Big day planned by Whale Museum in November for virtual ‘Gear Down’ workshop

||| FROM TRACIE MERRELL for THE WHALE MUSEUM |||

The Whale Museum (TWM) is holding an exciting virtual Gear Down Workshop for Marine Naturalists this fall on Saturday, November 13. This workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific Time and registrants will join sessions through the videoconferencing platform, Zoom. The theme of the “Gear Down” Workshop is: Marine Mammal Sightings: Contributing to Science and Conservation.

Invited presenters include:

• Dr. Trevor Branch, University of Washington, on how opportunistic sightings and systematic surveys can tell us what is happening to marine mammal distribution and biodiversity      
• Salma Abdel-Raheem, TWM, on The Whale Museum Sightings Hotline and latest research           
• Dr. Lauren Dares and Jessica Scott, Ocean Wise, on using citizen science to mitigate vessel impact and inform conservation
• Sonja Henneman, Transport Canada, on Canada interim sanctuary zones for SRKWs  
• Dr. Briana Abrahms, University of Washington, on an effort to reduce ship strikes to whales along the west coast
• John Calambokidis, Cascadia Research Collective, on changes in marine mammal occurrence in the Salish Sea
• NOAA staff on the Pacific Marine Assessment Program for Protected Species (PacMAPPS)
• Dr. Megan Wallen, NOAA, on critical habitat expansion for SRKWs   

The registration fee is $35 for non-members; $25 for current TWM/SSAMN members. A more discounted Gear Down Workshop rate is available ($20) for those who sign up to become a SSAMN member or renew their SSAMN memberships (a discount code will be provided). Questions can be directed to Tracie Merrill at tracie@whalemuseum.org. Zoom link and workshop agenda will be sent to registrants at email provided at registration closer to start of workshop. For more information and/or to register, please visit:  https://whalemuseum.org/products/virtualgeardownworkshop2021.