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Whale-watching research encompasses a wide variety of disciplines and fields of study, from monitoring the biological impacts of whale-watching activities on cetaceans and assessments of the effectiveness of whale-watching management and regulations, to the sociological and economic aspects of whale watching. This article is the latest in a series of annual digests, which describes the variety and findings of whale-watching studies published over the past year, from June 2019 to May 2020.

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) exhibit maternally driven fidelity to feeding grounds, and yet occasionally occupy new areas. Humpback whale sightings and mortalities in the New York Bight apex (NYBA) have been increasing over the last decade, providing an opportunity to study this phenomenon in an urban habitat. Whales in this area overlap with human activities, including busy shipping traffic leading into the Port of New York and New Jersey. The site fidelity, population composition and demographics of individual whales were analysed to better inform management in this high-risk area. Whale watching and other opportunistic data collections were used to identify 101 individual humpback whales in the NYBA from spring through autumn, 2012–2018. Although mean occurrence was low (2.5 days), mean occupancy was 37.6 days, and 31.3% of whales returned from one year to the next. Individuals compared with other regional and ocean-basin-wide photo-identification catalogues (N = 52) were primarily resighted at other sites along the US East Coast, including the Gulf of Maine feeding ground. Sightings of mother-calf pairs were rare in the NYBA, suggesting that maternally directed fidelity may not be responsible for the presence of young whales in this area. Other factors including shifts in prey species distribution or changes in population structure more broadly should be investigated.

In 2015, an international online survey was conducted to investigate public attitudes on keeping cetaceans in captivity (N = 858). Respondents were significantly (p < 0.001) more likely to be opposed to displaying dolphins and whales in marine theme parks and aquariums (opposed to captive display: 54.4%; support captive display: 45.5%). Only 5% of respondents from the US stated they "strongly support" (with 33.3% "support") keeping dolphins and whales in marine theme parks and aquariums, while 21% of participants from India did so (43.4% "support"). Participants that support cetaceans in captivity were significantly more likely to believe cetacean conservation is not important. Six times as many respondents (or 86%) preferred to view cetaceans in the wild via whale watching (61% preferring boat based, 25% land based) versus in captivity. Respondents from the US were less likely to prefer watching cetaceans in a marine theme park (9%) than those from India (26%). Almost 80% of respondents objected to capturing free-ranging dolphins and whales for display in zoos and aquariums. Only 19% of respondents indicated approval for dolphins performing shows involving tricks for human enjoyment, while 85% supported keeping dolphins in captivity when they are sick or injured. Eighty percent supported captive research that benefited conservation of free-ranging populations, dropping to 60% when the research supported the development of captive husbandry methods. Seventy percent of participants were opposed to keeping cetaceans in concrete tanks, versus 53% who were opposed to sea pen enclosures as well. Respondents who believed dolphin and whale conservation was not important were significantly more likely to oppose keeping captive dolphins for research benefiting conservation in the wild. Moreover, respondents who felt dolphin and whale conservation was only "slightly important" were significantly more like to support keeping captive cetaceans for entertainment purposes.

Whale-watching research encompasses a wide variety of disciplines and fields of study, from monitoring the biological impacts of whale-watching activities on cetaceans and assessments of the effectiveness of whale-watching management and regulations, to the sociological and economic aspects of whale watching. This article is the latest in a series of annual digests, which describes the variety and findings of whale-watching studies published over the past year, since June 2018.

