Hello MARMAMers! Please join us in New Zealand at the SMM Biennial for the following half-day workshop on Dec 8. We look forward to seeing you there! Cheers, Leslie Integrating Marine Mammal Conservation: Human Dimensions and the Practitioner Date: 8 Sun. Afternoon Only Duration: Half Day Cost: $25 stud mem, $50 mem, $50 stud nonmem, $75 non mem Organizer: Leslie Cornick Organizer email: lcornick@alaskapacific.edu Description: == Note: This workshop was previously titled "Integrating marine mammal conservation: 21st century challenges" == Marine mammal conservation is unique because many species are difficult to study due to their pelagic nature, resulting in significant data gaps. All marine mammals are protected in the US under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and some species have additional protection under the Endangered Species Act. However, few species exist only in the US, so conservation plans often must include international cooperation, including First Nations tribes. Marine mammals also frequently interact with industry via competition, by-catch, and critical habitat designation. Many marine mammal species are consumed by subsistence users, and internationally through commercial and scientific whaling exemptions to the IWC. Thus, marine mammal conservation must take a multidisciplinary approach (oceanography, fisheries biology), and integrate priorities of diverse stakeholders (policy makers, industry, subsistence users). This workshop will present the summaries from presentations at the 2013 ICCB symposium that brought together stakeholders in fisheries, indigenous food security, biology, and policy to consider challenges, solutions, and best practices for advancing an integrated approach to marine mammal conservation. A significant outcome of the ICCB symposium was the need for marine mammal biologists and practitioners to understand the human dimensions and implications of their work for local communities. This symposium will include key human dimensions training for biologists and conservation practitioners. The final symposium in this three-part series will occur at the Third International Marine Conservation Congress in 2014. ************************************************************ Leslie A. Cornick, Ph.D. Department Chair, Environmental Science Professor, Marine Biology Alaska Pacific University lcornick@alaskapacific.edu 907-232-3112