The Whale Museum (TWM) in Friday Harbor, WA, is holding an exciting virtual Gear Down Workshop for Marine Naturalists this fall on Saturday, November 13. This workshop will be held from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Pacific Time and registrants will join sessions through the videoconferencing platform, Zoom. The theme of the “Gear Down” Workshop is Marine Mammal Sightings: Contributing to Science and Conservation. 

Invited presenters include: 

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

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

https://whalemuseum.org/products/virtualgeardownworkshop2021