Entries by Cara Miller

In 2006, governments from the Pacific Islands Region made some very strong steps towards protecting whales and dolphins by establishing the Convention of Migratory Species Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region (CMS Pacific Cetaceans MoU). This is one of only three CMS agreements dedicated specifically to cetaceans in the world – and is by far the largest in size. What makes the progress of this agreement more laudable is that knowledge of cetacean diversity, threats and habitat is relatively low in this region (with a majority of cetacean species being considered ‘Data Deficient’ by the IUCN) and furthermore that there is a limited amount of resources available by many of the governments in this region. Hence, the purpose and motivation for this agreement is proactive and risk averse for real conservation gains.
A recent paper we wrote
[http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13880292.2013.764775]
outlines the initiation and development of the CMS Pacific Cetaceans MoU.



We also look at the strengths, challenges and proposed next steps for the agreement while emphasizing the importance of ongoing support, strong national engagement, and effective collaboration and synergy in order to ensure the long-term goals and objectives of this agreement are met.
For additional details on this initiative please see www.pacificcetaceans.org

Last October I got a call from the Chief of Totoya Island (Roko Sau) letting me know that a whale had gotten stuck inside a lagoon near his island. I’d never been to the Lau Islands before yet had always heard lovely things about the clear waters and teeming marine life of this remote island group. Roko Sau (who also works for the Pacific Blue Foundation) was enthusiastic and managed to charm us a ride on a Super yacht thanks also to the support of Yacht Help Fiji. After a 15 hour ride I set my eyes on the stunning sight of beautiful and majestic Totoya. As we moved into the interior of the horse-shoe shaped island I scanned intently for any sign of the whale. Finally there was a blow but my heart sank as I realized that the whale was stuck inside a very small and shallow lagoon. We jumped into a skiff with the Super yacht crew and moved through the narrow S-shaped channel into the lagoon. I then saw the animal up close for the first time and confirmed it was a male, subadult humpback whale. He was in good condition … except of course for his current location within Vakamatuku lagoon. The lagoon had a maximum depth of around 16m and was just over 50m in diameter. The channel he had to exit through was only 6m deep, 10m wide and about 10m long. I watched him as he unknowingly swam past the small entrance. I felt anxious about his fate as it was the time of year when humpback whales should be beginning their southward migration to Antarctica in order to feed. Any energy he spent swimming around this lagoon would take away from the reserves needed for the 6-8 week swim south.

Over the course of the next week we tried a number of different strategies to move the whale (named by the villagers the 'Prince of Totoya') out of the lagoon. Firstly we used several small boats to try and slowly drive him into deeper waters. However whenever he got close to the entrance instead of investigating the coral reef to find the small channel he dove down and surfaced behind us. On another day we constructed a ‘fence’ made of vines and coconut leaves that we attempted to hang down into the ocean as a way of creating a visual barrier for the Prince. The villagers made a great effort to construct this underwater wall … but when it was put in the water it was difficult to make it sink straight down as we'd hoped. Adding to this concern were the additional boats needed to coordinate the movement of the fence. The whale seemed a little nervous and to our disappointment he again dove under our boats when we attempted to move him towards the opening. We made attempts on several other days but had no luck. We used our spare time on the island to visit primary schools, talk to villagers and community members, and speak with the elders. In such a small place as Totoya the visit of the whale was a big event and I took heart in seeing the interest and admiration for the animal. However my heart also grew heavier every day as I knew that if the whale didn't move out of the lagoon he would not survive. I departed Totoya feeling disappointed and as the year moved towards Christmas I found myself often wondering about the whale in Totoya.

And then … the New Year brought good news. Roko Sau visited Totoya for the festive season and so went to see the Prince again. Roko Sau told me he was surprised to see quite a striking change in the animal - his black shiny skin had turned whitish-grey in parts and he'd lost condition in his once robust body. In addition, the Roko noted some scratches near both his tail and head - likely from meeting the coral reef as he tried to find a way out.

