The Marine and Coastal Ecology Research Center (MCERC) is offering field courses this summer in Puerto Rico, USA. These courses are 1 week long field intensive programs with 5 students and two instructors per program.

No experience necessary! Courses are geared towards marine biology, marine ecology, natural and marine resources management, wildlife ecology, marine science, and anyone interested in bolstering field skills.

Examples of week-long programs/internships include;

GIS Applications in Wildlife Ecology (July 19-25)

Wildlife Photography (Session 1-July 26-August 01; Session 2-August 02-08)

Acoustics in Marine Habitats (August 23-29)

Marine and Coastal Ecology (June 21-27)

Triumph in Writing: Preparing Your Manuscript for Publication (July 05-11)

Money Matters! Finding grants and stacking the odds in favor of funding (July 12-18)

….And several more!

Apply now at: www.marine-eco.org/mcerc-moodle

Questions? Please visit our website (www.Marine-Eco.org) or Education Hub (www.Marine-Eco.org/mcerc-moodle)

Information, application documents and FAQ and answers are available on the Education Hub.

Many of our students receive 3 – 4 credit hours through independent study with a faculty adviser at their university. Please visit our website and download the FAQ for your faculty adviser if you are interested in this option.

Questions? Write to us!  Please use the “contact us” option on the MCERC website for specific questions but be sure to check the FAQs first for the quickest answers to most questions.

Of all the international conferences on marine mammals that have taken place worldwide, none have devoted their attention solely to humpback whales. Although this particular species is likely to be the most observed and most studied, this will be the first conference that humpback whale specialists do not have to meet on the sidelines.

The Humpback Whales World Congress has been established with the intentions of advancing scientific inquiry and conservation efforts of the humpback whales in their feeding ground, their breeding site and in their migration path. The congress will bring together national and international researchers, scientists and organizations working in the various fields of research and conservation.
Taking place during the 2015 WHALE FESTIVAL, this conference will be held in Sainte Marie Island, Madagascar, from June 29th – 3rd July 2015.

Cetamada
Cetamada organisation, in partnership with the University of Antananarivo and the ‘Festival des Baleines’ will be hosting this event.

CETAMADA is a Malagasy organisation established since 2009, and is dedicated to the conservation of marine mammals and their habitat in Madagascar. The organisation is committed towards a sustainable development approach through the involvement of the local population.

CETAMADA activities are focused on four types of action: training and promotion of responsible and sustainable ecotourism, education and awareness of the environment and marine heritage, development of community activities and scientific research.

Situated on Île Sainte-Marie, in the North East of Madagascar, the association bases their work on the entire territory of Madagascar, including Nosy Be, Mahajanga, Tulear, Fort Dauphin, Mahambo, and Maroantsetra.

Sainte-Marie, Madagascar
Sainte Marie is an island paradise in the heart of the Indian Ocean. Described as a natural green oasis with its primitive forests, plant species, waterfalls, seabed and humpback whales, Sainte Marie is a tropical paradise at the edge of the world, unspoiled by mass tourism. It is a haven of peace and luxury.

Le Festival des Baleines
This celebratory festival will be taking place on Sainte Marie island from the 4th to the 12th July 2015.
Why July? July marks the beginning of the annual return of the whales into the Sainte Marie canal. Usually first sightings take place around mid-June and it is from here, until late September, that the humpback whales cruise the canal, as their haven of peace to give birth and to breed before returning to the Antarctica. July in Sainte Marie becomes the breeding ground, the feeding ground, and the migration-break of the humpback whale and calf. Sainte Marie island where life is good, as agreed by the whales!

Visit https://hwwc2015.org/index.html to find out more.

ECS Conference 2015 Registration is Open and Workshops list is out

Dear All,

The ECS 29th Conference 2015 Organizers wish to invite you to REGISTER for the upcoming Conference on Marine Mammals Science and Conservation to be held next March.

*Early Registration deadline is the 16th of January 2015*
.
Also note that an interesting list of workshops have been proposed for you to consider.  As participation may be limited in number or to particular expertise, kindly contact workshop organizers for details soon.

We welcome your *video submission proposals up until the 16th of January.*

*IMPORTANT – Please refer to following for relevant info:*
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4378145/ECS%20Conf%20REG%20announcement.pdf

*VISIT the ECS 2015 Conference WEBSITE*:
http://europeancetaceansociety.eu/conference/29th-ecs-conference

*For any other queries contact*: ecs.conf2015(at)gmail.com

We wish you a Fantastic Christmas and Happy New Year!

Best Regards,

*ECS Conference 2015 Organizing Committee – Malta *

The Biological Conservation Research Foundation, BICREF, Malta is organising the 29th Conference of the European Cetacean Society from the 23rd till the 25th March 2015 Programme will include: 2 days of workshops on the 21st and 22nd March apart from the 3 days of plenary sessions.

Registration will be open soon

This Conference is held in association with The Conservation Biology Research Group of the University of Malta

Visit http://www.europeancetaceansociety.eu/conference/29th-ecs-conference to find out more.

Seiche is heading to Dubai in December to run its respected PSO & PAM course.

Comprehensive training from experts in their field for those who wish
to pursue a career in marine mammal observation and mitigation for the
offshore seismic industry. It includes one day on board a vessel to
allow you to gain experience with marine mammal identification while
at sea.

Day 1 (classroom)
Introduction to Marine Mammals & Sea Turtles
Legislation within the Gulf of Mexico & Global Oceans
Introduction to Seismic Surveys
Permitting Requirements
Role of the PSO
Data Collection & Reporting

Day 2 (classroom)
Clues & Search Methods for Marine Mammals & Sea Turtles
Species Identification
Testing & Certification

Day 3 (classroom)
Sound In Water
Marine Mammals
Anthropogenic Noise in the Sea
Effects of Anthropogenic Noise on Marine Mammals
Local Mitigation Guidelines
PAM Principles and the Role of the PAM Operator

Day 4 (classroom)
PAM Hardware & Operations
PAM Software
PAMGuard Workshop

Day 5 (on a vessel)
Set up and deployment of PAM systems and visual observer stations
Troubleshooting
Real-time mitigation and reporting

Costs:
PSO Module (2 days): USD 800 or AED 2,940
PAM Module (3 days): USD 800 or AED 2,940

For more details, please contact Sarah Hancock at s.hancock@seiche.com.

Seminario Sulla Biologia E La Conservazione Dei Mammiferi Marini
30-31 ottobre 2014
Pavia, Italia

In collaborazione con l?Universit? di Pavia, Italia, nasce la prima edizione del seminario “Mammiferi marini e Ricerca: un’overview metodologica ed applicativa”.
Interverranno esponenti di importanti istituti di ricerca del panorama italiano, quali Universit? di Pavia, Politecninco di Milano, Istituto Tethys, Istituto Ispra e Filicudi Wildlife Conservation.
Durante queste due giornate verranno affrontate tematiche quali l’ecologia, il comportamento, l’acustica, le metodiche di indagine, la conservazione ed il benessere animale negli acquari.

Registrazione obbligatoria entro il 29 ottobre 2014
Costo studenti: 50 euro
Costo esterni: 100 euro

Informazioni e registrazione al sito http://animalconcepts.eu/calendar/2014/mammiferimariniitaly/