[SEMCO] Marine Education Conference

[Tanya Grady]

 Tuesday, April 07, 2009





 *Contacts*:

Tanya Grady, PCCS:   508-247-7665, tgrady at coastalstudies.org

Carole Carlson, Dolphin Fleet:  508-487-0374, science at whalewatch.com

Regina Asmutis-Silvia, WDCS: 508-451-3853, regina.asmutis-silvia at wdcs.org







MARINE EDUCATION

CONFERENCE SET



*(PROVINCETOWN, CAPE COD, MA)* – The Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies
in partnership with the Dolphin Fleet of Provincetown and the Whale and
Dolphin Conservation Society, will host a 3-day marine education conference
at the Hiebert Marine Laboratory in Provincetown, beginning at 9a.m., April
24 through April 26, 2009.



“Today’s naturalists understand that the most valuable aspect of whale
watching is its potential to educate people of all ages and from all
backgrounds to appreciate, value and understand marine mammals,” said Dr.
Carole Carlson, of the Dolphin Fleet and adjunct scientist at the
Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies.  “The goal of our workshop is to
help naturalists, through dedicated seminars and discussion, to translate
the whale watch experience to a wider audience and to inspire greater
involvement and follow-up activity from those who participated.”



The purpose of the conference is to educate naturalist/science educators,
interns, volunteers, and those directly involved with whale watch tours or
research in the Gulf of Maine region.  The conference will include morning
lectures that address the status of great whales and seals in the region,
physical oceanography and current conservation concerns as well as afternoon
workshops; Plankton and the Ecosystem, which includes lectures and hands-on
identification of species; and Photo-Identification Catalogues, how to best
use them as both a research and education tool.



Primary funding for the conference is made possible with support from the
Wendy Joan Shadwell Fund for Whale Watch Naturalist Training and Education,
created from a generous bequest from Wendy Joan Shadwell, a long time
supporter of PCCS and devotee of whale watching aboard the Dolphin Fleet.  The
fund was established by PCCS to support ongoing education programs for whale
watch naturalists.



 “Responsible whale watching literally saves whales, “according to WDCS
Senior Biologist, Regina Asmutis-Silvia.  “It is an economically viable
alternative to whaling, a platform for research, and a means to educate
millions of people about whales and the importance of the marine ecosystem.”




The conference culminates on Sunday with a whale watch tour hosted by
Dolphin Fleet of Provincetown, weather permitting. For more information, or
to register for the conference, please contact Regina Asmutis-Silvia at
regina.asmutis-silvia at wdcs.org.



# # #

* *

*Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies (PCCS)* is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to preserving marine mammals and ecosystems in the Gulf of Maine
through research, education, public policy initiatives, and management
strategies. PCCS played a key role in the federal designation of Stellwagen
Bank as a national marine sanctuary and Cape Cod Bay as a critical habitat
for the North Atlantic right whale. To learn more about our work and our
results, visit www.coastalstudies.org.

*Dolphin Fleet* *of Provincetown*, locally-owned since 1975, is a commercial
whale watch company dedicated to the promotion of responsible whale watching
through education, science and high standard of vessel operation. The
Dolphin Fleet is recognized world-wide as a leading example of high quality,
sustainable whale watching, learn more at www.whalewatch.com.

*Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (North America)* *Inc., (WDCS)* is
the global voice for the protection of whales and dolphins and their
environment. It is based in Plymouth, MA and is the US office of the Whale
and Dolphin Conservation Society, a charity registered in the United
Kingdom. Among our programs, WDCS works to reduce the threat of vessel
strikes and entanglements to whales and promote responsible whale watching
world wide as an alternative to whaling.  For further information on the
extent and scope of the organization's work, or adopting a whale, please
visit <http://news.findlaw.com/prnewswire/20080220/%3ca>www.wdcs-na.org.














-- 
Tanya L. Grady
Communications Coordinator
Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies
P:  508-247-7665
E:  tgrady at coastalstudies.org
W:  www.coastalstudies.org
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