SUMMARY REPORT

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MARINE MAMMAL

WORKSHOP

FEBRUARY 19 – FEBRUARY 20, 2016

· NEWPORT BEACH, CA ·

SPONSORED BY:

All photos credited to Robert Perry ©2016 www.CondorExpressPhotos.com

Prepared by Sarah Wilson Finstuen, Diane Alps, Jennifer

Barrett and Rachael Wendel

Executive Summary and Overview

The 2016 Southern California Marine Mammal Workshop (SCMMW) was held

February 19 – 20, 2016 at Pacific Life headquarters in Newport Beach, CA. This was the

seventh workshop sponsored and hosted by Pacific Life Foundation with the goal of

fostering communication and collaboration in the Southern California marine mammal

community. In addition, this workshop aims to bring together and create conversations

amongst this community to form plans and ideas to tackle pressing conservation

issues, such as those being witnessed with the highly endangered vaquita porpoise. To

learn more about our “Vaquita” session from SCMMW 2015 and topics from past

workshops, please visit the Archive section of our website socalmarinemammals.org.

The themes of the 2016 meeting were California Sea Lion Response to

Environmental Change, California Bottlenose Dolphins: Iconic Nomads of our Coast,

Imagery in Conservation, Status of Blue Whales in the Eastern North Pacific and Current

Threats, and Whale Watching Impacts. All sessions were plenary format except

California Sea Lion Response to Environmental Change and California Bottlenose

Dolphins: Iconic Nomads of our Coast, which was a concurrent session format on the

first morning. Each session is allotted a little over two hours and includes individual

presentations followed by a panel discussion, allowing the opportunity for workshop

attendees to ask questions, propose their own ideas, thoughts, and create detailed

discussions. The first evening was dedicated to a poster session and networking.

There were two poster sessions and all attendees are strongly encouraged to submit a

poster. Maddalena Bearzi gave the Saturday lunchtime keynote address, where she was

invited to tell her personal story about the path in her career and also share some of

her experiences and observations in her field work among various animals and her

long-term studies of bottlenose dolphins in the field.

This report provides an overview of the 2016 Southern California Marine

Mammal Workshop (SCMMW) giving overall summaries of each individual session

presentation, session discussion, and the keynote address. The workshop program,

poster abstracts, and this report can all be found on the SCMMW website.

2016 Workshop Advisory Group

Diane Alps, California Whales and Wildlife, American Cetacean Society

Dr. Maddalena Bearzi, Ocean Conservation Society

John Calambokidis, Cascadia Research Collective

Dr. R.H. Defran, San Diego State University

Dr. Jeff Laake, National Marine Mammal Laboratory

Dr. Mark Lowry, NOAA, Southwest Fisheries Science Center

Tennyson Oyler, Pacific Life Foundation

Sarah Wilson Finstuen, Southern California Marine Mammal Workshop

Dr. John Hildebrand, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Dr. Dave Weller, NOAA, Southwest Fisheries Science Center

California Sea Lion Response to Environmental Change

Panel: Co-Lead: Jeff Laake, National Marine Mammal Laboratory

Co-Lead: Mark Lowry, NOAA, NMFS

Sharon Melin, National Marine Mammal Laboratory

Tenaya Norris, The Marine Mammal Center

Justin Greenman, NOAA, NMFS

Objective

The objective of this session was to share compiled data indicating the survival

rates of California sea lion pups in a dynamic period of condition changes as indicated

in correlations between sea surface temperature, prey sources, the presence of domoic

acid, pup weights, and stranding occurrences.

Presentations

Justin Greenman presented information on the definition of a stranding as “any

marine mammal unable to return to its habitat, including mortalities on or near shore.”

The number of sea lion strandings increased dramatically to 4,200 in 2015. In the past,

stranding would be expected to occur between May and June. In the years 2014 and

2015 strandings occurred as early as January. To accommodate the unprecedented

number of recent strandings temporary facility expansions and triage facilities were

assembled, thanks in part to two federal Prescott Grants. Tagging and post release

monitoring enable continued study of stranded animals. 2016 data is expected to

follow the trend of record low ability for yearlings to reach the shore. The expanded

facilities along with earlier operating hours during peak traffic times, public education

and outreach will be in place to quell increased strandings overrun of resources.

Tenaya Norris provided information on domoic acid events spanning the

California coastline from Mendocino to San Luis Obispo. The neurotoxin found of this

area is associated primarily with the toxigenic species Pseudo-nitzschia australis and

multiseries. The domoic acid these microscopic organisms produce binds to glutamate

receptors in the heart and hippocampus through the process of bioaccumulation.

Neurological symptoms include: seizures, ataxia, disorientation, and coma. Domoic

acid was first recorded in marine mammals in 1998, although suspected cases date

back to 1978. 2015 was the largest recorded domoic acid associated stranding event

with the majority being adult females. Despite 2015 being a record year, the frequency

of associated strandings were disproportionately low. A difficulty in differentiating

exists between acute and chronic cases and provides for the data being collected

primarily at onset. Treatment consists of flushing the water soluble molecule from the

system and anti-seizure medication, with possible success of no long term effects.

Mark Lowry gave an overview of 35 years of scat sample data collected on San

Nicholas and San Clemente Islands between 1981 to 2015. The data was analyzed for

the presence or absence of 133 prey species along with anomalies based on season

and conditions. Strong correlations are indicated between sardine and anchovy

population increase and consumption rate; while a drop in anchovy population relates

to market squid becoming a predominant prey item. There is also a recent trend

indicating an increase in prey diversity with 2013 and 2015 being key years

demonstrating this. This data coincides with pup mortality events, El Niño events, and

sea lions eating larger offshore species such as jack mackerel. The recent prey size for

sardine, anchovy and market squid has decreased. From these indications the

California sea lion diet is becoming more diverse as conditions are changing.

Sharon Melin presented a 41-year timeline on pup data from San Miguel Island.

The data focuses on the prime dependence timeline of pups on their mothers from

October to February. The pups are first weighed at 3 months old. During El Niño years

lactating mothers are seen to forage in an extended range. Their core diet consisting

of northern anchovy, pacific sardine, pacific hake, juvenile rockfish, market squid, and

jack and Spanish mackerel. Data from the 1990 to 2015 Southwest Fisheries Science

Center CalCOFI report was used to study oceanographic data sets. Correlations were

seen between lower sea surface temperature and core prey abundance. Recently

anchovy and sardine are being replaced with rockfish and market squid in this groups

diet. Just as mothers are venturing further during El Niño events, pups are showing

lower weights. Recent data suggests that poor pup weights are not coinciding with

these expectations. The factors compared include: sea level height, fish abundance,

pup weights, adult female diet, scat prey frequency, upwelling index, El Niño index,

and the most important: sea surface temperature. Sea surface temperature and pup

weight have an inverse relationship. Prey items are seen to affect pup weight; as

sardine biomass increased pup weight improved, inversely, an increase of rockfish and

squid correlated with a poor pup weight. It is predicted that rising temperatures will

continue according to current models, to 2 degrees C by 2050, having a negative effect

on pup growth and possibly mother’s lactation.