Wildlife managers and others charged with resolving human-coyote conflict in urban and suburban areas cannot focus solely on ecology and coyote behavior. The perceptions of the people living in the affected communities play a significant role in the resolution of human-coyote conflict. In this study, we explore how residents of two communities in suburban Denver, CO, USA, mentally processed, made sense of, and acted upon human–coyote interactions in the face of conflict. By conducting interviews and using qualitative content analysis to explore existing documents, we examined how the use of language reflected and exacerbated the conflict over coyote management. Themes of violence, crime and war ran throughout our data. Anger and accusations of extremism were prevalent. Closely tied to the violent language and imagery used was a discussion of tolerance and intolerance, taking what is generally human-centric language and using it with wildlife. In addition, labeling coyotes as not belonging in an area (although they are a native species) further increased the urge to protect family and pets from the perception of the threat against ‘the other’, sometimes expressed in inflammatory language. Political and other messaging can either enhance or reduce a sense of threat, and we found that the language used in this debate enhanced the perceived threat of both coyotes and policy opponents. Finding ways to defuse this language could be a step toward a greater understanding of how to live with local wildlife in a way that minimizes harm to people and to the animals.

The ‘shifting baseline syndrome’ has received much attention and acceptance within the conservation science community. In this study, the ‘shifting baseline syndrome’ based on which each generation of fisheries scientists accepts the stock size and species composition extant in the beginning of their careers as the normal baseline, as proposed by Pauly in 1995, was tested. It was hypothesized that Florida Keys reef scientists use the reef conditions at the beginning of their careers as the baseline for the evaluation of change. A cohort of these scientists was used as a study group to test this hypothesis and explore expert opinions on reef baselines. Snowball sampling led to a total of 54 interviews of Florida Keys Reef-experienced scientists. Among all contacts, 48% responded and were interviewed for a total of 37.6 h. Correlation statistics were used to analyse the respondent’s age and experience and their correlations with the reported baselines. Ninety-six percent of the interviewees were professional scientists. Baselines for the Florida Keys bank reef ecosystem were established based on the respondents’ testimonies. Independent of the age, experience, or affiliation, the respondents agreed that the baselines for the Florida Keys bank reef are a coral cover of ~33% and 44 years before present (1972). Seventy percent of the respondents who were under the age of 40 stated that they never witnessed an Acropora sp.-dominated reef, whereas 96% of the experts over the age of 60 stated the opposite. This demonstrates the dramatic change in the interaction with the coral reef from one generation of experts to the next; however, the consensus regarding the baselines is high. Our results indicate the general consensus regarding reef baselines among scientists, which may inform the management practices of a wide range of stakeholders. This study provides evidence that Florida Keys reef scientists are not subject to the shifting baseline syndrome, highlighting that education and experience may counter potential baseline shifting. These results can be used as references for the establishment of unified restoration goals in coral restoration programs. Appropriate coral baselines have been debated for decades, with little understanding of the community consensus.

The ex situ population of fishing cats (Prionailurus viverrinus) face many challenges to its sustainability such as mate incompatibility, low founder numbers and disease prevalence. The North American population was monitored for a three-year period during institutional transfers and breeding introductions. In total, 26 fishing cats, including 15 different breeding pairs were monitored during 20 transfers. Most institutional transfers occurred in the fall months (September, October and November; 62%; n = 13) and males were transferred more often (62%; n = 13). Breeding success (observed copulations) was recorded in 33% (n = 5) of pairs but only 13% (n = 2 pairs) produced offspring during the study period. Institutions with successful breeding pairs had a greater number of indoor, off-exhibit enclosures (2.67 ± 0.29 enclosures; n = 5) compared to facilities with unsuccessful pairs (1.69 ± 0.25 exhibits; n = 6; p = 0.035). In addition, facilities housing successful pairs performed positive reinforcement training more frequently (14.77 ± 3.27 training days/month) than facilities with unsuccessful pairs (4.00 ± 2.73 days/month; p = 0.035). A binomial generalized linear model showed that friendly vocalizations (p = 0.000) during physical introductions of intended breeding pairs predicted copulation success. Introductions performed when a female was exhibiting estrous behavior (p = 0.020), was also predictive of copulation success. Results from this study are the first comprehensive analyses of captive management in the fishing cat. Environmental factors and management approaches are highlighted that could advance animal welfare and improve reproductive success in this species.

