Helping People Who Help Whales

Thirteen Latin American scientists are attending the 10th South American Conference on Aquatic Mammals (10RT) / 4th Meeting of the Latin American Society for Aquatic Mammals (SOLAMAC), with the help of CSI. The conference, to be held 14-19 October in Valdivia, Chile, is the premier opportunity for cetacean specialists to share information, define issues and solutions, and establish working relationships with their peers. CSI is also helping the 10RT itself, and the premier issue of the Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals (LAJAM), which will begin with a Special Issue on the Biology and Conservation of Franciscana. Why have Latin American scientists, educators and conservationists been a focus of CSI's efforts for decades? We believe that helping people to help whales magnifies our efforts, and that helping young people early in their careers magnifies the efficient use of our limited resources. We've found that almost every young scientist on the continent is conservation-oriented, and determined to understand and solve human problems before they get as out of control as they are elsewhere. We've proven that, with a little help and encouragement, these young talented people accelerate rapidly into helping their nations solve or prevent significant problems, always from the irrefutable logic that's it's easier and cheaper to fix problems early. The people running this conference are leaders in the field, and all were helped early on by CSI. With their enthusiastic help now a deserving researcher at the 10RT will be awarded a laptop computer donated by CSI's board member Deb Adams.

Jennifer N. Latusek is Master of Environmental Management candidate at Duke University. CSI is pleased to have recently supported her research. Her thesis, "Impact of Boat Traffic on Bottlenose Dolphins in Core Creek, NC, With a Case Study of Dolphin-Watch Activities and Consumer Perspectives", tied in well with other CSI-supported projects on similar subjects in Costa Rica, Columbia, and New Zealand. Jennifer's Project Abstract provides a condensed view of a growing problem worldwide:

"I conducted a land-based theodolite study from June 27 through August 20, 2001, to examine the response of dolphins to vessel traffic in Core Creek, NC. Groups of animals were displaced from the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) when transiting boats passed through the study site. Dolphins changed direction least when multiple boat activities occurred while animals reoriented most when no boats were present. Differences in the directness of groups' travel path were seen among various categories of vessel traffic. Pairs of mothers and calves were closely associated when vessels were present; pairs were farther apart when no boats were in the study site, although this difference was not significant.

"I also conducted a social science survey to examine dolphin-watch activities, consumer education, and customer satisfaction on these vessels. I compared customer satisfaction between three boats with varying customer interaction and levels of interactions. Forty-five percent of customers on the operation with highest educational content were satisfied with their trip. Most patrons on the other boats wished to see other activities incorporated into their experiences. Therefore, my study suggests that dolphin-watch patrons to the Beaufort/Morehead City, NC, area value educational content. From these two studies, I developed policy recommendations to reduce impact of vessel traffic on bottlenose dolphins in Core Creek and to enhance the dolphin-watch industry in the area. My suggestions include: 1.) Establishment of a regional ecotour operators' association, 2.) Development of a dolphin-watch certification program, 3.) Promotion of land-based operations, and 4.) Integration of naturalists and researchers into daily operations of dolphin-watches."

Cecilia Gasparrou, of Fundación Cethus in Olivos, Argentina, recently received some support from CSI to attend the 4th International Orca Symposium and workshop at the CEBC-CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique), on 23-28 September, in Chizè, France. On behalf of the Fundación Cethus team she presented two scientific papers, "Cooperative hunting and prey handling of killer whales in Punta Norte, Patagonia, Argentina", and "Socioecology of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Northern Patagonia". After the conference she told CSI: "This important meeting was organised in an ecological research station only two hours by train from Paris. Approximately 60 researchers attend the symposium. They discussed, analysed and exchanged information, and update data about different orca populations and set up a baseline for future studies on this species, and cooperation between researchers. The last Orca Symposium had been held in 1990 in British Columbia, Canada, so the French Symposium gave us the possibility to update information on behaviour, conservation and biology of Orcas. The symposium consisted of three days of presentations organised into topical sessions, and poster presentations. Some of the topics included: Foraging ecology, habitat use and behaviour, social organisation, communication, acoustical and social behaviour, genetics, life history and conservation issues such as fishery interactions, pollution and toxicology, and whale-watching. The last two days were workshops to discuss four main issues: conservation, dynamic population, foraging and bioacoustics, as proposed by the participants. In this conference there were some new approaches, like reassessing the social organisation of resident killer whales of the North Eastern Pacific. Another interesting view was considering the value of photo identification not only in long-term studies as in the past but for abundance and distribution studies. The presented abstracts will be available on the conference web site (http://www.cebc.cnrs.fr/) and the workshop reports will be available very soon. I am particularly grateful to CSI for provided financial support to attend the Orca Symposium. Lic. Cecilia Gasparrou." And CSI is grateful for the opportunity to help another young researcher early in her career. Cecilia and Fundación Cethus are making a difference.

Three noted contributors to the welfare of whales passed away recently:

Patsy Mink, Member of the House of Representatives (D, Hawaii), was 74 when she died on 28 September. She was a strong advocate on many issues. As a member of the House Fisheries, Wildlife, and Oceans Subcommittee, she had opposed the LFA sonar in many ways, prompting an investigation by the Government Accounting Office. She began a lifetime of public service in the territorial and state legislatures, won two terms in the House totaling 24 years, and had also served as assistant secretary of state under President Jimmy Carter.

David St. Aubin, Ph.D. , an early pioneer in the study of marine mammal physiology, strandings and diseases, was found to be suffering from cancer after feeling ill during a research trip in Alaska. He died 10 September, shortly after returning home. David was Director of Research and Veterinary Services at the Mystic Aquarium, Institute for Exploration in Mystic, Connecticut, U.S.A. Bill Rossiter, attending the well-attended memorial service as a friend and on behalf of CSI, heard many praise David for his many contributions, to marine mammals, people, and the sciences.

Ned (Edward) Lynas passed away in early September. Ned, a Canadian zoologist and behaviorist, had spent most of this summer at his ORES research station in Bergeronnes, Quebec, even while suffering from cancer. As he led and taught, Ned was known for his generous spirit and great humor. As cofounder of ORES, he conducted minimally intrusive studies on marine mammals and the environment humans share with them. His recent research focused on the cultural evolution of minke whales. Ned's spectacular brochure on behalf of the personalities and behaviors of minke whales was given to every IWC Commissioner in Japan.