PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS

Workshop Summary:

Spanning two days, the Fourth Marine Mammal Genomics Workshop (G4) aims to spark innovation, enhance global collaboration, and steer the future of marine mammal genomics.

G4’s comprehensive exploration will delve into diverse research themes, including evolution, conservation, diseases, novel methods, genomics on a shoestring, and integrating genomics with traditional knowledge. The workshop will feature traditional presentations and panels alongside unique training and networking opportunities. Innovative sessions like “Bioinformatics Problems Speed Dating” and a project-specific problem-solving panel will expedite collaboration and knowledge sharing, bridging the gap between seasoned experts and emerging researchers.

G4 is committed to addressing field challenges, fostering global engagement with renowned researchers, facilitating meaningful networking opportunities, and offering practical solutions. Inclusivity is a cornerstone of G4, reflected in efforts such as diverse global speaker representation, student scholarships favouring applicants from the global South, and prioritizing First Nations participation.

We are pleased to announce secured funding from the American Genetics Association and are actively sourcing additional funds to support invited speakers and students. If you are interested in receiving student funding for the workshop, please fill out the ‘Student Grant’ google form here which will close August 15th. Please note that priority will be given to students from the global South. 

Do you think your research is pushing our field forward? If you are interested in presenting at the workshop, please register your interest in presenting using ‘Speakers form’ here.

Virtual Attendance: NOT AVAILABLE

Workshop Description: 

The 3rd Marine Mammal eDNA workshop will bring together early-career and established researchers interested in applying emerging techniques in environmental DNA (eDNA) to marine mammal species. Environmental DNA approaches to characterize organismal DNA from marine and freshwater have shown promise for accelerating marine conservation, especially for cryptic, rare, and logistically challenging species. Following the success of the first two eDNA workshops held at SMM, significant research effort has resulted in novel insight and growth of the field over the last two years. Researchers will share methods developments and lessons learned from recent eDNA work and explore priority areas for further development in the next two years. Participants will then engage in small-group discussion via breakout groups on relevant topics such as experimental design and best practices for eDNA sampling in the field, important considerations for eDNA sample processing, developing methods to move toward quantitative metabarcoding and data analysis, and developing methods for the use of eDNA beyond species detection – e.g. abundance estimation or stock identification, and others based on a pre-survey of participant interests. Throughout the workshop, we aim to broadly address both the challenges and opportunities that eDNA affords for marine mammal science.

Virtual Attendance: NOT AVAILABLE

Virtual Attendance ONLY:

Please note that the workshop will only be available as a virtual session and will not be offered onsite. Click HERE for registration form.

For more information on virtual attendance, please contact Sarah Mesnick (sarah.mesnick@noaa.gov).

Workshop Description:

The Cachalote Consortium was created in 2005 to bring together researchers from multiple disciplines to promote understanding of global patterns of sperm whale biology, ecology, culture and conservation. These Consortium gatherings provide a forum for presenting research progress, exchanging ideas and standardizing methodologies, identifying knowledge gaps, inspiring new collaborations, and fostering next generation scientists dedicated to studying sperm whales. In parallel with the goals of SMM 2024, we seek contributions that will stimulate dialogue at the intersection of culture and conservation of sperm whales and their societies, including discussion of research techniques (traditional and novel) that promote understanding at multiple scales: social, regional and global. The workshop will provide a special opportunity to explore our current understanding of sperm whales, a socially and culturally complex nomadic species, and the evolving dimensions of human interactions affecting them. We invite scientists, conservationists, students and policy makers alike. The program will involve a series of short presentations, with ample opportunity for discussion.

Workshop Summary:

First Nations and Indigenous peoples are the first custodians of the lands and waters. They are also the first knowledge holders, accumulating vast amount of information about the natural world through generations of lived experience. First Nations and Indigenous Cultural Ecological Knowledge often includes a deep understanding of patterns and processes of the natural world, observed and passed between generations since time immemorial. Marine mammals play an integral part in the lives of many First Nations and Indigenous peoples, ranging from mythological/totemic importance to food security. Therefore, First Nations and Indigenous people often have a keen interest in the custodianship of marine mammal populations. However, First Nations and Indigenous peoples should not only be considered stakeholders of marine mammal research; the immense knowledge held by many cultures provides extraordinary opportunity to advance marine mammal science through genuine partnership and collaboration.

