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 recording of our "Nudibranchs & Other Sensational Sea Slugs of British Columbia" webinar for students, please click here. 
   • 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 one of our Workshops 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 recording of our March 11th, 2023 webinar "All Together Now - Collaborations to reduce threats to Humpbacks, click here. 
   • For the video on "Basking Sharks - who we were, what we did, where to from here?", click here.
3. Request a presentation or webinar. 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.
  
  
  
• Nudibranchs & Other Sensational Sea Slugs of British Columbia 
  Recording of our Ocean Day 2023 webinar for students.
  
  Presenter is Marine Education and Research Society team member Jackie, also known as The Marine Detective.
  
  She shared her photos and conservation messaging about British Columbian sea slug species. Sea slugs are such compelling ambassadors for the colour, diversity and amazing adaptations of the life just below the surface in the northeast Pacific Ocean.
  
  Note that the content is appropriate for all ages but the educational approach will be aimed at elementary school students.
  
  
  
• All Together Now - Collaborations to reduce threats to Humpbacks

  Who are the whales? What do they eat? How to reduce noise, entanglement and collision?

  The following MERS Research Associates and Collaborators shared overviews of their projects to help answer these questions.

  - Tasli Shaw (Humpbacks of the Salish Sea) - Humpbacks of the Salish Sea - Investigating who the whales are, their population trends, site fidelity, and behaviour.

  - Ashley Hoyland and Mark Sawyer (Humpbacks of Clayoquot and Barkley Sounds) - The Humpbacks of Southwest Vancouver Island - community effort to catalogue Humpbacks and why it matters.

  - Ali Gladwell (University of Victoria) - Too close for comfort? Boater behaviour around marine mammals in the Johnstone Strait area: research to help inform boater education.

  - Joan Moreaux (University of British Columbia)- The diet of individual Humpback Whales and why it matters to their conservation.

  - Gary Sutton (Ocean Wise) and Emily Cowie (MERS) - