MERS provides free webinars that are aimed at being highly engaging and entertaining while having the strong potential to reduce threats to marine life and boaters. A very high priority is to update boaters on the amended Marine Mammal Regulations (federal law) and to also to share our research on Humpback Whales and discuss how to reduce the risk of collision and what to do in case an entanglement is witnessed. The increase in the number of Humpbacks off the coast of British Columbia is so fortunate but necessitates increased awareness from boaters because Humpbacks behave so differently than the whale species boaters are more accustomed to i.e. Orca. 

There are 3 options for MERS webinars:

1. Join a scheduled webinar. See calendar below. Click on an event for further information and/or registration. 
2. Access one of our pre-recorded webinars. See presentation descriptions below for available recorded webinars.
   
   • For the "Return of Giants" video about Humpback Whales, our research, and how to reduce threats, click here.
   • For the "Boaters and Marine Mammals" video, click here. 
   • For the video from the Workshop on Ethical Advertising and Social Sharing Practices, in which we partnered with the North Island Marine Mammal Stewardship Association (NIMMSA) and Tourism Vancouver Island, please see this link. 
   • For the video on "Basking Sharks - who we were, what we did, where to from here?", click here. 
3. Request a webinar for a specific group / audience. Please do so by filling in the form at this link. 

Presentation Descriptions:

• "The Return of Giants" - A presentation on our Humpback Whales research including population studies, feeding strategies, and rate of entanglement. Includes essential watercraft user information about how to avoid collision and what to do, and not to do, if entanglement is witnessed. There is also a focus on the importance of citizen science to whale research and conservation.

• "Boaters and Marine Mammals - Safety and Stewardship" -  The aim of this presentation is to be of use to watercraft users by increasing knowledge of the Marine Mammal Regulations and best practices regarding vessel operation around marine mammals. Topics include the positive contributions that can make to conservation and research, such as reducing the impacts of acoustic and physical disturbance, habituation, entanglement, collision, and marine debris.
  
  *Please note that as an update to these presentations, that the 400-metre vessel approach distance is in effect year-round for all
  Orca between Campbell River and just north of Ucluelet.
  

Supplemental educational materials available here.

If you would like to receive notifications when new MERS webinars are scheduled,
click here and sign up for MERS Presentation Email Alerts.

Are you interested in our Marine Mammal Naturalist Course?
Click here and sign up for the Marine Mammal Naturalist Course Email Alerts.