The construction of mega wind farm projects in the coastal area o

The construction of mega wind farm projects in the coastal area of this SAHA HDAC manufacturer region and the increased traffic in their associated ports is of serious concern. In June 2011, the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission strongly

recommended the urgent development of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for Isla de Chiloé (IWC 2012). Minimum requirements for an effective EIA include the collection, collation, and analysis of appropriate baseline cetacean data, the development of mitigation measures, and the design of a monitoring program aimed to assess impacts against predetermined conservation objectives and to measure the efficacy of any mitigation measures that are implemented. Research should include collection of baseline information on temporal and spatial aspects of cetacean habitat use, population structure, and behavior, and evaluation of all lethal and nonlethal impacts of human activities in an integrated manner, taking into account the cumulative impacts

from all threats and project developments around the area (IWC, in press). Successful mitigation of vessel strikes requires quantitative estimates of strike number, FK506 in vitro how strike rates change seasonally, where strikes are most likely to occur, and options for minimizing strikes (Vanderlaan et al. 2009). Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) should also be included in the EIA because the waters off the northwestern Isla de Chiloé are important feeding habitat for them from late January to early May (Galletti Vernazzani et al. 2012). Our observations highlight the importance of these coastal waters for southern right whales and the need to increase long-term studies, both dedicated and opportunistic, to monitor this critically endangered population. The first interannual resighting of an eastern South Pacific southern right whale and the small number of photo-identified individuals provide additional evidence that this is a small population that deserves its IUCN listing as the “Critically Endangered” Chile-Peru subpopulation (Reilly et al. 2008). The fact that this “subpopulation” is extremely small and several coastal industrial developments may impact it reinforces the

need to implement appropriate management oxyclozanide actions and evaluate their performance as soon as possible. We wish to acknowledge Jaime Conde and Katja Siemund for their valuable contribution with photographs of the recaptured whale; as well as the General Directorate of Maritime Territory and Marine Merchant of the Chilean Navy, Jose Luis Brito from the Natural Science and Archeological Museum of San Antonio and members of the National Marine Mammal Sighting Network for their important collaboration. We would also like to thank Francisco and Miguel Altamirano for their support with the marine survey, Magdalena Altamirano for contributing the videotape showing the reproductive behavior and Roberto Brahm for contributing the video showing the southernmost record of a mother-calf pair.

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