Marine Education Conference
WDCS, the Dolphin Fleet of Provincetown, and the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies are hosting a free, three-day marine education conference April 24th to 26th in Provincetown. The goal is to help naturalists translate the whale watch experience to a wider audience and to inspire greater follow-up activism once passengers return home. The conference is a way to exchange ideas and provide additional tools to naturalist/science educators, interns, volunteers, and those involved with whale watching and research in the Gulf of Maine region .
The conference consists of morning lectures and afternoon workshops. The lectures address the status of great whales and seals in the region,physical oceanography, and current conservation and management updates. While the afternoon workshops will focus on plankton and the ecosystem, photo-identification, research, and educational tools. Please see the agenda below, lunch is provided and the conference is free to attend - however, space is limited so registration is required. We would like to thanks the Wendy Joan Shadwell Fund for Whale Watch Naturalist Training and Education for making this conference possible
For more information, or to register for the conference, please contact Regina Asmutis-Silvia at [email protected].
Friday April 24th
9:00-9:45 Coffee
9:45-10:00 Introductions
10:00-10:45 Right Whales-Kate Longley, Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies
The past few springs have been record-breaking in terms of right whale activity in Cape Cod Bay. This talk will provide an overview as to what (and who) we’ve been seeing on our right whale aerial surveys in Cape Cod Bay, as well as some good news about the calving season in the Southeast. The goal of this presentation is to provide naturalists with the most up-to-date information on the right whales they might see (at a safe distance, of course) aboard their spring whale watching excursions.
Biography Kate Longley is a graduate of Wesleyan University and holds a degree in biology. After interning with the education and humpback studies programs at PCCS in 2005, she returned the following summer as a naturalist aboard the Dolphin Fleet. At the completion of whale watching season, Kate dons a flight suit and works as an observer for the right whale aerial survey program. Following a season with the Wildlife Trust team in St. Simons Island, GA, she returned to PCCS where she is currently the flight coordinator for the survey.
10:45-11:00 Break
11:00-11:45 Ocean Noise – Sarah Mussoline, Research Assistant, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, National Marine Fisheries Service
The ocean is a noisy place, full of both natural and human-generated sounds, with the later becoming rapidly widespread. Marine mammals and many fishes are well adapted for producing and perceiving sound in their fluid environment and are highly dependent on sounds for survival. Human activities, such as shipping, offshore oil exploration, dynamite explosions and dredging, all contribute to ocean noise. The constant hum of these noises may interfere with the acoustic environment of marine animals, fragmenting their habitat like a highway running through a neighborhood street. The impact of ocean noise pollution on marine animals is relatively unknown, but could have critical effects on their ability to communicate, navigate, reproduce, forage and evade predators. The possibility that human generated noise could harm marine mammals or significantly interfere with their normal activities is an issue of increasing concern. It is crucial that we understand if and how animals, especially endangered and protected species, are impacted by introduced noise and what we can do to better manage and protect these living resources.
As a case study I will focus on the three-year ocean observing system that is taking place in the Gerry E. Studds Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, located at the mouth of the Massachusetts Bay. The project is funded by the National Oceanographic Partnership Program and seeks to evaluate the impacts and interactions between various human-produced sounds and acoustically sensitive marine mammals.
Biography: Sarah Mussoline is a graduate from the University of Michigan with a Bachelors of Science. She interned at the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in 2006 as a Hollings Scholar and at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution as a Summer Student Fellow in 2008. She now works for both institutions as a research assistant, analyzing baleen whale vocalizations and deploying oceanographic equipment.
11:45-12:30 Physical Oceans –Surface Slicks, Internal Waves and Upper Ocean Stability –Graham Giese, Senior Scientist, Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies
Boaters in New England coastal waters during the summer sometimes see bands of especially smooth water crossing the sea surface. These “slicks” are produced by upper ocean processes that are closely linked to our summer-time abundance of marine life. In this discussion we trace the links between physical and biological processes in the upper ocean, from water density to water column stability to the development of the seasonal thermocline and primary productivity. Along the way, we will also discuss “coastal” upwelling, sea surface convergence/divergence, internal waves and the generation of surface slicks and rips.
Biography: A co-founder of PCCS, Graham Giese holds a doctorate degree from the University of Chicago in Geophysical Sciences and worked for many years at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Presently he is director of the Land-Sea Interaction Program at PCCS.
12:30- 1:15 Lunch (provided)
1:15-1:45 Enforcement Update- Todd Nickerson, Enforcement Agent, National Marine Fisheries Service
Whale Watch naturalists are an important source of information regarding issues that direct impact whales through reporting entanglements, collecting life history data, educating the public, and reporting incidents of harassment. This discussion will include updates on recent enforcement cases brought forward by the National Marine Fisheries Service and proper reporting mechanisms.
