*OneNOAA Science Seminar Series <https://www.google.com/url?q=https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/nosscienceseminars/&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1601727108206000&usg=AOvVaw0pOY7RgC5lrVyFXhPCNl3m>**Feel free to share this with NOAA or non-NOAA folks who might be interested; thanks.* *Title: Right Whales and Shipping: Using Corporate Responsibility to protect right whales from ship strike* *Speaker: David Wiley, Research Coordinator and Michael Thompson, Geographer; NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary* *Sponsor(s): *NOAA's National Ocean Service Science Seminar Series; coordinators for this seminar are Tracy.GIll@noaa.gov *When: Wednesday, *September 30, 12-1pm EDT *Remote Access: *Register at: https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/rightwhale/event/registration.html <https://www.google.com/url?q=https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/rightwhale/event/registration.html&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1601727108206000&usg=AOvVaw1UgW5-Y3PjW98dY4tIn3CU> After registering, you will get a confirmation email with a link to the webinar. If you have not used Adobe connect before, it is best to test your ability to use (and to download) Adobe Connect, before the webinar, at: https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.h... <https://www.google.com/url?q=https://noaabroadcast.adobeconnect.com/common/help/en/support/meeting_test.htm&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1601727108206000&usg=AOvVaw0e61IkoWxt5OUUsJ5W_W8p>. Audio is over the computer, so adjust the volume on your computer speakers or headset. Users should use either google, IE or Edge on Windows or Safari if using a Mac. Questions will be addressed in the chat box. *Abstract: *Lethal injury from collisions with large vessels is a major problem inhibiting the recovery of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales. To aid recovery the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration promulgated the Right Whale Ship Strike Reduction Rule, which created Seasonal Management Areas (SMAs)requiring large ships slowing to 10 knots or less in specific time/areas. To encourage compliance with the two SMAs that overlap the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, the sanctuary and NMFS initiated a corporate responsibility project. The concept of corporate responsibility involves companies increasing their commitment to behaviors that benefit society, such as slowing to safeguard right whales, and acknowledging positive corporate behavior. Since 2015, we have used the US Coast Guard’s automatic Identification system (AIS) to track vessels through the two SMAs. We used these data to grade ships based on the percent SMA distance traveled at compliant speeds as follows: A+: 99 - 100% compliance and mean speed =<10 kts; A: 90-98.9% compliance or mean speed =<10 kts. & meanspeed least compliant transit =< 10kts; B: 80-89.9% compliance or mean speed =<10 kts. & meanspeed least compliant transit <10.5 kts; C: 70-79.9% compliance or mean speed 10 -10.5 kts. & meanspeed least compliant transit 10.5-11 kts; D: 60-69.9% compliance or mean speed >10.5 kts. & meanspeed least compliant transit >11 kts; F: <60% compliance or mean speed >11 kts. & mean speedleast compliant transit >11.5 kts. Report cards were sent to each ship and to the companies using the ships, with addresses provided by the US Coast Guard. Ships and companies receiving A+ or A grades were sent a certificate acknowledging their positive behavior. In 2015 72% (146/203) of ships received certificates. In 2019 86% (118/145) of the companies and 85% (175/211) of the ships received certificates. Reaction from specific companies will be provided. This project is now used as a model for similar programs in west coast sanctuaries and around the world. *Bio(s): *David Wiley and Michael Thompson team to investigate living marine resources in NOAA's Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Their work ranges from using biotelemetry to investigate the underwater behavior of large whales and the habitat use of seabirds to the ecosystem function of forage fish and climate change impacts to the sanctuary. The report card method they developed to track shipping compliance received the Society for Marine Mammalogy’s award for Excellence in Scientific Communication. *Subscribe to the OneNOAA Science Seminar weekly email: *Send an email to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov with the word 'subscribe' in the subject or body. Visit the OneNOAA Science Seminar Series website for more. A. Gill tracy.gill@noaa.gov 240-533-0349 Physical Scientist & NOAA/NOS Science Seminar Coordinator NOAA | NOS | National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science Marine Spatial Ecology Division | Biogeography Branch 1305 East West Hwy, SSMC4, N/SCI-1, Rm 9208 Silver Spring, MD 20910-3278 *Check out **the OneNOAA Science Seminar Series website <https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/seminars/> for the schedule and to **sign up <https://list.woc.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/onenoaascienceseminars> for the weekly NOAA seminar email list.* o o

<(((o> o

<o)))>< o <o)))>< ><(((o> ><(((o>