scholarly journals The Impact of Vessels on Humpback Whale Behavior: The Benefit of Added Whale Watching Guidelines

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens J. Currie ◽  
Jessica A. McCordic ◽  
Grace L. Olson ◽  
Abigail F. Machernis ◽  
Stephanie H. Stack
Keyword(s):  
Respiration Rate ◽  
Humpback Whale ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Whale Watching ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Marine Tourism ◽  
Generalized Additive Modeling ◽  
The World ◽  
Additive Modeling ◽  
The Impact

The concurrent increase in marine tourism and vessel traffic around the world highlights the need for developing responsible whale watching guidelines. To determine the impact of vessel presence on humpback whale behaviors in Maui Nui, a land-based study was conducted from 2015 to 2018 in Maui, Hawai'i. Theodolite tracks were used to summarize humpback whale swim speed, respiration rate, dive time, and path directness to determine the potential impacts of various types of vessel presence on whale behavior. Vessel presence, proximity, and approach type in conjunction with biological parameters were used in a generalized additive modeling framework to explain changes in whale behaviors. The results presented here show increases in swim speed, respiration rate, and path directness in conjunction with decreasing dive times, which has been shown to be an energetically demanding avoidance strategy. These observations, in conjunction with increasing awareness on the implication of non-lethal effects of human disturbance and changing oceanic environments on humpback whales, highlights the need for a pre-cautionary approach to management. Stricter guidelines on whale watching will limit the level of disturbance to individual humpback whales in Hawai'i and ensure they maintain the fitness required to compensate for varying ecological and anthropogenic conditions.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 on Souvenir Industry in Marine Tourism Areas in Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-24
Author(s):  
Indah Pambudi Arumsari ◽  
Rolisda Yosintha
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Descriptive Analysis ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Marine Tourism ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact

Covid-19 is a lethal virus that is being faced by the world. Many sectors are affected by the virus, including the marine tourism industry and all people who work in this industry. This study aimed to investigate the impact of Covid-19 on souvenir traders in the marine tourism area in Indonesia. The researchers used a qualitative method to collect the data and descriptive analysis to analyze the data. The findings show that Covid-19 has detrimentally affected souvenir traders in marine tourism areas in Indonesia as they lost nearly 100% of their income from tourist visits. To overcome this income deficit, most of them choose to switch professions to become farmers, fishermen, seaweed farmers, and antiseptic gel makers

scholarly journals First description of migratory behavior of humpback whales from an Antarctic feeding ground to a tropical calving ground

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Modest ◽  
Ladd Irvine ◽  
Virginia Andrews-Goff ◽  
William Gough ◽  
David Johnston ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Linear Regression ◽  
State Space ◽  
Humpback Whale ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Migratory Behavior ◽  
Migration Speed ◽  
Feeding Ground ◽  
Excellent Starting Point ◽  
Departure Date ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Despite exhibiting one of the longest migrations in the world, half of the humpback whale migratory cycle has remained unexamined. Until now, no study has provided a continuous description of humpback whale migratory behavior from a feeding ground to a calving ground. We present new information on satellite-derived offshore migratory movements of 16 Breeding Stock G humpback whales from Antarctic feeding grounds to South American calving grounds. Satellite locations were used to demonstrate migratory corridors, while the impact of departure date on migration speed was assessed using a linear regression. A Bayesian hierarchical state–space animal movement model (HSSM) was utilized to investigate the presence of Area Restricted Search (ARS) en route. Results 35,642 Argos locations from 16 tagged whales from 2012 to 2017 were collected. The 16 whales were tracked for a mean of 38.5 days of migration (range 10–151 days). The length of individually derived tracks ranged from 645 to 6381 km. Humpbacks were widely dispersed geographically during the initial and middle stages of their migration, but convened in two convergence regions near the southernmost point of Chile as well as Peru’s Illescas Peninsula. The state–space model showed almost no instances of ARS along the migratory route. The linear regression assessing whether departure date affected migration speed showed suggestive but inconclusive support for a positive trend between the two variables. Results suggestive of stratification by sex and reproductive status were found for departure date and route choice. Conclusions This multi-year study sets a baseline against which the effects of climate change on humpback whales can be studied across years and conditions and provides an excellent starting point for the investigation into humpback whale migration.

