ACS ANNUALImportant

APPEAL Page 15 Spyhopper ACS NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2017

LETTER FROMTHEPRESIDENT Dear ACS Members, appreciate the many people who have Let me begin by thanking all of you who contributed to, and passionately worked have supported the American Cetacean for, our organization, from its beginnings Society throughout its fifty-year history. in 1967 by founders Elizabeth “Bemi” Although it is an organization for and deBus and Dr. Clark Cameron, to today. about whales, it needs people like you to We thank all of you! further our aim to educate the public and One could assume that we would have help cetacean conservation efforts. celebrated our golden jubilee with great As we are closing our 50th anniversary fanfare. Instead however, we tried to take year, it is good to take a moment to stock of where we are today. The world has changed so much these five decades, as does the way organizations like ours communicate with their members and WHAT’SINSIDE engage with the public at large. Like any long-lived organization, ACS has seen its 1 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT struggles. How can a whale and dolphin conservation group remain relevant in an 3 ACS CHAPTER REPORTS ever-changing landscape of social media and endless flood of information? 15 ANNUAL APPEAL So, we rolled up our sleeves. We JODI FREDIANI Blue fluke in Monterey Bay. Letter cont. partnered with MemberClicks to both who have worked tirelessly to bring more effectively manage our membership their passion for whales into their and a way for our members to become communities through meetings, more engaged with ACS. As a benefit, outreach, student grants, and this will free up staffing hours and save citizen science. You can read all needed dollars for ACS programs aimed about what our chapters have at education and conservation. been up to in this newsletter! Apart from our quarterly newsletter, Lastly, and most importantly, Spyhopper, we are also working on we look to the amazingly reviving our annual full-color journal passionate students within our Whalewatcher. Scott Kraus, senior Science organization as the generation Advisor and Chief Scientist for the New that will take ACS into the next 50 England Aquarium, will be our guest years and beyond. The ACS Student editor for our next “Right Whale Issue”. Coalition is an inspiration to all of us. North Atlantic right whales face enormous problems and their survival is on the line. Sincerely, Reason enough to focus our next journal to this beleaguered species. We hope to have this issue in the mail in the early part 2018. We are also working on the next exciting ACS conference in 2018, and hope to have more information on dates and location within the next month. Uko Gorter, president ON BEHALF OF The heart of the American Cetacean Society WHALES, DOLPHINS still remains within our ACS Chapters, AND PORPOISES ACS NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS Uko Gorter, President Mike Makofske, Past President Diane Glim, Secretary Joy Primrose, Treasurer STAFFBOX Sabena Siddiqui, Student Coalition Raphael Fennimore EDITOR ON THE COVER Lynette Koftinow Diane Glim From Left to Right: Humpback mother and Jayne Vanderhagen calf pair in Tonga by Jodi Frediani. Sunset ILLUSTRATIONS fluke by Katie Dunbar from Monterey Bob Wilson Uko Gorter Bay Whale Watch. ACS/SD member Doris Read more about our touches a gray whale in San Ignacio. Chapters and Board Members GRAPHIC DESIGNER Breaching whale by Jodi Frediani. at acsonline.org Rose Freidin

2 ACS Spyhopper December 2017 acsonline.org ANNUALCHAPTER REPORTS JODI FREDIANI Orcas from ACS/SD trip to Anacortes (top right). Humpbacks lunge-feeding on anchovies in Monterey Bay (bottom).

LOS ANGELES CHAPTER SPECIAL REPORT Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project 2016-2017: Highlights Census Project Director/Coordinator: Peninsula. Our cliffside post is on the Alisa Schulman-Janiger patio of the Point Vicente Interpretive Email: [email protected] Center (PVIC) , 125 feet above kelp beds For a more detailed version of this report and rocky shoreline, with a seafloor that and for information about daily sightings, drops off abruptly nearshore. Trained

KARIN CAMPBELL KARIN visit: acs-la.org volunteers collect data on gray whales and other cetaceans, including identifications, Our second highest southbound calf counts, and behaviors. All participants use counts, highest northbound peak counts binoculars; several use spotting scopes since 1988, rarely seen offshore type killer to confirm/detail sightings. Weather data whales (traveling with fin whales), and (visibility, weather conditions, and sea rare looks at false killer whales highlighted conditions) is recorded twice hourly. our 2016/2017 ACS/LA Gray Whale Census and Behavior Project. This is the 34th COVERAGE consecutive season that the American • December 1, 2016 - May 25, 2017 ALISA SCHULMAN-JANIGER Cetacean Society’s Los Angeles Chapter • 2,128 hours over 176 days, averaging over Census view on May 22, 2017 (top). has sponsored a full season gray whale 12 hours/day Census observers on May 24, 2017 (bottom). census project from the Palos Verdes

acsonline.org ACS Spyhopper December 2017 3 GORDON GATES GREGG GENTRY

Mother and calf on May 10, 2017 (top left). Bottlenose dolphin kelping on May 4, 2017 (top right). Fluking from April 30, 2017 (bottom left). Whiteboard May 25, 2017 (bottom right). GREGG GENTRY

