Scientific publications

M.E.E.R. publishes the research results of the MEER La Gomera project in a variety of ways:

  • As scientific posters at international conferences
  • As peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals
  • As conference papers, e.g. in the IWC Science Committee
  • As presentations at conferences and symposia

So far, we have worked with more than a dozen national and international universities and universities of applied sciences, supervising just as many diploma, bachelor’s or master’s theses in terms of subject matter and content. 
M.E.E.R. is also a member of international research communities, such as the European Cetacean Society. More information…

Reports

of

M.E.E.R.

e.V

Model of a marine protected area (MPA) oriented towards sustainable whale watching in the Atlantic Ocean off the oceanic island of La Gomera. (2012)
Publisher: M.E.E.R. e.V., Author: Dipl.-Biol. Fabian Ritter, Berlin, Germany
This report is based on nearly 15 years of intensive cetacean research off the Canary Island of La Gomera (Spain). It describes the concept for action to establish a marine protected area off the island. Based on the knowledge of biology and ecology of cetaceans off La Gomera, the report describes why successful marine conservation needs a comprehensive concept and how this should look like. Report

Interactions of cetaceans with whale-watching boats – management recommendations for whale-watching tourism. (2003)
Publisher: M.E.E.R. e.V., Berlin, Germany
This report summarizes the research results of the first six years of our project and outlines a model for a protected area specifically designed to regulate whale watching tourism off La Gomera.
A PDF version of the full report (15 MB) can be ordered from us by email. The short version can be found here.

Publications in scientific journals, etc.:

Ritter, F. (2022). Marine Mammal Conservation in the 21st Century: A Plea for a Paradigm Shift Towards Mindful Conservation. Advances in Marine Biology. → Science Direct. PDF on request by mail.

Kautek G, van Bressem M-F & Ritter F (2019). External Body Conditions in Cetaceans from La Gomera, Canary Islands, Spain. Journal of Marine Animals and Their Ecology Vol 11, Issue 2, 4-17. → researchgate.net

Alves, F., Alessandrini, A., Servidio, A., Mendonça, A.S., Hartman, K., Prieto, R., Berrow, S., Magalhães, S., Steiner, L., Santos, R., Ferreira, R., Marrero, J., Ritter, F., Dinis, A., Martín, V., Silva, M. & Aguilar de Soto, N. (2018). Complex biogeographical patterns support an ecological connectivity network of a large marine predator in the north‐east Atlantic. Diversity and Distributions. 10.1111/ddi.12848. → Abstract

Ritter, F., Steindorff, C., Sommer, C. & Smit, V. (2018). Observing Cetaceans from Land – Co-operation as the Driving Force behind Sustainable Whale Watching Tourism. Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the ECS, La Spezia, April 2018. → PDF download: Poster ECS 2018 (extra: Spanish version) and Handout Poster ECS 201

Galletti Vernazzani B., Burkhardt-Holm P., E. Cabrera E., Iñíguez M., Luna F., Parsons E.C.M., Ritter F., Rodríguez-Fonseca J., Sironi M. & Stachowitsch M.(2017). Management and conservation at the International Whaling Commission: A dichotomy sandwiched within a shifting baseline. Marine Policy 83: 164–171. → PDF download: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2017.06.004

Aguilar de Soto N, Martín V, Silva M, Edler R, Reyes C, Carrillo M, Schiavi A, Morales T, García-Ovide B, Sanchez-Mora A, Garcia-Tavero N, Steiner L, Scheer M, Gockel R, Walker D, Villa E, Szlama P, Eriksson IK, Tejedor M, Perez-Gil M, Quaresma J, Bachara W, Carroll E. (2017). True’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon mirus) in Macaronesia. PeerJ 5:e3059. → PDF download: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.3059

Ritter, F. & Bünte, J.N. (2016). Who is following whom?
Interspecific associations between bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales in deep waters off La Gomera. Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the ECS, Madeira, Portugal, March 2016. → PDF download: Ritter Bünte_2016_BD_PW_poster

Ritter, F. (2016). Collisions of Vessels with Cetaceans: How to Mitigate an Issue with Many Unknowns. In: Von Nordheim, N. & Wollny-Goerke, K. (Eds.): Progress in Marine Conservation in Europe 2015. BfN Skripten 451, Bonn, Germany. ISBN 978-3-89624-188-7. → PDF download: Ritter15_ship strikes

Ritter, F., Kautek, G., Kelm, B. & Kelm, A. (2015). Detecting Dodgy Dolphins: Assessing Physical Anomalies in Small Cetaceans off La Gomera (Canary Islands, Spain). Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the ECS, Malta, März 2015. → PDF download: anomalies_2015_handout and poster_anomalies_ecs_2015