This workshop invites experienced researchers/managers/rangers/community members that work in cross-cultural collaborations to share their experience on forming genuine partnerships between western scientists/First Nations and Indigenous peoples. We also invite participants that wish to learn how to better engage with culturally diverse partners to create better outcomes. We wish to hear from both indigenous and non-indigenous participants in a culturally safe and welcoming environment to learn from one another on how we can progress marine mammal science working side-by-side.

Virtual Attendance: NOT AVAILABLE

Workshop Description:

Entanglement and ingestion of recreational fishing gear pose a threat to coastal and estuarine dolphins as they often occupy areas that are also heavily used by fishers. Dolphins that are affected may suffer amputation of body parts, systemic infection, restricted movement and an inability to forage, feed or engage in other normal behaviour. Beyond compromised welfare, dolphin population viability may also be affected when fishing gear related mortality is high, and demographic changes in an affected population are driven by birth and death processes. Although dolphin entanglements share characteristics globally, the response to incidents vary greatly. This workshop brings together marine mammal biologists, veterinarians, wildlife managers and organizations responsible for dolphin incident response to establish balanced response decision making criteria for dolphin entanglements. A set of presentations will be used to characterize common entanglement scenarios and lessons learnt from them. Guided discussion sessions are then held to define what state of preparedness to dolphin entanglements looks like and costs, develop a decision-making tree for typical scenarios for when to intervene and when not to, and to discuss best approaches and practices for intervention. Each decision-making step will be discussed with consideration given to animal welfare and health, population viability, resource availability and responders’ safety. Time will also be allocated to discuss legislative and policy frameworks that establish response processes and responsibilities. This workshop will produce a written report, aimed to be published in a peer reviewed journal, that captures knowledge and experience that is currently unpublished and therefore largely unavailable for decision makers and those responding to dolphin entanglements. Workshop participants will leave the workshop better equipped to make response decisions to dolphin entanglements and to develop response protocols at their place of work following current best practices.

Virtual Attendance: NOT AVAILABLE

Workshop Description:

CSA Ocean Sciences (CSA) and the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) developed a publicly available and easy to use risk assessment tool to model the potential strike risk associated with offshore wind vessel operations on large whale species in U.S. outer continental shelf waters. The latest generation of this model is in final development and is being presented publicly for the first time at this conference. The general purpose of this workshop will be to introduce the model to users who require assessment of vessel strike risk. Participants will have input on its usability and application related to vessel strike risk reduction methodologies and technologies for marine mammals. The targeted audience includes both biologists and regulators that need a practical and straight foreword approach to understanding and quantifying vessel strike risk. The following topics will be covered: 1) discuss data inputs and limitations; 2) discuss applicability outside the U.S. and alternative data set usage from managers and researchers; 3) identify strike risk reduction or mitigation recommendations that could influence the model and transfer that information to end users (i.e. vessel operators); 4) brainstorm how model may be integrated into a broader suite of vessel strike avoidance technologies; and 5) obtain feedback on the user experience and utility of the model. These topics will be covered through a series of brief presentations, round-table discussions, and hands-on use of the model itself. The final activity will involve participants running the model based on a hypothetical scenario. The information generated through this workshop will be used to refine how the model is used and presented in the U.S. offshore wind industry while also providing the foundation for users who want to build similar models for other global regions or activities.

Virtual Attendance: NOT AVAILABLE

Workshop Description:

Science education is an excellent way to communicate science efforts, inspire the next generation of scientists and/or engage with the local community. In an effort to bridge the gap between laboratory-based science efforts and the local community, the Marine Mammal Research Program developed the Summer Marine Mammal Intensive Learning Experience (SMMILE). SMMILE is a 10-day immersive program which provides high school students from Hawaiʻi and American Samoa a unique opportunity to learn about marine mammal research, conservation, and marine protected areas within the framework of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) in Hawaiʻi. SMMILE was developed to increase representation of Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the field of marine mammal science. The purpose of this marine mammal education workshop will be to provide a “SMMILE toolbox” for scientists, professionals, and graduate students to implement programs in their community. During this workshop, we plan to discuss the following topics: curriculum development, incorporating TEK and place-based learning, funding, and advertising. Education program coordinators from around the world will be invited to present about their respective outreach and teaching opportunities to provide diverse examples of successful programs. Workshop coordinators and invited speakers will lead demonstrations of the hands-on activities included in their education programs. Ultimately, this workshop aims to provide attendees with opportunities to better integrate marine mammal outreach and educational opportunities within their communities.