• 104 volunteers contributed 10,838 effort • NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) earliest ending in six seasons; flukeless hours; 31 volunteers have been with us for estimated the gray whale population at whale on March 23! over 10 years ~20,990 (2010-11) • Peak northbound dates: 107 on March • Experienced observers anchor all shifts • Gray whales were removed from the 20, 105 on March 18 (96 last season); (observer experience affects whale counts) endangered species list in 1994 highest peak counts since 1988! • Six teen core volunteers donated over PEAKS AND TURN-AROUND DATES PEAK NORTHBOUND WEEK 200 hours each (totaling 47.9% of our SOUTHBOUND • Phase A - main migration pulse: 510 effort hours) • Fourth highest southbound count; grays from March 18-24 (531 last • Fifteen other volunteers donated 100- migration started later (after five early season - 3 weeks earlier) 199 hours each (totaling 17.5% of our seasons) • Phase B - cow/calf migration pulse: effort hours) • Peak southbound dates: 46 on January usually peaks 4-8 weeks after the main GRAY WHALE 14. (Peak range: 15-98) migration pulse COUNTS • Peak southbound week: 218 SB grays • Peak northbound calf week: 60 cow/ Northbound counts fell (still was our eight from January 31-February 6 (226 last calf pairs (144 whales): April 20-26 highest count); southbound counts were season, a week earlier) PROBABLE ADDITIONAL GRAY WHALES our fourth highest TURN-AROUND 13 grays; 1 more southbound calf, 9 more • 1.256 southbound (1,430 last season); northbound exceeds southbound northbound calves southbound range: 301-1,902 • First date that northbound exceeded CALF COUNTS • 1,990 northbound (2,541 last season); southbound: February 9 SOUTHBOUND CALVES northbound range: 521-3,412 • Official turn-around : February 27 • Second highest newborn calf count ; over • Gray whale counts fluctuate annually (daily northbound primarily exceeded twice last season’s count! • Variable feeding ground conditions southbound whales) • 68 southbound calves (5.4% of (especially ice coverage) affect migratory • No gap between migration phases; southbound migrants), from December timing and corridors overlap (extended southbound 25-February 28 • More foggy days this season; no visibility migration) • Last season we saw 33 newborn calves during four consecutive days of March • We spotted 67 northbound whales (2.3% of the southbound migrants) northbound peak period during the “southbound migration” • Peak southbound calf dates: 7 cow/calf • Locally, most southbound grays prefer phase pairs on January 13 offshore corridors; many northbound • We spotted 105 southbound whales • Record season: 1997-1998, with 106 calves whales shift nearshore during the “northbound migration” (8.6% of southbound migrants) • Wild populations fluctuate annually, as do phase • Previous southbound calf counts ranged the number of whales that complete the NORTHBOUND migration from 3-60 (0.5%-8.9% of southbound • Eighth highest count! More typical: migrants)

4 ACS Spyhopper December 2017 acsonline.org DAVE JANIGER DAVE Census observers on May 20, 2017. • Peak southbound calf week: 18 cow/calf direction changes; spyhopped or lifted INTERACTIONS pairs (193 whales): January 9-15 heads up; rolled onto side. Gray whales interacted with bottlenose, NORTHBOUND CALVES OTHER SPECIES common, and Pacific white-sided dolphin; sea lions • Sixth highest count! SIGHTED MIXED SPECIES GROUPS • 207 northbound calves (10.4% of Comparing this season to last season mixed dolphin species, dolphin/sea lions, northbound migrants), from March 9-May 17 We saw 12-13 other marine mammal and other whales with dolphin/sea lions • Peak northbound calf date: 14 cow/calf species throughout our 176 observational MISC pairs on April 21 days (183 days last season) Peregrine falcon* : Nearly daily: mated, HIGHLIGHTS • Record calf count: 2015-2016: 341 calves raised three chicks (*second year nesting Very rare killer whales (offshore type and (13.4% of northbound migrants) documented at PVIC) ETPs) and false killer whales. • Other calf counts ranged from 11-318 OSPREY • Common dolphin on 151 days (157) false (0.9%-18.5% of northbound migrants) Many days. Peregrine falcons and ospreys on 2-3 days (9) • Peak northbound calf week: 60 cow/calf displaced resident ravens and red-tailed pairs (144 whales): April 20-26 • Bottlenose dolphin on 134 days (130-131) hawks last season. • Killer whales on December 19, January 7 (1) GRAY WHALE BEHAVIORS, SPECIAL THANKS HUMAN INTERACTIONS • Fin whale on 107-113 days (113-118) To anchor Joyce Daniels (daily updates, BEHAVIORS • Dall’s porpoise on April 29 (1) graphs) and Dave Janiger (computer entries) Milling, rolling, lunging, breaching, • Pacific white-sided dolphin on 48 days (113) PLEASE JOIN US! spyhopping, head lifting, head slap, • Probable Risso’s dolphin on December (1) Contact Alisa Schulman-Janiger at: pectoral fin slapping, fluke slapping, tail • Humpback whale on 24-25 days (77-85**) [email protected] throwing, playing in kelp (“kelping”), Gray Whale Census Volunteers Needed bubble blasting, mating, calves on moms’ • California sea lion on 147 days (162) December 1-May 31; no experience backs, and nursing behavior (surfacing on • Blue whale on 6-13 days (16-20+) necessary; on-site training in December alternating sides of the mom). • Harbor seal on 43 days (62) Whalewatch Naturalist Training Class PODS SIZES CHANGED • Minke whale on 3-4 days (14-17) Highly recommended! Meets on Tuesday Some pods separated or merged. • Killer whales: December 19 (Offshore type nights, October-March, at the Cabrillo ENTANGLEMENTS KWs); January 7 (Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Aquarium (CMA) 310-548-7562, 548- Tracked 2 entangled grays: January KWs); obtained ID images 7770; cabrilloaq.org. Co-sponsored by CMA 28 (buoys) and March 20 (pink gillnet); and ACS/LA. entanglement team responded CALIFORNIA KILLER WHALE PROJECT ACS/LA Free Lecture HARASSMENT Please help contribute to this citizen science Invited specialists, last Tuesday of each Boats: 22+ on 13 days - approached grays research project! Send photos and sighting month - Cabrillo Marine Aquarium too closely; several nearly hit them! data to: [email protected]. I will match images All Day Whalewatching Trips Jet skis: 3 jet skis on 2 days; to our catalog and notify you with results. Gray whales off Santa Catalina Island in SUP- approached whales too closely, PAST SEASONS March; humpback and blue whales etc. nearly ran them over! in the Santa Barbara Channel during the Other species sighted included sperm whale, WHALE REACTIONS summer (acs-la.org) pilot whale, northern right whale dolphin, nearly all turned stealthy and became low beaked whale, Steller sea lion, northern profile; paused; disappeared; longer dives; elephant seal, and southern sea otter