In February 2010, a captive killer whale (Orcinus orca), or orca, killed his trainer at SeaWorld Florida. A cascade of events followed, including successful federal enforcement action against SeaWorld for employee safety violations. In 2012 and 2015, nonfiction books about SeaWorld's history with orcas were published; however, the 2013 documentary Blackfish has done the most to raise public awareness of captive orca welfare and trainer safety. It spawned a massive social media response, leading to the so-called "Blackfish Effect." SeaWorld's visitor numbers declined, business partners ended their relationships, and stock price plummeted. In 2012, Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta applied for a permit to import 18 wild-caught beluga whales from Russia; the permit was denied in 2013, the first time a public display permit had ever been denied in the history of the US Marine Mammal Protection Act. In 2014 and 2016, the California legislature considered bills phasing out captive orca exhibits in the state; the 2016 bill passed and became law in January 2017. In November 2015, a similar bill was introduced (and reintroduced in March 2017) in the US House of Representatives. In March 2016 SeaWorld announced it would end its orca breeding program company-wide and in January 2018 the Vancouver Aquarium announced it would no longer display cetaceans. Shifts in public perception of captive cetacean display strongly suggest policy makers should reconsider the legislative and regulatory status quo.

Whales are watched in over 119 countries and territories earning $2.1 billion in revenue, with large growth seen in the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic has the largest whale-watching industry in the Caribbean. Although the industry thrives in the Dominican Republic, on-board education programs are lacking. Currently in Samaná Bay, only one of approximately 45 vessels offers a formal education program. In an effort to increase education and better tailor current education programs, a survey-based study was conducted to assess the conservation knowledge of whale-watching tourists. Only 5% of tourists considered themselves to be "very knowledgeable" about whales. Those who had been whale watching before were more likely to consider themselves as knowledgeable, whereas those who had not been whale watching were more likely to consider themselves less knowledgeable. Public education on whale conservation was ranked very or moderately important by over 80% of respondents. However, 29% of tourists did not know Samaná Bay was a protected area. To improve tourist's knowledge and conservation awareness, it is recommended a multilingual education program be created on all whale-watching vessels and that these programs have more conservationbased knowledge within them.

Whale-watching research encompasses a wide variety of disciplines and fields of study, from monitoring the biological impacts of whale-watching activities on cetaceans and assessments of the effectiveness of whale-watching management and regulations, to the sociological and economic aspects of whale watching. This article is the latest in a series of annual digests, which describes the variety and findings of whale-watching studies published over the past year, since June 2017.

This paper reports on the first study to critically examine the sustainability of whale-watching practices along the entire migratory range of a pelagic baleen whale species, the gray whale (Eschri...

The Panamanian whale-watching1 industry started in Bocas del Toro (an archipelago located on the northeast Caribbean coast of Panama) in the late 90’s. The industry attracts approximately 15,500 do...

One of the goals of the UN Oceans Decade is “an inspiring and engaging ocean where society understands and values the ocean in relation to human well-being and sustainable development.” The UN Ocean Decade also calls for promoting diversity in ocean science, engaging multiple stakeholders, including industries and the wider public, as well as promoting ocean science literacy. The FANTASeas project aims to do this.One major source of inspiration for the general public for millennia has been art and literature. Over the past century, key sources of public inspiration when it comes to science include science fiction and fantasy in books, movies, TV shows, comics and, recently, computer games. Most famously, the TV show Star Trek inspired a generation of space scientists.The idea behind this project is to promote and facilitate the production of popular artistic and literary projects that incorporate ocean science to enhance both ocean literacy and to create more inspirational ocean-related projects.It is proposed that a series of international workshops be organized to connect ocean scientists with novelists, writers, and designers from the: (a) computer gaming; (b) tabletop gaming; (c) TV and movie; and (d) comic and graphic novel industries.

