Female reproductive status of marine mammals particular emphasis

  • Slides: 9
Download presentation
Female reproductive status of marine mammals -particular emphasis of seals The concept of using

Female reproductive status of marine mammals -particular emphasis of seals The concept of using reproductive parameters of seals as core indicator for GES within Helcom is based on - the female reproductive status is sensitive for contaminants and starvation - top predator, highly exposed to persistent chemicals - reproductive parameters signalled for harmful effects already in the 1970 s in Baltic grey and ringed seals - pregnancy rate was 9 % in the Baltic grey seals in the 1970 s to mid 1980 s - pathological changes are still found the reproductive tract in ringed seals - strong evidence for relationships with POPs

Female reproductive status in marine mammals Stage of development Indicator type Core State Legislative

Female reproductive status in marine mammals Stage of development Indicator type Core State Legislative linkage: Primary importance Secondary importance BSAP Segment and Objective Biodiversity - Healthy wildlife Biodiversity: - Thriving and balanced communities of plants and animals - Viable populations of species Hazardous Substances: - Concentrations of hazardous substances close to natural levels MSFD Descriptors and Criteria D 1. Biodiversity D 1. 3. Population condition D 1. Biodiversity D 1. 1 Species distribution (range, pattern, covered area) D 1. 2 Population size (abundance, biomass) D 4. Food webs D 4. 1. Productivity of key species or trophic groups D 4. 3 Abundance/distribution of key trophic groups/species D 8. Contaminants D 8. 2. Effects of contaminants Other relevant legislation: WFD - Chemical quality, Habitat directive

Reproductive parameters (seals) • Pregnancy rate: - measured as percent pregnant females in the

Reproductive parameters (seals) • Pregnancy rate: - measured as percent pregnant females in the pregnancy period, 6 -24 years old • Birth rate: – measured as corpora albicantia/uterine postpartum signs between the time of ovulation and implantation in 7 -25 years old females • Ovulation rate: – Determined from corpus luteum (CL) in ovaries (April-June for grey and ringed seals, Harbour seals- to be determined) • Reproductive health: – measured as percent uterine pathological changes (uterine obstructions and leiomyoma) in seals older than 6 years and in any season

Uterus and ovaries of a grey seal female Photo: Charlotta Moraeus

Uterus and ovaries of a grey seal female Photo: Charlotta Moraeus

Female reproductive status of marine mammals Coordinated monitoring current situation Beginning of CORESET II

Female reproductive status of marine mammals Coordinated monitoring current situation Beginning of CORESET II Monitoring strategy (method, frequency, spatial resolution) in Concept/ relation to relevant design indicator parameters Technical guidelines A ) in place A ) monitoring in A ) in place B) under place B ) needs revision, development B ) monitoring needs what needs doing C ) not available, revision C ) not available, what needs - C ) monitoring not what needs - action level? available, what needs level? - action level? Assessment Geographic scale HELCOM assessment units: A ) identified B) Identified not described C) not identified, what needs - action level? Assessment method A ) available and described B ) available not described C ) not available, what needs action level? B - Harbour B - clarification on porpoise needs type of samples to be developed - used in monitoring TM needed - TM B - differing alternative methods to be unified - TM B - units to be clarified - TM A B - Pregn rate in B - under Harbour seals discussion need to be compiled and evaluated, different reproductive parameters need to be compared in ringed and grey seals -TM B – no change B – units need to A be clarified when it is clear if the same GES-boundary will apply for all seals (of a certain species) GES / assessment criteria (currently all GES are provisional) Data arrangements A ) proposed and described B ) proposed but needs Research needs for more supporting data operationalization (in A ) in place relation to needs B ) needs revision, what C ) not available, what stated under the needs doing needs - action level? coordinated C ) not available, what monitoring and needs - action level? assessment columns) B- % unclear for harbour seal and harbour porpoise Carrying capacity needs to be better included - TM Harbour porpoise B - data submission background data arrangements to be lacking, also southernincoorporated into the ringed seal and indicator to be harbour seal discussed, preliminary populations lack data. strategy and schedual agreed among experts -TM, HELCOM B- % unclear for harbour seal and harbour porpoise - TM Harbour porpoise B – no change background data lacking, also southern ringed seal and harbour seal populations lack data. (action level = who needs to complete the task)

Female reproductive status of marine mammals - GES • Bäcklin B-M (Sweden), Kunnasranta M

Female reproductive status of marine mammals - GES • Bäcklin B-M (Sweden), Kunnasranta M and Isomursu M (Finland). Health assessment in the Baltic grey seal (Halichoerus grypus). HELCOM Indicator Fact Sheets 2008 (Ringed seals since 2010) • In 2012 “Pregnancy rates of marine mammals” was a proposed Core Indicator for Biodiversity • In 2014 spring meeting in Stockholm (Fin+Swe) we renamed the Core indicator to “Female reproductive status of marine mammals” as we not determine only the pregnancy rate • The age interval used for the reproductive status has been modified from 4 -20 year to 6 -24 year (for pregnancy rate) and 7 -25 years (for post partum signs) in grey and ringed seals. The age class in not yet determined for harbour seal

Female reproductive status of marine mammals - GES • Good environmental status is determined

Female reproductive status of marine mammals - GES • Good environmental status is determined when the “pregnancy rate” is above a threshold level (=GES) defined by Swedish and Finnish hunted grey seals from 2008 -2009 • GES is sat to the lower 95% confidence interval. GES is reached when 80 % of the females are pregnant/or show post reproductive signs (in an increasing population). The same GES boundary has been suggested for ringed seals. Whether or not similar GES limits can be suggested for harbour seals and harbour porpoises remains to be investigated • Data will mainly be presented as trends. Reproductive data will be presented in five years interval for grey seals, intervals for ringed and harbour seals are not decided yet • People involved today: Britt-Marie Bäcklin, Charlotta Moraeus, Tero Härkönen, Swedish Museum of Natural History Kaarina Kauhala, Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute Marja Isomursu, Finnish Food Safety Authority, EVIRA Ursula Siebert, Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation

Female reproductive status of marine mammals • HELCOM Assessment Unit Level: 2 • The

Female reproductive status of marine mammals • HELCOM Assessment Unit Level: 2 • The indicator is applicable in: For grey seals, results are considered applicable for the whole Baltic Sea, whereas the ringed seal results may apply only to Bothnian Bay. For harbour seals data is applicable on the Swedish West coast. • Currently data is available : From the Swedish and Finnish coast of the Baltic Sea and Swedish West coast. • Missing data: Bay of Riga, Poland Germany, Denmark for seals. All areas for Harbour Porpoises

Female reproductive status of marine mammals List of issues that still need to be

Female reproductive status of marine mammals List of issues that still need to be solved for the indicator Describe what is hindering solving the issue The age class is not yet determined for harbour seal Whether or not the same GES limit (as (same GES-boundary value for the whole Baltic Sea? ) for grey seal) can be suggested for harbour seal remains to be investigated Can we compare pregnancy rate and post reproductive signs in grey seals? Do we need a GES limit also for post reproductive signs if they differ from ”pregnancy rate” Any differences in ”preg rate” (is this preg rate as a “reference value” that might still meant that the assessment units between different areas (grey seals) should be given on level 2 with different values for different sub-basins? What’s needed in order to find out? Historical data? ) Assessment unit level 1 or 2? Seals are mobile. Storage of data? Ongoing work in the BALSAM project on a data-base that might be considered further (e. g. upcoming SEAL meeting) All work on harbour porpoises