Information relating to the distribution and abundance of species is critical for effective conservation and management. For many species, including cetacean species of conservation concern, abundance estimates are lacking, out…
The impact of underwater noise on marine life calls for identification of exposure criteria to inform mitigation. Here we review recent experimental evidence with focus on the high-frequency cetaceans and…
Large amounts of legacy unexploded ordnance (UXO) are still present in the North Sea. UXO are frequently accidentally encountered by fishermen and dredging vessels. Out of concern for human safety…
Herpesviruses infect a wide range of vertebrates, including toothed whales of the order Cetacea. One of the smallest toothed whales is the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), which is widespread in…
Poxvirus infections in marine mammals have been mainly reported through their clinical lesions and electron microscopy (EM). Poxvirus particles in association with such lesions have been demonstrated by EM and…
Cetaceans rely critically on sound for navigation, foraging and communication and are therefore potentially affected by increasing noise levels from human activities at sea. Shipping is the main contributor of…
1. Diet studies of marine mammals typically summarise prey composition across all individuals studied. Variation in individual diets is usually ignored, but may be more than just “noise” around an…
Large numbers of small cetaceans (common dolphin, harbor porpoises and bottlenose dolphins) were hunted in the Black Sea until the hunting of cetaceans was banned in Turkey in 1983. Even…
Several studies have shown that pingers mitigate porpoise bycatch and thus pinger use is now mandatory in some fisheries—although the long-term effects of pinger exposure on porpoises have not been…
Airguns used in seismic surveys are among the most prevalent and powerful anthropogenic noise sources in marine habitats. They are designed to produce most energy below 100 Hz, but the…