acsonline.org ACS Spyhopper December 2017 5 Monterey Bay ANNUAL REPORT 2017 Compiled by Diane Glim Photographer and naturalist Jodi Frediani started Whale Year 2017 with an outstanding presentation about her experiences with humpback whales in Tonga at the January monthly meeting, held at Stanford’s Hopkins Marine Station in Pacific Grove. The presentation was enjoyed by over 100 attendees.

Sixth graders, teachers and families JODI FREDIANI from the Salinas Unified School District accompanied ACS Monterey Bay as guests on the annual Gray Whale fundraiser. Through the generous support of Benji Shake and Princess Monterey Whalewatching, Captain Leon Oliver and crew guided approximately 80 participants to observe migrating gray whales, Risso’s dolphins and common dolphins, as well as Southern sea otters and California sea lions. The Gray Whale fundraiser coincided JODI FREDIANI with the annual Whalefest that was held JODI FREDIANI at Custom House Plaza in Monterey on Prey abundance and proximity to near-shore submarine canyon bring many species of cetaceans January 28-29, 2017. ACS/MB had a booth to Monterey Bay. with whale activities and information that reached hundreds of participants. Katlyn research, her lab and field research has let talk focused on how modern technology, Taylor served as representative of ACS/ to a rapid increase in the understanding of including whale bio-logging devices, CT MB on the Whalefest planning committee movement patterns, population structure, scanning and 3D printing, enables scientists throughout the year. Prior to Whalefest, physiology and behaviours of pelagic fish to answer old questions about breaching ACS/MB participated in Christmas on the and sharks as they move across the planet. and baleen filtration in new ways. Wharf with an information table and free Recipient of the 2016 Benchley Award in July 8 was International Save the vaquita coloring books. Ocean Conservation, Dr. Block and her Vaquita Day, and ACS MB had a booth at team have deployed over 2300 electronic Dr. Maldo Marinovic, research biologist Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey during tags on tunas. at UCSC’s Institute of Marine Science, the day and a table at the Monterey Bay described his long-term studies of the In May, Scott Benson discussed the Aquarium in the evening featuring a life- distribution, abundance and species declining populations of the Pacific size model of a vaquita calf. composition of krill in Monterey Bay at the Leatherback Sea Turtle, which is on the In July, the Chapter held its annual BBQ February meeting. Dr. Marinovic’s research list of NOAA’S eight endangered species at Indian Village in Pebble Beach in honor has led to a better understanding of what most at risk of extinction in the near future. of Richard Ternullo, ACS Monterey Bay makes Monterey Bay such a productive As lead investigator of the leatherback President who passed away in August, 2016. turtle ecology program at Moss Landing and biologically rich ecosystem. Discovery Whale Watching generously Marine Laboratories, Scott coordinates Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, Senior Fellow at provided an all-day whalewatching studies of the distribution, abundance, the Middlebury Institute for International fundraising trip that was extremely well- movement patterns, foraging ecology and Studies’ Center for the Blue Economy and received with friendly humpbacks nudging health of the endangered western Pacific author of Blue Mind, discussed his life work the vessel on August 26, 2017. Risso’s leatherback turtles along the U.S. West as marine biologist, voracious earth and dolphins were also encountered. Coast and across the Pacific. idea explorer, wild water advocate and Kip Evans, award-winning filmmaker, Dr. Megan Jensen of Hopkins Marine Station lover of turtles at the March 2017 meeting. photographer and explorer, provided an presented ‘The Biomechanics of Breaching Dr. Barbara Block of Hopkins Marine excellent program about his experiences and Filter-Feeding: Using New Tools to Station awed the audience about the tuna living in an underwater laboratory as Answer Old Questions’ at the June meeting. migration and challenges of tagging tunas an aquanaut for 17 days and other at the April meeting. Co-founder of the only Applying engineering principles and international adventures. From the facility in North America holding tunas for techniques to biological questions, the seamounts of the high seas to the shallow