Virtual Attendance: NOT AVAILABLE

Workshop Description:

The wealth of information collected during stranding events offers critical information about marine mammal distribution, health, threats, ecology and feeding history, in addition to insights into population and ecosystem health. Recognizing this, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) Strandings Initiative was established to bring together the skills and experiences of experts from different countries around the world to develop practical strandings guidance. In response to the “2019 WMMC Barcelona Declaration.” the Global Stranding Network (GSN), was established and now has over 200 members from 64 countries that are spread across 6 continents. These initiatives serve as a platform to share resources, improve response capabilities, and foster international collaboration. IWC and GSN will both benefit from an improved understanding of strandings responders’ needs. This workshop aims to identify and develop guidance to support several aspects of stranding response. These include:

• Enhanced Collaboration and Network building: Establish strong communication channels and collaborative frameworks that are practical to implement and maintain among stranding responders.
• Capacity Building: Develop training programs tailored to the network’s needs, with clear ‘beach accessible’ guidance for responders for both live and dead animal stranding response scenarios.
• Diagnostics: Collate and share best practices for tools and diagnostics needed to investigate emerging and existing threats (e.g. disease, biotoxins, fisheries interaction).
• Standardized Protocols: Refine response protocols for live and dead strandings, ensuring consistency in data collection and animal welfare during stranding responses.
• Data Analysis and Sharing: Develop platforms to support data collection, and reporting, and analysis across GSN/IWC members. 

Among our goals, a key priority is to identify and produce resources that effectively support developing strandings networks or those with limited resources. The aim is to maintain a collaborative approach, leveraging a global network, to significantly advance marine mammal stranding response, welfare and conservation.

Virtual Attendance: NOT AVAILABLE

Workshop Description: 

The success of any long-term biological monitoring project requires samples and data of exceptional quality. This workshop will discuss how to build a collection of biological samples and data that can be used to answer current and future research questions. Scientists from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will present: 1) some examples of marine mammal biomonitoring projects in Alaska and at the NIST Biorepository 2) sample collection, processing, and data management practices necessary for maintaining sample integrity for biomonitoring studies, 3) and the importance of partnerships between researchers and Indigenous subsistence hunters that collect the samples and rely on marine mammals as a food resource. The partnership between subsistence hunters and researchers blends the intimate knowledge of the animals and a keen interest in their health and well-being, particularly because it affects the health and well-being of hunter’s families and community, with the ability of science to determine population size, body condition, reproductive rate, and changes in diet.

Using the NIST Biorepository and biological sampling programs from Alaska as case examples, participants will learn the importance of obtaining high quality specimens through effective communication with stakeholders, collaborators and field collectors., Standardized protocols for sample preparation, sample collection, and accurate data keeping will also be presented. Challenges in these areas will be discussed and attendees will have the opportunity to share their own experiences and ask questions related to these topics through an interactive exercise.

Workshop Description: 

Monitoring the health of individuals is one of the priorities for population status and risk assessments of marine mammals. As top predators, marine mammals are indicators of overall ecosystem health. Moreover, in a changing climate there is an increased need for efficient tools to collect data on marine mammal health parameters. In this proposed workshop, we focus on novel and best practices in pinniped health surveillance, based mainly on by-caught, stranded and/or hunted individuals. The objective of the workshop is to share ongoing and planned activities in pinniped health monitoring, and to provide an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between research veterinarians and pinniped researchers. We intend to invite key experts to share their knowledge on health monitoring of pinnipeds worldwide, with a specific focus on improving accuracy of post-mortem investigations. Through this, we hope to introduce different monitoring approaches, and necropsy and sampling protocols (e.g., Marine Mammal Commission, HELCOM) from varied species and locations. In addition, the workshop will facilitate discussion on the challenges that the participants may face in health monitoring, as well as provide opportunities to share good practices and novel tools used in this field. The workshop activities would include presentations from invited speakers and free discussions. We hope that this workshop will result in improved capacity and updated health monitoring guidelines for pinnipeds. It also fits to the conference theme “Culture and conservation: fishing for change” by improving the assessment of pinniped mortality attributable to bycatch.

Workshop Summary:

The leaders of the AI & ML workshops have merged them to present the current breadth of AI/ML studies, and provide opportunities for collaboration, and sources of expertise to help you realize when AI/ML tools are an appropriate choice for your study.  We welcome both in-person and virtual participation.  Virtual participants must register to participate, but will not have to pay registration fees.

