Abstract

The Agoa Sanctuary, a marine protected area dedicated to the marine mammals in the French West Indies, is home to almost a third of the world’s cetacean species. In 2023, a cutting-edge modelling work allowed to map their distribution using the Sanctuary’s entire data base, with highly heterogenous data. For seven species (sperm whale, humpback whale, bottlenose dolphin, pantropical spotted dolphin, Fraser’s dolphin, pseudorca and short-finned pilot whale), the most explanatory environmental variables were selected to map their distribution, from Anguilla to Saint Lucia. For all species, the most favourable habitats were predicted on the leeward coasts, to the west of the Caribbean islands. Others areas draw the attention, notably on the Atlantic coast for humpback whales but also for others species such as the pseudorca which is far less observed. By combining these distribution maps with marine traffic, fisheries and noise pollution zones, this work will allow improving cetacean management in the area. The Agoa sanctuary team is already working on it: acoustic mapping, high-risk collision zones, modifying nautical race routes. Ultimately, managements measures such as noise mitigation and shipping modulation can be adapted in consultation with maritime stakeholders