scholarly journals Vessel noise levels drive behavioural responses of humpback whales with implications for whale-watching

eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate R Sprogis ◽  
Simone Videsen ◽  
Peter T Madsen
Keyword(s):  
Low Frequency ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Whale Watching ◽  
Noise Emission ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Fitness Consequences ◽  
Controlled Exposure ◽  
Vessel Noise ◽  
The Impact

Disturbance from whale-watching can cause significant behavioural changes with fitness consequences for targeted whale populations. However, the sensory stimuli triggering these responses are unknown, preventing effective mitigation. Here, we test the hypothesis that vessel noise level is a driver of disturbance, using humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) as a model species. We conducted controlled exposure experiments (n = 42) on resting mother-calf pairs on a resting ground off Australia, by simulating whale-watch scenarios with a research vessel (range 100 m, speed 1.5 knts) playing back vessel noise at control/low (124/148 dB), medium (160 dB) or high (172 dB) low frequency-weighted source levels (re 1 μPa RMS@1 m). Compared to control/low treatments, during high noise playbacks the mother’s proportion of time resting decreased by 30%, respiration rate doubled and swim speed increased by 37%. We therefore conclude that vessel noise is an adequate driver of behavioural disturbance in whales and that regulations to mitigate the impact of whale-watching should include noise emission standards.

scholarly journals Assessing and Mitigating Humpback Whale (Megaptera Novaeangliae) Disturbance of Whale-watching Activities in Reunion Island

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ludovic Hoarau ◽  
Mayeul Dalleau ◽  
Sylvain Delaspre ◽  
Thibaut Barra ◽  
Anne-Emmanuelle Landes
Keyword(s):  
Humpback Whale ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Reunion Island ◽  
Whale Watching ◽  
Tourism Education ◽  
Improve Compliance ◽  
Réunion Island ◽  
Surface Active ◽  
Breeding Seasons

Whale watching, including swim-with-whales activities, is developing at an enormous rate in Reunion Island. This is raising concerns about its impacts on breeding humpback whales and challenging the sustainability of the activity. In 2017, a dedicated-at-sea patrol team, "Quiétude," was created to observe, monitor, and raise awareness to the whale watchers in order to improve compliance with local guidelines. In this context, the team assessed whale watching in Reunion Island during two humpback whale breeding seasons in 2017 and 2018, between June and October. Sighted groups were mostly composed of mother/calf pairs spending most of their time resting near or at the surface. Whale-watching vessels were present in 85.1% of sightings, of which 68.4% were recreative. Swimwith-cetaceans activities were very frequently observed in 42% of sightings. Overall, compliance with the charter was as high as 68% of whale sightings with vessels/swimmers were in line with the recommendations. However, low compliance (32.8%) was observed with the specific recommendations of swim-with-cetaceans activities. Swimmers were reported in surface active groups displaying agonistic behaviors, which poses evident human safety concerns. Humpback whale resting behaviors were disrupted significantly by whale-watching activities. Humpback whales tended to avoid vessels and swimmers, especially when their behavior was intrusive or not compliant with the charter. Positive humpback whale responses were more likely to occur if the charter's recommendations were not breached. Our results highlight how a nonbinding regulation, with recommendations scrupulously pursued, allows for a reduction in whale-watching disturbances and supports a better tourism experience. Our results advocate for reinforcing tourism education, whale-watching adaptive management and regulations, specifically for vulnerable groups with a calf, and for the swim-with-whales activities. This could be efficiently achieved by engaging all stakeholders and the permanent team on the field "Quietude" to enhance dissemination of best practices and sensitivity around sustainable values of implemented regulations.

scholarly journals Impacts of Whale Watching on the Behavior of Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Coast of Panama