Jeff Laake focused on the branding and tagging program at San Miguel Island.

Since 1987, during the months of May thru August, 200-500 pups have been initially

pre-sighted measured and released. The program focuses on release, re-sight, and

recoveries for data sets. Each encounter provides sex, age, year, weight, and mortality.

Branding, although controversial, produces a more accurate long-term record as tags

may deteriorate or vanish. Survival analysis also plays an important role in this

research. A key component is collaboration with stranding organizations for

information collection. The models infer male survival drops drastically after 10-11

years of age due to territoriality. Pups suffer the lowest survival rate at 60% with

stabilization by the time they are two or three years old. Drops in reproduction were

seen during the 1998 El Niño, and 2009 and 2010 higher sea surface temperature

events. Predictive modeling is used to fill in survival data for prior undocumented event

years. Promisingly, female California sea lions ages eight+ have been at their peak

population and health. If this trend continues the population could see a rebound.

Discussion

The discussion was opened with a question about the overall health of California

sea lion habitat based on the panel’s research. Evidence indicates that the sea lion

population may be reaching capacity along with natural factors being unfavorable.

Complaints by fisheries are unlikely to decrease due to younger males foraging further

north. The greatest population impacts have been seen in the Southern California

bight. The surviving sea lions will be best suited to manage the changing

environmental conditions. Concerns were raised over biased data collection from high

human interaction areas. Data collection is naturally higher in densely human

populated areas. Dissemination of knowledge is critical in reducing negative or un-

needed interaction. Locality can also have an impact on survival data, since the

majority of pup mortalities are collected from the mainland. The following question

was regarding entanglements. California’s moratorium on near shore gill nets

temporarily reduced pup entanglement. Due to dynamic conditions, fisheries are

moving to new areas and this may cause unanticipated species interactions. The panel

was queried about attempting to establish other correlations using other data points

(besides sea surface temperature). Data such as frequency of currents is difficult to

correlate and for some annual time periods data is missing. Jeff Laake is using the four

sea surface buoys in the Southern California Bight to establish a sea surface trend. The

sea surface data is traditionally used for its abundance and availability. The questioner

suggested using well validated models to extrapolate data at depth. The final inquiry

focused on why female sea lions were more likely to develop domoic acid toxicity. This

is due to their habits, proximity to treatment facilities, prey items, and best practices

at each stranding location. At the Marine Mammal Center from 2006 to 2008 chronic

cases were differentiated. Among these sea lions, severe navigational issues were

reported.

California Bottlenose Dolphins: Iconic Nomads of our Coast

Panel: Co-Lead: David Weller, NOAA, NMFS, SWFSC

Co-Lead: R.H. Defran, Cetacean Behavior Laboratory and SDSU

Greg Campbell, Texas A&M University

Nate Dodder, Southern California Coastal Water Research Project

Aimee Lang, NOAA, NMFS, SWFSC

Objective

The objective of this session was to present up-to-date information on the two

genetically differentiated ecotypes of bottlenose dolphins occurring off California:

coastal and offshore.

Presentations

Dave Weller opened the session with a brief description of the iconic status of

bottlenose dolphins in Southern California, a phenomenon attributable to their

nomadic nature as they travel large expanses of habitat in search of food, which in

turn increases the frequency of sightings by people. The various threats present across

this diverse habitat were also introduced, including: pollution, contaminants, red tides,

domoic acid, and others. In closing, the concept of bottlenose dolphins as the coyotes

of the sea was introduced, in the context of a shared nature as quintessential

opportunists.

R.H. Defran presented an overview of the movements, range, and behavior of

the coastal population of bottlenose dolphins in California. Photographs of dorsal fins

have proven to be critical to identifying individual animals; at least 65% of bottlenose

dolphins are thought to have a dorsal fin that is distinguishable from others within the

population through notch patterns and nicks. These patterns persist over time and

begin to develop at four or five years of age. The San Diego study area extended from

Carlsbad to the Scripps Pier, and the database is comprised of over 350 surveys

conducted between 1981 to 2014. The longevity of this research has revealed

changing patterns of behavior over time, such as wide ranges in average group size.

Additionally, while there was some thought that these animals were residents of the

study area, most individuals observed were recorded infrequently over time. On both

counts, this differs from the patterns observed in Sarasota Bay, Florida where small

groups of dolphins were always present in the same areas. Subsequently, comparisons

were made between the database in San Diego and those of Santa Barbara, Orange

County, and Ensenada revealing that 76% of individuals included in these secondary

study areas had also been observed in the San Diego study area, indicating that these

animals are highly mobile along the California coastline. Travel speeds as high as 95

km/day were recorded. Total population occurring between Ensenada and San

Francisco appears to be relatively stable but small, at as few as 500 bottlenose

dolphins. As of 2016, the Northern range limit is known to extend to at least San

Francisco Bay, and the Southern range limit is known to extend to a point between

Ensenada and San Quintín. Localized back and forth and directional movement is now

understood to be very common for bottlenose dolphins along this coastline, and in

fact, along any local coastline where they occur. This is thought to be a foraging

strategy to optimize feeding on preferred prey fish.

Greg Campbell presented an overview of the abundance, distribution, and

occurrence of offshore bottlenose dolphins in southern California. The earliest

systematic studies of the offshore population in this region began in 1980. Other

survey work conducted to date includes two line-transect studies which are ongoing

and conducted by CalCOFI and the Southwest Fisheries Science Center. In both studies,

the majority of sightings had been concentrated in inshore waters around the Channel

Islands, and population estimates ranged from 1,000-2,900 with a relatively high level

of uncertainty. Photographic identification was pursued as an alternate method to

estimate abundance of offshore bottlenose dolphins. An array of bottom-mounted

hydrophones was used to vector research vessels to vocalizing marine mammals.

Sighting data collected from 2006 to 2013 revealed year-round occurrence with

distribution concentrated in waters surrounding San Clemente Island and Catalina

Islands. The vast majority of individuals identified were only sighted once during the

research period. For those individuals with multiple sightings, range patterns revealed

extensive movement between both Catalina and San Clemente Islands as well as

nearshore waters of the mainland coast. Unfortunately, the limitations of traditional

mark-recapture methodologies coupled with the high mobility of these animals

continues to contribute to a high uncertainty in population estimates. Of particular

note, is the fact the study’s mean survivability probability is recognized to be

artificially low as a result of the high number of single-sighted individuals introduced

to the model. By incorporating a clustering function into the model, the transient and

resident populations can be teased apart and analyzed independently, thereby

improving the certainty of resulting population estimates.