The UN declared 2010 the “International Year of Biodiversity” (IYB). A survey was undertaken at the end of this year in the Washington D.C. metro area (n = 180). Thirty-eight point nine per...

The International Whaling Commission's (IWC) Scientific Committee provides important advice to the IWC on a large variety of cetacean species, sub-species and populations and the issues affecting them. Cetaceans are facing increasing, non-whaling-related threats, and the Scientific Committee (SC), in accordance with the Commission's requests, has strengthened its conservation-oriented research work. A selection of the reports of the Scientific Committee from between 1986 and 2012 was assessed for its: (i) fundamental research; (ii) management; (iii) conservation; and (iv) administrative content, and to identify potential trends over time. Recommendations and their urgency were also examined, as implied from the language used by the SC in its reports. The analysis showed that the work of the Scientific Committee has increasingly been oriented towards conservation issues over the period reviewed, but at the same time this conservation work has received little funding. Increased support for conservation-related research projects is warranted to promote the long-term survival of cetaceans. Based on this review of the content and focus of the Committee reports, the analysis suggested that its issued advice be made clearer, whenever possible, and governments are urged to give due consideration to this science-based advice particularly when urgent conservation actions are needed. In addition, more consistent funding of the IWC's conservation-related research should be pursued to improve international conservation outputs regarding cetacean populations.

Whale-watching research encompasses a wide variety of disciplines and fields of study, from monitoring the biological impacts of whale-watching activities on cetaceans and assessments of the effectiveness of whale-watching management and regulations, to the sociological and economic aspects of whale watching. This article is the latest in a series of annual digests, which describes the variety and findings of whale-watching studies published June 2015 to May 2016.

The small resident population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Dolphin Bay, Bocas del Toro, is the target of the largest dolphin-watching industry in Panama. Previous work has shown that intense dolphin-watching activity is negatively affecting this dolphin population. Thus, understanding tourist's preferences and views on dolphin watching may help to develop marketing and management strategies that can reduce the impact of this activity on the resident dolphin population. To generate this information, we interviewed a total of 129 tourists who were primarily first-time visitors to Bocas del Toro. Of these, 45% had been on a dolphin-watching trip locally, and a further 11% were planning to take a trip. Overall, tourists participating in these tours expressed low levels of satisfaction with local dolphin-watching practices due to the high density of boats present and their mode of approach to the animals. The majority of tourists stated that they would prefer a dolphinwatching trip on which the operator used good dolphin-watching practices, had licensed staff, and provided ecological information about the dolphins. These results indicate an urgent need to restructure the tourism industry in Bocas del Toro towards trips that are aligned with tourist interests and local conservation efforts. Such changes could significantly reduce the impact that unnecessarily high intensity dolphin watching is having on this small population of bottlenose dolphins. Simultaneously, this would increase tourist satisfaction and contribute to marine mammal conservation.

One barrier to establishing catch limits to help protect shark populations is a lack of accurate species-specific extraction rates. This is due to many species looking similar, distinguishing characteristics (fins and head) of sharks commonly being removed, or sharks being grouped together in fisheries data. For this study, we collected elasmobranch (shark and ray) tissue samples from the central markets in San Jose (10 fish vendors or pescadarias) and Heredia (5 pescadarias) from June 2013 to September 2014. We used DNA barcoding techniques to amplify approximately 1050 bp of the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (NADH2) gene (n = 833). We found that at least nine species of shark (Alopias pelagicus, Carcharhinus falciformis, C. limbatus, C. obscurus, Mustelus lunulatus, Nasolamia velox, Rhizoprionodon longurio, Sphyrna lewini, S. zygaena) and one ray (Dasyatis longa) are being sold in local markets, with C. falciformis representing 87.3% of shark samples tested (n = 637) and D. longa representing 100% of ray samples tested (n = 85). Our results suggest that C. falciformis continues to be under intense fishing pressure in the waters around Costa Rica despite recent concern over continued population declines. Although the number of Endangered S. lewini (4%) being sold in the markets is much less than for C. falciformis (87.3%), the numbers are still concerning given their current conservation status.