Biography: Todd Nickerson is a Special Agent NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement. He has over 12 years in law enforcement as a local police officer, narcotics agent in New York City, and now with NOAA.
1:45-4:30 Plankton workshop:
Join Dr. Stormy Mayo, Sarah Fortune and Karen Stamieszkin of the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies in learning about types of plankton and on board identification. Participants will have the opportunity to use discovery scopes and develop individual plankton keys. The working group is encouraged to share on board experiences and develop educational tools about plankton for use on whale watching vessels.
The Critical Connection: Zooplankton, Phytoplankton, and Whales
Stormy will discuss the rich unseen community of the zooplankton, the grazers, and the phytoplankton, the primary producers, that stand at the apex of the ocean system and feed all higher tropic levels in the sea. Using studies of the relationship between zooplankton patches and right whales at many scales, Stormy will also cover work being conducted at PCCS to understand the dynamic interactions that underpin whale foraging activities. The talk will deal with the taxonomic composition of the zooplankton and phytoplankton and offer some suggestions as to ways that the plankton system can be appreciated from whale watching boats, including such visible characteristics as natural oil slicks, surface indications of overturn, and ocean color.
Biographies: Karen Stamieszkin studied ecology and natural resource management, with a focus on marine resources, at Yale College and then at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. She is currently work at PCCS as an associate scientist with the Right Whale Habitat Studies Program. Current special areas of interest include how the vertical migration and distribution of right whale prey affects right whales’ risk of ship strike and entanglement.
Sarah Fortune graduated from Queen’s University, Canada, in 2007 with a B.A.H in Environmental Science and Political Studies. Currently she is a research assistant for the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies’ right whale habitat studies program where she studies the feeding characteristics of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale in Cape Cod Bay under the direction of Dr. Charles “Stormy” Mayo. In the off-season, Sarah enjoys participating in marine education programs and works as a Naturalist for the Dolphin Fleet.
Dr. Charles “Stormy” Mayo is a Senior Scientist at the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, on Cape Cod. Dr. Mayo directs the habitat studies program at the Center, heading up an effort to understand the interaction between endangered large whales and the ecosystems that support them. In recent years he has directed an investigation of the interaction between food resources and northern right whales with a particular emphasis on the impact of anthropogenic change on plankton patches. His technical work has ranged from complex computer modeling of foraging movements to the development of new techniques for documenting whale behavior and zooplankton distribution. Additionally Dr. Mayo is also known for his efforts to reduce whale mortality caused by entanglement in fishing gear through the development of new management techniques and the development of methods to rescue entangled whales at sea.
5:00 Ice Breaker –OC- Bring a list of the most bizarre questions you were ever asked by a passenger.
Saturday, April 25th
9:00-9:45 Coffee
9:45-10:00 Program Updates
10:00-10:45 Seals of New England –Gordon Waring, National Marine Fisheries Service
Pinnipeds are probably the most abundant marine mammals in the world. At least five species of seals are known to frequent the Gulf of Maine seasonally with some species sighted during whale watching trips. This presentation will discuss the ecology of seals in New England, with a focus on the Cape Cod region.
Biography: Gordon Waring is a Research Fisheries Biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Center, Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, MA. His research includes marine mammal ecology, harbor seal-gray seal interactions, and anthropogenic impacts on marine mammals.
10:45-11:00 break
11:00-11:45 Entanglement Update – Scott Landry, Disentanglement Coordinator, Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies
A review of entanglement cases over the last year as well as advances in entanglement response and understanding. The presentation will also summarize whale watch involvement in entanglement reporting and response.
Biography: Scott Landry is the Director of the Whale Rescue Program at the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies. Scott worked as a naturalist within the Gulf of Maine for many years before joining the PCCS Whale Disentanglement Team more than 10 years ago. In addition to being a First Responder for the team, Scott conducts research on the problem of entanglement.
11:45-12:30 U.S. Marine Mammal Policy and Enforcement Updates - Regina Asmutis-Silvia, Senior Biologist, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.
The largest sources of anthropogenic mortalities to large whales continue to be a result from vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglements. Substantial progress has been made in the past six months addressing these threats. In December, 2008, the Final Rule To Implement Speed Restrictions to Reduce the Threat of Ship Collisions With North Atlantic Right Whales was released. On April 5, 2009, the broad-based sinking ground line requirement was implemented along the east coast of the United States. This talk will give highlights of these rules as well as what still needs to be done.
Biography: Regina Asmutis-Silvia is the Senior Biologist for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society and the Director of their Vessel Strike Program. Regina represents conservation interests on the federally appointed Atlantic Large Whale, Harbor Porpoise, and Atlantic Trawl Gear Take Reduction Teams.
