Simon Berrow - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Simon Berrow

ECS Beaked whale Workshop: Cork, 2000

... Cabot (1965) found no seasonal patterns in strandings, but Berrow and Rogan (1997) showed tha... more ... Cabot (1965) found no seasonal patterns in strandings, but Berrow and Rogan (1997) showed that most strandings occurred at the beginning of the year with a peak during February to March. Two of these strandings (Wexford, 1985 and ... CEO&#x27;R summer, 1909 Valentia, Kerry ? ...

The management of marine mammal populations is mostly concerned with reversing or preventing anth... more The management of marine mammal populations is mostly concerned with reversing or preventing anthropogenic depletion. Once population abundance and connectivity is restored, priorities shift toward other endangered populations. However, anthropogenic removals have “hidden” long-term effects, such as the loss of (adaptive) genetic diversity, which may elevate long-term extinction rates. Among the baleen whales, the humpback whale was severely depleted globally, but many populations have since recovered well. However, a few populations remain at very low abundances, such as the Cape Verde humpback breeding population. The Cape Verde population is currently at ~300 individuals, down from a pre-whaling abundance at ~5,000. In contrast, the West Indian breeding population has recovered at a much higher rate and is now at ~12,000, from a pre-whaling abundance estimated at ~25,000. The change in relative population sizes between the two North Atlantic breeding populations implies that the ...

During August-September 2014 and 2015, yachtbased surveys were conducted in the Cape Verde archip... more During August-September 2014 and 2015, yachtbased surveys were conducted in the Cape Verde archipelago with the main objective of trying to locate humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae during the late boreal summer (Berrow et al. 2014). Spring breeding humpbacks in Cape Verde waters are known to have their feeding grounds in the high Arctic (e.g. Wenzel et al. 2009). While these animals have generally left the breeding grounds by mid-May, a number of sightings during the summer months (JuneAugust) have raised the possibility that animals from southern stocks may occasionally reach as far north as Cape Verde (Hazevoet et al. 2011). The cruise plans of both surveys were designed to maximize survey effort in those locations with recent sightings of humpback whales (e.g. off the island of Maio; E. Magileviciute unpublished data), as well as visiting habitats that are known to hold humpback whales during the spring (e.g. off the island of Boa Vista; Ryan et al. 2014). In 2014, 12 days w...

Fate and Impact of Microplastics in Marine EcosystemsFrom the Coastline to the Open Sea, 2017

The Cape Verde Islands appear to be winter breeding ground of the smallest humpback whale populat... more The Cape Verde Islands appear to be winter breeding ground of the smallest humpback whale population yet known. However, it is unclear whether the humpback whales at the Cape Verde Islands interbreed with those in the West Indies. Here we present the results of the genetic analysis of 50 humpback whale samples collected in the Cape Verde. Each sample was genotyped at 20 microsatellite loci, the ZFY/X sex determination locus, and the nucleotide sequence in the mitochondrial control region determined. We then compared our results to similar data from humpback whales in the Barents Sea as well as the central and western North Atlantic. These comparisons revealed that the Cape Verde Islands breeding population has very limited exchange with the West Indies breeding ground. Given that surveys indicate a small number of humpback whales at the Cape Verde Islands breeding ground, this result, along with other work, argue for the implementation of effective conservation measures.

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

The incidental capture of sharks in the bottom-set gill-net fishery off the south coast of Irelan... more The incidental capture of sharks in the bottom-set gill-net fishery off the south coast of Ireland was quantified by placing observers on commercial gill-netters for the duration of a fishing trip. Forty fishing trips were sampled resulting in 1,167 km and 19,760 km h of observed fishing effort. Sixty individual sharks of seven species were reported entangled in the fishing gear. Tope, porbeagle and six-gilled sharks were the most frequently caught species, with black-mouthed dogfish, blue shark, basking shark and starry smooth hound also recorded. Total fishing effort along the south coast was calculated and total capture extrapolated from observed catch rates. An estimated 6,000 sharks were caught in this fishery during the study period.

Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 2016

Under the EU Habitats Directive, Ireland is obliged to maintain all species of cetacean at favour... more Under the EU Habitats Directive, Ireland is obliged to maintain all species of cetacean at favourable conservation status. To date, 24 species have been recorded within the Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) which extends up to 200 nautical miles (360 km) offshore. In order to achieve this objective different monitoring techniques are required depending on the distribution, behaviour and characteristics of the species of interest. Here we review a range of techniques and explore their benefits and constraints with recommendations on which may be most appropriate.

... Fountainstown, Co Cork (W178058). S. O&amp;#x27;Driscoll. Long-finned pilot whale Glo... more ... Fountainstown, Co Cork (W178058). S. O&amp;#x27;Driscoll. Long-finned pilot whale Globicephala melaena (Traill) Male 1.65m. Observed 13 February 2000, Sruhir Strand, Co Mayo. (L750775). ... Unsexed. Observed 17 March 2001, St. Finian&amp;#x27;s Bay, Co Kerry (V028067). C. Butler. ...

Marine Biodiversity Records, 2010