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Can fear conditioning repel California sea lions from fishing activities?
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dc.contributor.author | Schakner, Zachary A. | |
dc.contributor.author | Götz, Thomas | |
dc.contributor.author | Janik, Vincent M. | |
dc.contributor.author | Blumstein, Daniel T. | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2018-02-02T00:31:34Z | |
dc.date.available | 2018-02-02T00:31:34Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2017-10 | |
dc.identifier.citation | Schakner , Z A , Götz , T , Janik , V M & Blumstein , D T 2017 , ' Can fear conditioning repel California sea lions from fishing activities? ' , Animal Conservation , vol. 20 , no. 5 , pp. 425-432 . https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12329 | en |
dc.identifier.issn | 1367-9430 | |
dc.identifier.other | PURE: 246363318 | |
dc.identifier.other | PURE UUID: e7362f68-4b36-4ac6-9272-f036343c9940 | |
dc.identifier.other | Scopus: 85011112273 | |
dc.identifier.other | ORCID: /0000-0001-7894-0121/work/60427856 | |
dc.identifier.other | WOS: 000413319000007 | |
dc.identifier.other | ORCID: /0000-0002-4630-3328/work/71221489 | |
dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/10023/12649 | |
dc.description | Z.S. was supported by a NSF predoctoral fellowship and by a grant from the LaKretz Center for California Conservation Science. D.T.B. was supported by the NSF during manuscript preparation. | en |
dc.description.abstract | Marine mammal interactions with fisheries create conflicts that can threaten human safety, economic interests and marine mammal survival. A deterrent that capitalizes on learning mechanisms, like fear conditioning, may enhance success while simultaneously balancing welfare concerns and reduce noise pollution. During fear conditioning, individuals learn the cues that precede the dangerous stimuli, and respond by avoiding the painful situations. We tested the efficacy of fear conditioning using acoustic stimuli for reducing California sea lion Zalophus californianus interactions from two fishing contexts in California, USA; bait barges and recreational fishing vessels. We performed conditioning trials on 24 individual sea lions interacting with bait barges. We tested for acquisition of conditioned fear by pairing a neutral tone with a startle stimulus. Avoidance was strongest in response to the startle stimulus alone, but low when paired with a neutral tone. From actively fishing vessels, we tested for fear conditioning by exposing sea lions to a neutral tone followed by a startle pulse, a startle pulse alone or a no sound control. We conducted playbacks from 146 (including 48 no sound control) stops over two summer fishing seasons (2013, 2014). The startle stimulus decreased surfacing frequency, reduced bait foraging and increased surfacing distance from the vessel while the conditioned stimulus only caused a mild reduction in surfacing frequency with no other behavioral change. Exposing animals to a pair of a conditioned stimulus with a startle pulse did not achieve the intended management outcome. Rather, it generated evidence (in two study contexts) of immediate learning that led to the reduction of the unconditioned response. Taken together, our results suggest that for fear conditioning to be applied as a non-lethal deterrent, careful consideration has to be given to individual behavior, the unconditioned/conditioned responses and the overall management goals. | |
dc.format.extent | 8 | |
dc.language.iso | eng | |
dc.relation.ispartof | Animal Conservation | en |
dc.rights | ©2017 The Zoological Society of London. This work has been made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at onlinelibrary.wiley.com / https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12329 | en |
dc.subject | Conservation behavior | en |
dc.subject | Marine mammal fisheries conflict | en |
dc.subject | Fear conditioning | en |
dc.subject | Non-lethal deterrents | en |
dc.subject | Sea lions | en |
dc.subject | Acoustic stimuli | en |
dc.subject | Startle effect | en |
dc.subject | Human-wildlife conflict | en |
dc.subject | BF Psychology | en |
dc.subject | QH301 Biology | en |
dc.subject | NDAS | en |
dc.subject | SDG 14 - Life Below Water | en |
dc.subject.lcc | BF | en |
dc.subject.lcc | QH301 | en |
dc.title | Can fear conditioning repel California sea lions from fishing activities? | en |
dc.type | Journal article | en |
dc.description.version | Postprint | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. School of Biology | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. Scottish Oceans Institute | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. Sea Mammal Research Unit | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. Marine Alliance for Science & Technology Scotland | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. Institute of Behavioural and Neural Sciences | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. Centre for Social Learning & Cognitive Evolution | en |
dc.contributor.institution | University of St Andrews. Bioacoustics group | en |
dc.identifier.doi | https://doi.org/10.1111/acv.12329 | |
dc.description.status | Peer reviewed | en |
dc.date.embargoedUntil | 2018-02-01 |
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