The biodiversity of the Mediterranean Sea is undergoing important changes. Cetaceans, as top predators, are an
important component of marine ecosystems. The seasonal distribution and abundance of several cetacean
species were studied with a large aerial survey over the North-Western Mediterranean Sea, including the
international Pelagos sanctuary, the largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) designed for marine mammals in the
Mediterranean. A total of 8 distinct species of cetaceans were identified, and their occurrence within the
sanctuary was investigated. Abundance estimates were obtained for three groups of species: the small
delphinids (striped dolphins mainly), the bottlenose dolphin and the fin whale. There was a seasonal variation
in striped dolphin abundance between winter (57,300 individuals, 95% CI: 34,500–102,000) and summer
(130,000, 95% CI: 76,800–222,100). In contrast, bottlenose dolphin winter abundance was thrice that of
summer. It was also the only species to exhibit any preference for the Pelagos sanctuary. Fin whale abundance
had the reverse pattern with winter abundance (1000 individuals, 95% CI: 500–2500) and summer (2500
individuals, 95% CI: 1500–4300), without any preference for the sanctuary. Risso's dolphins, pilot whales and
sperm whales did not exhibit strong seasonal pattern in their abundance. These results provide baseline
estimates which can be used to inform conservation policies and instruments such as the Habitats Directive or
the recent European Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

Seasonal distribution and abundance of cetaceans within French waters- Part I: The North-Western Mediterranean, including the Pelagos sanctuary

Comparison of habitat models for scarcely detected species

This research was funded by the Basque Government
(Department of Agriculture, Fishing, and Food Policy) and the
Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness
through the CHALLENGES project (CTM2013-47032-R). A.
Astarloa has benefited from a Basque Government scholarship
(PRE_2016_1_0134) and M. Louzao was funded by the Ramo´n y
Cajal (RYC-2012-09897) researcher programme of the Spanish
Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness. JUVENA
survey series was sponsored since 2003 by the “Viceconsejeri´a de
Agricultura, Pesca y Poli´ticas Alimentarias—Departamento de
Desarrollo Econo´mico y Competitividad” of the Basque
Government and the “Secretari´a General de Pesca, Ministerio de
Agricultura, Alimentacio´ n y Medio Ambiente” of the Spanish
Government.

/pdf/identifying-main-interactions-in-marine-predator-prey-q0frorspgt.pdf

Identifying main interactions in marine predator–prey networks of the Bay of Biscay

Which are the main threats affecting the marine megafauna in the Bay of Biscay

Incidence of plastic ingestion in seabirds from the Bay of Biscay (southwestern Europe)

Seabird distributions and the associated seasonal variations remain challenging to investigate, especially in oceanic areas. Recent advances in telemetry have provided considerable information on seabird ecology, but still exclude small species, non-breeding birds and individuals from inaccessible colonies from any scientific survey. To overcome this issue and investigate seabird distribution and abundance in the eastern North Atlantic (ENA), large-scale aerial surveys were conducted in winter 2011-12 and summer 2012 over a 375,000 km2 area encompassing the English Channel (EC) and the Bay of Biscay (BoB). Seabird sightings, from 15 taxonomic groups, added up to 17,506 and 8263 sightings in winter and summer respectively, along 66,307 km. Using geostatistical methods, density maps were provided for both seasons. Abundance was estimated by strip transect sampling. Most taxa showed marked seasonal variations in their density and distribution. The highest densities were recorded during winter for most groups except shearwaters, storm-petrels, terns and large-sized gulls. Subsequently, the abundance in winter nearly reached one million individuals and was 2.5 times larger than in summer. The continental shelf and the slope in the BoB and the EC were identified as key areas for seabird conservation, especially during winter, as birds from northern Europe migrate southward after breeding. This large-scale study provided a synoptic view of the seabird community in the ENA, over two contrasting seasons. Our results highlight that oceanic areas harbour an abundant avifauna. Since most of the existing marine protected areas are restricted to the coastal fringe, the importance of oceanic areas in winter should be considered in future conservation plans. Our work will provide a baseline for the monitoring of seabird distribution at sea, and could inform the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

Using large scale surveys to investigate seasonal variations in seabird distribution and abundance. Part II: The Bay of Biscay and the English Channel

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Using large scale surveys to investigate seasonal variations in seabird distribution and abundance. Part II: The Bay of Biscay and the English Channel