise adaptable) species may be able to respond to this to some extent. However, the extent of this adaptability is largely unknown. Meanwhile, within the last few years direct observations have been made of several marine mammal populations that illustrate reactions to climate change. These observations indicate that certain species and populations may be especially vulnerable, including those with a limited habitat range, such as the vaquita Phocoena sinus, or those for which sea ice provides an important part of their habitat, such as narwhals Monodon monoceros, bowhead Balaena mysticetus and beluga Delphinapterus leucas whales and polar bears Ursus maritimus. Similarly, there are concerns about those species that migrate to feeding grounds in polar regions because of rapidly changing conditions there, and this includes many baleen whale populations. This review highlights the need to take projected impacts into account in future conservation and management plans, including species assessments. How this should be done in an adequately precautionary manner offers a significant challenge to those involved in such processes, although it is possible to identify at this time at least some species and populations that may be regarded as especially vulnerable. Marine ecosystems modellers and marine mammal experts will need to work together to make such assessments and conservation plans as robust as possible.

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Marine mammals and Japanese long-line fishing vessels in Australian waters: operational interactions and sightings

Pacific Conservation Biology ◽

10.1071/pc060031 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 31 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Catherine Bell ◽

Peter Shaughnessy ◽

Margie Morrice ◽

Bob Stanley

Keyword(s):

Marine Mammal ◽

Marine Mammals ◽

East Coast ◽

Fishing Gear ◽

Killer Whales ◽

Fishing Vessels ◽

Long Line ◽

Target Fish ◽

Pilot Whales ◽

Warm Temperate

Observers from the Australian Fisheries Management Authority worked on randomly chosen Japanese long-line vessels in the Australian Fishing Zone (AFZ) between 1980 and 1997. Observer reports (n = 451) were inspected for interactions or sightings of marine mammals. An operational interaction was defined as an activity or behaviour that involved direct contact between a marine mammal and fishing gear, bait, target fish or bycatch, or indications that the marine mammal was feeding. A sighting was defined as the recording of marine mammals that passed the vessel without changing course and/or did not appear to interact with the vessel or its gear. Observers witnessed 23 interactions and made another 44 sightings of marine mammals. A further 24 interactions and sightings were relayed by crew members. Killer whales were reported most frequently: most incidences of fish being damaged, taken or frightened away were attributed to them. Eleven marine mammals were caught: two died, seven were released, and the fate of two others was not recorded. Between 1991 and 1996, when observer coverage was 11.5% overall in the AFZ, the incidence of interactions was 1.71 per million hooks set. The estimated number of interactions in that seven-year period was 157 in the AFZ. Since 1997, the long-line fishery has been conducted by Australian vessels, primarily off the east coast of mainland Australia in warm-temperate waters. A higher proportion of interactions can be expected with killer whales and short-finned pilot whales in these waters, and fewer with seals.

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