We invite you to consider attending the following workshop. Please let me know if you wish to present. Best, Ellen A range-wide assessment of Neophocaena: threats and priorities for research and conservation Saturday, December 7 - 0830-1730 Name of Workshop leader (1): Ellen Hines Workshop leader (1) Affiliation: Estuary and Ocean Science Center, San Francisco State University Workshop leader (1) E-mail Address: ehines@sfsu.edu Name of Workshop leader (2): Mandy Chi Yan Lo Workshop leader (2) Affiliation: Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong Workshop Summary: The genus Neophocaena encompasses two species of finless porpoises, N. phocaenoides (the Indo-Pacific finless) and N. asiaeorientalis(narrow-ridged finless). Within N. asiaeorientalis, there are two subspecies: N. asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis (the Yangtze finless) and N. asiaeorientalis sunameri (the marine narrow-ridged finless). The geographic range of Neophocaena is vast, ranging from the Persian Gulf through to most of Southeast Asia, and up the coast of China to Korea and southern Japan. All population trends are considered decreasing, and the Yangtze population critically endangered by the IUCN Red List. Numerous threats place these populations at risk, with bycatch throughout their range perhaps the worst. The main problems for Neophocaena in most areas are a lack of basic information about abundance, distribution, and the numbers being caught in fisheries. Some populations are extremely depleted and are possibly declining rapidly or even disappeared completely. However, finless porpoises are difficult to study in the field. Our proposed workshop will be in two parts. The first half of the day will consist of speed talks from scientists representing all species and subspecies. In the afternoon, participants will divide into groups to discuss: 1) issues and solutions to bycatch by region and overall, and 2) standardizing research (population assessment, necropsy details, distribution, habitat use). Before ending, group representatives will report back to the whole. At this point, for the speed talks, we have heard from interested scientists from Korea, Chiia, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, China, and Vietnam, and are reaching out to scientists from remaining countries within the range of Neophocaena spp. Dissemination of Workshop Results: We will produce a joint academic paper on our workshop in a relevant journal Format: Our proposed workshop will be in two parts. The first half of the day will consist of speed talks from scientists representing all species and subspecies. In the afternoon, participants will divide into groups to discuss: 1) issues and solutions to bycatch in particular problem areas, and 2) standardizing research (population assessment, distribution, habitat use). Before ending, group representatives will report back to the whole. Ellen Hines, PhD Associate Director and Professor of Geography & Environment Estuary and Ocean Science Center San Francisco State University 3150 Paradise Dr. Tiburon, CA 94920 415 338 3512, ehines@sfsu.edu<mailto:ehines@sfsu.edu> http://eoscenter.sfsu.edu/content/ellen-hines