FEEDBACK ON THE 1st WORKSHOP October 4, 2019 - La Londe-les-Maures

Biological and toxicological contamination of cetaceans in the Pelagos Sanctuary : assessment, origin, monitoring and mitigation

2° workshop - February 19, 2020Diano Marina (IM), ITALY

Léa JURET - GIS3M

WHAT HAPPENED DURING THIS WORKSHOP :

19 participantsAssociations (GIS3M, GECEM, Souffleurs d’Ecume, WWF)Marine protected areas (Port-Cros National Park & Pelagos Sanctuary)Institutions (Maritime prefecture of the Mediterranean)Research establishments (VetAgroSup, CReDiMa, Sienna University, La Rochelle University & PELAGIS Observatory)

6 talksState-of-the-art on chemical and biological pollution affecting cetaceans in the Pelagos Sanctuary(Julie Jourdan-GECEM)Results of diagnostic activities on stranded cetaceans, Ligurian coastline, 2017-2019(Carla Grattarola-CReDiMa)Historical and emergent contamination of the large cetacean in Pelagos sanctuary(Denis Ody-WWF France)Cetacean’s chemical contamination in the Pelagos Sanctuary: issues and methodology(Philippe Berny-Vetagro Sup)The Impact of Microplastics in the Pelagos Sanctuary and on Filter-feeding Megafauna(Maria Cristina Fossi-University of Siena)Pollutants monitoring in marine mammals off the French coasts(Paula Mendez-Fernandez & Florence Caurant-University of La Rochelle, Observatory PELAGIS)

Discussions around 3 issues Mitigation measuresMonitoring methodsResearch & conservation priorities

Drug products

Little knowledgeFew studies

Chemical contaminants

Historical Recent

Reduce the frequency of studies and the number of individuals sampled

Continue the phthalates study on

3-year follow-ups every 10 years

Biological contaminants

Routine long-term monitoring

Salmonella, Herpesvirus, Brucella ceti,

DMV, Toxoplasma

Deadliest pathogens for

cetaceans

Healthproblems in

humans

WHAT CONTAMINANTS SHOULD BE PRIORIZED ?

Parasites

RESEARCH & CONSERVATION PRIORITIES

SHOULD WE FOCUS STUDIES ON SOURCES OF POLLUTION AND PRIORITY AREAS ?

Aspect rather political, out of our field of action and our possibilities to act

At our scale : act at the level of MPAs (monitoring…)

RESEARCH & CONSERVATION PRIORITIES

CETACEANS : GOOD MONITORING TOOLS ?

☑ bioindicators for contaminant study

WHICH SPECIES TO TARGET ?

WHICH METHOD(S) SHOULD BE PREFERRED :STRANDINGS, BIOPSIES OR BOTH ?

Coastal specie more exposed to pollutants

Data from strandings Data from biopsies

- - Contaminants degradation ++ Mediterranean sea Take available stranding data (additional data)Sample “healthy” population

MONITORING METHODS

THE PELAGOS SANCTUARY AS A STUDY PLACE ?

Constraint for the biopsiesNew prefectoral decree to regulate the approach of cetaceans to 100 m

(applies also to scientists)

Adapt the monitoring to minimize the disruption(How many individuals do we need ? How often?)

Give priority to monitoring

outside marine protected areas

HARMONIZE MONITORING

☑ Combine protocols nationally and internationally

MONITORING METHODS

TWO MEANS OF ACTION

➢ Develop and promote knowledge of cetacean

contamination to raise awareness and involve citizens.

➢ Commitments of member municipalities to reduce

pollution

MITIGATION MEASURES

THANK YOU