Proceedings of the Untangled symposium: - WSPA

Annex 4Submitted abstracts accompanyingposter presentationsboth immediately rehabilitated and released. All casesinvolved live individuals except for the Indo-Pacificbottlenose dolphin, which was dead upon recovery.Further, the PMMSD has recorded compaction ofplastics in the GIT in 3 of 44 cases of marine mammalshandled by the Stranding Team of Ocean Adventure(OAST), an openwater marine park in Subic. The casesinclude Fraser’s (Lagenodelphis hosei, May 2004),Risso’s (Grampus griseus, June 2008) and spotted(Stenella attenuata, April 2009) dolphins – all ultimatelydied due to starvation and other complications. Of the40 rescued sea turtles by OAST, x-ray images showedcompaction of plastics in the GITof two hawksbill(Eretmochelys imbricata, July 2003 & 2005) andanother two cases involving green turtles (Cheloniamydas), one with a fishing hook embedded in theesophagus (May 2011) and the other entangled in anold net (September 2010). Incidents of unreported andundocumented deaths due to net entanglement andGIT compaction are likely to be much higher as fishingefforts as well as the large volume of plastics collectedduring the annual coastal cleanups, respectively,have been increasing throughout the Philippines. Thisreport presents some important findings based onour monitoring and research, rescue and rehabilitationefforts, and highlights the value of an organizedstranding network. All of the live stranders showedsigns of lethargy, dehydration and inappetance. In thecompaction cases, ulcerations in the stomach developedmost likely from a variety of plastic bags and wrappersrubbing against the stomach walls resulting in irritation,bleeding and eventual blood loss (anaemia). In all thesecases, the animals ultimately died.The Philippine Marine Mammal Stranding Network(PMMSN), established in 2005, has resulted in a growingnumber of stranded animals being reported, andresponded to. The core member institutions of PMMSNinclude the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources,the Department of Environment and Natural Resources,the mandated agencies for cetaceans, and sea turtlesand dugongs, respectively; Ocean Adventure, whichis the main source of experienced first respondersand veterinarians; Wildlife In Need, an NGO leadingthe animal welfare advocacy, and the University of thePhilippines’ Institute of Environmental Science andMeteorology, focusing on research. To date, the PMMSNhas trained more than 2,400 government staff and localstakeholders throughout the Philippines on how toproperly respond to stranded marine mammals, and hasbeen the main advocate for systematically collectingdata from every case. The results of this report have wideimplications to the understanding of marine debris andits impacts on marine life.Marine Mammals of Maine: rescue efforts forentangled marine mammalsLynda Doughty and Erin PelletierMarine Mammals of MainePO Box 757, Portland, ME 04104, USAldoughty@mmome.orgMarine Mammals of Maine’s mission as a non-profit501(c)(3) is to provide response and assistance forinjured, stranded, sick, orphaned, and entangledmarine animals and to work collaboratively with similarorganizations to aid in the protection and support ofmarine animals as defined by the Marine MammalProtection Act. To provide public education aboutmarine animals and the environment. We createdour organization in the fall of 2011, since no otherorganization was responsible for responding to marinemammals and this posed a huge void for Mid-Coast andSouthern, Maine. In the spring of 2012 we were grantedauthorization from National Marine Fisheries Service torespond to marine mammals.There are many factors that affect marine mammals inthis area; one of them is entanglements from marinedebris. We primarily see pinnipeds affected. Historicallyin this area Gray Seals (Halichoerus grypus) have beenreported but recently seeing more Harbor Seals (Phocavitulina) with entanglements, mostly of monofilament.With an increase in reporting through a statewide hotlinewe have been able to provide a high level of response foranimals that show up on our immediate coast line. Wehave successfully been able to disentangle half a dozenanimals. Through this process we have also becomeaware through more efforts and outreach that there areother more remote areas such as off shore islands thatapproximately 50 entangled animals both Gray andHarbor seals have been reported and documented.Our next goal would be to develop a protocol for the57