The adoption of AI/ML techniques has revolutionized science, enabling researchers to analyze vast datasets and extract valuable insights.  By bringing together experts, practitioners, and early-career researchers representing a diversity of backgrounds and countries, we hope to reduce your costs and increase your success in adapting these new techniques.  In talks, speakers will address behavior, bioacoustics, communication, ecology, and the processing of biological data with a focus on methods rather than results.  There will also be a round table discussion of the ethics of using AI in behavioral experiments and playbacks.  

Planned discussions will explore the use of AI/ML techniques for the analysis of:

1. Photogrammetry, using computer vision, to census animal groups, separate them by species, age and sex, measure and estimate the physical condition of individuals (sometimes even identifying individuals), allowing one to estimate changing population size and health.
2. Bioacoustic communication and Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) data.  PAM has emerged as a powerful tool for studying marine mammal vocalizations, behavior and distribution, and the often noisy background environment.  Using underwater acoustic data, AI/ML solutions are appropriate for automatic species detection, classification, and vocalization analysis. We will discuss recent advances, the integration of deep-learning models, and one of the important advantages of AI/ML analysis, the speed of preliminary results with potential applications in real-time monitoring.

AI/ML, including generative AI, is already furthering our understanding of marine mammal ecology, behavior and communication.  It can, and we anticipate will, be used to improve the management of marine mammals including determination and protection of important marine mammal habitats and avoidance of ship strikes.  How these techniques can be modified to allow near-real-time reevaluation as conditions in our world undergo almost constant change, is our goal.

Virtual Attendance: YES

For more information on virtual attendance, please contact Guy W. Oliver (oliver@ucsc.edu).

Workshop Description:

The blue whale has been a focus of considerable research worldwide with a number of key research groups undertaking long term research programs into the species, however key research gaps remain. In recent years, there has been a growing focus on the species, particularly in the Australian context.

This workshop is intended to bring together scientists in the blue whale community to faciltiate an understanding of the current state of knowledge, identify key research gaps and develop strategies for addressing these gaps through collaboration and focused research efforts. The workshop is focused on scientific understanding of the population including all areas of ecology, biology and behaviour with a particular focus on body condition, variability in spatial and temporal habitat use, oceanographic and climatic drivers and linkages with population health and resilience.

The key outcomes of the workshop are as follows:

Outcome 1 – Summary of work carried out to date, future work planned and how research can be optimised amongst research  groups.

 Outcome 2 – Identification of: 1) how and if climate change may be influencing blue whales in general and Eastern Indian Ocean blue whales specifically; and 2) what we need to be studying to verify and quantify potential climate change effects.

Outcome 3 – Specific questions related to: 1) mating, breeding and calving areas & behaviours; and 2) monitoring population status – which thus includes photo-ID and genetic techniques. Note these two questions are related.

Virtual Attendance: NOT AVAILABLE

Workshop Description:

Trap/pot fisheries around the world represent a threat to large whales. Whales that come in contact with buoy lines, or those connecting multiple traps/pots, can become entangled, leading to injury and death.  For some populations the mortality and sub-lethal impacts on fecundity resulting from entanglements may be unsustainable (e.g., humpback whales entangled in Californian crab pots, or minke whales entangled in South African crustacean “creels”), and may contribute to a decline toward extinction (e.g., North Atlantic right whales entangled in lobster and crab pots).  Many countries have identified whale entanglement in trap/pot gear as a potentially serious conservation issue that is likely to occur anywhere whale distributions spatially overlap with trap/pot-gear fisheries.  These interactions involve a variety of whale species and numerous trap/pot fisheries with a variety of gear configurations and practices that target a wide range of crustacean and fish species.  While this threat has been the focus of research and mitigation by some countries for decades, others are just beginning to recognize its prevalence.

This workshop is expected to bring together researchers, managers, policy makers, fishermen, disentanglement responders and conservationists to share their knowledge and experience with 1) assessing the magnitude of the entanglement threat (e.g., through the use of stranding surveys, scaring analyses, and mark-recapture models), 2) efforts to mitigate entanglement risk (e.g., using time-area closures to reduce whale-gear co-occurrence, and modifying gear to reduce the likelihood of entanglement or increase the whales’ ability to break free from entangling gear), 3) attempts to develop innovative, “whale-safe” gear (e.g., so called “ropeless” gear), and 4) save entangled whales through disentanglement interventions. We expect the workshop to catalyze the growth of a network of individuals who will continue to share their knowledge and experiences, leading to an improved understanding and mitigation of entanglement of large whales in trap/pot gear.