6 ACS Spyhopper December 2017 acsonline.org sunlit reefs, Kip shared some of his favorite Schmeider holds a PhD in Nuclear Physics moments during 25 years of undersea from Columbia University and is the exploration at the August meeting. founder of Cordell Expeditions. His work Artist and international science writer Erica has resulted in the discovery of many Cirino, presented ‘How Plastic in the Ocean new biological records and a previously is Killing Whales (and Plenty of Other Sea unknown submarine tunnel. Creatures) at the August meeting. In her ACS/MB provides a monthly newsletter, work, Erica explores the topics of wildlife Soundings, in print and online. A website

and the environment; specializing in and facebook page is also maintained. MONTEREY PRINCESS WHALE WATCHING biology, conservation and policy. 2017 MONTEREY BAY CHAPTER Dr. Patrick Robinson, UC Santa Cruz OFFICERS AND BOARD lecturer and the Director of the Año Melissa Galieti, President Nuevo Island Reserve, engaged the Richard Ternullo, Immediate Past President audience at the October meeting about Katlyn Taylor, Vice-President & Events Chair his quest to determine how marine Katy Casagna, Treasurer predators make a living in the open Jennifer Thamer, Secretary ocean using biologging instruments on Sally Eastham, Membership free ranging seals and sea lions. Art Haseltine, Research Grants Dr. Robert Schmieder spoke about the Tony Lorenz, Programs & Newsletter Editor JODI FREDIANI August‘Natural 1, History 2017 of the Cordell Bank: Dave Zaches, Debbie Ternullo, Diane Glim, Risso’s dolphin (top). California’s Least Known National Marine At-Large Killer whale breaching (bottom). ACS-MB research grants for the year 2017 Sanctuary’ at the Nov/Dec meeting. Dr. Grant Selection Committee: Art Haseltine (Chair) Sheila Baldridge DianeACS/MB Glim Research Grants 2017 Orange County August 1, 2017 ANNUAL REPORT 2017 TheGrant committee Selection selected Committee: four projects, Art Haseltine for awards (Chair), totalingSheila Baldridge, $7,000: Diane Glim Compiled by Steve O’Toole The committee selected four projects, for awards totaling $7,000: We organized our 1st Annual WhaleGiving

Student (degree) Project Title and Summary Amount fundraiser to benefit the Pacific Marine (Research Advisor) Funded Mammal Center Whale Entanglement

Team. We’re hosting NOAA’s West Coast

“Characterizing acoustic behavior of free-ranging Brijonnay (Bri) Madrigal (MS) whale entanglement/stranding team at Brijonnay (Bri) Madrigal (MS) Risso’s Dolphins (Grampus griseus) in Monterey Bay, (Alison Stimpert) California.” our February chapter meeting. NOAA’s (Alison Stimpert) leadership will present their role as Richard Ternullo Grant Bri will determine if vocalization types are influenced by $2,000 co-association with other dolphins in Monterey Bay. She it relates to whale response efforts RICHARD TERNULLO will deploy hydrophones to record vocalizations, and covering entanglements, strandings, GRANT analyze data with audio software. Funding is for boat fuel and supplies. harassment, research, and conservation.

Representatives from the WhaleGiving “Uncharted territory: The first migration of weanling beneficiary, the Pacific Marine Mammal Roxanne Beltran (PhD) northern elephant seals.” Roxanne Beltran (PhD) Center, will attend to accept our (Dan Costa)(Dan Costa) Roxanne will tag 15 pups with light-level geolocation tags $2,000 on flippers. Tags will detect longitude, latitude, and depth. WhaleGiving donation of $750. BALDRIDGEBaldridge Awa rAWARDd Tags will be retrieved when seals return to beach. Funding is for purchase of tags. IN THE WATER

FOR 2018

“Geographic differences in the feeding behavior of a • Expand public outreach through more Sarah Kienle (PhD) large marine predator, the northern elephant seal.” table events, partnering with Newport (Rita Mehta) Sarah will study NESs from Año Nuevo Is, San Nicolas Sarah Kienle (PhD) $1,500 Is, and San Benito Is. She will compare isotope ratios in Landing whale watch education dept. (Rita Mehta) red blood cells and whisker samples. This will provide information on migration, feeding location, and trophic • Expand Whale Watch elementary school levels. Funding is for lab analysis of stable isotopes. presentation program. We recruited 2

retired teachers to cover more schools

"Effects of climate change driven sea-ice variation on across broader county range

Michelle Modest (PhD) humpback whale movement and foraging ecology." • Revive chapter newsletter every 6 weeks (AriMichelle Friedlaender) Modest (PhD) Michelle will study Antarctic humpbacks. Satellite tags, $1,500 (Ari Friedlaender) suction cup tags, and remote sensors will be used to • Expand certified naturalist program. More analyze krill, and define critical areas of foraging. Naturalists and new educational whale Funding is to purchase software licenses for analyzing data. Her academic program will begin Sept. 2017. watch operation from the Ocean Institute

