314
In both countries a number of marine protected areas have been created and some
expanded. Many of these areas cover a relatively small area given the ranges of most
local cetaceans and there is little to non-vigilance to enforce their protection. This is
an important issue that needs to be addressed through education of neighboring
communities and by funneling more resources for vigilance. In this respect, Panama
faces many challenges when it comes to whale watching activities. While lack of
compliance in some areas is due to operators limited opportunities for training and
education (Sitar et al. 2016) in others operators purposefully ignored regulations,
like those that sell tours to swim with humpback whales and dolphins, an activity
prohibited in the country.
Although, scientific studies have increased in the past 20 years they remained
bias to a few species and limited in space and time. Long-term data such as that of
the Gulf of Chiriquí, Bocas del Toro, and the Osa Peninsula have been key to help
us asses the demographic trends of these populations as well as any migratory shifts
that may occur. Both of these aspects could be affected by climate change, or
anthropogenic pressures. For example the Gulf of Chiriquí is an important nursery
area for humpback whales with a high proportion of calves seen every year, ensuring that the proper conservation measures are taken will be crucial to the continued
recovery of this humpback whale population, as well as the other species seen in
these waters.
In Panama, southern humpback whales that travel by the Canal of Panama may
be vulnerable to ship collisions. Guzman et al. (2013) using satellite data from
adults and calves found that their movement coincides with major commercial maritime routes. In contrasts, humpback whales that use the Gulf of Chiriqui face other
more important threats such as entanglement of fishing gear, vessel traffic, pollution
and other anthropogenic pressures. Unlike the Gulf of Panama, this area is not used
by large vessels transiting through the Panama Canal, so large ship strikes are not
considered a major issue (Guzman et al. 2013). However, commercial fishing vessels are found in these waters as well as sport fishing and other pleasure craft,
including a small but growing whale-watching industry. In the Osa Peninsula, Costa
Rica the non-profit organization Keto has been monitoring touristic activities in the
area for over a decade. Their research finds that since diving and whale watching
activities were incorporated to local tour offers, the revenue of these communities
went up 500%. This rapid economic growth inevitable translates into a larger tourism boat fleet that without control can significantly change the acoustic space of
cetaceans.
For this reason the incorporation of acoustic monitoring to current cetacean survey protocols in Costa Rica and Panama can significantly improve population
assessments and evaluate the impact of boat traffic. In an ongoing study established
by Conservation International Costa Rica, acoustic monitoring is providing novel
information about cetacean presence, habitat use, and daily activity, in relation to
boat traffic. This type of assessments are key particularly in countries like Costa
Rica and Panama where resources are limited. Acoustic monitoring is proven cost
efficient methods that ensures large amounts of data of high quality.
L.J. May-Collado et al.
In both countries a number of marine protected areas have been created and some
expanded. Many of these areas cover a relatively small area given the ranges of most
local cetaceans and there is little to non-vigilance to enforce their protection. This is
an important issue that needs to be addressed through education of neighboring
communities and by funneling more resources for vigilance. In this respect, Panama
faces many challenges when it comes to whale watching activities. While lack of
compliance in some areas is due to operators limited opportunities for training and
education (Sitar et al. 2016) in others operators purposefully ignored regulations,
like those that sell tours to swim with humpback whales and dolphins, an activity
prohibited in the country.
Although, scientific studies have increased in the past 20 years they remained
bias to a few species and limited in space and time. Long-term data such as that of
the Gulf of Chiriquí, Bocas del Toro, and the Osa Peninsula have been key to help
us asses the demographic trends of these populations as well as any migratory shifts
that may occur. Both of these aspects could be affected by climate change, or
anthropogenic pressures. For example the Gulf of Chiriquí is an important nursery
area for humpback whales with a high proportion of calves seen every year, ensuring that the proper conservation measures are taken will be crucial to the continued
recovery of this humpback whale population, as well as the other species seen in
these waters.
In Panama, southern humpback whales that travel by the Canal of Panama may
be vulnerable to ship collisions. Guzman et al. (2013) using satellite data from
adults and calves found that their movement coincides with major commercial maritime routes. In contrasts, humpback whales that use the Gulf of Chiriqui face other
more important threats such as entanglement of fishing gear, vessel traffic, pollution
and other anthropogenic pressures. Unlike the Gulf of Panama, this area is not used
by large vessels transiting through the Panama Canal, so large ship strikes are not
considered a major issue (Guzman et al. 2013). However, commercial fishing vessels are found in these waters as well as sport fishing and other pleasure craft,
including a small but growing whale-watching industry. In the Osa Peninsula, Costa
Rica the non-profit organization Keto has been monitoring touristic activities in the
area for over a decade. Their research finds that since diving and whale watching
activities were incorporated to local tour offers, the revenue of these communities
went up 500%. This rapid economic growth inevitable translates into a larger tourism boat fleet that without control can significantly change the acoustic space of
cetaceans.
For this reason the incorporation of acoustic monitoring to current cetacean survey protocols in Costa Rica and Panama can significantly improve population
assessments and evaluate the impact of boat traffic. In an ongoing study established
by Conservation International Costa Rica, acoustic monitoring is providing novel
information about cetacean presence, habitat use, and daily activity, in relation to
boat traffic. This type of assessments are key particularly in countries like Costa
Rica and Panama where resources are limited. Acoustic monitoring is proven cost
efficient methods that ensures large amounts of data of high quality.
L.J. May-Collado et al.