Congress passed the Animal Welfare Act1 1 7 U.S.C. § 2131. (AWA) in order “to ensure the humane care and treatment of various animals used in research or for exhibition or kept as pets.22 Animal Le...

Many shark populations have experienced severe declines in the past few decades due to increased demand for their products. As fisheries managers, conservation biologists, and other invested groups move to develop new conservation measures to better protect sharks it will be important to understand the potential reactions (behaviors) local fishermen will have to new regulations. To determine the potential behaviors local artisanal fishermen in Costa Rica would have toward new conservation measures for sharks a structured survey (n=72) was distributed to several fishing communities along Costa Rica's Pacific coast. Overall, 89% of fishermen felt that protecting sharks was important with 97% stating a willingness to support shark conservation. However, support dropped to 67% if they would have to change some of their fishing practices. Almost all fishermen surveyed (93%) were in support of the formation of marine protected areas (MPAs). Although, if MPAs restricted their current fishing practices support dropped to between 6% and 65% depending on the restrictiveness of regulations implemented in the MPA. The majority (86%) of the fishermen surveyed also indicated they would be more likely to support new legislative measures to protect sharks if they were included in the decision making process. The results suggest that artisanal fishermen in Costa Rica are willing to protect sharks, but only if their current fishing practices are minimally impacted. It is therefore important that mangers work with these communities to develop management plans that will provide the best protection possible for sharks while also garnering local support to ensure continued compliance.

Whale-watching research encompasses a wide variety of disciplines and fields of study, including monitoring the biological impacts of whale-watching activities on cetaceans and assessments of the effectiveness of whale-watching management and regulations, to the sociological and economic aspects of whale watching on communities hosting such activities. This article is the latest in a series of annual digests, which describes the variety and findings of whale-watching studies published over the past year, since June 2014.

In Bocas del Toro, Panama, unregulated dolphin-watching tourism has resulted in international concern. There are less than 100 resident bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.) in Bocas del Toro that are genetically isolated from other populations in the Caribbean. Over just three years (2012–2014), at least 10 resident dolphins have died due to boat collisions. Panama does, however, have official whale-watching guidelines. This study conducted a boat-based survey from July to August 2013, to evaluate compliance with these guidelines. Indeed, the results show that dolphin-watching boats in Bocas were frequently violating Panama's whale-watching guidelines. During 817 min of direct observation, boats were closer than the regulated 100 m 71% of the time. Boat engines were only switched off or idle 31% of the time when vessels were 50 m or closer. Only 55% of all observed dolphin-watching interactions were following the whale-watching guideline of 1–2 boats concurrently. Forty-five percent of the time, 3–15 boats were watching the dolphins. Results from this study provide evidence of a high level of noncompliance with Panama's whale-watching guidelines. Thus, these results indicate that the resident dolphin population in Bocas del Toro, Panama will be threatened if this unmanaged whale-watching tourism continues.

Considerable research has been conducted analyzing how demographic characteristics influence the public’s attitudes toward wildlife; however, less research of this type has been conducted in locations having long-standing species conservation efforts. Questionnaires were completed by residents living adjacent to such a location, the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge (ACNWR), to investigate which demographics explained residents’ knowledge of, attitudes toward, willingness to act for, and participation in sea turtle conservation. Residents who had a non-governmental organization (NGO) or government agency as their sea turtle information source had stronger positive attitudes toward sea turtles. Residents who possessed strong positive attitudes were more willing to engage in pro–sea turtle conservation behaviors. Overall, this research demonstrated that ACNWR residents’ source of sea turtle information being an NGO or government agency played a significant role in increasing residents’ knowledge ...

