Photo: JL Murcia Between 4-6 October 2013, Maite Louzao attended the VI Spanish Cetacean Society meeting in Tarifa, http://www.cetaceos.com/congresosec2013/index.html.
Maite contributed with the an interesting talk about how long-term observer programmes can contribute to conservation and management plans, such as the Marine Strategy Directive Framework. The IEO-PELACUS surveys are conducted annually for acoustic assessment and mapping of the oceanographic and biological conditions of the northern and northwestern shelf of the
Iberian Peninsula. The main objective is to monitor the pelagic ecosystem collecting concurrent information on several trophic levels. Since 2007, marine mammal and seabirds sightings have been recorded by dedicated observers, who also collect information on the type and abundance of different types of human pressures (e.g. fishing, marine debris). Using distance sampling methodology, we were able to estimate the total abundance of marine predator species in the region in addition to mapping the areas where they could be more at risk from anthropogenic pressures such as fishing and marine litter. Our objective is to highlight the importance of observer programmes not only in providing (1) baseline information on distribution and abundance of top predators, but (2) also additional information on human pressures. Both types of data are needed to inform any conservation and management plans such as the MSFD.
Maite contributed with the an interesting talk about how long-term observer programmes can contribute to conservation and management plans, such as the Marine Strategy Directive Framework. The IEO-PELACUS surveys are conducted annually for acoustic assessment and mapping of the oceanographic and biological conditions of the northern and northwestern shelf of the
Iberian Peninsula. The main objective is to monitor the pelagic ecosystem collecting concurrent information on several trophic levels. Since 2007, marine mammal and seabirds sightings have been recorded by dedicated observers, who also collect information on the type and abundance of different types of human pressures (e.g. fishing, marine debris). Using distance sampling methodology, we were able to estimate the total abundance of marine predator species in the region in addition to mapping the areas where they could be more at risk from anthropogenic pressures such as fishing and marine litter. Our objective is to highlight the importance of observer programmes not only in providing (1) baseline information on distribution and abundance of top predators, but (2) also additional information on human pressures. Both types of data are needed to inform any conservation and management plans such as the MSFD.
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