acsonline.org ACS Spyhopper December 2017 7 A BREACHING 2017 FOR ACS/OC • Desi Green brought in two diverse, talented Naturalist classes, including seven four-year college students- twice! • Linna Bernhard Continued to Bring Knowledge of Whales to OC Grade School Students- 17 years running! • Gave Out $600 in Scholarship Grants to College Students, OC/ACS 2nd Annual! • 5th Annual Earth Day Whale Watch Trip with Dana Wharf WW ACS/OC Febraury guest speaker Nancy Caruso from Get Inspired! with the Green Abalone Restoration • Donated $600 to CSULB Shark Lab, Project (top). In April, ACS/OC had Eric Austin Yee, a Marine Biologist, discuss his “Rare and Unusual VivaVaquita! and Ocean Defenders Alliance, Wildlife Sightings” (bottom). Ongoing (to ocean orgs)! • 2nd Annual Newport Landing/Davey’s • On-board Jr. Naturalist booklet handouts June Locker Coupon Fundraiser to children (coloring, puzzles, connect- Dr. Wendy Marshall • Recruited 2 New Board Members: the-dots et al) The Joys of Citizen Science Christine Lundgren & Daryth Morrissey! • Chapter shirts (online ordering/fulfillment July • 1st Annual Holiday WhaleGiving using eco cloth such as bamboo and ink). Dr. Tom Jefferson of NOAA Fisheries Fundraiser, November 24–December 15. If anyone has vendor ideas, we’re all ears! How Taxonomy Affects Conservation Pacific Marine Mammal Center– Whale • Develop chapter committees that provide Plus a Vaquita Update Entanglement Team: Goal $500 members participation options based on August SMALL BUT MIGHTY their interest David Grant, Newport Harbor Nautical 2017 WHALEVESTMENTS • Create chapter press kits. Audience is local Museum Student Grants (2) $600 orgs to team and partner on mutual- Historic Seafaring Adventures! Meeting Signage (2) $200 benefit projects September Table Skirts (2) $200 • Monthly meeting chapter field trips aka: Kurt Lieber, Founder Ocean Defenders Projector and Screen $400 local Cooper Center tour hosted by whale Alliance Whale Figurines $220 Paleontologist Working for a Debris-free Sea OC Org Grants $600 Event Tent (donated) $680 2017 ACS/OC GUEST SPEAKERS January Dr. James Sumich, Oregon State University Twenty Years Later, Reflections on JJ the Gray Whale February Nancy Caruso, Get Inspired! Green Abalone Restoration Project March Desi Green, ACS-OC Naturalist Instructor Welcome New Naturalists! April Oregon Eric Austin Yee, Marine Biologist Rare and Unusual Wildlife Sightings ANNUAL REPORT 2017 May Compiled by Joy Primrose Dr. Chris Lowe, Cal State Long Beach Through our speaker series meetings, highlights from 2017 follow. We partnered Sharks! displays & educational programs, citizen with the Newport Chapter of the Surfrider science project and whale watching our Foundation for a public showing of the film membership has been spreading the “A Plastic Ocean”. Members Judi and Era word about cetaceans throughout the gave a short presentation on our citizen region. At all of our events the public has science project at the Oregon Shores 2017 expressed their gratitude to us for being Sharing the Coast Conference. there to share information. Just a few Our citizen science project Whales &

8 ACS Spyhopper December 2017 acsonline.org Oregon cont.

Marine Reserves: Education and Awareness expanded to three marine reserves this year, Cape Perpetua, Otter Rock and Cascade Head marine reserves! We held Orca Awareness Day at the OSU Hatfield Marine Science Center as part of Puget Sound Orca Awareness Month events in Oregon. CHAPTER REPORT International Save the Vaquita Day tables were held in two locations, the Oregon Compiled by Uko Gorter Coast Aquarium and OSU Hatfield Marine Looking back on 2017, our ACS-Puget While no meeting took place in May, Science Center. Sound Chapter monthly Speaker Series our past president, Joe Olsen, gave a Our sixth annual free shore based Summer presented biologists, scientists, and wonderful talk and slide show of his trip Whale Watch Weekend was held on July 29 authors on a range of excellent topics. aboard the RV Stenella as part of the Wild & 30. In January we welcome Scott Veirs, who Dolphin Project led by researcher Denise Since the total solar eclipse made landfall highlighted the ongoing expansion and Herzing. on the central Oregon coast, we held our future of the Salish Sea Hydrophone After a summer hiatus we resumed our annual beach Clean-up as a Post Eclipse Network. Something ACS/PS may likely be monthly series with David Bonnett, who Beach Clean-Up in partnership with SOLVE part of or co-sponsor. gave an update on their research trips to on August 26th. Our own board member Dawn Noren, who the Peruvian Amazon and their work on One of the many speakers this year, is a physiological ecologist at the acoustics of the “pink” or Amazon Mark Leiren-Young, author and River dolphin. documentary filmmaker NOAA/NWFSC in Seattle, presented the story of presented her talk on We welcomed, author Mark Leiren-Young, Moby Doll. It is both a the comparative who talked about his recent book: “The heartbreaking as well and cumulative Killer Whale Who Changed the World” as enlightening look energetic costs about Moby Doll, the first captive orca at the at humans and killer of responses by Aquarium in Canada. Her capture whales in the early toothed whales heralded a beginning of many killer whales 1960’s. Mark is an to human-caused displayed in aquariums world wide. excellent story teller noise. Lastly we heard from Ted Cheeseman and conservationist. In March, Doug in November on the ongoing work of Please check us out on Sandilands, of the the Happy Whale App, which is both an Facebook at American interactive and citizen-science tool to aid Cetacean Society-Oregon newly-formed SeaLife Chapter. Response, Rehabilitation, with humpback fluke ID matching, and a Dolphin flip. and Research (SR3), talked great platform to increase our knowledge of JODI FREDIANI about their organization’s efforts regarding the movement of humpback whales. It also large whale entanglements. This has highlights the many run-ins that humpbacks become an increasing problem, not only in have with fishing gear, a global problem that our waters, but also world wide. seems to be getting only worse. In April, chapter president, Uko Gorter, ACS/PS looks forward to another year of again presented his talk about whales as a excellent speakers. We hope to increase our source of raw materials, looking at historic educational outreach and find ways to bring and recent whale products. our passion of whales to the community.