Aimée Lang presented the distinguishing characteristics between, and the

population structure of, California’s coastal and offshore bottlenose dolphins.

Differences include: body size (coastal form is larger), cranial characters associated

with feeding, parasite loads, and diet. An investigation of the genetic differences

between the two groups was conducted based upon samples collected via biopsy-

darting of 64 coastal and 69 offshore individuals from within the Southern California

Bight. Results revealed strong genetic differentiation between the two groups

consistent with long-term separation. Additionally, the genetic diversity of the coastal

population was quite low in comparison with the offshore population. There was only a

single shared haplotype between the offshore and coastal populations, which is

attributable to either hybridization or—more likely—an ancestral haplotype. Preliminary

data from a more recent study of offshore bottlenose dolphins sampled >4km from

shore, revealed clustering around some of the offshore islands. While the offshore

population is currently considered to be part of one stock, this clustering led to further

inquiry related to the phenomenon of island-associated stock. Specifically, whether

there could be population structure within the region encompassing San Clemente,

Catalina, and the Northern Channel Islands. The study included 27 animals sampled in

the vicinity of the Northern Channel Islands, 34 from off of Catalina, and 50 from off of

San Clemente. Thus far, no genetic differences have been identified between dolphins

sampled at different islands, however, there is some support for two genetically

different ‘clusters’ of dolphins within the offshore waters of the California Bight. More

samples are needed, as well as additional thinking about how the samples are

stratified, before these initial findings can be confirmed.

Nate Dodder presented the results of a targeted contaminant survey of Southern

California bottlenose dolphins, as well as the concept of using dolphins as sentinel

species-- an ‘early warning system’ --for marine contamination. In comparing

contaminant levels among various marine species, bottlenose dolphins and sea lions

were found to have the highest contaminant loads in the Southern California Bight. For

some contaminants, most notably PCBs, the coastal ecotype exhibited much higher

concentrations than the offshore ecotype. Conversely, bioaccumulation of natural

halogenic compounds was higher in the offshore ecotype than the coastal ecotype.

Unusually high levels of DDT across both ecotypes are likely attributable to a DDT

Superfund site; health impacts of this exposure are unknown. Most of the study

focused on legacy contaminants that were already fairly well understood and banned

from further use. It’s important to understand that targeted analytical methods

measure a defined list of compounds and will not detect unexpected or unknown

compounds. Non-targeted analytical methods attempt to observe every contaminant in

a sample, which theoretically includes thousands of contaminants that are not typically

monitored. Currently, there are numerous limitations of this chemical analysis,

including the inability (+50% of the time) to match the resulting mass spectra of every

compound in a sample to those in a database of known contaminants. Despite these

limitations, which researchers are currently working to improve, non-targeted analysis

still generates a more complete contaminant profile. 86% of identified compounds are

not typically monitored, and 61% are not (yet) in the standard mass spectral database.

Combining this non-targeted analysis with bottlenose dolphin specimens provides a

new framework for investigating marine contamination. It provides an inventory of

persistent and bioaccumulative contaminants in marine environments, and can be used

to suggest new compounds or impacted species for further investigation.

Discussion

During the discussion period, David Weller acknowledged Pacific Life Foundation

for funding for the California Dolphin Online Catalog, an open-access depository of

data sourced from a consortium of researchers working along the California coastline.

He then opened the floor to questions. The first question related to whether there is

any interaction or overlap in range between coastal bottlenose dolphins and California

sea lions. The panel confirmed that there is extreme overlap; throughout the range of

coastal bottlenose dolphins, you will find sea lions to also be very common. A follow-

up question related to whether they are directly competing for food resources. The

panel responded that bottlenose dolphins are generalist feeders consuming a wide

range of prey items, with white croaker and surfperch being some of the most common

species found in stomach content analysis of coastal Tursiops; sea lions tend to focus

on smaller schooling prey but are also generalists and so there would certainly be

some overlap. A question was asked about legacy contaminants and the trend in levels

observed in bottlenose dolphins over the past forty to fifty years. The panel responded

that it couldn’t specifically address the trend in bottlenose dolphins, but that sediment

surveys, a mussel watch program, and sediment cores all show that legacy

contaminant levels have declined significantly over time. A study of archive samples of

common dolphins dating from the mid-1990s to the mid/late-2000s did reveal a

decline in all legacy contaminants, and an increase in flame retardants (PBDEs). A

question was posed as to whether there is a correlation between the high contaminant

levels observed in bottlenose dolphins and low survivability estimates. The panel

indicated that this is a critical question but that the research isn’t yet at a point where

they are able to answer it. It was reiterated that the estimated survival numbers shared

are artificially low due to the fact that the animals are believed to have a much larger

range than the study area, i.e., the high prevalence of single-sighted animals is

indicative of the life history of the animal rather than mortality. Additionally, it was

clarified that survivorship analysis for the coastal population has not been done, but

that they are poised to do it. Work is also being done to determine whether chemical

contaminant levels compromise an animal, making them more susceptible to domoic

acid toxicity. A question was raised about the relatively small corridor in which the

coastal population occurs and whether there’s a need to assess the risk to this

population. The panel responded that the population hasn’t been listed as needing any

special protections because evidence has suggested it’s been stable over an extended

time period, and that it may be a naturally small population. The small population does

make it vulnerable to a catastrophic event. The next question pertained to the

difference in group sizes over time. The panel responded that while the group sizes

have decreased over time, the number of groups observed has increased. A question

was posed regarding the future work investigating the genetic differences between the

dolphins in Ensenada and California. Aimée Lang clarified that they are more generally

exploring whether some animals remain in the more Southern part of the range, while

others remain in the Northern part of the range. The next question pertained to the

animals that have been analyzed for contaminants and whether they have been linked

to photo IDs and/or whether we know their sighting histories. The panel responded

affirmatively that yes, this these linkages have been made for some, but not all, of the

animals.

Imagery in Conservation

Panel: Lead: Sarah Wilson Finstuen, SCMMW

Jenna Cavelle, USC

Chris Morrow, NSF, USC

Kari Birdseye, WildAid

Jeremy Roberts, Conservation Media, LLC

Objective

Social change and science communication is bolstered through film – from large

screens to small mobile devices – film transports us. Sarah convened filmmakers and

advocates highlighting freshwater and terrestrial science to share their process and

successes. The session goal was to inspire and inform attendees in creating their own

story surrounding their work in ocean and marine mammal sciences. Presenters shared

strategies in fundraising, creating conservation movements, and practical advice on

storytelling and the steps in shaping your own moving media.

