Aloha Marmam Readers- We would like to announce the following workshop taking place before the 18th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. Title: Research, Management Conservation, and Policy in Monk Seal Recovery: A Global Perspective The 18th Biennial Conference will provide a unique opportunity for members from the various Hawaiian and Mediterranean monk seal programs to come together with some of the greatest minds in the marine mammal field to discuss and share their knowledge, forge new ideas, and develop critical plans and partnerships. The meeting will allow conference participants to learn about the different ecological, sociological and political aspects of monk seal recovery. Monk seal experts will give presentations on a number of topics including conservation genetics, disease research and prevention, impacts of climate change, and enhancement activities. The panel will participate in a brief question and answer sessions that will be followed by an open discussion. Much of the discussion will focus on current research and management gaps to encourage collaborations between workshop participants. Through a series of discussions with broad participation we will develop plans for future research and management actions. Afterward, a workshop report will be prepared and made available on the web to be used as a tool for potential collaborators to develop projects with the various monk seal programs. We invite anyone that might be interested in endangered species research and management, collaborating on future projects, or curious about the plight of these two species to attend. We are currently finalizing the agenda and will forward it in our second announcement. Date: October 10, 2009 Time: 9am - 5pm Location: RM 207 Cost: $40 US Registration cost will include morning and afternoon coffee and lunch at the workshop. Our lunch break will involve a poster session that will allow participants to mingle and discuss a broader suite of topics than could be covered in a one day workshop. Payment details will be provided shortly. Space IS limited due to room size so please register early. If you are interested in the workshop or have any questions please email us at: MonachusWorkshop@gmail.com If you have a poster that you feel would be relevant to this workshop (monk seal related or a technique that could be valuable for monk seal research or management) please let us know by Sept 4. Hope to see you there. Charles Littnan, Alexandros Karamanlidis, Pablo Fernandez de Larrinoa, and Lisa Van Atta.