acsonline.org ACS Spyhopper December 2017 9 March 2017 trip to the Baja Lagoons (left). August 2017 trip to Anacortes (right). San Diego ANNUAL REPORT 2017 Compiled by Jayne Vanderhagen spearheaded setting up and organizing 11 Began Facebook Live - recording the The San Diego Chapter had a busy and our dynamic booth at Earth Day in speaker and their presentation. amazing year. April held at Balboa Park. Vanessa 14 Whales, Whales Whales event James and Meggie Moore, two other Cabrillo Monument: Table and lecture SPEAKERS board members, led and coordinated 25 February Board Meeting Ten excellent speakers presented diverse the setting up and the manning of four topics at our Speaker Series Programs locations in San Diego County for the FEBRUARY due to the tremendous effort of one of our International Save the Vaquita Day. 8 Speaker Series: Jeremy Smith, Naturalist newest board members, Sarah Dabydeen. at San Diego Whales Watch and Assistant FUNDRAISER to Dr. Kelly Stewart in St. Croix for the study ACS TRIPS Due to the hard work of Diane Cullins, of population and genetics of leatherback Two great trips were planned and Sarah Dabydeen, and Leigh Anne turtles, Sea Turtle Research in America and enjoyed during the year. Diane Cullins Gibbons, we had a very successful 1st his Experience was responsible for putting together an Annual Fundraiser event. We generated incredible trip visiting the San Igancio and $825.00 before expenses from raffle sales MARCH Ojo de Liebre Lagoons in Baja California and from the funds generated through 1 Board Meeting from March 10th -14th. Sarah Dabydeen the silent auction of art and RIB Whale 8 Speaker Series- Dr. Barbara Taylor put together an amazing trip to Anacortes, Watches. from NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Washington State in August from 11th– Center and Ricardo Rebolledo from MB 14th. FIELD TRIP Leigh Anne Gibbons put together two Tours and Partner of the Whale Museum in WHALE WATCHES amazing, private tours on December 2nd La Paz re CPR and Vaquita update Due to weather conditions, we ended up to the new Navy Marine Mammal Training 4 & 5 Several ACS members and non- with one group Whale Watch in late March. and Research Facility. members attended the lectures and whale watches at the Festival of Whales COMMUNITY OUTREACH YEAR AT A GLANCE Three significant events were in Dana Point ACS Trip to Baja Lagoons participated in. Cary Strand-Jack who JANUARY March 10-14 is responsible for our Community 4 January Board Meeting 26 ACS Whale Watch trip out of Oceanside Outreach, organized the Whales, Whales, 11 Speaker Series Program: Ric Matthews- Whales event at Cabrillo Monument “Following Gray Whales to Baja a Dozen setting up a table and lecture and then Year Retrospective”.

10 ACS Spyhopper December 2017 acsonline.org APRIL 5 Board Meeting 12 Speaker Series- Mark Lowry on the Sea Lions from the Channel Islands- 36 years of study 23 Earth Day– booth promoting the awareness of the Vaquita MAY 3 Board Meeting 10 Speaker Series- Alyson Fleming- James Smithson Postdoctoral Fellow, Cetaceans as Historical Records and Sentinels of Climate Change JUNE 7 Board meeting 14 Speaker Series-Ann Bowles, Hubbs- Seaworld Research Institute, Are Orca Just Big Dolphins? And Tom Jefferson-brief update about ISVD JULY 1-4 Several ACS members visited and toured the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’s M/V Farley Mowat vessel 5 Board meeting 8 International Save the Vaquita Day-4 booths in San Diego (Chula Vista, Cabrillo Monument at Point Loma, Seaport Village at San Diego Harbor, Natural History Museum) 29 ACS Whale Watch on the Hornblower (Canceled) AUGUST 2 Board meeting 11-14 ACS trip to Anacortes, WA Members pet a whale on a trip to the Baja Lagoons (top). August 2017 trip to Anacortes (bottom SEPTEMBER left). Earth Day at Balboa Park (bottom right). 6 Board meeting 13 Speaker Series Program: Dr. Daniel Cartamil, Scripps Marine Biologist and NOVEMBER University, presented “How the widespread an expert in shark biology presented 1 Board Meeting loss of kelp forests impacts ecosystem Baja’s Wild Side: Shark research & 8 Speaker Series Program- Dr. Holly functioning: a story of two disturbances” Conservation Photography on Baja Fearnbach, Marine Mammal Research California’s Pacific Coast SAN DIEGO CHAPTER Director presented “Photographic health BOARD MEMBERS OCTOBER assessment of killer whales in the NE Jayne Vanderhagen, President 4 Board Meeting Pacific and Antarctic Peninsula” George Liddle, Vice President 8 Speaker Series Program- Dr. Aaron 8 Annual Fundraiser-Raffle and Silent Ric Matthews, Treasurer Thode, Research Scientist, Marine Auction Diane Cullins, Immediate past president Physical Laboratory, Scripps Institution DECEMBER and Secretary of Oceanography, University of 2 Two private tours of the new Navy Marine Sarah Dabydeen California, San Diego presented ‘Arctic Mammal Training and Research Facility Leigh Anne Gibbons acoustic studies of migrating bowhead 6 Board Meeting Cary Strand-Jack whale calling behavior during oil Morgane Lauf exploration and drilling’. 13 Speaker Series Program- Dr. Matt Vanessa James Edwards Professor & Marine Biology Emphasis Coordinator at San Diego State Maggie Moore