Virtual Attendance: NOT AVAILABLE

Workshop Description:

We are experiencing a global increase in proposals for offshore wind farm developments, many of them in areas overlapping with protected marine mammal populations. With recent announcements for new offshore windfarm leases in Australian waters, its timely to use the SMM Conference to explore approaches to balancing the protection of marine mammals with the offshore developments required to meet climate change targets.

The objective of this workshop is therefore to share experience of researching and managing this issue across regions, marine mammal communities, regulatory frameworks, and the maturity of the industry.

We will develop a programme of invited and contributed talks to provide examples of previous research and monitoring at offshore wind farms.  This will include studies made at different stages of wind farm developments, from pre-consent baseline through construction mitigation and monitoring, to ecosystem studies within operational wind farms.

Alongside these presentations, we will bring together a panel of representatives from the renewables industry, regulatory bodies, consultancies, NGOs and the research community. Structured Q&A and group discussions/activities will be used to 1) identify how research findings are being incorporated into risk assessments and regulation in different regions; 2) explore opportunities for wider sharing of existing data and/or best practice to support developments; and 3) identify key evidence gaps and opportunities to address these through future research and monitoring.

Although the programme will build upon our own experiences in UK and US waters, we welcome contributions from other regions. Please do get in touch with the organisers if you would like to contribute to the programme.

Workshop Agenda:

08.30 Welcome, Overview and Outline of Workshop Goals   

09.00 -10.00 Marine mammals & offshore wind; strategic research in practice   How are strategic research projects supporting offshore wind development in regions where there can be marked differences in the maturity of the industry and the characteristics of protected marine mammals?   

Alan Jordan (National Environmental Science Program Marine Biodiversity Hub) Marine mammal research in Australia to support the development of an emerging offshore wind industry. 

Doug Nowacek (Duke Univ.) Integrating across sampling platforms, people, and projects: Differences and similarities of sampling in the US relative to other regions. 

Aude Benhemma Le-Gall (Univ. of Aberdeen) Responses of harbour porpoises to construction & operation of OWF in Scottish waters. 

Q&A & Contributed talks 

10:00 -10:30 – Coffee 

10:30 -12:30 Decision trade-offs under scientific uncertainty  Which uncertainties have posed the greatest challenge for those making regulatory decisions about OWF developments, how are different regulators responding to those same uncertainties and how can we help ensure decisions are made on the best available evidence?   

Paul Thompson (University of Aberdeen) Designing monitoring programmes to inform future decision making.  

Alex Brown (SMRUc, Univ. St Andrews) – Reducing conservatism in assessment and mitigation of auditory injury (RaDIN Project)  

Carol Sparling (SMRU, Univ. St Andrews) Ensuring transferability and translation; an evidence bridge approach.  

Group Discussion & Feedback – Aimed at i) capturing regional variation in approaches to predicting, assessing and managing risk of auditory injury and risk of disturbance: ii) identifying key uncertainties and evidence gaps; iii) exploring how research outcomes can meet the needs of the decision makers and be translated into robust decision making iv) identifying actions. 

12:30 – 13:30 Lunch 

13:30 – 15:00 Research and stakeholder involvement in industry monitoring and the need for methodological consistency and data sharing  How can we best develop participatory approaches that engage diverse actors/stakeholders? What barriers are there to successful collaborative research on OFW?       

Tamara AlHashimi (RPS) – Developing strategic collaborations with industry to support OWF consenting in UK and Australian waters  

Sofie Van Parijs (NOAA) – More than the sum of their parts? How can researchers work with industry to extend the scale of strategic Passive Acoustic Monitoring surveys?  

Dave Donnelly (Fathom Pacific) – Design and execution of aerial marine mammal surveys to inform OWF development in the Gippsland Declared Area, SE Australia 

Panel Q & A – stakeholders with experience of projects across different regions will address questions on the opportunities & challenges of conducting work at offshore sites, data sharing, and the value of stakeholder networking for developing effective collaborations with researchers.   

15:00 -15:30 Coffee 

15:30 – 17:15 Assessing consequences of OWF for protected populations How can the potential impacts of OWF be best quantified to inform management and decision-making? What technical/methodological challenges do we face in assessing OFW impacts on marine mammal populations? 