In recent years there has been significant interest in modelling cumulative effects and the population consequences of individual changes in cetacean behaviour and physiology due to disturbance. One potential source of disturbance that has garnered particular interest is whale-watching. Though perceived as 'green' or eco-friendly tourism, there is evidence that whale-watching can result in statistically significant and biologically meaningful changes in cetacean behaviour, raising the question whether whale-watching is in fact a long term sustainable activity. However, an assessment of the impacts of whale-watching on cetaceans requires an understanding of the potential behavioural and physiological effects, data to effectively address the question and suitable modelling techniques. Here, we review the current state of knowledge on the viability of long-term whale-watching, as well as logistical limitations and potential opportunities. We conclude that an integrated, coordinated approach will be needed to further understanding of the possible effects of whale-watching on cetaceans. Publisher PDF

There is often a basic tension at the boundary between science and policy – the former seeks unbiased, objective descriptions of reality, while the latter must incorporate various factors in its development, including values, ideologies, economics, biases, and emotions. Problems may arise if, and when, marine scientists who enter the policy arena fail to understand these differing priorities, and we describe some common pitfalls. Various strategies are presented for marine conservation scientists to consider in order to avoid or minimize misunderstandings, especially with the media. Conflict of interest issues and public perception of bias are also addressed, as is misuse of research results and whether scientists have an obligation to correct misrepresentation of their research. Finally, we consider how marine scientists should address the inherent uncertainty in their results when those results are used to develop policy, including the importance of incorporating the Precautionary Principle when making science-based policy.

During the whale-watching season of 2008, 6,663 whale watchers and 267 boat trips were recorded in Bahía Málaga, Colombia. Forty-four percent of humpback whale pods sighted in the area were approached by boats. Operators in 2008 did not comply with Colombian whale-watching guidelines during most encounters. The modal distance between whales and boats was 50 m. Ninety-four percent of boats approached too fast (>3 knots), and 78.6% of them approached mother–calf pods. On average, a pod of whales was observed for 42.6 minutes (SD 33.1), and by more than one boat in 60.2% of cases. As a consequence of boats' presence, whales modified their behavior by reducing blows per minute, moved faster and more erratically, increased breaching frequency, and decreased resting behavior.

Whale-watching research encompasses a wide variety of disciplines and fields of study, including monitoring the biological impacts of whale-watching activities on cetaceans and assessments of the effectiveness of whale-watching management and regulations, to the sociological and economic aspects of whale watching on communities hosting such activities. This article is the latest in a series of annual digests, which describes the variety and findings of whale-watching studies published between June 2013 and May 2014.

A key component of academia is the meeting. A conference or symposium is a valuable resource for academics in so many ways. However, despite their value, planning an academic meeting can be difficult, partly because of the nature of academics themselves. Planning an environmental meeting adds an extra layer of difficulty, as special attention must be taken with ensuring that the meeting is as environmentally friendly as possible. This article has been written to give those wanting to plan an academic meeting some advice, with some useful tips and warnings about pitfalls that may be encountered. Issues such as location, transportation, accommodation, catering, promotion, social media, funding, and dealing with problem delegates are covered. Importantly, issues related to reducing the environmental impact of the meeting are discussed. It is hoped that the tips contained within this article will take some of the stress out of organizing an academic meeting for those in the environmental and conservation fields.

Gaining support for shark conservation has been extremely difficult due to the negative preconceived notions the general public holds toward sharks. In order to achieve public support for conservation initiatives the factors that will change an individual’s attitude and behavior toward sharks must first be determined. Using structured questionnaire interviews ( n =186), indices were created that rated an individual’s knowledge, attitude, and potential behavior toward sharks and shark conservation. Generally public knowledge levels about sharks were low. However, people with more knowledge pertaining specifically about sharks had potential behaviors more supportive of their conservation. Therefore, it would seem that increases in public knowledge on sharks would help gain support for shark conservation. Males, members of environmental groups, and viewers of shark documentaries and “Shark Week” all showed significantly higher levels of knowledge about sharks. The media (such as “Shark Week” ) can play a significant role in promoting conservation, but unfortunately media coverage of sharks has been controversial recently with the airing of several non-factual, fake documentaries. To promote shark conservation the media’s message has to be unbiased, non-sensationalized, and accurate to ensure people are receiving the information necessary to build strong pro-shark conservation behaviors.