Smit, V. & Ziltener, A. (2014). 2nd workshop on „Communicating marine mammal science to the general public“. Report presented at the Annual Conference of the ECS, Liège, Belgium, April 2014. → PDF download: workshop_report_summary

M Tobeña, A Escánez, Y Rodríguez, C López, F Ritter & N Aguilar (2014) Inter-island movements of common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus among the Canary Islands: online catalogues and implications for conservation and management. African Journal of Marine Science 2014: 1–5. → PDF download: inter_island_movements_canary_islands_2014

Scheer, M. & Ritter, F. (2013). Underwater bow-radiated noise characteristics of three types of ferries: implications for vessel-whale collisions in the Canary Islands, Spain. Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the ECS, Setubal, Portugal, April 2013. → PDF download: tla_poster_2012

Ritter, F. (2012). Collisions of sailing vessels with cetaceans worldwide: First insights into a seemingly growing problem. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management, 12(1): 119-127. → PDF download: collisions_cetaceans-sailors_worldwide_2012

Sollfrank, T. & Ritter, F. (2012). Watching Cetaceans from Land in the Canary Islands: Implications for the Management of Whale Watching. Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the ECS, Galway, Ireland, March 2012. → PDF download: landbasedstudy_lagomera_2012_handout

Ritter, F., Ernert, A. & Smit, V. (2011): A long-term cetacean sighting data set from whale watching operations as a reflection of the environmental dynamics in a multi-species cetacean habitat. Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the ECS, Cadiz, Spain, March 2011. → PDF download: longtermdynamics_2011_handout

Carrillo, M. & F. Ritter. (2010): Increasing numbers of ship strikes in the Canary Islands: Proposals for immediate action to reduce risk of vessel-whale collisions. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 11(2):131-138. → PDF download: shipstrikes_canaries_2010

Ritter, F. (2010): Quantification of ferry traffic in the Canary Islands (Spain) and its implications for collisions with cetaceans. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 11(2):139-146. → PDF dowlnload: ferrytraffic_canaries_2010

Smit, V., Ritter, F., Ernert, A. & Strüh, N. (2010): Habitat partitioning by cetaceans in a multi-species ecosystem around the oceanic island of La Gomera (Canary Islands). Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the ECS, Stralsund, Germany, March 2010. → PDF download: multispecies_2010_handout   and   multispecies_poster_2010

Ritter, F. (2010): Short description of a near miss event involving a large vessel and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) off Antarctica. Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the ECS, Stralsund, Germany, March 2010. → PDF download: nearmiss_poster2010    and nearmiss_handout2010

Ritter, F. (2007): BEHAVIOURAL RESPONSES OF ROUGH-TOOTHED DOLPHINS TO A DEAD NEWBORN CALF. Marine Mammal Science, 23(2): 429-433 (April 2007). → PDF download: Ritter2007

Ritter, F. & Neumann, K. (2006): THE YEAR OF THE WHALE: EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRENCE OF BRYDE’S WHALES OFF LA GOMERA (CANARY ISLANDS). Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the ECS, Gdynia, Poland, April 2006.    → Abstract     → Full Text (PDF)

Mayr, I. & Ritter, F. (2005): PHOTO-IDENTIFICATION OF ROUGH-TOOTHED DOLPHINS OFF LA GOMERA (CANARY ISLANDS) WITH NEW INSIGHTS INTO SOCIAL ORGANISATION. Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the ECS, La Rochelle, France, April 2005.   → Abstract     → Full Text (PDF)

Ritter, F. (2003) Boat-related Behaviours of Cetaceans as a Tool for the Development of Species-specific Whale Watching Guidelines. Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the ECS, Gran Canaria, Spain, March 2003.   → Abstract     → Full Text (PDF)

Smit, V., Ritter, F. & Neumann, K. (2003) Feasibility Study: Land-based Observations of Cetaceans on La Gomera (Canary Islands). Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the ECS, Gran Canria, Spain, March 2003.   → Abstract     → Full text (PDF)

Ritter, F. (2002) Behavioural Observations of Rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) off La Gomera (Canary Islands) with a special Reference to their Interactions with Humans. AQUATIC MAMMALS 28.1, 46-59.   → Abstract     → Full Text (PDF)

Ritter, F. (2001) Twenty-one Cetacean Species off La Gomera (Canary Islands): Possible Reasons for an extraordinary Species Diversity. Poster presented at the Annual Conference of the ECS, Rome, Italy 5-7 May 2001.   → Abstract     → Full Text (PDF): Ritter_2001

Ritter, F. & Brederlau, B. (1999) Abundance, Distribution and Behaviour of Dense Beaked Whales (Mesoplodon densirostris) off La Gomera (Canary Islands) and their Interactions with Humans. AQUATIC MAMMALS, 25.2, 55-61.   → Abstract