Enrico Pirotta (CREEM, Univ St Andrews) – Opportunities and challenges in the development and use of the PCoD/PCoMS framework to support OWF development 

Phil Bouchet – (BioSS) U.S. case study: Using bio-energetic modelling and expert elicitation to predict the impacts of offshore wind development on North Atlantic right whales. 

Rebecca Dunlop (Univ. Queensland) – Australian Case Study: Using iPCOD to estimate impacts of OWF development on blue whales

17:15 – 17:30 Final Thoughts, Feedback, and Action Items 

17:30 – Close 

* Invited talks to be 10 mins, additional contributed speed talks of 5 mins and/or posters will be included in the workshop programme where appropriate. 

Virtual Attendance: NOT AVAILABLE

Workshop Description:

The Rare Pinniped Conservation Network (RAPCON) fosters organization and sustained collaboration among individuals working to conserve rare pinniped populations globally. Teams dedicated to the conservation of the most imperiled pinnipeds face similar issues and challenges, and often implement innovative, successful conservation interventions. Establishing RAPCON was motivated by the realization that these groups often worked somewhat in isolation and typically were not aware of each other’s accomplishments. The inaugural RAPCON workshop was held in Barcelona in 2019, with a second meeting in Finland in 2023. This proposed workshop will particularly showcase efforts to conserve Australian and New Zealand sea lions, as few experts in these species were able to travel to previous RAPCON events. Experts in other rare pinnipeds will also share their research findings and management efforts. Topics to be discussed may include the threats, and mitigation, of fishery bycatch, entanglement, infectious disease, and human disturbance. Challenges of implementing conservation measures, small population genetics, foraging ecology, habitat management, and population assessment topics may also be featured in presentations and discussions.

Virtual Attendance: NOT AVAILABLE

Workshop Description: 

Success in achieving conservation goals typically relies upon adoption of more sustainable behaviour(s) by a specific group of people. Scientists and conservationists typically struggle to induce such changes as they may focus on ‘awareness raising’ alone. Provision of information is not enough to change human behaviour and may set back the wider cause due to preconceptions and biases about spokespeople or organisations providing the information. This full-day workshop will connect marine mammal biologists and other key stakeholders with experts in behavioural change. The session will introduce some of the human impacts on marine mammal conservation, including marine entanglement and by-catch. The workshop will then introduce Conservation Marketing (application of principles of Psychology and Marketing) and cover barriers/benefits to behaviour change, behaviour change ‘tool kit’ and strategies (for individuals, groups & industry), stakeholder engagement and co-design, pilot studies, examples of successes/failures, and importance of documentation and evaluation to provide evidence for policy makers.

Workshop Description:

Very high-resolution (VHR) satellites orbiting Earth offer the prospect of upscaling the monitoring of live and stranded cetaceans around the globe, particularly in remote regions. In recognition of the importance of refining and coordinating the use of satellites to study cetaceans, the International Whaling Commission (IWC) Scientific Committee (SC) endorsed the creation of an Intersessional Correspondence Group (ICG) ‘Satellites to Study Whales’ uniting researchers actively engaged in and interested in using satellites to study cetaceans. The main objectives of the ‘Satellite to Study Whales ICG’ are; (1) the coordination of information, data, and code sharing among research groups conducting active research on the use of satellite imagery to monitor whales; (2) to facilitate the development of automated methods and avoid duplication of effort; and (3) to negotiate better tasking opportunities with satellite imagery providers. Following recommendations from the IWC SC meeting in 2023, this workshop will focus on establishing best practices in the community supported by talks from experts and group discussions, on topics such as annotation, automatic detection, and data and code sharing.

Virtual Attendance: NOT AVAILABLE

Workshop Description: 