Presentations

Jenna Cavelle and Chris Morrow discussed their process and experiences in

creating the film PAYA: The Water Story of the Paiute. This film is a documentary about

the untold story of Paiute Indian water practices and history in the context of an

ongoing 150-year “California Water War” between the city of Los Angeles and Owens

Valley. They began with fundraising for pre-production and research and development

by applying for grants and utilizing crowd-funding. To keep support and people

engaged with the story they recommend using social media and sharing behind-the-

scenes production photos, video clips, attend festivals and share your work while it is

in development while engaging with the press every step of the way. To measure

behavior change (defined here by someone’s attitude and perception/knowledge of

specific topics), as well as the films impact on enacting a shift, Jenna would conduct

audience conversations and questions before and after screening the film, comparing

the change in their perspective post-film viewing. They gave advice on how to create a

film with impact by finding your characters and have them emotionally tell their own

story, weave in the science and broader messaging, leaving scientific details to

published papers. Jenna explained that her intended audience was the Paiute

community, to mobilize them to get involved in their water rights, so she made sure

someone from that community explain “why this is important” and “what this all means

for you”. Jenna and Chris suggested to end on a high note, not a doom and gloom

helpless feeling. Include a “call to action” for viewers to engage with and get involved

in the issue being expressed. Lastly, to keep momentum from your film Jenna

suggested utilizing outreach campaigns, such as those done by Participant Media.

Kari Birdseye presented examples and strategies from the global work WildAid

conducts to end the illegal wildlife trade in our lifetimes. Their slogan to reduce

demand of wildlife products: “When the buying stops, the killing can too.” Kari shared

their approach is to focus on persuading consumers to no longer desire or purchase

wildlife products, such as shark fin, elephant ivory or rhino horn and to support

enforcement in areas struggling against poachers. WildAid is one of the leading

environmental communicators reaching 1 billion people every week through visual

campaigns supported through $200 million annual pro-bono work of media

companies. The geographic focus has been Asia and Africa, although there is a U.S.

campaign launching with national outlets. There are three main strategies and

priorities they practice when communicating with the public: start with simple

messaging that states the conflict and solution in less than 12 words. In delivering

messaging they utilize high profile celebrities and high production values – using the

best photographers and footage from expert production teams, who often are

donating their services for free since they are passionate about the issues. Kari shared

several PSAs including Whole World, Yao Ming - Shark Fin Soup, and the Fight to Save

Pangolin infographic. She highlighted that not all of their PSAs give actual statistics and

that sometimes visual cues, such as rhino’s in a stadium to illustrate total population

number, can convey the desired information. They experienced success in China since

after the shark PSA campaign aired they saw a 50-70% reduction in shark fin soup

being consumed. Kari discussed the success of the U.S. campaign Join the Herd that is

sweeping through social media in recent months. Lastly, she talked about infographics

and that they are a compelling way to deliver information fast and in a unique way.

Jeremy Roberts is the creator of Conservation Media, LLC, a professional science

communications company. He opened his presentation sharing his intention for

offering practical information to help guide others in crafting their story. His first

message was the importance of creating a narrative, information woven into stories

“sticks” with us longer and we are actually hard-wired in our nature to be receptive to

storytelling. When data just comes at us we try and relate it to a personal story that

relates to ourselves and our experiences. Jeremy shared that the key to creating a good

story is to “focus on who speaks to whom about what.” People trust information from

their peers and want lateral conversations. You want to develop a “character” where

people can see something about themselves in that person. He showed an example of

his short video, created for ranchers as the audience, with the conservation focus of

grasslands and developing grazing systems in the cattle industry. His

speaker/character was a fellow rancher, showcasing his land and discussing his

ranching ideologies and partnerships with wildlife and conservation organizations.

Jeremy then shared his short film CHROME, which “celebrates the joy and passion of fly

fishing for steelhead while educating anglers on the looming threats of climate change

and ocean acidification.” The goal was to activate and mobilize fly fisherman and

women in conservation issues impacting the planet and in turn their hobby of fishing.

To tell this story Jeremy chose fellow anglers to speak to the large audience of four

million fly-fishing sportsmen and sportswomen in the U.S. When requesting “action”

from the viewer you want to create lateral pressure within the industry and make your

piece toward a specific audience. Be sure and place corporate sponsors and partner

logos prominently so the audience can see their peers and other companies can see

their competitors being supportive. Lastly, he shared that the plot and suspense within

your story drives attention and for conclusion he shared the quote: “People will not

remember what you said, but how you made them feel.”

Discussion

Most of the time in this session was dedicated to individual’s presentations, so

they could share examples of their stories, films, and infographics. We did allow for 15

minutes at the end of the session to break into smaller working discussion groups, so

attendees could share their ideas with each other and ask advice and questions from

the speakers.

Status of Blue Whales in the Eastern North Pacific and Current Threats

Panel: Lead: John Calambokidis, Cascadia Research

Trevor Branch, School of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, University of

Washington

Ana Širović, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Marine Physical Lab

Jessica Redfern, NOAA, NMFS, SWFSC

Daniel Palacios, Oregon State University

Objective

There is no whaler and no whale biologist, no matter how experienced, who is so jaded

that his heart does not race at the sight of a blue whale. -Dale Rice

This session highlighted the current status, latest research and recent

information on blue whales in the Eastern North Pacific. Blue whales face a wide variety

of threats while foraging along the California coast: disturbance from sound exposure,

including Navy sonar and ship noise, impacts due to changes in climate and prey, and

even research activities and whale watching. However, ship strike risk remains the

highest concern to large whale species, especially blue whales, and a large portion of

the session focused on this issue. New risk assessment tools and efforts to reduce ship

strike were presented. Recent research and the controversy around the level of threat

that ship strikes pose was also discussed.

Presentations

John Calambokidis introduced the session by sharing his first blue whale

sighting was in 1986 off San Francisco and by giving an overview of the expansion of

the range of the blue whales throughout the Eastern North Pacific. Blue whales had not

been commonly seen along California, and rarely even appeared in whaling records for

this region. Through the late 80s and 90s, blue whales began foraging in large

aggregations, especially around Monterey Bay and Santa Barbara Channel. The blue

whale has now become an iconic marine mammal species in California, both becoming

the focus of eco-tourism and research. From the 1990s to the 2000s, blue whales

shifted from concentrated feeding areas to more dispersed, broader areas. This is

reflected in the two different population dynamics study methods: the line transect

estimates indicate a decrease in abundance, while Mark-Recapture estimates indicate

an increase in abundance. Whales that were previously recorded off California have

been documented in the Gulf of Alaska and off of the Baja coast. These areas were

historically, pre-whaling feeding grounds, but were not being utilized in the 1990s.