Ritter, F. (1999) Human-Cetacean Interactions off La Gomera (Canary Islands): Summary on In-Water-Encounters. In Dudzinski, K.M., Frohoff, T.G. & Spradlin, T.R. 1999. Wild Dolphin Swim Program Workshop Proceedings. The 13th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, Maui, Hawaii. 28 November 1999. 70pp.   → Abstract

Ritter, F. & Brederlau, B. (1998) First Report of Blue Whales (Balaenoptera musculus) Frequenting the Canary Island Waters. European Research on Cetaceans 12. Proc. 12th Ann. Conf. ECS, Monaco, 20-24th January 1998, 95-98.   → Abstract     → Full Text (PDF)

Ritter, F. & Ladner, U.A. (1996) Whale Watch Research on La Gomera: A new Interdisciplinary Approach. European Research on Cetaceans 9. Proc. 9th Ann. Conf. ECS, Lisbon 1996, 48ff.   → Abstract

Ritter, F. (1996) Abundance, Distribution and Behaviour of Cetaceans off La Gomera (Canary Islands) and Their Interaction with Whale Watching-Boats and Swimmers. Diploma Thesis to the University of Bremen, Faculty of Biology. 114pp.


IWC documents:

Dokumente für die jährlichen Tagungen des Wissenschaftsausschusses der Internationalen Walfangkommission (IWC):

Ritter, F., Aguilar de Soto, N. & Martín, V. (2019). Towards Ship Strike Mitigation in the Canary Islands. Int. Whal. Comm. Document SC/68a/HIM/15. PDF

Ritter, F., Asmutis-Silvia, R., Burkhardt-Holm, P., Kaufman, G. (2016). Approach to a Definition of “Near Misses”. Int. Whal. Comm. Document SC/66b/HIM03. 5pp. PDF

Ritter, F. & Bünte, J.N. (2016). Who is following whom?
Interspecific associations between bottlenose dolphins and pilot whales in deep waters off La Gomera. Int. Whal. Comm. Document SC/66b/ForInfo15. 4pp. PDF

Ritter, F. (2009). Collisions of sailing vessels with cetaceans worldwide: First insights into a seemingly growing problem. IWC Document SC/61/BC1. 13pp. PDF

Carrillo, M. & Ritter, F. (2008). Increasing Numbers of Ship Strikes in the Canary Islands: Proposals for Immediate Action to Reduce Risk of Vessel-Whale Collisions. IWC Document SC/60/BC6. 10pp. PDF

Ritter, F. (2007): A QUANTIFICATION OF FERRY TRAFFIC IN THE CANARY ISLANDS (SPAIN) AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE FOR COLLISIONS WITH CETACEANS. IWC Document SC/59/BC7. 12pp. PDF

Ritter, F. (2007): CETACEAN SIGHTINGS IN THE NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN DURING A COMMERCIAL ARCTIC CRUISE. IWC Document SC/59/WW21. 6pp. PDF

Baradell, M.G. & Ritter, F. (2007): SWIM-WITH-DOLPHIN ACTIVITIES IN THE AZORES – STEPS TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY. IWC Document SC/59/WW12. 7pp. PDF

Parsons, E.C.M., Fortuna, C.M., Ritter, F., Rose, N.A., Simmonds, M.P., Weinrich, M., Williams, R. & Panigada, S. (2006): GLOSSARY OF WHALE WATCHING TERMS. Journal of Research & Management 8 (suppl.), 249-251.


Other documents:

SHIP STRIKES IN THE CANARY ISLANDS: THE NEED FOR URGENT ACTION TO MITIGATE COLLISION RISK.
Präsentation von Manuel Carrillo und Fabian Ritter bei der Jährlichen Konferenz der European Cetacean Society (ECS) Egmond aan Zee, Holland, 10-12 März 2008

Collisions of Vessels with Cetaceans.
Präsentation von Fabian Ritter & Manollo Carrillo bei der YEAR OF THE DOLPHIN-KONFERENZ Stralsund, 30 Oktober -01 November 2007

Building the ground for whale watching management: Lessons from a „best practice“ perspective at La Gomera, Canary Islands.
Präsentation von Fabian Ritter beim Symposium Western African Talks on Cetaceans and Habitats (WATCH). Teneriffa, Oktober 2007. CMS Technical Series No. 26, pages 80-83.  PDF (EN)    PDF (ES)

Problems with Fast Ferries in the Canary Islands.
Präsentation von Fabian Ritter beim JOINT ACCOBAMS/PELAGOS WORKSHOPS ON FIN WHALE AND COLLISIONS Monaco, 12-15 November 2005

Whale Watching Research off La Gomera (Canary Islands).
Präsentation von Fabian Ritter beim Science for Sustainable Whale Watching Workshop Kapstadt, Südafrika, 02–09 März 2004

What can whale watching do for conservation?
M.E.E.R. La Gomera: An Example from the Canary Islands.
Präsentation von Fabian Ritter beim Whale Watching Workshop auf Teneriffa (14/15 März 2003) anlässlich der ECS Konferenz auf Gran Canaria

Whale Watching and Research on La Gomera (Canary Islands).
Draft prepared for the Workshop on Whale Watching & Research at the WMMSC in Monaco, 19. January 1998. By Dipl.-Biol. Fabian Ritter. 5pp.

