American Cetacean Society
11th International Conference - Whales in a Changing World
November 13-16, 2008 - Monterey, California

Whales in a Changing World - Program

The program will start by examining how our thoughts about whales have changed over time. Noted author Graham Burnett will present an overview of how by studying whales, scientists have shifted the perception of whales from bloated dead sea monsters to mysterious, and complex animals.  After all, if that change hadn’t occurred in our world and our thoughts, the conference wouldn’t be taking place.

Next, we will explore how a key species – killer whales – have adapted to a changing world.  Recently, several scientists have advanced a theory that killer whale diets were taken away by whalers in the early 20th century, and they have since shifted to feed on a variety of species in which they have since helped to cause population reductions.  The pros and cons of this highly publicized theory will be explored.  We will also examine how killer whales in local Monterey waters and in other areas are faring in today’s world.

Whaling pressures are also changing in a way that is a moving target.  We will look at how North Pacific humpback whale populations have fared after several decades of protection from whaling, with new results from SPLASH, a multi-national multi-year comprehensive study.  We will also examine the ongoing controversy of what the future of whaling is; this issue is central to the debate about how world-wide management of global resources can be resolved.

Finally, we will look at some very serious and immediate issues that face whales and dolphins.  We will examine what happened in the recent extinction of the Baiji, or Chinese river dolphin, which was declared extinct only in the past few years.  We will look at the vaquita, a small porpoise in the Gulf of Mexico who may become extinct within the next five years if immediate action is not taken.  We will examine how our own political system has kept us from giving meaningful protections to the highly endangered North Atlantic right whale.  Despite numbering less than 400 individuals and declining, knowing what is killing them (largely entanglements and ship collisions), and despite living much of their lives in U.S. waters where strong environmental laws should protect them, there has been no meaningful movement in their conservation.  We will also look at the potential repercussions of global warming on marine mammals, especially species like narwhals, bowhead whales, belugas, and several seal species which depend on arctic ice packs for their livelihoods.

Join us for an evening with Ken Balcomb, celebrating a lifetime of studying cetaceans at Saturday evening's Banquet at the Monterey Beach Resort.

Monday, November 17
Gray Whales and Climate Change: Sentinels of the North Pacific/Arctic Ecosystems

Hosted by Steven Swartz and Sue Moore
Sponsored by Pacific Life Foundation

You are invited to a workshop on gray whales and their apparent responses to changes in their environment on Monday 17 November 2008.

The workshop will bring together a group of marine scientists with broad research interests to review and discuss gray whale population dynamics and behavior change in the context of environmental changes that are being observed throughout the gray whales’ North Pacific and Arctic range.  Specific topics will include observed changes in physical, chemical, and biological oceanography of the North Pacific and Arctic and the time scales of those changes, and the history and current status of the gray whale population including shifts in distribution, phenology, population dynamics, and behavior throughout their range.  All of this information will be discussed in the context of how well gray whales serve as indicators of environmental change, and how they serve as “sentinels of the North Pacific/Arctic ecosystems”. This workshop will contribute to the development of a qualitative framework for integrating gray whales and other marine mammals into ecosystem and climate change studies.

This workshop will follow the Biennial Conference of the American Cetacean Society’s in Monterey, California 15-16 November 2008.  The gray whale workshop will be from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Monday 17 November 2008 at the same venue as the American Cetacean Society Biennial, and is sponsored by the Pacific Life Foundation.

Check back regularly - more information will be posted when available.