Roko Sau told me he spoke softly to the whale and told him to leave and join his friends. On the following day he did just that! And, as the whale moved towards the open ocean he made several exuberant breaches just near Tovu village as if to say goodbye.

I would like to thank my wonderful hosts in Totoya for making me feel so welcome - and also extend my gratitude to the team that travelled with me including Major, Joe, Mosese, and Anare. Finally, I would especially like to extend my appreciation to Roko Sau for inviting me to spend some time in unforgettable Totoya.

Juney Ward, a postgraduate student at the University of the South Pacific, recently carried out the first dedicated cetacean research in the Samoan waters as part of her postgraduate study. The WDCS funded research was designed as a contribution to the Pacific Cetaceans MoU, an intergovernmental agreement aimed at protecting and conserving Pacific
cetaceans and their habitats, including their migratory corridors. The research documented the site fidelity, demographic composition, behavior and habitat use of spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) in the north-western coast of Savaii Island, Samoa. Most spinner dolphin sightings were recorded close to the shore and at various sites. However, in comparison with other areas, Falealupo and Sataua areas had much higher encounter rates of dolphins.

This map shows the distribution of cetaceans sighted/encountered in the Samoan waters during the spinner dolphin research by Juney Ward.

The field work was carried out over a period of 17 days (23 March – 12 April 2011). Over 13 survey days, Juney recorded a total of 35 cetacean groups – spinner dolphins (28), sperm whales (3), short-finned pilot whales (2) and two groups of unidentified cetaceans. From the 94 distinctive spinner dolphin dorsal fins photographed and catalogued, eight were sighted in previous years. Juney found the average group size of spinner dolphins to be 23.8 (CV=19.03). The dominant behavior observed for spinner dolphins were resting and traveling; these were especially prominent early in the morning when the spinner dolphins came close to the shore. 71% of spinner dolphins sighted were in the mornings; most of the encounters and observation were made from 7.00am to 9.30am. In addition, the sperm whale, short-finned pilot whales and the unidentified cetacean sightings were also made in the morning.

Juney reported spinner dolphin encounters at four sites throughout the study: Falealupo – 50%; Sataua – 18%; Vaisala – 14% and Asau – 14%. Only 4% of spinner dolphin encounters were observed at Neiafu. The pod sizes observed in the mornings were larger compared to those observed later in the day. Overall, the pod sizes ranged from 80-90 individuals to only 2 individuals.

Juney’s findings on the spinner dolphins in Samoan waters indicate that the north-western coast of Savaii Island supports a sufficient density of spinner dolphins. The daily movement and habitat preference of spinner dolphins in Samoan waters were observed to be similar to those observed in Hawaii and French Polynesia; in the mornings, they were observed to be mainly resting and swimming slowly in the same direction for hours and in the afternoons, they were more active – frequently leaping and swimming with the resting behavior to a minimal. Juney’s study also concluded that in addition to the presence of spinner dolphins in Samoan waters, other cetacean diversity and presence (sperm and short-finned pilot whales observed) can be found year round in the Samoan waters. This is important information for Samoa as it considers its national conservation activities and as well as those of the Pacific Cetaceans MoU. WDCS and researchers in the Pacific look forward to continuing this supportive work for MoU Signatories.

Some very positive steps have been taken in the last couple of months for the protection of spinner dolphins in Moon Reef (known as ‘Makalati’ in Fijian). Firstly, an environment committee has been established for Dawasamu – the district which contains Moon Reef. The district includes 12 villages (some coastal, some inland) as well as the associated qoliqoli waters (coastal and marine areas under traditional customary ownership). The general committee includes 2-3 representatives of each clan (there are several clans per village) for the entire district. Additional people have been invited to contribute to this committee including representatives from various Fiji Government departments (Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture), the University of the South Pacific, and a few ngo’s working in the area (including WDCS of course). The long-term objectives of the committee (recently named the Vueti Dawasamu Environment Movement, DEM) is to develop a long-term, sustainable ‘ridges to reef’ management plan that proactively protects the environment while also providing livelihood benefits to the traditional owners. The work of DEM is being progressed under the framework of the locally managed marine area (LMMA) network (http://www.lmmanetwork.org) that operates in various countries across the Pacific. The Fiji network is run through the University of the South Pacific.