John gave a brief overview of a few recent studies and new findings related to blue

whales. A) Habitat density models overlaid with species’ biologically significant areas

have helped designate key areas for protection, and areas that are heavily used by blue

whales. B) A new Mark-Recapture match identified a blue whale between the Costa

Rican Dome and the Galápagos, now documenting the southern-most documented

record, and the first documented cross-equatorial movement. C) Stable isotopes

analysis indicates that humpback whales will switch prey during changing

oceanographic conditions, where blue whales will shift movements and range during

changing oceanographic conditions. Blue whales are much more prey-specific, feeding

almost exclusively on krill. D) Blue whales will continue to forage during the winter,

even in warmer equatorial waters. E) Blue whales tend to forage in a concentrated area

throughout the day, whereas at night they remain closer to the surface and meander

about, making them much more vulnerable to ship strike. In 2014, a blue whale was

tagged as part of the SoCal-BRS. During monitoring, the whale was nearly struck by a

ship as it surfaced, changing course at 50-60 meters just below the ship. Interestingly,

just two months prior, this whale was also involved in an interaction with a San Diego-

based whale watch vessel that was capsized. In assessing all human interactions in a

very short period of time, this whale was involved in a collision with a small vessel, had

dual tags deployed on it, was exposed to mid-frequency sonar, had a near-miss with a

cargo ship, and continued to forage in an area with a large number of whale watch

vessels. This highlights the importance of recognizing the large variety of potential

impacts to whales while foraging in the ENP, and equally to recognize and monitor the

effects of research impacts.

Trevor Branch presented data which he and his student Cole Monnahan

investigated, looking at how to separate WNP and ENP blue whales, and the current

status of the ENP population. Recent evidence of misreported and underreported

historic whaling numbers has provided immense information on pre-whaling

population numbers, and the impacts of 20th Century whaling. Worldwide, 380,000

blue whales were taken and, of this, 350,000 were from Antarctic waters. The current

population estimates for Antarctic blue whales is 2,000. In looking at the ENP, the

current estimate is also believed to be approximately 2,000. Blue whale abundance is

not increasing as fast as humpback populations, and abundance estimates show no

trends. While some abundance surveys reflect a very low rate of increase, others show

a decreasing population. A statistical model was developed to analyze pre-whaling

abundance, the current status, and the impact of ship strikes. This model utilized

historical catch data, current abundance estimates and plausible annual ship strike

numbers. Historical catch data has been re-created from release of Soviet whaling

records, reflecting peak catches in 1930s, and 1960s, and greater catches in WNP

(6,362) as compared to ENP (3,411). As for ship strike data, the best annual estimate

was 10 animals (2013), but a Sensitivity Case Model was also ran using 35 animals.

The model showed no significant difference between 10 and 35 animals. A Population

Trend time trajectory was produced, clearly reflecting the peak whaling impacts from

the 1930s and 1960s, where ENP population was likely reduced by 50%, recovered,

then were whaled again. This data also indicates that ENP blue whales have recovered

62 to 99% and are at, or near, pre-whaling levels. Current ship strike levels, even at the

high end, are much lower than whaling catch numbers and are having very little impact

on abundance. Assuming a moderate increase in vessel numbers over time, this model

does not foresee a huge impact on the ENP population, but if the increase in vessel

numbers is 10 to 15 times higher the population will suffer a substantial impact. In any

case, ship strikes should be minimized: they are greater than three times higher than

allowed under Marine Mammal Protection Act, and likely to increase over time. These

conclusions are robust to under-estimated catches, different rates of

growth, different levels of ship strikes in 2013, and other model parameters.

Ana Širović presented that blue whale calls can be broadly characterized into

two categories: songs (A and B calls) and social calls (D calls). The A and B calls are

produced mostly by males, therefore, believed to have a mating function. The D calls

are produced by both sexes and are thought to have a social/foraging function. While

blue whale songs are ubiquitous, the characteristics of the songs vary and may be used

to delineate different populations of blue whales. Acoustics can be used to answer

questions about trends in blue whale occurrence related to seasonal, interannual, and

spatial distribution. There are also possible applications for assessing density. Long-

term data recorders were used throughout the Southern California Bight from 2006 to

2012. An analysis of B calls indicates a strong seasonal presence. The peak period for

B calls is late summer and early fall, with September recording the highest rate of blue

whale call detections. D calls occur earlier in spring, as the whales arrive into their

foraging grounds. This matches what we know about the seasonality of blue whales in

the Southern California Bight; they are here in the summer and fall. Acoustic data does

not reflect a trend in interannual numbers. This matches visual survey data; CalCofi

surveys from 2004 to 2013 find no significant interannual change. Comparing the

visual survey data to these acoustics data supports the hypothesis that acoustics can

be very useful in looking at long-term trends in abundance. In a spatial distribution

analysis, there is higher abundance of B call detections within 20km of shore, therefore

it appears there are more whales closer to shore and, therefore, closer to a multitude

of possible human interactions. A call rate conversion factor is needed to better

understand the relationship between the number of calls and the specific number of

animals. Further, a better understanding of call rates and the associated behaviors will

help us understand impact of different activities on the calling behavior. On a larger

scale, calls in Southern California appear to be different than those in the Gulf of

Alaska. The Gulf calls have a slight, yet obvious, step in the call, as compared to the

SoCal calls. This slight variation is consistent over a two-year period (2012-2013), and

could be indicative of a different NE pacific stock of blue whales. Worldwide,

researchers have documented that blue whale calls have been decreasing in frequency

since the 1960s. Further analysis of the ENP data from 2012-2013 found that both the

SoCal and the Gulf calls each decreased slightly in frequency from 2012 to 2013.

However, there is about a 1.5 Hz higher difference in the frequency of the Gulf calls

compared to the SoCal calls, indicating that the Gulf whales have six years of calling at

their current rate of change to catch up with the SoCal animals.

Jessica Redfern shared her work creating ship strike risk assessment models

involving developing habitat models to predict whale densities and

identifying management options using shipping data, then combining these data sets

to assess the levels of risk within the identified options. Risk is proportional to the

number of whales in the route and the risk is highest where co-occurrence is highest.

Habitat models for fin, blue and humpback whales were created using SWFSC Line

Transect data for the peak months of July through November. In the region

surrounding the Channel Islands, fin and humpback whales have opposing hotspots,

with humpbacks most abundant in the northwest region, and fins in the southwest

region. Blue whales are more evenly distributed throughout this range. Shipping data

was accessed through USCG, which has archived Automatic Identification System (AIS)

since 2008. AIS information includes ship's identity, type, position, course, and speed.

