
Maria João CruzUniversity of the Azores | UAc · Departamento de Oceanografia e Pescas
Maria João Cruz
PhD Marine Sciences
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Publications (12)
Small-scale artisanal fisheries can have a significant negative impact in cetacean populations. Cetacean bycatch has been documented in the pole-and-line tuna fishery in the Azores with common dolphins being the species more frequently taken. Based on data collected by observers on ∼50% of vessels operating from 1998 to 2012, we investigate the inf...
Estimates of common dolphin bycatch for the bigeye tuna fishery from 1998–2012.
Common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) are responsible for the large majority of interactions with the pole-and-line tuna fishery in the Azores but the underlying drivers remain poorly understood. In this study we investigate the influence of various environmental and fisheries-related factors in promoting the interaction of common dolphins with this...
Depredation by cetaceans is a growing problem that may have serious economic implications for fisheries and for dolphin conservation. We investigated depredation by Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) in the hand-jig squid fishery around the Azores to determine the factors that may influence depredation behaviour and impacts on the fishery, and condu...
The artisanal hand-jig squid fishery in the Azores has been regularly subject of cetacean depredation, with Risso´s dolphins (Grampus griseus) removing squids from the jigs. These interactions may have serious economic implications for the fishery and for dolphin conservation. Acoustic deterrent devices or pingers, emitting high frequency sounds, m...
A right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) from the western North Atlantic population, sighted in the Azores, was subsequently found to have moved back to the northwest Atlantic. The whale was sighted in the Azores on 5 January 2009 travelling in a west-south westerly direction at a constant speed. A photographic match was found to an adult female in the...
The first mid-Atlantic diet of Mesoplodon beaked whales is presented, from ten Sowerby's Mesoplodon bidens stranded in the Azores region between 2002 and 2009. This doubles the worldwide number of stomachs sampled, and reveals new feeding habits for this species. The mean number of prey items per stomach was 857 89 (range: 12-238), with fish accoun...
Satellite telemetry as a tool to help defining the International Whaling Commission whale management areas
The sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis) can be found in all ocean basins, normally in pelagic waters. Like most large whales, sei whales undertake extensive, seasonal, latitudinal migrations, spending the summer feeding in sub-polar waters and returning to lower latitudes in the winter to calve. On a global scale, the sei whale has the broadest range...
Tracking cetacean-habitat associations: from coastal dwellers to oceanic migrants
The whale‐watching activity has been growing in the Azores during the last 15 years. To contribute to the sustainability and management of the activity it is crucial to monitor its influence on cetacean populations. This work aimed to determine the sound produced by whale‐watching boats, in terms of frequencies and sound pressure levels (SPLs). Dif...
In areas where whales and dolphins concentrate on a regular basis, whalewatching (ww) activities tend to be implemented gradually, followed by a substantial growth. If improperly managed and regulated, this industry can have severe impacts on the cetacean populations targeted, as well as on their habitat. This paper intends to be a review of whalew...