Whalefest Monterey 2016 Symposium and Documentary Schedule

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​Whalefest Monterey 2016 Symposium Schedule

Saturday, January 23, 2016

10:30 – 11:00
Introduction with MC Steve Ellzey, Executive Producer, NMS “Your Sanctuary TV”
Documentary: “Breathe”  
Monterey Bay's evolution over 4 million years told through the eyes of a Free Diver.
11:00 – 11:45
Michael Hemp, The History Company  and Cannery Row Foundation
"The Saga of the Western Flyer"
Made world-famous in John Steinbeck’s “Log from the Sea of Cortez”
Michael Hemp created the non-profit Cannery Row Foundation in 1983 and has been President of its Board of Directors since 2008. Presently, he is Director of Marketing, Communications & Special Events of the Cannery Row Company and owner of the History Company.
12:00 – 12:45

Tim Thomas, Local Fisheries Historian
"Thar She Blows: There’s Oil in Them Thar Sardines"
Tim Thomas is a fisheries historian who has researched the fisheries of Monterey Bay for over twenty-five years.  He has researched, written and lectured extensively on Monterey’s fishing communities. Recently, he was featured on the PBS/BBC program, Big Blue Live and conducts monthly “Wharf Walks” about the fascinating history of the Monterey Bay on the first Saturday of each month at Monterey’s Old Fisherman’s Wharf.

1:00 – 1:45 (Book signing afterwards until 3 pm)
Wallace J. Nichols
Blue Mind - A Ground Breaking Conversation: 
Scientist, researcher and New York Times bestselling author of Blue Mind, Dr. Wallace J. Nichols will share his insights on the remarkable truth about the benefits of being in, on, under or simply near water. Followed by book signing until 3 pm. (Books available for purchase.) He is a scientist, wild water advocate, and movement-maker. He is a research associate at the California Academy of Sciences and co-founder of Ocean Revolution, SEEtheWILD, Grupo Tortuguero, Blue Marbles Project and LiVBLUE. 

Wallace J. Nichols will be available for book signing. Blue Mind books will be available at the event with 50% of book sales will support Marine Life Studies' education programs and their Whale Rescue Research Vessel for the Whale Entanglement Team.

2:00 – 2:15
Paul Michel, Superintendent, MBNMS
“Monterey Bay - The Big Blue Buffet”
An Overview of the abundance of wildlife in Monterey Bay.
Paul Michel is a nationally-recognized leader in wetlands, coast, and ocean management and protection. As Superintendent of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary in April, he is responsible for all of the science, education, and resource protection programs involved with managing and protecting the nation’s second largest marine sanctuary at over 6,000 square miles.

2:30 – 3:15
Dan Costa, Distinguished Professor, UC Santa Cruz
“Elephant Seals”
Daniel Costa Ph.D. is a Distinguished Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California at Santa Cruz.  His research focuses on the ecology and physiology of marine mammals and seabirds from the Galapagos to Antarctica. He is a member of a number of international science steering committees including the Integrated Climate and Ecosystem Dynamics program, The Census of Marine Life, Southern Ocean GLOBEC, CLIOTOP and the Southern Ocean Observing System.

3:30 – 5:00
Scott Benson, NOAA, Lead investigator of the leatherback turtle ecology program
"Leatherback Turtles in the California Current: Why Leatherbacks Cross the Pacific"
Scott Benson is the lead investigator of the leatherback turtle ecology program and coordinates studies of the distribution, abundance, movement patterns, foraging ecology, and health of endangered western Pacific leatherback turtles along the U.S. West Coast and throughout the Pacific. He is stationed at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

10:30 – 11:00
Introduction with MC Steve Ellzey, Executive Producer, NMS “Your Sanctuary TV”
Documentary: “Breathe”
Monterey Bay's evolution over 4 million years told through the eyes of a Free Diver.

11:00 – 11:45
Geoff Chester, California Campaign Director, Oceana
“Saving the Whales…Again”
How conservation organizations are working with fishermen, wildlife managers, and other groups to address threats to whales, and ways you can get involved to make California’s oceans an even safer place for whales.
Dr. Geoff Shester is an interdisciplinary marine scientist and conservation advocate currently working to protect west coast forage fish, reduce fisheries bycatch, and protect ocean habitats. For the last six years, he has served as the primary “Conservation” representative on the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council.

12:00 – 12:30
Jim Vanderzwaan, Chief Meteorologist (ret.), KSBW TV
“El Nino”
Jim Vanderzwaan had been a fixture on the local TV scene as KSBW’s weatherman for over 30 years until his recent retirement.

12:40 – 1:10
Steve Lonhart, Senior Scientist, NOAA/MBNM Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network (SIMoN)
“Warm Water Anomalies and a Changing Seascape”
Dr. Lonhart has worked as a marine ecologist for the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary since 2002. His scientific research has focused on invasion biology, kelp forest ecology, and marine invertebrate natural history, with an emphasis on marine gastropods. He is the senior scientist for the Sanctuary Integrated Monitoring Network (SIMoN) where he is responsible for maintaining its research and monitoring programs and implementing its scientific goals.

1:20 – 2:00
Steve Webster, Senior Marine Biologist (ret.) Monterey Bay Aquarium
“Climate Change - How Will It Affect Whales?”
Steven Webster retired in 2004 as Senior Marine Biologist at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. He has been involved with the aquarium since its conception, first as Project Coordinator and then as Director of Education and Senior Marine Biologist. He served on and is past Chair of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council.

2:15 – 2:45
Scott Kathey, Federal Regulatory & Enforcement Coordinator, MBNMS
"Respect and Protect Marine Wildlife - Viewing Techniques, Approach Guidelines, and Resource Protection Laws."
Scott Kathey interprets and develops federal regulations; investigates sanctuary regulatory violations, coastal incidents, and citizen complaints; and coordinates enforcement activities between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to protect sanctuary resources. He also serves as the sanctuary's emergency response coordinator for issues such as vessel groundings and spills.

3:00 – 3:45
Peggy Stap, Executive Director, Marine Life Studies and Co-Founder Whale Entanglement Team
"Rescuing Whales, One at a Time" - An overview of recent activities by the Northern California Whale Entanglement Team and recount how the team evolved over nearly a decade.
Peggy Stap cofounded the Whale Entanglement Team (WET)℠ in 2006. Accomplishments include team assembly, 877-SOS-WHALE phone number, providing a response boat, a complete tool cache and a trailer that can carry all the equipment. Marine Life Studies’ Research Scientist Program includes a training program for new volunteers of WET as well as holding refresher trainings for existing members of WET, and in 2015 acquired their new Whale Rescue Research Vessel, fully equipped for rapid whale rescue response located in Moss Landing, center of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

4:15 – 5:00
Panel  Discussion
“Rescue of a Minke Whale in Monterey Harbor: An Example of Interagency Cooperation”
Panelists include representatives of the Whale Entanglement Team (WET), Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Monterey Harbor (Harbor Patrol), United States Coast Guard, Monterey Fire Department and Monterey Police Department.

5:15 – 6:00
Bob Carr, San Francisco Bar Pilots
“Interactions with the Ship Masters and the Efforts we make to Avoid Whale Strikes.”
Bob Carr joined the SF Bar Pilots in 2011 as a trainee and 2013 as a full time pilot.  Prior to becoming a pilot in San Francisco Bay, he worked for Chevron for 21 years with the last 5 years as a master on their tankers.