Importance An oral treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration would be less burdensome than repeated intravitreous injections. X-82 is an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor active against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet-derived growth factor. Objective To undertake safety testing of oral X-82 administered for the treatment of neovascular AMD. Design, Setting, and Participants Phase 1, open-label, uncontrolled, dose-escalation study at 5 US retinal clinics between November 2012 and March 2015 (Retina-Vitreous Associates Medical Group, Beverly Hills, California; Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, Retina Consultants of Houston, Houston, Texas; New England Retina Associates, Guilford, Connecticut; Elman Retina Group, Baltimore, Maryland; and Retina Research Institute of Texas, Abilene). Thirty-five participants with neovascular age-related macular degeneration, 7 of whom were treatment naive. Interventions Participants received oral X-82 for 24 weeks at 50 mg alternate days (n = 3), 50 mg daily (n = 8), 100 mg alternate days (n = 4), 100 mg daily (n = 10), 200 mg daily (n = 7), and 300 mg daily (n = 3), with intravitreous anti-VEGF therapy using predefined retreatment criteria. Every 4 weeks, participants underwent best-corrected visual acuity measurement, fundus examination, and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Main Outcomes and Measures The main outcome was adverse events. Other outcomes included visual acuity, central subfield retinal thickness, and number of anti-VEGF injections. Results Of the 35 participants, the mean age was 76.8 years, 16 were men and 19 were women, and 33 were white and 2 were nonwhite. Of 25 participants (71%) who completed the 24 weeks of X-82 treatment, all except 1 maintained or improved their visual acuity (mean [SD], +3.8 [9.6] letters). Fifteen participants (60%) required no anti-VEGF injections (mean, 0.68). Mean [SD] central subfield thickness reduced by −50 [97] μm, with 8 participants (all receiving at least 100 mg daily) demonstrating sustained reductions despite no anti-VEGF injections. The most common adverse events attributed to X-82 were diarrhea (n = 6), nausea (n = 5), fatigue (n = 5), and transaminase elevation (n = 4). A dose relationship to the transaminase elevations was not identified; all normalized when X-82 was discontinued. All but 1 were asymptomatic. Ten participants withdrew consent or discontinued prematurely, 6 owing to adverse events attributed to X-82 including leg cramps (n = 2), elevated alanine aminotransferase (n = 2), diarrhea (n = 1), and nausea/anorexia (n = 1). Conclusions and Relevance X-82 can be associated with reversible, elevated liver enzymes; hence, liver function testing is needed to identify those unsuited to treatment. Although 17% of participants discontinued X-82 owing to AEs, those who completed the study had lower than expected anti-VEGF injection rates. Further studies appear justified, with a phase 2 randomized clinical study under way.

Whale-watching research encompasses a wide variety of disciplines and fields of study, including monitoring the biological impacts of whale-watching activities on cetaceans and assessments of the effectiveness of whale-watching management and regulations, to the sociological and economic aspects of whale watching on communities hosting such activities. This article is the latest in a series of annual digests, which describes the variety and findings of whale-watching studies published over the past year, since June 2012.

