~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Owen C. Nichols School for Marine Science and Technology University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth 200 Mill Road - Suite 325 Fairhaven, MA 02719 USA Tel: (508) 910-6394 Fax: (508) 910-6396 E-mail: onichols@umassd.edu Web: http://www.smast.umassd.edu/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Abstract: Aquaculture has developed into a global industry, providing an increasing portion of the world’s
food supply. However, aquaculture can cause environmentally and socially adverse impacts if
ecosystem carrying capacity is exceeded or resource-use conflicts occur between multiple
stakeholders. The definition of sustainable aquaculture has evolved into an ecosystem approach
that addresses spatial and temporal dimensions of environmental, economic, and social parameters.
The development of sustainable marine shellfish aquaculture in the U.S.A. is largely limited by
the regulatory, siting and public policy issues that surround the use of coastal waters. This project
provided technical support to two Northeast U.S.A. towns (Provincetown and Truro, Massachusetts)
in order to identify areas suitable for community aquaculture development areas (ADAs) large
enough to contain grow-out sites for use by multiple individual farmers. Mapping efforts
incorporated publicly available habitat type data and management boundaries, as well as local
traditional knowledge of human use and shellfish habitat, in an iterative Geographic Information
System (GIS)-based approach. Combined with sustainable aquaculture site selection criteria, the
above data were used to identify a suitable site for a 0.2 km2 (50-acre) subtidal ADA in town
waters. Acoustic backscatter data collected with an interferometric sonar system were used to
classify habitat within the proposed ADA site, and underwater surveys were conducted at 25
stations to qualitatively assess habitat type and document presence of shellfish and benthic fauna.
Qualitative characterization of bottom habitat type using sonar data and dive surveys indicated
no submerged aquatic vegetation and a smooth, sandy bottom. The only shellfish encountered
during underwater surveys was the surf clam (Spisula solidissima); abundance at all stations was
≤ 1 organism/m2. The unique combination of traditional knowledge, publicly available data, and
advanced technology proved to be highly useful for practical, cost-effective site selection for
sustainable shellfish aquaculture development areas.
Abstract: Sea lampreys Petromyzon marinus were observed on 109 occasions on 47 individual minke whales Balaenoptera acutorostrata. Bloody lesions could be identified as previous attachment sites, indicating P. marinus feeding on B. acutorostrata blood.
Abstract: Cape Cod Bay (Massachusetts) is the only known winter and early spring feeding area for concentrations of the endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) population. During January-May, 1998-2002, 167 aerial surveys were conducted (66,466 km of total survey effort), providing a complete representation of the spatiotemporal distribution of right whales in the bay during winter and spring. A total of 1553 right whales were sighted; some of these sightings were multiple sightings of the same individuals. Right whale distribution and relative abundance patterns were quantified as sightings per unit of effort (SPUE) and partitioned into 103 23-km(2) cells and 12 2-week periods. Significant interannual variations in mean SPUE and timing of SPUE maxima were likely due to physically forced changes in available food resources. The area of greatest SPUE expanded and contracted during the season but its center remained in the eastern bay. Most cells with SPUE > 0 were inside the federal critical habitat (CH) and this finding gave evidence of the need for management measures within CH boundaries to reduce anthropogenic mortality from vessel strikes and entanglement. There was significant within-season SPUE variability: low in December-January, increasing to a maximum in late February-early April, and declining to zero in May; and these results provide support for management measures from 1 January-15 May.
Abstract: Few data exist on the marine distribution and host organisms of the parasitic sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus. Some observers have speculated that cetaceans serve as hosts for these fish based on scars, but few lamprey-cetacean interactions have been described in detail in the literature. Here we discuss 35 previously unreported records of sea lampreys that were observed while attached to western North Atlantic right whales, Eubalaena glacialis, during the period 1984-2002. Of these observations, 11 were photographically documented with images of sufficient quality to identify the lamprey as P. marinus based on morphological characteristics. The majority of the attachments were recorded in the Bay of Fundy during the summer months when P. marinus are preparing to spawn. It is unknown how lampreys might benefit from this association or what cost may be incurred by their right whale hosts. Feeding and transport are two possible reasons for the attachments.
Abstract: As pinniped populations shift and change along the northeast U.S. and Canadian coastline, so too do the interests and issues of regional residents, scientists and stakeholders. In May 2009 the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) sponsored a meeting resulting in recommendations in three key areas regarding pinnipeds: population dynamics, human interaction and disease/health. The population group recommended: developing long-term surveys over all seasons and geographic ranges, coordinating sampling efforts for dietary research, refining correction factors for survey results, increasing documentation of fishery interactions and developing means of funding. The human interactions group recommended: addressing marine debris, developing survey, reporting and retrieval protocols for discarded fishing gear, studying impact of and expanding education and outreach for commercial seal watching, researching methods to deter depredation from fishing gear, streamlining the permitting processes for acoustic deterrent and gear modification research, and increasing cooperative research and outreach to the fishing community. The health and disease working group recommended: establishing baseline health indicators, addressing priority disease concerns, creating a pool of resources for standardized analysis of normal and unusual health event monitoring, determining standard health baselines for release, establishing a health consortium, improving communication along the coastline and establishing long term funding and ongoing collaboration.
