Dear all, A one day symposium on the genetic monitoring of marine mammals will be held at the Tampa Convention Center on Sunday prior to the marine mammal Biennial. We have a great range of speakers and look forward to a lively panel debate at the end of it. Please contact me: jacksonjennifera@gmail.com if you wish to register for this meeting. The cost is $30. For those who are interested, some more detail on the genetic monitoring concept is included at the bottom of this email. Hopefully see you in Tampa! Jen AGENDA: 9 am Keynote: Dr Mike Schwartz (head of Wildlife Ecology Research Unit at the USDA Forest Service, also University of Montana) - Genetic monitoring of terrestrial and marine vertebrates: successes and failures of the molecular genetic approach to cost-effective monitoring 9:40 am Dr Diana Weber (New College of Florida, USA) Marching through time: The importance of looking back as we look forward in our efforts to develop genetic monitoring in marine mammals Break 10:40 am Dr Andy Foote (University of Copenhagen, Denmark) - The use of ancient and environmental DNA as a tool for genetic monitoring of marine mammals. 11 am Mia Valtonen (University of Eastern Finland, Finland) Genetic monitoring of a small and isolated seal population 11:20 am Dr Joe Hoffman (University of Bielefeld, Germany) Unravelling pinniped life histories through long term genetic monitoring 11:40 am Rebecca Hamner (Oregon State University) Demographic, genetic and serendipitous findings from the genetic monitoring of the critically endangered Maui's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus hector maui) Lunch 2 pm Dr Karina Acevedo Whitehouse (Center for Basic and Applied Microbiology, Autonomous University of Queretaro, Mexico, and Institute of Zoology, London) Goo, germs and genes: non-invasive sampling to monitor cetacean populations 2:20 pm Dr Frank Cipriano (San Francisco State University) - Market surveys and genetic monitoring of the whale meat trade 2:40 pm Dr Jennifer Jackson (British Antarctic Survey) – Wrap up and introduction to panel discussion Break 3:40 pm Panel discussion: Dr Mike Schwartz, Dr Phil Morin (Southwest Fisheries Science Center), Dr Frank Cipriano, Dr Karina Acevedo Whitehouse Genetic monitoring of Marine Mammal Populations Genetic monitoring is the practice of using molecular genetic markers to track changes in the abundance, diversity or distribution of populations, species or ecosystems over time,and to follow adaptive genetic changes in response to changing external conditions. In recent years genetic monitoring has become a valuable tool in conservation management, biodiversity monitoring and ecological analysis. Genetic monitoring is used to illuminate and define cryptic and poorly understood species and populations, to detect adaptive change and to inform management policy as a result of detected declines, changes in population structure, distribution and hybridization events through time. It can also provide valuable baseline information to evaluate population responses to future global environmental changes, such as global warming. 

Genetic monitoring projects require a time series of archived genetic data, either in the form of specimen tissue, extracted DNA, or records of previously obtained genetic information. Genetic monitoring approaches are particularly useful for marine mammals as many species (i) are rarely encountered (so traditional records are patchy) (ii) cannot be individually identified without the use of genetics (so survival rates cannot be estimated) (iii) are endangered or threatened under IUCN, or (iv) are subject to regular population assessment through IWC, NAMMCO or CCAMLR auspices. There is currently a strong need for routine population monitoring of many species, and for obtaining a better understanding of population processes in others. We will discuss the following topics: A) The use of genetic markers as identifiers of individuals, populations and species for traditional population monitoring purposes.
* Survival and abundance trends. At the individual level, genetic identification can enable estimation of population abundance and vital rates within the framework of mark-recapture models. Genetic monitoring approaches have now been used to investigate population demographic processes for a number of marine mammal
species.
* Identification of parasites or pathogens. Monitoring of cetacean health through sampling and genetic analysis of cetacean blow.
* Identification of species. Indirect monitoring of marine mammal species in markets as a means of evaluating adherence to quotas and the extent of cetacean by-catch. * Identification of hybrids. Inter-species hybridization events have recently been detected for a number of Arctic marine mammals, and this could become an increasing problem as sea ice is lost and formerly isolated populations make contact. B) The use of genetic markers to monitor changes in population genetic parameters, e.g., genetic variation and population structure, gene flow, and effective population size
* Changes in range and diversity through time, e.g. by using historical or ancient
specimens obtained from museums or from the field.
* Changes in population structuring through time.