Over the past decade, the advancement of drones has revolutionized researchers’ ability to obtain important morphological measurements (e.g., body length, body condition) on marine mammals, particularly cetaceans. In this workshop, we will present a workflow of several open-source tools to assist with obtaining and processing morphological measurements of cetaceans collected using drones. We will provide an overview of drone-based photogrammetry and the different phases of 1) Data collection (before takeoff and during flight), 2) Post-processing of imagery (image selection, measuring, linking metadata with measurements, and quantifying uncertainty), and 3) Morphometric analysis (incorporating measurement uncertainty from different drones into analyses). Participants will learn field techniques for enhancing accuracy in data collection, including how to use LidarBoX, an open-source 3D printed LiDAR altimeter system that can be easily installed and swapped between several commercial drones (e.g., DJI Inspire, Mavic, Phantom). We will also work through examples on how to use a suite of several open-source, user-friendly software, including 1) DeteX, for automated detection of cetaceans in drone-based videos to capture snapshots, 2) MorphoMetriX v2, a photogrammetry software for manual, customizable measurements, 3) XtraX, for automated measurements of body length and body condition, 4) CollatriX v2, to link important metadata with measurements and automated calculation of different body condition metrics, and 4) Xcertainty, an R package for quantifying and incorporating uncertainty based on a Bayesian statistical model. Participants are welcomed to bring their own datasets or can use ones provided. Our goal is for participants to leave this workshop with the skillset to use these hardware and software tools to enhance the quality, speed, and accuracy of obtaining important morphological measurements to monitor cetacean populations. We also hope this workshop will build a global network of drone users studying morphometry of cetaceans under similar protocols to help facilitate new collaborations.

Workshop Description:

Please join us for the Tenth International Sirenian Symposium! This Symposium will be an entire day dedicated to international collaboration, networking and mentorship among those interested in Sirenian research and conservation. Objectives for the Symposium include: supporting collaboration and building Sirenian networks among scientists across Sirenian Range States (the >80), especially in the 70+ developing countries; disseminating new sirenian science; addressing current and emerging threats and promoting mentoring of students interested in marine mammal science and conservation. Presentations may include human interactions, physiology, monitoring applications, modeling, genetics, captive care and rehabilitation, management, general biology, stranding response and education and outreach. The agenda will include full length presentations, speed talks, a poster session, an update from the Sirenian Specialist Group and time allotted for networking. Those interested in presenting research (either poster or talk) should submit an abstract by August 15, 2024. For further information email to Nicole Adimey at: adimey22@gmail.com. Preference will be given to speakers from developing countries and those talks addressing the conference theme ‘Culture and Conservation: Fishing for Change’. Researchers are encouraged to present novel work and how it contributes to Sirenian conservation and supports regional initiatives or current management challenges.  

Virtual Attendance: NOT AVAILABLE

Workshop Description: 

From Pixels to Porpoises: How Mobius Observer is Changing the Game in Whale Detection” is an essential workshop offered by Whale Seeker’s Emily Charry Tissier and Edgewise Environmental’s Ashley Noseworthy, targeting marine mammal scientists and observers. This workshop introduces the Mobius Observer, an AI-based tool designed to enhance efficiency in marine mammal detection and monitoring. It addresses the critical need for advanced tools in the field of marine conservation, where the demand for extensive, accurate monitoring meets the challenge of limited resources.

The workshop aims to demonstrate the utility and applicability of Mobius Observer in various research and conservation scenarios, highlighting its capacity to provide accurate, real-time data on marine mammal locations and movements. Participants will be guided through the system’s operational principles, data processing capabilities, and integration into existing monitoring frameworks. Practical demonstrations will illustrate the tool’s effectiveness in different environments and its adaptability to a range of marine species.

The session will also cover the ethical implications of AI in scientific research, ensuring a balanced understanding of technological integration in ecological studies. By focusing on the tangible benefits of the Mobius Observer, such as reducing manual data analysis time and increasing the scope of monitored areas, this workshop is designed to equip marine mammal scientists with the knowledge to leverage AI technology in their conservation efforts effectively.

Workshop Description: 

Ship strikes pose a significant threat to cetaceans worldwide. Over the past two decades, shipping traffic has surged by 300%, with a continued annual increase of 2-3%. Many of the busiest shipping routes intersect with crucial cetacean habitats. Implementing measures such as reducing vessel speed or rerouting away from known cetacean areas can effectively mitigate strike-related mortality and minimize exposure to vessel noise. To address this issue, various governments and organizations have adopted strategies such as voluntary vessel slowdowns, seasonal or area-based closures, and real-time communication systems alerting vessels to cetacean presence through diverse platforms. However, the effectiveness of these measures often falls short. Their success hinges on active participation from industry stakeholders to ensure information is received and acted upon. Despite promising theoretical outcomes, it can be challenging to enforce regulations, communicate slowdowns, and alert large vessels to cetacean presence in dynamic, real-world scenarios. Moreover, acquiring the timely and comprehensive data on cetacean distribution required to inform these measures remains a formidable task, with many regions still lacking sufficient knowledge of cetacean occurrence. This workshop aims to spotlight existing programs designed to mitigate the risk of ship strikes on vulnerable cetacean populations, while also examining their limitations, hurdles, and lessons learned. The session will feature presentations by invited experts showcasing global efforts to reduce ship strike risk. After the presentations, the workshop will transition into breakout discussions where participants will collaboratively devise strategies tailored to address specific vessel strike ‘hot spots’ identified earlier. Through this workshop, we seek to foster innovation, collaboration, and the development of networks to propel future initiatives in ship strike mitigation.

