Dear Marmamers,

I hope this message finds you well. I am delighted to invite you to submit abstracts for a special session exclusively dedicated to marine mammal research that will be part of the upcoming Canadian Ecotoxicity Workshop (CEW) 2025, taking place in the beautiful city of Victoria, BC, from October 5th to October 8th, 2025. This session will be co-chaired by myself, Antoine Simond (PhD, Université du Québec à Montréal), along with my esteemed colleagues Anaïs Remili (PhD, Simon Fraser University), Robert Letcher (PhD, Environment and Climate Change Canada) and Tanya Brown (PhD, Simon Fraser University).

Session Title: Marine Mammals at Risk: Characterizing contaminant-related threats to enable conservation strategies

The rationale for this platform session is driven by the urgent need to expand our knowledge, understanding, and mitigation strategies related to the impact of chemical pollutants on marine mammal populations and their ecosystem. We aim to bring together experts, researchers, and professionals in the field of marine mammal conservation and ecotoxicology to share their latest findings, innovations, and insights so we can strengthen our understanding of chemical pollution on marine mammal health and work towards a sustainable future for both marine mammal species and their fragile habitats. Topics of interest include but are not limited to:

1. The impact of long-term exposure of contaminants on global marine mammal health (immune, endocrine, and central nervous systems);
2. The impacts of pollution and anthropogenic pressure on marine mammal ecosystems;
3. The use of cutting-edge research/methodologies contributing to the discovery of new chemicals, and a more holistic understanding of the impact of pollutants on the health of marine mammals (e.g., multi-omics approaches, non-targeted analyses, non-invasive sampling approaches, in vitro bioassays);
4. Innovative conservation strategies that aim at protecting marine mammals and their habitat from chemical pollution and better implementing effective policy frameworks.

Conference Details:

• Event: CEW 2025
• Dates: 5 - 8 October 2025
• Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
• Session Title: 7. Marine Mammals at Risk: Characterizing contaminant-related threats to enable conservation strategies

Submission Guidelines:

• Link to start a submission: https://www.ecotoxcan.ca/submit-an-abstract
• The abstract should not exceed 250 words
• Abstracts will undergo a peer-review process, and selected presentations will be part of our conference program

Key Dates:

• Abstract Submission Deadline: June 13th, 2025
• Notification of Acceptance: July 2025
• Registration: Registration will open in July 2025
• Student Attendance Grant application deadline: June 30th, 2025

Your contribution is crucial in advancing our understanding and driving positive change in the fields of marine mammal ecotoxicology and conservation. Additionally, it represents a unique opportunity to network with fellow marine mammal experts and researchers from around the world.

If you have any inquiries or require additional information, please feel free to contact me (simond.antoine_etienne@uqam.ca).

We look forward to your participation and the opportunity to present your research at this session. We are excited about the prospect of your participation and the opportunity to collaborate on these important topics.

Thank you for your attention, and we hope to see you all in Victoria in 2025.

Warm regards,

PS: Please do not hesitate to share the invitation with other colleagues who might be interested.

Antoine Simond, Ph.D.

Chercheur postdoctoral | Postdoctoral Research Fellow

Université du Québec à Montréal

Montreal, QC, Canada

Courriel | E-mail: simond.antoine_etienne@uqam.ca