In 2009, a new California air quality regulation was put into place requiring ships to

use cleaner fuels when they were closer to shore. The results, as represented in the

map of Vessel Traffic Density (using AIS data), show that the majority of vessel traffic

shifts south of the Channel Islands to avoid using a costly, higher grade fuel. Using the

2009 AIS data, tracks were drawn reflecting the three most common traffic patterns

created by this shift. The change in risk was assessed based on the change in the lanes

due to the new rule. There was an increase in risk to fin whales, as the new shipping

lanes moved south and overlapped with the areas of highest abundance of fin whales.

Risk is highest where co-occurrence is highest. NOAA’s West Coast Region office

reviewed the past 20 years of stranding records, and found that 2009 had the second

highest number of fin whale ship strikes. Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary

(CINMS) convened a Marine Shipping Working Group with multiple agencies

represented.

Daniel Palacios presented an update on “Whalewatch”, a NASA-funded project

developed using satellite telemetry tag data and oceanographic data to create

predictive models of near real-time blue whale occurrence along the U.S. West Coast.

This information can be used to help reduce human impacts on whales by providing

information on where the animals are found and hence where whales may be most at

risk from threats, such as ship strikes, entanglements and loud underwater sounds.

Monthly predications are now accessible on NOAA West Coast Region’s website. The

second half of the talk focused on a new project developed in collaboration with the

U.S. Navy to assess blue and fin whale movements, occurrence and usage of U.S. Navy

training areas, as well as U.S. West Coast Biologically Important Areas (BIAs). This

research used traditional satellite telemetry tags, as well as Advanced Dive Behavior

tags (ABD). ABDs are archival tags which collect fine scale underwater movements,

oceanographic data, and GPS positions. Daniel presented a single whale’s 25-day data

as an example of the information that can be gathered with this technology. The ability

to extract temperature, data, and the depth of the dive where feeding events occur

provides insight to foraging activity in relation to environmental conditions. In this

case study, the whale very actively foraged for the first portion of the tag record, diving

deep in warm coastal waters. The whale then transitioned into a period of 8 days of

movement with virtually no foraging dives occurring, followed by very active foraging,

then ultimately diving shallower in cooler offshore waters. Other data that can be

captured through the ADB tags include multi-week and diel variabilities as well.

Discussion

An in-depth discussion was held regarding some inputs to the statistical model

that was developed to analyze pre-whaling abundance, the current population status

and the impact of ship strikes. Clarifications regarding historical catch data, static

inputs with regard to environmental changes and survival rates were also discussed.

Širović provided further information regarding blue whale calls: the AB songs are very

regular, with a one-minute interval, while D calls are much more irregular.

Calambokidis also added that the acoustic tags are not typically picking up whale calls,

which implies an uneven distribution in call production. The discussion wrapped up by

summarizing other threats to blue whales, which include ship noise and sonar, and the

serious concern being changes in prey, climate, and ocean conditions. Redfern would

like to combine the varieties of available data into one comprehensive risk map.

Lunch Keynote Address: Maddalena Bearzi, Ocean Conservation Society

“Confessions of an Italian Marine Biologist”

Since she was very young she was always fascinated with animals and her

childhood summers were spent camping at a remote site in Sardinia, Italy. Her parents

gave her the freedom to roam and explore while observing wildlife. This freedom

meant that if she was pinched by a crab or poked by a sea urchin she would learn to be

more careful next time. This lesson of “learn from your own experiences”, she feels is

very important and something children today might be missing at times. The rest of

the year in an Italian city she felt there was always a way to interact with and spend

hours in the company of animals, whether it was a lizard in her backyard, her pet

hamster, or her family dog. While studying the natural sciences at an Italian university,

she felt the lectures were not enticing and not what she expected working in this field.

So she realized something needed to change and looked for a better way to work in the

animal world. In her search for a stronger bond with nature, she began traveling

around Europe, working on different field research projects studying reptiles and birds.

She also started working as a journalist for a bicycle magazine, which gave her

opportunities to leave the city for weeks at a time. While taking mandatory courses at

the university she supplemented that experience with these treks into the woods. Her

studies evolved into documenting lizard behavior, then iguanas and then the eventual

transition to sea turtles. Giovanni, her brother, is also a cetologist and his group

conducts research on marine mammals and the organization was looking for someone

to begin sea turtle research in a remote area of the Yucatan Peninsula. For the next six

years she ran this project at the research station where various hazards were a daily

occurrence ranging from spiders and snakes in the thick mangroves to drug smugglers

coming ashore at night while they conducted their sea turtle research. One morning

she saw a dolphin swimming toward shore and she recognized the dolphin as an

individual she identified the year before. The continued presence of this dolphin and

his companion were hard to ignore, so she wanted to introduce a way to integrate

dolphin research in her work in this area. She then spent several years conducting

research on dolphins from shore and small boats and one day received a call asking if

she was interested in conducting dolphin research in the areas off of Greece.

This adventure allowed her to be face to face with dolphins in the Ionian Sea and

also catch a glimpse and identify the first Cuvier’s beaked whale in these waters.

Acoustics research on a variety of marine mammals during this time opened her eyes

and ears and enabled her to learn more about what was happening underwater. She

continued to study dolphins and whales in the Caribbean and other locations

worldwide, all while working as a travel and nature journalist as well. Working in Milan

she met Charlie, a sailor, and years later she moved to California to be with him. She

was astonished by the diversity of marine mammals in the Los Angeles waters and also

that there was not a year-round monitoring of these species. This was the beginning of

her daily life in the company of dolphins and the longest running research study in the

area. She will never forget her first observance of a large blue whale from her 24-foot

research boat. She then began a PhD at UCLA looking at the ecology of marine

mammals in Santa Monica Bay, focusing on bottlenose dolphins. She then decided to

leave her journalism job and create the Ocean Conservation Society and broaden her

research, studying a variety of marine mammals and sea birds. She has spent the most

time studying dolphins, thousands of hours, and what she has learned is that they

have remarkable similarities with humans. They are social and curious animals and she

has observed incredible human-dolphin interactions, including a group of dolphins

that moved suddenly away from her boat and began surrounding a girl many miles

offshore, and this alerted her to follow and enabled her to rescue the young girl. She

has discovered many things in her field work including observing sea lions preferring

to let bottlenose dolphins do the work of finding fish, and they will then follow and

feast as well to the observance of lesions on bottlenose dolphins correlating to

environmental conditions and man-made pollutants. This has moved her to conduct

more conservation focused research for a variety of species. Also, she mentioned the

need to look at animals in a different way, she explains in her book the brain

complexities of humans, dolphins, and great apes and how this brain complexity is

closely linked to ecological complexity as well. Dolphins ability to learn, translate

information, communicate, remember and imitate is very similar to that pf great apes

and humans.

