A portable thermal system for reactive treatment of biofouled internal pipework on recreational vessels.

Biofouled commercial and recreational vessels are primary vectors for the introduction and spread of marine non-indigenous species (NIS). This study designed and assessed a portable system to reactively treat biofouling in the internal pipework of recreational vessels - a high-risk 'niche area' for NIS that is difficult to access and manage. A novel thermal treatment apparatus was optimised in a series of laboratory experiments performed using scale models of vessel pipework configurations. Treatment effectiveness was validated using the Pacific oyster Magallana gigas, a marine NIS with known resilience to heat. In subsequent field validations on actual recreational vessels, treatment was successfully delivered to high-risk portions of pipework when an effective seal between delivery unit and targeted pipework was achieved and ambient heat loss was minimised. In addition to demonstrating the feasibility of in-water treatment of vessel pipework, the study highlights the importance of robust optimisation and validation of any treatment system intended for biosecurity purposes.

Acoustically derived growth rates of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) in Kaikoura, New Zealand.

A non-invasive acoustic method for measuring the growth of sperm whales was developed based on estimating the length of individuals by measuring the inter-pulse interval (IPI) of their clicks. Most prior knowledge of growth in male sperm whales has come from from fitting growth curves to length data gained from whaling. Recordings made at Kaikoura, New Zealand, were used to estimate the length and growth of 32 photographically identified, resident whales that have been recorded repeatedly between 1991 and 2009. All whales recorded more than six months apart (n = 30) showed an increase in IPI. Using established relationships between IPI and total length, it was found that the average growth rate in the Kaikoura population is lower, especially for smaller whales (13-14.5 m), than that derived from historical whaling data from other populations. This difference may be due to ecological differences among populations but might also reflect upward bias in measurements gained in whaling. The ability to track growth of individuals through time is only possible via non-lethal means and offers a fundamentally different kind of data because differences among individuals can be measured.

Measuring body length of male sperm whales from their clicks: the relationship between inter-pulse intervals and photogrammetrically measured lengths.

Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) emit short, broadband clicks which often include multiple pulses. The time interval between these pulses [inter-pulse interval (IPI)] represents the two-way time for a pulse to travel between the air sacs located at either end of the sperm whale's head. The IPI therefore, is a proxy of head length which, using an allometric relationship, can be used to estimate total body length. Previous studies relating IPI to an independent measure of length have relied on very small sample sizes and manual techniques for measuring IPI. Sound recordings and digital stereo photogrammetric measurements of 21 individuals were made off Kaikoura, New Zealand, and, in addition, archived recordings of whales measured with a previous photogrammetric system were reanalyzed to obtain a total sample size of 33 individuals. IPIs were measured automatically via cepstral analysis implemented via a software plug-in for pamguard, an open-source software package for passive acoustic monitoring. IPI measurements were highly consistent within individuals (mean CV=0.63%). The new regression relationship relating IPI (I) and total length (T) was found to be T=1.258I+5.736 (r(2)=0.77, p<0.001). This new regression provides a better fit than previous studies of large (> 11 m) sperm whales.