Workshop Description: 

Indigenous people are lobbying to mandate collaborative management of culturally significant entities (CSEs): species and ecological communities to which Indigenous peoples attribute cultural value and which are critical to their relationship with and adaptation to Country. (Also known as cultural keystone species and culturally significant species).

Collaborative management underpinned by shared decision-making is increasingly accepted as an effective tool to halt the decline and support the recovery of biodiversity. At present there is no consistent definition of a CSE. This means CSE are not considered by policymakers and biodiversity conservation practitioners in the same way as other entities, such as threatened species.

As group we will discuss Marine Mammals as CSE and develop a workable definition and biocultural objectives. Using Indigenous led methods, this workshop will aim to highlight the best approach for the collaborative management of marine CSE, with a focus on the practical application of program design, innovate policy, legislation reform as well as international frameworks in the recognition of CSE. This is an Indigenous-focused workshop, open to all delegates with priority given to Indigenous people.

Workshop Description: 

This workshop on Marine Mammal Law aims to provide marine mammal researchers with essential knowledge about legal frameworks and their practical application. As we dive into the relationship between law and marine mammal conservation, participants will gain insights into key legal concepts, and the complexities and principles that govern marine mammal protection. Participants will also gain an understanding of when and how they can input into legal processes. A panel will bring real-world experiences to the discussion, demonstrating the many forms that advocacy can take, and the lessons they have learned on what has worked to effectively and/or efficiently press for better law and policy. Lastly, through a case study exercise, participants will think through how to use different tools to effect change in law and policy. 

Participants will walk away with a better familiarity of law and legal concepts, an ability to identify entry points for advocacy, and resources that they may lean into for future advocacy opportunities. This workshop also hopes to inspire researchers to think through how they can become advocates, including exposing participants to the wide realm of possibility for advocacy within which they can find the space that feels aligned with their skills, passions, and personality.

This workshop is directed at researchers who want to gain an understanding of law and legal processes, whether it’s with an eye to taking their science to the next level by incorporating advocacy into their work, and/or whether they have been asked or are curious about how to input into legal/policy processes. Such processes may include providing feedback into a draft law or regulation, providing an expert report, signing onto a letter, writing a white paper, being an expert witness, testifying in front of a body, or talking to a policy influencer.

Workshop Description: 

A half-day workshop to bring together the researchers and others interested in dwarf minke whales to review the latest research and the many unpublished reports and other valuable field observations of this little-known but highly charismatic whale.  Australia’s forgotten “other whale” is often only observed fleetingly, but many experienced researchers, marine managers, whale-watching operators and members of the public have a potential treasure trove of useful observations that when shared, will help to substantially increase our understanding of this enigmatic, but inquisitive little rorqual.  A particular focus would be on sharing, comparing and contrasting research from Western Australia with long-running programs of research like the 30-year Minke Whale Project studies in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and selected comparisons with other international studies on minke populations from elsewhere.

Brief summaries of key recent dwarf minke research findings including the four presentations that have been accepted for presentation during SMM2024 will be substantially augmented by invited presentations on other key minke whale biology and behaviour topics.  These would be shared with participants to engage all present in the best and latest findings about this elusive species.  These will be followed (after PM tea/coffee) by breakout groups that workshop a range of key issues about the biology and behaviour of dwarf minkes such as: taxonomy (including genetics), biology (including spatial and temporal patterns of abundance, migration pathways, predation, threats (including the impacts of ship-strike, fishing gear entanglement, hunting and climate change), behaviour (including acoustics, feeding, courtship & mating) and conservation and sustainable management.  Groups will be facilitated to identify and review the most important gaps in our knowledge and set priorities for future research on these whales.  A final panel Q&A and plenary session will draw these together and share the priorities with all participants to guide their future research endeavours and support managers with the latest evidence-based information and contribute to more sustainable management.