Hello all,

Dr.Jack Lawson (Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada) has asked me to
forward this message to the ECS lists, concerning a workshop on small
cetacean bycatch he is organising at the next Biennial Marine Mammal
Conference in San Diego, in December 2005. All who are interested in
participating in this workshop are encouraged to contact Dr.Lawson directly
(see the end of this message for contact information). Hope to see you there!


Regards, 

Steven Benjamins

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Hello colleagues,
 
I am sending you this message to invite you to attend, and provide feedback
for, a workshop I plan to conduct immediately prior to the next Biennial
Marine Mammal meeting in San Diego in December 2005.  I have just received
approval for the workshop, and now seek information as to who might attend
and some logistical details in terms of the date and duration for the
workshop that would most satisfy potential attendees.
 
I attach a Word file with the proposed content for the workshop, but invite
your ideas as to topics I have omitted that deserve inclusion. The workshop
is titled: "Science and Implementation Considerations of Mitigation
Techniques to Reduce Small Cetacean By-Catch in Fisheries".  Its purpose
would be to provide presentation and review of the theoretical, practical,
and management considerations for implement mitigation techniques designed
to reduce the bycatch of small cetaceans in fisheries, with an additional
aim to highlight problems and directions for further research.  (The
attached file contains my suggestions for specific topics.)
 
Currently, I think this workshop could take a day's time - do any of you
think we could do this in a half-day session?  I would like to suggest
several general review presentations to get those with less knowledge up to
speed quickly, with much of the discussion centred around implementation
problems.  The "future research" items could be particularly interesting to
those of us familiar with the current mitigation methodologies.  I know
there have been other larger-scale workshops around the world that have
dealt with this issue, but would hope that the San Diego event would provide
a timely overview - particularly for some of the newer approaches.
 
I will supply refreshments for break(s), dissemination of meeting materials
prior to the event, and (should there be sufficient interest), edit a
summary of the workshop for public distribution following the workshop.  I
have yet to hear about costs for the venue (which I am hoping Fisheries and
Oceans Canada can cover), but some of this will depend on the number of
participants, duration, and logistical support.
 
I look forward to hearing from you, and hope that we can meet to discuss
these bycatch issues in San Diego.  I have not sent this to an exhaustive
list, so if I have overlooked someone that would like to attend this event
please pass the message and attachment along to them.
 
Best regards,
 
Dr. Jack Lawson
Research Scientist / Chercheur scientifique
Marine Mammal Section, Newfoundland & Labrador Region
Fisheries and Oceans Canada / Pêches et Océans Canada
NAFC, P.O. Box 5667, 80 East White Hills Road
St. John's, NL, Canada   A1C 5X1
Telephone: (709) 772-2285     FAX: (709) 772-4105
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> Steven Benjamins
> Whale Research Group
> Biology Annex
> Memorial University of Newfoundland
> 297 Mt.Scio Road
> St.John's  NL
> CANADA
> A1C 5S7
> Tel.:(1-709-)737-7638
> Email: [log in to unmask]