Maddalena has seen a dramatic change in the environment since her childhood

and through her travels and explains that for the first time in history dolphins are

disappearing due to human impact. She feels there is a responsibility to do more than

only research and uses her career background in journalism to write books and

articles, not only about the environment but also about the treatment of animals. As

scientists, Maddalena feels we have a duty to protect the animals we study.

Whale Watching Impacts

Panel: Lead: Diane Alps, California Whales and Wildlife

Leslie New, Washington State University

Marisa Trego, NOAA, SWFSC, Marine Wildlife Endocrine Laboratory

Monica De Angelis, NOAA, NMFS West Coast Region

John Calambokidis, Cascadia Research

Dave Beezer, Captain aboard M/VCondor Express

Objective

Historically, whale watching in Southern California focused on the Pacific gray

whale migration, only occurring during winter months. Today, whale watching in

Southern California is flourishing year-round. The presence of the large whale species

in the spring, summer, and fall has brought new life into the industry. This has

increased awareness, community engagement, and opportunities for research. It has

also increased the number of vessels conducting whale watching trips. Additionally,

the “new” whale watching occurs during seasons with much better weather (spring,

summer, fall) than previous whale watch timing (winter). This has created overlap in

the whales’ feeding grounds within heavily used recreational waters, leading to shared

use with large numbers of private boaters and boarders. This session investigated

methods to study the impacts from whale watching on large whale species.

Presentations

Diane Alps reviewed the history of whale watching in Southern California.

Commercial whale watching was developed in Southern California through observing

the predictable migration of the gray whale during winter and utilizing off-season

fishing vessels. Many on-vessel education programs were developed around the gray

whale migration, most notably the 45-year Cabrillo Whalewatch naturalist program

servicing whale watch vessels around the Los Angeles area. Today, most whale watch

vessels have established educational programs which extends the opportunity to reach

passengers with accurate and current information. In the 2000s, citizen scientists with

ACS-LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project documented the increase in sightings

of large whale species in spring, as well as the increase of boat interactions with

whales. In 2010 and 2011, the Santa Monica Bay saw a record number of blue whales

foraging within a mile from shore, providing easy access to the enormous number of

newly recruited recreational whale watchers. Paddle and kayak businesses developed

quickly promoting opportunities to paddle with whales. Foraging blue whales were

surrounded by 50+ vessels at time, pursued by kayakers while surface feeding and

whales were seen with minor injuries. Social media added to this growing problem,

with videos of close-approaches going viral, and even getting the attention of national

news media. Research in Dana Point reflected no significant effect on dive duration

while boats were present, but whales deviated from their paths and increased their

swim speeds. Education and engagement with commercial operators is critical, as they

serve as role models for recreational users. Managing customer expectations is also

critical as the industry grows, leading to increased competition. The WhaleSAFE

program promotes safe and responsible whale watching by providing an on-the-water

presence in whale watch hot spots, distributing educational materials to recreational

whale watchers, communicating with recreational boaters about “Best Practices" of

whale watching and safe boating. The program is developing a WhaleSAFE certification

and training program for commercial whale watch operators, to help promote

companies that practice safe and sustainable eco-tourism.

Leslie New emphasized the international concerns over the impacts of whale

watching. As the industry grows, the intensity of the disturbance is growing; more and

more vessels are engaging in this activity. Seasonal (and oceanographic) shifts are

impacting the biologically sensitive timing of large whales, often placing them amidst

popular eco-tourism areas. Behavioral responses of the whale, though subject to

interpretation, can be visibly observed and measured. Physiological response to

disturbance is more difficult to study. While a single disturbance may not have great

consequence, chronic exposure can lead to cumulative effects. The threshold of these

effects is not yet understood. To measure the consequences of disturbance, Leslie

adapted the Population Consequences of Disturbance (PCoD) model to whale watching.

This approach was developed for assessing and quantifying the potential

consequences for marine mammal populations of any disturbance and/or injury. In the

case of whale watching, the measurable disturbances include boat noise, proximity,

and pollution. This can create physiological and/or behavioral change. Behavioral

changes due to whale watching have been studied in many regions around the world,

primarily on small odontocetes. The presence of a vessel can change the foraging

behavior and movements of animals, causing excess exertion of energy to resuming

foraging once the disturbance (vessel) is gone. This change in behavior can have health

impacts, however the scope of these impacts are not well understood. Acute

disturbance can lead to mortality, reduced fecundity, etc., while chronic disturbance

may manifest itself as a general decrease in health, such as lesions and poor body

condition, hormonal imbalances, or other disease. The context of the disturbance is

important to factor, as some species or populations will be more sensitive than others.

Marisa Trego introduced methods of measuring stress in marine mammals.

Behavioral response to disturbance includes avoidance and disruption of activity, both

of which have an energetic cost that can impact reproduction and the immune

system. There are many types of physiological responses to disturbance. The classic

stress response in the activation of fight or flight, is correlated with increases in

cortisol and can also impact reproduction and the immune system. When an individual

perceives a threat, cortisol is released triggering a variety of physical changes, most

notably an increase in the mobilization of energy stores and a decrease in pathways

related to reproduction and immunity. Various hormones can be used as health

markers in mammals: progesterone can be used in pregnancy diagnosis, testosterone

and estradiol for measuring maturity status, cortisol and aldosterone as stress

indicators, and thyroid and vitamin A give insight to nutrition and immunity.

Progesterone is lipophilic, making it able to be measured from blubber samples. Seven

species of cetacean were sampled to field test the ability to diagnose pregnancy via

progesterone. The results yielded very clear diagnosis of pregnant and non-pregnant

animals. This hormone analysis was mapped to display pregnancy hotspots and spatial

distribution of pregnancy rates. Comparing this data to fishing effort, the data found

lower pregnancy rates in areas of higher fishing effort, indicating that the disturbance

likely impacted dolphin vital rates. Cortisol can also be measured in blubber, and is

indicative of experiencing a stress response. There is a lag in blubber cortisol rate

increase as compared with blood cortisol, which minimizes the risk of detecting stress

caused by the sampling event. In a case study, blubber cortisol samples were taken

from animals impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Exposure to crude oil

effects the adrenal glands. Findings reflected animals with impaired adrenals have

lower rates of a cortisol increase. Low cortisol levels could indicate an impaired ability

for a chronically stressed animal to mount a proper stress response. Disturbance from

whale watching is a relatively small, yet chronic stressor which is very difficult to

measure with blubber hormone samples. Another method may be to look at hormones

in whale exhalation. This tool is still being developed and standardized, however it has

the potential to provide a better understanding of individual health. Pairing whale blow

collection with drone sampling for morphological measurement can provide a wide

variety of health markers. Fecal sampling can also be used to collect hormone and

health data. All three methods, blubber, blow, and feces, comes with advantages and

disadvantages.

