Seeing a whale up close and personal inspires people to conserve our oceans and in turn protect the worlds whales like nothing else can. The simple act of seeing a whale leaping from the water or a dolphin surfing in a boats wake arises a feeling in people for which there are no words to accurately describe. 

Personally, I know that seeing marine life face to face as a kid, whether it was at the local aquarium or on a whale watch, had a profound impact on the adult I’ve grown up to be. Over the years what started as a Sunday trip to an aquarium with my family transformed into a career in marine science. Funny how things work out like that. Looking back I realize that I was pretty fortunate growing up. Many people don’t have access to science museums, aquariums, whale watches, or even a back yard from which to launch youthful explorations of our natural world. It’s a proven fact that simple exposure to nature can foster a personal connection to our environment and it’s for that reason I’m proud to be a part of IFAW’s Floating Classroom program. It’s through this program that we work with schools to incorporate whale watching as an effective educational experience. Floating Classrooms is primarily focused on the Caribbean where there is a growing whale watching industry and tremendous interest in protecting whales for the important economic value of eco-tourism.

I’m writing this as I head to the small Island nation of Dominica where I plan to work with teachers incorporating the floating classrooms program into their curriculum. If there is one thing I enjoy doing, it’s talking to kids about whales. This is certainly going to be a hectic trip but I’m hoping to leave behind a terrific resource that affords an opportunity to inspire the next generation of ocean stewards to protect whales.

 It’s a good thing that California has more parcels of ocean set aside as protected than most other states because a study published in today’s jounal Conservation Letters revels that every single spot of ocean off the California coast is adversely impacted by humans in one way or another. In fact, according to Ben Halpern, a scientist at the University of California Santa Barbara, the states oceans are affected by “10 to 15 human activities annually.”

This study looked at the location of twenty five human caused sources of ecological stress including commercial fishing, climate change, and land based sources of pollution and used this information to the composite map you see below.

Halpern says that the dramatic results mean that "Ocean management needs to move beyond single-sector management and towards comprehensive ecosystem-based management if it is to be effective at protecting and sustaining ocean health.”

These waters are also home to some of the most beautiful Marine Sanctuaries in existence and waters which are critical to many species of whale and dolphin. Blue Whales, the largest animal to ever live on earth, regularly migrate along these waters and Grey Whales migrate through these troubled waters annually on one of the longest known migrations between feeding grounds near the bearing sea and calving grounds in Baja California.

"The results are a wake-up call," Halpern says "We are significantly affecting the oceans."  This isn't just a wake up call for California, but one which echo’s continued plea’s to protect our oceans and the wildlife within them. Human's are impacting nearly every possible inch of ocean in a bad way and we're working for innovative solutions for both animals and people. Learn more about IFAW’s work on both the California grey whale and the critically endangered Western Pacific Grey Whale. By supporting IFAW you can help us protect these wonderful species and many others.

Neptune LNG, LLC has requested a one-year authorization from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to potentially disturb or injure marine mammals as the company completes construction and begins commercial operation of its LNG deepwater port. The notice of the application and request for public comments, available in today's Federal Register, notes that NMFS currently is considering regulations to provide for authorization for similar incidental harassment for a term of five years.

From LNGLawBlog