A first workshop to establish the mission, framework and regulations for the DEM was held in March. In addition, time was spent considering initial recommendations and areas of work – and WDCS was asked to give a presentation on our research activities for the last 2 and ½ years. Research work during this time has included work on residency patterns, habitat, behaviour and acoustics. As a result the first recommendation coming from the DEM was that Moon Reef be declared a marine protected area. This first workshop was then followed up by a 1-day information session for the Chief of Dawasamu as well as all elders of the district. This group was not only pleased with the outcome of the first workshop but concurred with the first recommendation of the MPA declaration for Moon Reef – making it official. Therefore, Moon Reef is now a MPA as declared by the traditional owners and has now also been designated as such under the regional LMMA network. The next step is for a management plan for Moon Reef to be written in collaboration between the Fiji LMMA and the steering committee of DEM (of which WDCS is a member). In the longer term, the Moon Reef management plan will be integrated and supported by the larger district-wide management plan being progressed for the entire Dawasamu district through the DEM and LMMA.

I’ve just returned from 2 weeks in Manus, Papua New Guinea conducting a research training and cetacean survey in partnership with the PNG Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC). This work is a follow-up from the workshop we ran in late 2007. The current project was funded through the Australian Government Indo-Pacific Cetacean Conservation and Research fund.

Specific objectives for this work included:
(1) Undertake the first line-transect and acoustic field surveys on cetacean diversity within the waters of Manus, PNG.
(2) Increase the research field skills of in-country staff and researchers using practical training during boat-based field surveys.
(3) Build awareness and profile of cetacean conservation in PNG
(4) Drafting of the framework, essential components, action plan, and necessary steps forward to establish a national cetacean management plan for PNG.
(5) Implement regional whale and dolphin action plans – in particular the CMS Pacific Cetaceans MoU.




Brief summary of major achievements for this project:
• 8 days of line-transect surveys undertaken from the south side of Manus Island down to the latitude of Mbuke. Coverage of approximately 1,200 km2 previously unsurveyed waters.
• Survey design also encompassed photo-identification, video and acoustic recordings in conjunction with each sighting. Acoustic listening stations were also set up regardless of sightings approx. every 2 hours.
• Concentrated research training and capacity building experience for a small research team, including: 1 PNG DEC staff member (leader of the marine ecosystems division), 2 recent biology graduates from the University of PNG, a locally placed WWF staff member working on numerous conservation projects in Mbuke area, a (very smart) Grade 10 student from Lorengau (Manus Island) with previous experience with the DEC, head of the Environment Committee of Mbuke Island, and 4 villagers (recent high school graduates) from Mbuke selected due to interest and aptitude for conservation research.
• Species seen: spinner dolphins, sperm whales, short-finned pilot whales and melon-headed whales. Additional species documented through interviews included orcas, large baleen whales and numerous other species of dolphins and small whales.
• Evening information and awareness session (conducted in pidgin by research team members)
• ½ day of surveys with 12 school children onboard to raise awareness and community engagement
• In-depth interviews with village fishermen gathering information about previous cetacean sightings, interactions and legends (conducted in pidgin by research team members)



The marine environment in Manus Province is stunning … yet the logistics for these types of surveys are quite difficult. Mbuke has no running water, electricity or phone coverage. Cultural and customary practices are an ongoing and important consideration, and English was not the first language of the research crew although they understand and speak it very well - this is lucky as my pidgin is very poor. Lastly, the rat that served as my room-mate on this trip was not too friendly!

However, in summary, the DEC team and myself were very pleased with the outcomes of this project and we are already in discussions to expand and build on this work to develop a long-term and ongoing partnership.