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Having already attended the 2013 campaign of scientific monitoring of marine mammals in the wet season in Martinique from October 1st to 8th, the Saint Martin Nature Reserve participated in an identical program, but this time in the dry season, from March 12th to 19th, 2014 in Martinique, and then from April 15th to 28th in the Northern Islands. These missions, organized by the Protected Marine Areas Agency (AAMP) and CAR-SPAW, within the Agoa Sanctuary over both periods, permitted the observation of different species. Of course, some species, including the humpback whales, leave the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea in the spring. Romain Renoux, in charge of managing of the Agoa Sanctuary in Saint-Martin, as well as other participants who came from Guadeloupe, Martinique and Quebec, observed several rare species in the canal between Martinique and Dominica : the Peponcephala (Melonheaded whale) or Electra Dolphin, the Pseudorca (False Killer Whale), as well as a group of Mesaplondts (Beaked Whales).
The objective of these missions is threefold :
- To better understand the species present in the Agoa Sanctuary and to complete the inventory of species encountered.
- Identify areas frequented by the different species.
- Identify human activities likely to have an effect on these marine mammals in the sanctuary (passage of large vessels, pollution, fishing…) and to implement management actions in their favor.
