The Agreement for the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS) this month provided an update on efforts to monitor the abundance and distribution of cetaceans in the ACCOBAMS region.
The update specifically highlighted trials carried out through the Sphyrna Odysee project in mid-March off the coast off the French Mediterranean Coast over deepwater canyons where sperm whales are frequently seen. Through three separate trips, the trials used underwater microphone systems from an autonomous vessel to evaluate the possibility of using drone boats to investigate the distribution and abundance of deep diving cetaceans. Due to the pandemic, the project was halted early, but ACCOBAMS reports that “good progress was made…encouraging future collaboration and new developments,” adding that acoustic data analysis will begin soon.
The project is a collaboration between ACCOBAMS, Marine Conservation Research, SeaProven, Marine and Océans, and the University of Toulon, with support provided by ACCOBAMS, the Société des Explorations de Monaco, and the Fondation Prince Albert II.