12:30-1:15 Lunch (provided)
1:15-4:30 Educational Workshop:
Join Dr. Jooke Robbins, Senior Scientist for the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies who will present an update on humpback sightings and research within the Gulf of Maine. Participants will break into working groups for a Swap Shop.
Humpback update and the Changing Role of the Naturalist:
When the Dolphin Fleet of Provincetown first ventured out on whale watch trips in 1975, the role of the naturalist was primarily science based. Little was known about whales and the vessels serves as an opportunistic platform for data collection. While whale watching continues to serve a role in data collection, the role of the naturalist has evolved to one of education and outreach. More than one million passengers board whale watch vessels every year throughout New England and the on board naturalist is the primary source of educating passengers about marine conservation. This workshop provides an opportunity for naturalists to exchange ideas and educational resources to enhance their trips (ex: mark lines on boats to show sizes of whales; elastic entanglements, blubber gloves; matching games; and how conservation messages are relayed to passengers). We encourage participants to examples of their educational materials to share.
Biography: Dr. Jooke Robbins is a senior scientist at the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies and the director of its Humpback Whale Studies Program. She holds a Ph.D. in marine biology from the University of St. Andrews, Scotland. Jooke has studied humpback whales since 1995 and conducts collaborative research in the North Atlantic, the North Pacific and the South Pacific Oceans. She is a member of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team and the U.S. Delegation to the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission. Her area of expertise and research focus is large whale biology, population structure & dynamics and human impacts.
Sunday, April 26th
9:00-9:45 Coffee
9:45-10:00 Program Updates
10:00-10:30 Whaling Wars 2009 –Heather Rockwell, Cetacean Society International
Since the last annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission in June 2008, an increasing number of whales have been killed by Japan, under the guise of “scientific whaling,” and by Norway and Iceland, in objection to the 1984 moratorium on commercial whaling. In addition, Iceland and Norway have been increasing their imports of whale meat to Japan. This presentation will bring you up to date on the numbers and species of whales currently being hunted around the world, and what the expectations for whale conservation are at the upcoming annual meeting of the IWC in Madeira, Portugal in June.
Biography: Heather Rockwell is a biological oceanographer, who has spent her career educating people on marine environmental issues and advocating for ocean conservation through her work at the New Jersey Academy of Aquatic Sciences, the International Wildlife Coalition and Nantucket Soundkeeper. She is on the Board of Directors of Cetacean Society International and has been their NGO representative to the annual meetings of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) since 2000. For the past four years, Heather has served as the NGO representative on the U.S. delegation to the IWC.
10:30-1:00 Whale SENSE: A Voluntary Recognition Program for Responsible Commercial Whale Watch Operations - Regina Asmutis-Silvia, Senior Biologist, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, Allison Rosner, (Marine Mammal Policy Specialist) National Marine Fisheries Service
Whale SENSE is a voluntary recognition program developed in conjunction with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS), Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) and commercial whale watching operators in the Northeast Region. The program will give consumers a new way to evaluate the choices they make when choosing a whale watching company, and it will provide exceptional operators with specialized training and outreach opportunities which can then be used as innovative marketing tools. The program will be comprised of the following: 1) training of naturalists and operators, 2) onboard evaluation of responsible viewing protocols (to be adapted from whale watching guidelines and completed by a trained and knowledgeable evaluator), 3) providing program and conservation information to passengers, 4) participating in marine stewardship projects (to be determined by company and program staff), and 5) maintaining responsible advertising. This year is the launch of a pilot program that will help shape program details, to make sure this is a program that works for the industry while meeting the program objectives.
Biography: Regina Asmutis-Silvia is the Senior Biologist for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society and the Director of their Vessel Strike Program. Regina represents conservation interests on the federally appointed Atlantic Large Whale, Harbor Porpoise, and Atlantic Trawl Gear Take Reduction Teams.
Allison Rosner is a marine mammal policy specialist from NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. Allison coordinates the NMFS’ Northeast Regional Office commercial and recreational whale watching educational programs and works on other marine mammal projects related to fishery-whale interactions.
1:30-4:30 Whale Watch (weather permitting)
Join Dr. Carole Carlson on board the Dolphin Fleet, the originators of East Coast Whale Watching. This provides an opportunity for naturalists to continue to share information regarding public outreach and interpretation in real time.
Biography: Dr. Carole Carlson, a marine biologist, is the director of Research and Education for the Dolphin Fleet and Adjunct Scientist at the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies and the College of the Atlantic. She has spent over thirty years studying large cetaceans off the east coast of the United States, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Chile, the Dominican Republic and the Eastern Caribbean and is an acknowledged expert on photo-identification techniques, humpback whales and whale watching.
Location: Hiebert Marine Lab, 5 Holway Avenue, Provincetown, MA 02657
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