ECOTOXICOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES IN MARINE MAMMALOGY: RESEARCH PRINCIPLES AND GOALS FOR A CONSERVATION POLICY

In integrating ecotoxicology and marine mammalogy two principal themes are conceivable--the impact of contaminants on marine mammals and the feasibility of monitoring marine pollution with marine mammals. Monitoring should be an alert procedure, carried out with a sensitive sensor. Uncertainties in interpreting analyses and the low susceptibility of marine mammals to short-term changes in pollution, make them inappropriate for pollution monitoring at present. To answer the question whether pollutants affect marine mammals, the occurrence of contaminants and the response of the animals to those chemicals have to be assessed.