You can now register (https://www.smmconference.org/workshops/) for our SMM 2024 workshop "Learning the “Right” way – sharing successes and lessons learned to aid in the conservation and recovery of the world’s right whale populations." It will be an all-day workshop on Saturday 9th November at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.

With this workshop, we aim to share the different tactics used for right whale recovery worldwide, discuss how to approach existing and emerging challenges, such as expansions in aquaculture and fisheries activities; changes in prey distribution; and how to successfully incorporate Indigenous Knowledge (IK) into conservation efforts. Sharing successes, failures, and future directions will be beneficial to scientists, managers, policymakers, and right whales themselves as threats to the species continue to evolve. This full day workshop will feature presentations on successful recovery and outreach efforts and integration of IK followed by discussions on challenges faced by all right whales (e.g., emerging aquaculture and renewable energy interactions) and proposed actions for addressing these challenges. The workshop will share successes, lessons learned, and future approaches to recovery of right whales, focusing on existing and emerging threats.

The workshop will include a few presentations, a lot of discussion, and some planning of additional actions.  Please let Verena Gill (verena.gill@noaa.gov) or Alex Zerbini (alex.zerbini@noaa.gov) know if you have questions, topics you would want to discuss, and if you are interested in presenting on your population of right whale.

We look forward to seeing you all in November for the first ever global right whale gathering at SMM 2024!