Cetacean sightings in the Finike Seamounts area and adjacent waters during the surveys in 2021

Ayhan Dede, Ayaka Amaha Öztürk, Arda M. Tonay, Uğur Özsandıkçı, Onur Gönülal, Bayram Öztürk

ORCID IDs: A.D. 0000-0002-7712-615X; A.A.Ö. 0000-0003-2281-7372; A.M.T. 0000-0003-2718-9328; U.Ö 0000-0002-7246-5494; O.G. 0000-0002-5559-3953;
B.Ö. 0000-0001-7844-2448

Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, Istanbul University, Onaltı Mart Şehitleri Cad. No: 2, 34134, Fatih, Istanbul, TÜRKİYE
Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV), P.O. Box: 10, Beykoz, Istanbul, TÜRKİYE
Faculty of Fisheries, Sinop University, Sinop, TÜRKİYE

Abstract

The Finike Seamounts (Anaximander) was declared as the “Finike Seamounts Special Environmental Protection Area (SEPA)” by Republic of Türkiye in 2013. In order to determine the presence of cetaceans living in the region and its adjacent waters, visual observations were carried out with the standard line transect method as well as passive acoustic recordings at 21 stations in two boat surveys in spring and autumn 2021. A total of 1621 nautical miles were covered in both surveys. Sperm whales were detected visually and acoustically. Other deep-diving species, Cuvier’s beaked whale, was observed once, as well as delphinid species, such as the striped dolphins (two groups) and bottlenose dolphins (7 groups). Delphinids were also detected acoustically in 8 stations. Although the surveys were made only in two seasons in one year, it was shown that the cetaceans use the surveyed area and their presence must be taken into consideration in the management of the Finike Seamounts SEPA.

Keywords: Eastern Mediterranean Sea, SEPA, dolphin, whale, Anaximander

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