> *SHIP STRIKE WORKSHOP, Sat. Dec 7th at the SMM Biology of Marine Mammals > Conference in Dunedin, NZ* > > This workshop has recently been expanded to a full day workshop and will > include panel speakers discussing the Spotter "App" in California, REPCET > in the Mediterranean and ship strike issues in Australia, Hawaii and > elsewhere around the world! Please join in the conversation! Register > online at the SMM website. > > > Can The Cloud Save Whales? > > Background and Theme > > Ship strikes of whales by commercial vessels engaged in global commerce > have been recognized as a growing concern worldwide. The National Oceanic > and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is concerned about large whale > mortalities from ship strikes along the coast of the United States, > particularly in regards to vulnerable populations like the North Atlantic > Right Whale on the east coast and the Blue Whale in the Pacific. > > Blues, right, humpback and fin whales are listed internationally as > endangered and threatened with extinction in Appendix I of the Convention > on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and in > the International Union for the Conservation of Nature's Red List. > Mortality from ship strikes has been identified by NOAA’s National Marine > Fisheries Service (NMFS) as a serious threat to population recovery of > these vulnerable whale species. > > Within the last decade, NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries > (ONMS) and NMFS have worked together and with partners such as the United > States Coast Guard (USCG), environmental NGOs and private industry to > protect whales from vessel traffic. For example, on the east coast of the > US, comprehensive right whale monitoring has led to the shift of vessel > traffic lanes away from areas of high whale densities. Additionally, > passive acoustic monitoring has contributed to a sophisticated system that > alerts vessels entering Boston harbor to the presence of right whales. > > However, in this dreary fiscal climate, comprehensive monitoring and > costly technological solutions are nearly impossible for the federal > government to fund, and NOAA has had to become increasingly creative in > their methods for 1) monitoring the presence of whales in US waters; 2) > educating and reaching-out to the public, and; 3) implementing management > measures that will better protect these vulnerable species. NOAA’s ONMS, > the shipping industry and partner ENGO’s have recently been working with > private tech developers to utilize the power of cloud technology to achieve > our goals of real-time data that informs dynamic spatial management of > commercial vessels. > > The ONMS in the West Coast Region is involved in an on-going effort to > effectively engage stakeholders to collect data on marine mammals for the > respective sanctuaries through a mobile app called Spotter. Concurrently, > east coast sanctuaries have been leveraging mobile technology to convey > management measures (such as seasonal speed limits) to the maritime > transportation industry. These efforts have incredible potential, but along > with them comes a host of challenging questions. Issues to be discussed in > this workshop include: > > > - > > the scientific integrity of data gathered by citizens and naturalists > - > > the use of citizen science to inform management > - > > the engagement of the commercial shipping industry in data collection > - > > the scale-ability of this technology (what might this look like on a > national/global scale?) > - > > the problem of measuring success > - > > the inherent difficulties of providing near real-time information on > whale presence to the (adoring) public- will this create harassment issues? > > > Relevance: This workshop is relevant to all scientists, policy-makers and > managers wishing to harness the power and scope of mobile technology and > citizen science to support marine mammal conservation. It has the > potential to be an incredible education and outreach tool, connecting > stakeholders with science and policy. > > Output: The workshop will provide ONMS and partners with valuable > feedback to make the technology useful and effective. It will also allow > participants to learn about other similar efforts around the world and to > discuss the potential for a consistent and comprehensive solution to marine > mammal monitoring. > > Potential Presenters: > > Jake Levenson, Conserve IO > > David Wiley, Office of National Marine Sanctuaries > > Monica DeAngelis, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (confirmed) > > John Calambokidis, Cascadia Research > > Jerome Couvet, Souffleurs d'Ecume > > and more! > > Thank You, > > > -- > Leslie Abramson > Resource Protection Specialist > Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary > 991 Marine Drive, The Presidio > San Francisco, CA 94129 > 415-561-6622, Ext 306 > Fax: 415-561-6616 > http://farallones.noaa.gov/manage/sac.html >
-- Leslie Abramson Advisory Council Coordinator Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary 991 Marine Drive, The Presidio San Francisco, CA 94129 415-561-6622, Ext 306 Fax: 415-561-6616 http://farallones.noaa.gov/manage/sac.html
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