Interactions of Cetaceans with Whale Watching Boats off La Gomera (Canary Islands).
Outline of the research of the project M.E.E.R. La Gomera. By Dipl.-Biol. Fabian Ritter. 8pp.


Student research papers (diploma, bachelor, master):

Yuri Oide Komati, Viviane. Drivers influencing bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) group size and composition in the waters off La Gomera. Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg. Download (PDF).

Bengsch, Maita (2019). Marine environmental awareness of residents and tourists in Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera. Master thesis, University of Sustainable Development Eberswalde, Faculty of Sustainable Business/Sustainable Tourism Management. Download (PDF)

Bünte, Niko (2015). Vergesellschaftung von Großen Tümmlern und Pilotwalen vor La Gomera. Masterarbeit, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald, Zoologie, Studiengang Landschaftsökologie und Naturschutz. 50 Seiten. Download (PDF)

Morales Herrera, Talía (2015). Distribución estational de Cetáceos en las Islas Canarias. Máster en Biología Marina: Biodiversidad y Conservación – Universidad de La Laguna, Faculdad de Biología. Download (PDF)

Jermann, Lisa (2015). Entwicklung einer GIS–Komponente zur automatisierten Darstellung und Verarbeitung von georeferenzierten Sichtungsdaten. Bachelorarbeit, Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin – HTW Berlin, Fachbereich 2, Studiengang Umweltinformatik. 63 Seiten. Download (PDF)

Kautek, Gratia (2015). Behavioral response of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) to whale watching boats off La Gomera, (Canary Islands). Masterarbeit, Universität Wien, Fachbereich Zoologie. 61 Seiten. Download (PDF)

Oldenburg, Lisa (2014). Whale Watching Tourismus auf den Kanarischen Inseln – die Rolle von nachhaltigem Tourismus bei der Entwicklung eines neuen Nischen Marktes. Bachelorarbeit, Fachhochschule Stralsund, Studiengang Freizeit- und Tourismus Management.

Heuer, Lisann (2013). Darstellung von Sichtungsdaten von Walen und Delfinen vor La Gomera mithilfe eines Geographischen Informationssystems (GIS). Bachelorarbeit, Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Berlin – HTW Berlin, Studiengang Betriebliche Umweltinformatik, Juni 2013. 64 Seiten.

Strüh, Nina (2008): Abundanz und Verbreitung von Cetaceen vor La Gomera im Zusammenhang mit Oberflächenwassertemperatur und Chlorophyllgehalt. Diplomarbeit, Universität Marbrug, Fachbereich Biologie, Zoologie. 81 Seiten + Anhang.

Koch, Katrin (2007): Untersuchung über Verbreitung und Vorkommen von Cetaceen vor La Gomera anhand eines Geografischen Informationssystems (ArcGIS). Diplomarbeit, Freie Universität Berlin, Fachbereich Biologie. 44 Seiten + Anhang.

Kiesewetter, Wolf (2007): Die Qualität von Naturerfahrungen am Beispiel von Whale Watching auf La Gomera/Kanarische Inseln. Diplomarbeit, Fachhochschule Eberswalde, Fachbereich Landschaftsnutzung und Naturschutz. 78 Seiten + Anhänge.

Weisenberger, Frank (2005): Grundlagen eines Meeressäuger-Informationszentrums für ein nachhaltiges Whale Watching vor La Gomera (Kanarische Inseln). Diplomarbeit, Universität Trier, Fachbereich Geowissenschaften / Fremdenverkehrsgeografie. 124pp + Anhänge.

Mayr, Iris (2004): Photo-Identification of Rough-toothed Dolphins (Steno bredanensis) off La Gomera (Canary Islands) as a Basis for Long-term Monitoring with new Insights into Social Organisation. Diploma thesis, University of Salzburg, Faculty of Natural Science – Organismic Biology. 100pp. PDF

Gonçalves, Francisco G. F. F. (2003): THE EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND ANTHROPOGENIC FACTORS ON THE ABUNDANCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF CETACEANS OFF LA GOMERA (CANARY ISLANDS). University of Glamorgan, School of Applied Sciences. 84pp.