acsonline.org ACS Spyhopper December 2017 11 San Francisco Bay ANNUAL REPORT 2017 Compiled by Lynette Koftinow It has been a Whale of a 2017 for San Francisco Bay Chapter! Lynette Koftinow stepped down as president becoming our Research Board member, consultant (development of Presentations, Naturalist Training Course, and the workings of the chapter) and our ACS National representative. We had an inspiring 2017 Monthly presentation series which was always well attended by our members and new A Big Congratulations to our 2017 Naturalist Training Class! Unfortunately a picture wasn’t taken of our awesome 2017 Naturalist Training class. This picture of our 2016 Class is dedicated attendees ranging from organizations, to Alexandra Nova who passed in September. Her joy and light will be with us always! students, to lay people.

JANUARY We at ACS-SF Bay Chapter, thank all Kaytlin Ingman “Long Term Trends in Dirk Rosen of you, our members and monthly Baleen Whale Observations Near the Unlocking the Mysteries of the Deep presentation audience for your constant Farallon Islands” FEBRUARY support of our organization. Your Michelle Modest “Effects of climate Dr. Wallace J. Nichols donations allow us to give yearly research change driven sea-ice variation on Discussing His Book Go Deeper: and travel grants to outstanding graduate humpback whale movement and The Seven Ages of Water students and young researchers which aid foraging ecology” them in their research. MARCH TRAVEL GRANT AWARDEES Dr. James Sumich 2017 RESEARCH AND TRAVEL (SMM CONFERENCE) Gray Whales (SMM CONFERENCE) GRANT AWARDS $500 EACH APRIL 2017 RESEARCH GRANT AWARDEES David Cade “Dense, spatially limited David McGuire $1,000 GRANTS but vertically extensive patches of krill Founder of Shark Stewards Alicia Amerson “OneOcean Nexus drive the formation of super-groups of Marine Protected Areas Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Training migrating humpback whales off South Program: Creates Pilots to Assist Large Africa’s west coast” MAY Whale Disentanglement Teams in Samantha Cope “Mapping vessel Mary T. Crowley California” distribution in San Francisco Bay for Project Kaisei & Ocean Voyage Institute Katherina Audley “The Whales of improved spatial risk assessments and JULY Guerrero Research Project (WGRP)” habitat suitability modeling of local Kathi Koontz George marine mammal species” Cristina Casillas López “Biochemical Oceanic Society Role of the Blue Whale in the Kaytlin Ingman “Long Term Trends in Whale Watching & Citizen Science southwestern Gulf of California” Baleen Whale Observations Near the Farallon Islands” AUGUST Logan J. Pallin “Comparative study Dr. Claire Simeone of humpback whale demography Logan J. Pallin “Pregnancy rates of Understanding the Role of Sinus Parasites along the Western Antarctic Peninsula humpback whales along the Western in Cetaceans Stranded Along the and California coast: links to regional Antarctic Peninsula: Links to a changing California Coast environmental variation” ecosystem” SEPTEMBER $500 GRANTS SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL Kip Evans OUTREACH EVENTS David Cade “Foraging behavior of Mission Blue Sylvia Earle Alliance rorquals in Monterey Bay, part 2” Pacifica Beach Coalition Earth Day of Action & EcoFest OCTOBER Samantha Cope “Evaluating the April 22 Nicole Larson influence of vessel noise on the What can be better than joining in on the Humpbacks Along The Central underwater soundscape of San Clean Ups from 9-11am at citywide sites California Coast Francisco Bay”

