The primary goal of Pacific Whale Foundation’s (PWF) work is to address major threats facing the world’s whales and dolphins through Research, Education and Conservation programs that collectively tackle these challenges using a holistic approach — understand, educate and take...
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Marine ecosystems, from coastal to deep sea, now show the influence of human actions. In the previous installment of this series, we gave an overview of the ever-increasing threat of climate change; what is it? How does it impact our ocean? And ultimately, how does it impact whales and dolphins? We...
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WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE? Climate change is one of the biggest threats facing the health of our planet, both on land and in the sea. Atmospheric greenhouse gases trap some of the heat energy that would otherwise re-radiate to space, causing the planet to...
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Written by Conservation Coordinator Shelby Serra Part I Part II PWF’s Bycatch Mitigation Efforts For the last 40 years, Pacific Whale Foundation (PWF) has been a leader in developing science-based solutions to address major stressors affecting the health of our...
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Written by Conservation Coordinator Shelby Serra https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IrYg7fisNQ The previous installment of our series on fisheries interactions touched on the commercial fishing industry’s interactions with whales and dolphins, examining the many factors that play a role in the bycatch of cetaceans in fishing gear including gear type and status (active or abandoned), fishing...
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Written by Conservation Coordinator Shelby Serra Figure 1. An Ancient Egyptian portrayal in the Tomb of Qenamun of fishing Fishing – from meager to monstrous Fish as a means of nourishment have been an integral component of human history for millennia. However, in the...
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Author: Conservation Coordinator Shelby Serra Nature-based experiences can contribute to individuals’ connection to nature and intentions toward sustainable environmental behaviors . —(Clark et. al. 2019) After exploring the ins and outs of responsible wildlife-watching rules globally and in the US in the previous installment,...
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Author: Conservation Coordinator Shelby Serra In the United States, the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) protects whales, dolphins, seals and sea lions from harassment. But what protections exist beyond our waters? As the MMPA is not enforceable with respect to...
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Author: Conservation Coordinator Shelby Serra Research conducted opportunistically aboard PWF Eco-Adventures Australia's commercial vessel. Whales were not approached closer than 100 meters, per Australian regulations Intimately observing a humpback whale breach or a mother lovingly shepherd her calf below the brine is a once-in-a-lifetime experience rich with promise. As discussed in the previous...
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Author: Conservation Coordinator Shelby Serra EMBRACING RESPONSIBLE WHALE WATCHING Although wildlife viewing is crucial to the conservation of animals, it can be detrimental if not properly conducted. Few experiences rival the rush of seeing a whale breach from the bow of a boat or the playful escort...
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