Dear MARMAM, We still have a few spots left for our “*Pinniped Entanglement Prevention, Response, Training and Lessons Learned*” Workshop at the SMM Conference in Perth, Australia from 08:30 to 17:30 on Saturday, November 9 . https://www.smmconference.org/workshops/#1718131889797-052b1d22-ba43 Included in the workshop will be an amazing line up of presentations and case studies from Australia, Russia, South Africa, Namibia, Mexico, Peru, and the USA that will include: - Entanglement response best practices - Global standardized approaches to measure pinniped entanglement and collaboration on fishing solutions - Examples of entanglement response using physical restraint and remote sedation - Successfully working with fishers to prevent entanglement - Thermal enhancement of drone surveys - A successful deterrent! Additionally, we will have an expert panel/group discussion, as well as a classroom session to provide an overview of physical restraint and remote sedation disentanglement techniques, including training considerations. We hope to see you there! The link to the workshop and the abstract are below. For those of you unable to join us in person, we will have a virtual option for all of the workshop except the afternoon hands-on training session. Please feel free to reach out with any questions. We hope to see you there! Thank you, Kim Raum-Suryan, Wendy Szaniszlo, Rebecca McIntosh, and Stephen Manley Abstract *Pinniped Entanglement Prevention, Response, Training, and Lessons Learned * Entanglement in marine debris and fishing gear is increasingly recognized as a serious source of human-caused mortality for pinniped populations world-wide. Pinniped rescue specialists and researchers around the world are working to address this issue, but these efforts are often made in isolation from one another. To provide increased global collaboration and communication among scientists, non-government organizations, non-profits, and others, the Pinniped Entanglement Group (PEG) https://pinnipedentanglementgroup.org/ was created in 2009, with a growing membership. Enacting the conference theme of “Culture and Conservation: Fishing for Change”, the PEG collaborates to reduce pinniped entanglements in marine debris and fishing gear through education, outreach, and rescue. This workshop is intended to bring together researchers, managers, and responders interested in working toward the common goal of reducing global pinniped entanglements and interactions with fishing gear. This is an opportunity to unite those already working on pinniped entanglement prevention and response or those interested in learning more about this topic to share ideas and exchange techniques and methods. The workshop will begin with introductions, followed by entanglement response case studies and short presentations focused on 1) pinniped entanglement and fishery interaction prevention, 2) examples of working successfully with the fishing community, 3) equipment used for different entanglement responses, 4) deterrents, and 5) standardized data collection. The workshop will continue with expert panels followed by group discussions. The discussion periods will provide an opportunity to share techniques, establish new connections, identify data gaps, and plan for next steps. The day will conclude with hands-on in classroom training techniques. This conference provides a valuable opportunity for our third international workshop to bring together this global community to improve pinniped entanglement responses, advance mitigation to reduce entanglements, and to enhance the global PEG and their efforts to reduce pinniped entanglements worldwide. -- Kim Raum-Suryan Marine Mammal Specialist, PRD, Alaska Region NOAA Fisheries | U.S. Department of Commerce Office: (907) 586-7424 www.fisheries.noaa.gov/region/alaska