We would like to invite you to participate in the workshop, *Saving An
Individual, Protecting A Population, Conserving A Species, *preceding
the 18th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. Please
see below for details. Space is limited so if you are interested,
please register at
http://www.marinemammalscience.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=361&Itemid=214.
*
Saving An Individual, Protecting A Population, Conserving A Species *
Proponent: Barbie Byrd and Janet Whaley, National Marine Fisheries Service
Date: 11 October, Full Day
Room: 208A
Marine mammals that are perceived as "out-of-habitat" or in peril, but
are not stranded, pose complex challenges to agencies and groups
responsible for determining and implementing the best course of action.
Public and political pressures often result in interventions that are
not justified based on the health of the population in question. In
addition, stranding networks and regulatory agencies may potentially be
faced with an increasing number of out-of-habitat cases if marine
mammals (or their prey) shift distribution patterns and inhabit "new"
areas in response to population-level or ecosystem-wide changes. While
protocols for stranding response are well-developed, and some of the
same principles apply, protocols for out-of-habitat events are usually
developed ad-hoc and based on lessons learned from a handful of prior
cases. The ad-hoc nature and resulting inconsistencies of responses to
past events highlight the need for specific criteria to help in the
decision-making process and to support decisions in the face of dissent.
The biennial provides an opportunity for attendees who have dealt with
similar situations to gather together to share experiences and help
shape guidelines for future use. We propose a 1-day workshop involving
international participants and incorporating a range of perspectives
from academic researchers, animal welfare and environmental NGOs, and
relevant regulatory agencies.
The workshop will begin with an overview presentation outlining the
structure and goals of the workshop, a presentation on relevant
governmental regulations, and 8 20-minute presentations reviewing past
case studies. In the afternoon, participants will be separated into
breakout groups for about 2 hours to discuss a particular topic.
Afterwards, each group would provide a critical review of their topic to
all participants. Their analyses will be incorporated into draft
guidelines (consensus or range of opinions) to provide criteria for
evaluation of future events and determination of the most appropriate
responses. A draft report will be circulated to participants for
comment. A final version will be distributed following incorporation of
comments.
Costs: $35 USD prior to 15 Aug; $45 USD after this date. Morning and
afternoon refreshments will be served. Please make checks out to "The
Marine Mammal Center" and write "Workshop at 2009 SMM Conference" in the
memo line on your check.
Send checks to:
Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program
NOAA/NMFS/PR2 Room 13658
1315 East-West Hwy
Silver Spring, MD 20910USA
Thank you.
Barbie Byrd and Janet Whaley
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