Vessel collisions contribute significantly to humpback whale injury and mortality. In 2017, an Unusual Mortality Event was declared for the species along the Atlantic Coast of the United States, with many whales exhibiting signs of vessel strike. Though not previously known as a whale dense area, the New York Bight apex has seen an upsurge in both humpback whale sightings and strandings in recent years. Whales feed in close-proximity to the entrance of the Port of New York and New Jersey, creating potentially dangerous situations for both vessels and whales. Documenting humpback whale presence and identifying the risks are crucial for both short- and long-term management. In this study, we examine the overall distribution of opportunistic sightings collected from 2011 to 2016. We isolate sightings from 2016 and compare to vessel traffic from that year using AIS vessel position data. From 2011 to 2016, there were 409 humpback whale sightings documented in the New York Bight apex, with 184 sightings (45%) less than 3 km from shore. In 2016, 95.1% of humpback whale sightings were located within 100 m of at least one vessel transit, and the density ranged from 1 to 51,103 transits per year. This study is the first step in assessing the risk of vessel collision to humpback whales in the New York Bight apex. The results provide insight into the distribution of potential encounters, and further demonstrate the need for more formal research into the fine-scale distribution of humpback whales in this highly-trafficked area.

Effective conservation management requires a solid understanding of social and economic factors, in addition to biological factors affecting what is to be conserved. Aruba is one of the most densely populated islands in the Caribbean and its already high number of tourists is still increasing. No commercial whale-watching operations are offered yet on the island. This provides a rare opportunity to document knowledge of and values concerning marine mammals before the introduction of whale-watching operations. In 2010, a survey was conducted to investigate the awareness and attitudes of resident Arubans (n = 204) and tourists (n = 198) towards marine mammals and their conservation on Aruba. Knowledge of the local marine mammal community was low for both groups. Most participants would support more stringent legislation for protecting marine mammals in Aruba. Overall concern regarding threats to marine mammals was high and oil spills, chemical pollution, litter and sewage were identified as the most serious threats. A large proportion of residents (84.2%) and tourists (83.6%) were interested in, and willing to pay for, viewing marine mammals. Both groups preferred to see marine mammals in the wild rather than in captivity. This is the first study that investigates the attitudes of people towards marine mammals and their conservation in a country that does not have marine mammal related tourism yet. This study suggests that strong support for marine mammal conservation issues does not critically depend on detailed knowledge of the local marine mammal community, or on the availability of whale-watching operations. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The language barrier between science and policy is as large and often underestimated as that between British and American English. Although most of the words are the same, they often carry different meaning. One good example of this is the term theory, which has caused much trouble for policy makers in relation to school curricula on evolution. However, there are many other words that have one specific meaning when used by scientists and another more common meaning in everyday use. Translation difficulties may also arise from the particular phraseology and writing conventions used by scientists. These are often more subtle but can create just as much, if not more, trouble in the sound-bite world of mass media, especially in high-profile subject areas such as the effects of noise on marine mammals. Using an excerpt from a report in this subject area by the US National Research Council as a case study, the authors will provide some examples of where scientific language use can be misunderstood (and potentia...

Whales and dolphins have been hunted since antiquity in many parts of the world. Although whaling started as a commercial enterprise in Europe in the eleventh century, it was not until the seventeenth century that the industry expanded rapidly. Early whaling targeted right and bowhead whales and then shifted to sperm whales. Technological developments in the nineteenth century allowed other species to be exploited, and at the end of the century, the possibilities of whaling in the Antarctic were realised. Nearly three million whales were killed in the twentieth century, with several populations reduced to 5% of their historical size, or less. The International Whaling Commission was established in 1946 and manages whaling, and it introduced a whaling moratorium in 1982. Despite this moratorium whales are still caught by Norwegian, Icelandic and Japanese whalers. Indigenous communities are given quotas to hunt whales, although not without some controversy. Small cetaceans are also hunted, by indigenous communities, and there are sizeable hunts in several locations such as Peru, the Faroe Islands and Japan. Human interactions with cetaceans also include indirect interactions via pollutants. One type of interaction for which there is growing concern is whale and dolphin watching. Despite many locations having guidelines or regulations to minimise the impacts of this type of tourism, compliance is often low. However, if properly managed, whale watching could be an economically valuable, non-consumptive, use of living whales as a resource by humans.