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arielle M. Amrein ◽  
Hector M. Guzman ◽  
Katie C. Surrey ◽  
Beth Polidoro ◽  
Leah R. Gerber
Keyword(s):  
Animal Behavior ◽  
Marine Protected Area ◽  
Megaptera Novaeangliae ◽  
Educational Opportunities ◽  
Humpback Whales ◽  
Whale Watching ◽  
Management Planning ◽  
Conservation Policies ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
The Impact

Ecotourism focused on whales and dolphins has become a popular activity and an important source of revenue for many countries. Whale watching is vital to supporting conservation efforts and provides numerous benefits to local communities including educational opportunities and job creation. However, the sustainability of whale-based ecotourism depends on the behavior and health of whale populations and it is crucial that ecotourism industries consider the impact of their activities on whale behavior. To address this statement, we collected behavioral data (e.g., change in swimming direction, frequency of breaching, slap behaviors, diving, and spy hops) from humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the marine protected area of Las Perlas Archipelago off the Pacific coast of Panama. The goal was to determine if tourist vessel presence had an influence on whale behaviors. We conducted this study during the humpback whale breeding season from August through September 2019. Based on 47 behavioral observations, we found that higher boat density corresponded with humpback whales’ frequency of direction changes, which based on previous literature is believed to be a sign of disturbance. Alternatively, no changes in behavior were observed with varying boat density. This result is important given Panamanian regulations first implemented in 2007 by Resolution AMD/ARAP No. 01, 2007 prohibit whale-based tourism from disturbing whales, which is explicitly measured by changes in whale behavior. Because there is no systematic monitoring of whale watching activity to enforce the regulations, there is currently little compliance from tour operators and tourists. The integration of animal behavior research into management planning should result in more effective regulation and compliance of such conservation policies.

Exploring the World Trade Organisation's Trade and Environment/Public Health Jurisprudence as a Model for Incorporating a Trade–Labour Linkage into the Organisation's Multilateral Trade Regime: Should African Countries Accept a Policy Shift?

2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-65
Author(s):  
Tapiwa V. Warikandwa ◽  
Patrick C. Osode
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
World Trade ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Trade Regime ◽  
Multilateral Trade ◽  
Appellate Body ◽  
The World ◽  
Labour Standards ◽  
The Impact

The incorporation of a trade-labour (standards) linkage into the multilateral trade regime of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has been persistently opposed by developing countries, including those in Africa, on the grounds that it has the potential to weaken their competitive advantage. For that reason, low levels of compliance with core labour standards have been viewed as acceptable by African countries. However, with the impact of WTO agreements growing increasingly broader and deeper for the weaker and vulnerable economies of developing countries, the jurisprudence developed by the WTO Panels and Appellate Body regarding a trade-environment/public health linkage has the potential to address the concerns of developing countries regarding the potential negative effects of a trade-labour linkage. This article argues that the pertinent WTO Panel and Appellate Body decisions could advance the prospects of establishing a linkage of global trade participation to labour standards without any harm befalling developing countries.

Modernism, Empiricism, and Rationalism

2016 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-47
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Squires
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
The Other ◽  
Modern Poetry ◽  
Philosophical Perspective ◽  
Irish Poetry ◽  
Dimensional Spectrum ◽  
Culture History ◽  
The World ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Rule Out

Modernism is usually defined historically as the composite movement at the beginning of the twentieth century which led to a radical break with what had gone before in literature and the other arts. Given the problems of the continuing use of the concept to cover subsequent writing, this essay proposes an alternative, philosophical perspective which explores the impact of rationalism (what we bring to the world) on the prevailing empiricism (what we take from the world) of modern poetry, which leads to a concern with consciousness rather than experience. This in turn involves a re-conceptualisation of the lyric or narrative I, of language itself as a phenomenon, and of other poetic themes such as nature, culture, history, and art. Against the background of the dominant empiricism of modern Irish poetry as presented in Crotty's anthology, the essay explores these ideas in terms of a small number of poets who may be considered modernist in various ways. This does not rule out modernist elements in some other poets and the initial distinction between a poetics of experience and one of consciousness is better seen as a multi-dimensional spectrum that requires further, more detailed analysis than is possible here.

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