12 ACS Spyhopper December 2017 acsonline.org and beach areas. We were one of the BECOME A SF BAY ACS CHAPTER educational booths at the EcoFest at Linda NATURALIST! Mar Beach, which featured 45 booths with Our March 1, 2018 Naturalist Training class information, kids activities, speakers, live is now taking signups. Our classes fill very music, and refreshments. It is a perfect quickly so be sure to sign up right away! venue having our table at the beach with For further information and to sign up Gray whales traveling by to educate the please email Lynette R.Koftinow: attendees about Cetaceans, our oceans, [email protected] and our Chapter! We are scheduling our 2018 Monthly Wildlife Conservation Expo Presentation series so check our website October 14 soon for updates. The Wildlife Conservation Expo gives Come join our chapter as a Volunteer or as us the chance to share our excitement a Board member. We are an active chapter and chapter information to the Expo and our impact is unlimited as long as we attendees and participating conservation tap the vision and creativity of those in the groups from around the world. Some Bay Area who care about cetaceans and of the world’s leading conservationists our oceans! Killer whales (top). The ACS/SF Bay Chapter’s protecting endangered species come Annual Farallon Islands Whale Watching Trip together to share their stories. This year From all of us at ACS/SF Bay Chapter to with the Oceanic Society (middle). The 7th was special in hosting a panel on climate you, Wishing you Joyous Holidays and a Annual Discovery Day at AT&T Park in San Whale of a New Year! Francisco (bottom.) change and its impacts on wildlife and the work of conservationists worldwide. A BIG WELCOME TO OUR 7th Annual Discovery Day at AT&T Park! NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS November 11 Christine Fitzsimmons, co-president/ AT&T Park became a Science Wonderland treasurer from when the Bay Area Science Festival Robyn Carmel, co-president/secretary opened the gates until the gates were Anne-Marie Batchelor-Rivers, VP closed! It is always magnificent being Giselle Viltz, Presentations part of this amazing event with up to 30,000 people enjoying a non-stop Nicole Larson, Education director program chock-full of interactive exhibits, Priya Pratap, Website, communication experiments, games, and shows, all coordinator/publicity meant to entertain and inspire! With more Matthew Scott, Blog writer than 150 exhibits, there is something for Robert Wilson, Policy everyone to unleash their inner scientist. Michael Stocker, Scientific board member Our Annual Farallon Islands Whale Lynette Koftinow, Research/consultant Watching Trip with the Oceanic Society did not disappoint. Everyone had a Whale OUR CONTINUED GRATITUDE of a Day! This year has been an incredible TO OUR COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS whale watching season inside the SF Bay, Dave Thompson, Events publicity for our around the Golden Gate Bridge, and out at SF Bay ACS Meetup group the Farallon Islands! Andrea Dransfield, Events Publicity for our Members Bi-Monthly Emails, past SF Bay ACS Research grant awardee

acsonline.org ACS Spyhopper December 2017 13 Student Coalition ANNUAL REPORT 2017 Compiled by Sabena Siddiqui 2017 has been a great year for the Sanctuary Ocean Count on the shores off campus groups that make up the ACS Hilo, Hawaii. The Students focused on Student Coalition! community involvement and education. We have been busy galvanizing our peers, The group held naturalist trainings for its getting out there on campus and in our members and once whale season rolled local communities, and have worked to in they partnered with the university network with other groups to strengthen to educate students while seeing some our mission. humpback whales! The leaders held a workshop for university students to learn The University of Hawaii-Manoa group has the basics of using acoustic research continued to lead their Oahu community software to learn more about cetaceans now for 3 years! The UH Manoa group and communication. This group started has held numerous beach clean ups of strong with a dynamic community Oahu’s beautiful coastline in collaboration Earth Day event in which the members with the Hawaii Society for Conservation interacted with and educated hundreds of Biology. In addition, the group has local children about marine conservation continued their marine plastics & debris and protecting whales! campaign as well as education campaigns on complex topics such as cetaceans The UH Hilo group has organized several in captivity and noise pollution. They beach cleanups in which they collected a toured the NOAA Facility at Ford Island. lot of plastic debris, a sobering experience They will be kicking off 2018 with a strong for many students that attended. The presence in citizen science through their group plans to continue working with participation with the NOAA National local groups on community awareness Humpback Whale Sanctuary Ocean Count. and will be tackling a campaign on The NOAA Ocean Count is a statewide cetaceans in captivity among many other effort where participants assist with important topics. shore based humpback whale abundance The Texas A&M University Corpus Christi monitoring during the humpback whale ACS group has hit the marine debris & winter breeding season. During this time, plastics issue head on with many beach over 10,000 humpback whales migrate to clean ups. They have picked up over 50 the Hawaiian Islands! The group also has bags of trash through the year! They will plans to begin afterschool education in be continuing their fundraising efforts local elementary schools. with more t-shirt fundraisers as well as a A few islands away on the Hawaii Island collaboration with a local Nothing Bundt ACS Student Coalition members from Texas A&M Cakes bakery to raise additional funds. University, Corpus Christi, picked up over 50 a new ACS campus group has joined the bags of marine debris and plastics in 2017 (top). coalition! The ACS University of Hawaii- If you are interested in joining us or Plastic straws among marine debris picked up Hilo has had a great first year. They also supporting these burgeoning student by ACS Student Coalition group at the University of Hawaii-Manoa (middle). University of Hawaii- partnered with NOAA and introduced their efforts, get in touch with us! Hilo Student Coalition Group participates in members to the NOAA Humpback Whale Earth Day event (bottom).

14 ACS Spyhopper December 2017 acsonline.org ACSCAN’TDO IT WITHOUT YOU! Help ACS protect whales, Your continued support and involvement A whale-sized Thank You in advance dolphins, porpoises and with the American Cetacean Society for your dedication to the American their habitats through public is what has kept us going for all these Cetacean Society. Together we can make a education, research grants fifty years. We once again look to your difference! and conservation actions. generosity to help us educate the public about the plight of whales. As an all- volunteer organization, your contributions will directly benefit ACS efforts to protect whales and dolphins through education, research, and conservation actions. Uko Gorter We hope you will consider making a donation during this crucial Annual Appeal to our members and supporters.

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