Dear Marmamers, We welcome attendance and input at the forthcoming World Cetacean Alliance (WCA) Workshops to be held on Monday 16 March – Tuesday 17 March 2015, in Brighton, UK, (immediately following WhaleFest 2015). *The WCA Workshops: Four Global Programmes to Protect Cetaceans*, will see cetacean experts and advocates from across the world gather to discuss and plan strategies for protecting whales, dolphins and porpoises through the WCA Partnership. Implementation of these Global Programmes will be the top priority for the World Cetacean Alliance during 2015/16 and beyond. We therefore welcome input from experts and the public, scientists and other stakeholders with an interest or expertise in any of the following four programme areas: 1. Responsible whale and dolphin watching, 2. Ghost nets and entanglement, 3. Cetacean captivity, and 4. Threatened species. How to attend? The WCA Workshops are free to WCA Partners. If you are not already a Partner of the WCA you need to join the WCA to attend the workshops. Anybody can join as an Individual Partner (even if you represent a non-profit organisation or whale and dolphin watching tour operator) for just £100 / US$165 / €120, and then reserve your place at the workshops. For more information on joining fees and becoming a Partner of the World Cetacean Alliance go to: http://worldcetaceanalliance.org/become-a-partner/. You can also register as a Partner and book your Workshop tickets here: http://worldcetaceanalliance.org/wca-conference/ WORKSHOP PROGRAMME (venue to be announced) WCA WORKSHOP DAY 1 – Monday 16 March WORKSHOP 1: RESPONSIBLE WHALE AND DOLPHIN WATCHING 9.00 – 13.00 9.00: Workshop starts on Brighton beach outside Brighton Centre 10.00: Session introduction 10.15: Did anybody ask Moby? Should whale watch guidelines focus more on the whale’s perspective? 11.00: The way forward – delivering responsible whale & dolphin watching for destinations 12.00: Plenary session 12.45: Actions 13.00 – 14.00 – lunch WORKSHOP 2: GHOST NETS AND ENTANGLEMENT 14.00 – 17.30 14.00. Session introduction 14.15: Update from World Animal Protection on the Global Ghost Gear Initiative and Sea Change campaign 15.00. Practical opportunity to use the Sea Change Hub and understand how Partners can assist in vital data collection of ghost fishing gear 15.30. Introducing the ‘Net effect’ campaign 15.45. Workshop session 1: How to engage the public on the issue of ghost gear and entanglement 15.45. Workshop Session 2: How to create the ultimate ‘Net Effect’ education pack for whale and dolphin watching guides and other marine users 17.00. Actions 17.30. End Evening social. TBA WCA WORKSHOP DAY 2 – Tuesday 17 March WORKSHOP 3: CETACEAN CAPTIVITY 9.00 – 13.00 9.00: Introductions and vision for the Captivity Working Group from the Working Group Chair 9.20: Wild & Free campaign objectives and update (including a review of the tour operator targeted campaign) 9.40: Dolphinaria Free Europe coalition, objectives and update 10.00: WCA: The one-stop shop on captivity. Creating an active and productive network of experts, NGOs and individuals, with a focus on gathering and sharing resources to bring about change. Plenary discussion to review current tools and materials and to identify further desired resources: identifying source, role and time-frame. 10.45: The cruise ship campaign: background, need for a coordinated action. 11.30: Supporting each other. Plenary discussion identifying further agenda of the Captivity Group and where partners need assistance and support. 12.30. Conclusions and actions WORKSHOP 4: THREATENED SPECIES 9.00 – 13.00 9.00. Introduction 9.15. Threatened species – their relevance in historical and modern culture 10.00. Threatened species – geographical overlap with stakeholder community – Non-Profit Organisations and whale and dolphin watch tour operators 11.00. Workshop. Preventing extinctions through partnership. How can we help? 12.30. Actions 13.00 – 14.00 – lunch MEETING OF THE PARTNERS AND ACTION PLAN 14.00. Introduction 14.15. Summaries of agreed actions from the four workshops: 1) responsible whale and dolphin watching, 2) ghost nets and entanglement, 3) cetacean captivity, and 4) threatened species 15.00. Plenary discussion. Executing an Action Plan for the four global programmes (workshops). 16.00. Q&A session involving all Partners and the Secretariat on all aspects of the WCA 17.00. Concluding remarks 17.30. End Register as a Partner and book your Workshop tickets here: http://worldcetaceanalliance.org/wca-conference/ The World Cetacean Alliance is the world’s largest Partnership working to protect whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans). Together we represent 70 Partners in 35 countries worldwide and we are expanding rapidly. Through cooperation, the Partners of the World Cetacean Alliance aim to conserve and protect cetaceans and their habitats in the world’s oceans, seas and rivers, to ensure their continued health and survival. The WCA is committed to preventing all cetaceans from being held in captivity except for rehabilitation and release purposes. We are also developing and implementing new concepts for responsible whale and dolphin watching with the potential to inspire and educate millions of people. Finally, we aim to expand the global community of people who care for cetaceans, have a desire to learn about them, and respect them.