Dear Colleagues,  we are excited to present the following all day workshop on Sunday, October 18th, at the SMM Biennial in Puerto Rico.

Advancing science-based approaches to preventing whale strikes across vessel sectors

Vessel strikes are increasingly recognised as a major threat to marine megafauna worldwide. Growing commercial shipping, expanding coastal and recreational traffic, rising consumer demand, and climate-driven shifts in ocean use are intensifying interactions between vessels and vulnerable species. Scientists play a central role in quantifying risk, developing mitigation tools, evaluating effectiveness, and informing regulatory and operational decisions.

Based on previous workshops at the European Cetacean Society, at the IWC Scientific Committee meetings and a recent meeting at the International Maritime Organization with leading vessel-strike scientists, this workshop will provide a platform for the global scientific community to share insights, compare methodologies, and discuss emerging challenges in vessel-strike research. Sessions will highlight how scientific evidence can guide practical mitigation, weigh emerging technologies, support policy and operational decisions, and facilitate dialogue with industry, regulatory authorities, and other stakeholders;

Session 1: Global Overview of Vessel-Strike Risk, Assessment Frameworks, and Mitigation Tools

Session 2: Commercial Shipping and SOLAS Vessels: Scientific Evidence Supporting Operational and Regulatory Action

Session 3: Domestic, Recreational, Fishing, and Non-SOLAS Vessels: Research Priorities and Practical Solutions

Each session will include:

This mixed format is designed to balance knowledge sharing with active discussion and collaboration, while allowing flexibility depending on participant numbers and time constraints.

Speakers include Alice Bouchard, Kathi George, Damian Foxall, Rachel Rhodes, Jess Morten, Astrid Frisch, Anna Nisi, Jon Calambokidis, Luis Bedrinana, Mun Wei-Jun, Simone Panigada, Auriane Virgili, and Raphael Mayaud, moderated by Ellen Hines

You can attend both in-person and remotely.  Please let me (ehines@sfsu.edu) know any questions.

Best,

Ellen Hines (Estuary & Ocean Science Center/IWC Vessel-Strike Expert Panel Chair)

Alice Bouchard (IWC Vessel Strikes and Strandings Data Manager)

Kathi George (The Marine Mammal Center, Cetacean Research Director)

Damian Foxall (Director, Foxall Munro, LTD, Marine Mammal Advisory Group)

Emily Hague (USE Shetland, Blue Connect Project, Postdoctoral Researcher)

Chloe Robinson (Ocean Wise, Whales Director)