| Summary: | Biologging and habitat modelling are key tools supporting the development of conservation measures and mitigating the effects of anthropogenic pressures on marine species. Here, we analysed satellite telemetry data and foraging habitat preferences in relation to chlorophyll-a productivity fronts to understand the movements and behaviour of endangered Mediterranean fin whales ( Balaenoptera physalus) during their spring-summer feeding aggregation in the North-Western Mediterranean Sea. Eleven individuals were equipped with Argos satellite transmitters across three years, with transmissions averaging 23.5 ± 11.3 days. Hidden Markov Models were used to identify foraging behaviour, revealing how individuals showed consistency in their use of seasonal core feeding grounds; this was supported by the distribution of potential foraging habitat. Importantly, tracked whales spent most of their time in areas with no explicit protected status within the study region. This highlights the need for enhanced time- and place-based conservation actions to mitigate the effects of anthropogenic impacts for this species, notably ship strike risk and noise disturbance in an area of exceptionally high maritime traffic levels. These findings strengthen the need to further assess critical habitats and Important Marine Mammal Areas that are crucial for focussed conservation, management, and mitigation efforts. Funding provided by: Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale Crossref Funder Registry ID: https://ror.org/022zv0672 Award Number: Funding provided by: University of California, Santa Cruz Crossref Funder Registry ID: https://ror.org/03s65by71 Award Number: Funding provided by: SPA/RAC* Crossref Funder Registry ID: Award Number: Funding provided by: Tethys Research Institute Crossref Funder Registry ID: https://ror.org/01x1qyv30 Award Number: The dataset contains raw location data from eleven fin whales equipped with ARGOS satellite transmitters in the North-Western Mediterranean Sea.
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