Discussion

The discussion portion began by adding three additional panel members and

they introduced their role within this session topic and their work.

Panelist Introductions

John Calambokidis, Cascadia Research

In relation to the whale watch industry, his goal as a researcher is to interact with

whale watching boats to ensure an understanding of his research goals as well as the

permit requirements. He benefits from relationships with whale watch boats and their

programs which provide sighting information and photos. A concern he has seen

during this transition to year-round whale watching is the repeated exposure to

animals for forage along the coast.

Monica De Angelis, NOAA West Coast Region

From a management perspective, it is most challenging to prove intent to harass a

marine mammal, no matter how incriminating the evidence appears. A shift in

approach to changing human behavior might yield more successful results. Managing

expectations within the commercial industry and recreational users, and training them

on proper etiquette, could alleviate some of the burden placed on the NOAA Law

Enforcement efforts.

Dave Beezer, Condor Express Whale Watching

Santa Barbara Channel has been host to year round whale watching for over 15 years,

hosting migrating gray whales in the winter and spring. The “season” has some overlap

in spring, leading into summer and fall, with humpback and blue whales foraging in

the Channel. Experienced whale watch captains learn behaviors associated with the

different seasons and species, and how approach methods vary based on these

differences. The most important tool in a captain’s toolbox is the ability to manage

expectations from the start: that of the naturalists, as well as the passengers. From the

introduction and throughout the narration, explanation of the species, season and

behaviors helps everyone understand the captains’ decisions on navigation and

approach methods. The passengers’ demands should not dictate the experience; the

experienced captain maintains control and knows how to give the best experience for

passengers and whales.

The discussion summarized many of the key factors and challenges in

measuring impacts from whale watching on large whale species. Accessibility to

hormones is difficult and analysis is costly. Behavioral responses can be clear to a very

experienced observer, however it varies by species and individuals; and less

experienced observers can easily misinterpret behaviors. Continued education for

whale watch operators and recreational whale watchers can help them understand

some of the small behavioral indicators. Many management strategies were discussed,

including implementation of laws, certification programs, and vessel and time

limitations, however the biggest challenge to many of these strategies is the diversity

in species and season. There is not one clear answer to address all issues. The tool

that everyone agreed on was managing the human dynamic. Continued operator

training, managing passenger expectations and public education is a strong step in

reducing disturbance on our local whales.

Workshop Closing: Vaquita Update

Given the crisis facing the vaquita porpoise we wanted to close the workshop

with an update from the 2015 SCMMW “Vaquita” session where population estimates at

that time were thought to be 99 individuals. Aimee Lang shared an update from

Barbara Taylor and an excerpt from Barbara’s last field report post during the 2015

vaquita survey:

“Today marks the conclusion of a vaquita survey bound for the conservation history

books as either a major contributor to turning the tides and saving vaquita or to

further document their steep decline to extinction. Looking back at the last report from

the 2008 vaquita survey is sobering. On that 2008 survey, vaquitas were the most

common marine mammal sighted and the research done on the survey looked

promising to develop an acoustic monitoring program. Subsequently, this acoustic

monitoring program revealed a shocking decline of vaquitas between 2011 and 2015,

a result of accidental kills from legal fisheries coupled with the boom in illegal fishing

for totoaba. Now, in 2015, we are relieved to have seen vaquitas on this survey, but

data indicate that between our 2008 survey and now, we have likely lost 7 out of every

10 vaquitas from an already critically endangered species. Rebuilding the population to

2008 levels will require 40 years at vaquita’s maximum population growth rate.

But the 2015 survey has brought some positive results. In 2008, the waters outside the

Vaquita Refuge were filled with gillnets. The initiation of the two-year ban on these

nets earlier in 2015, and the subsequent enforcement of the ban by the Navy have

resulted in gillnet-free waters. We are reminded on a daily basis that vaquitas and

humans enjoy a healthy, productive habitat in one of the most beautiful places on

earth.”

Barbara also shared about the impactful work Sea Shepherd is doing to aid in

the vaquita crisis with their Operation Milagro 2 campaign. This video gives an

overview of the action they are taking in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico. With the campaign

ending in May, due to lack of adequate funds, there is a growing concern on

enforcement now that the Mexican Navy is the sole enforcement agency.

Sarah Mesnick shared the news that a member of the SCMMW 2015 “Vaquita”

panel – chef and restaurant owner Rob Ruiz – won the Ocean Award from Blue Marine

Foundation and Boat International. This award recognizes his commitment to ocean

conservation through his choice to only serve (and find) the most sustainable seafood

direct from fishermen, the ongoing education of his patrons at Land & Water Company

on seafood sustainability, and his creation of events raising tens of thousands of

dollars for vaquita conservation.

Workshop Evaluations

Everyone thanked Pacific Life and many participants said “the generosity was

unlike any other”, “they always look forward to this meeting”, and “organization,

format, food and venue were all excellent”. In addition, many shared the importance of

this meeting and they appreciate that we keep it a smaller size in order to allow for

more in depth networking opportunities. There was an even distribution between the

sessions being voted “favorite”, along with comments that appreciated the vaquita

update, suggested ongoing updates each year on sea lions strandings, and another

said that “they really have enjoyed having a session each year aimed at getting

scientists better armed to get their data disseminated to the public in a way that makes

an impact”. Each year session topics are decided upon by reviewing suggestions made

in the previous year’s evaluation report. The small workshop Advisory Committee is

then created based on session topics. For SCMMW 2017 we are currently discussing

“speed talks” and multidisciplinary and different species focused speakers in one

session focused around a theme, such as climate change or emerging technologies.

Acknowledgements

The Workshop Advisory Committee would like to thank Tennyson Oyler and

everyone at Pacific Life Foundation for their gracious and generous sponsorship and

hosting of the Southern California Marine Mammal Workshop. Pacific Life Foundation’s

continued support of the marine mammal research community is generous, highly

respected, and very much appreciated by all. We would like to thank Robert Perry who

donates his marine mammal photos each year for the workshop materials.

We would also like to say a big thank you to Maddalena Bearzi, our keynote

speaker, and each of the session panelists and everyone who participated in the

planning and coordination of this workshop.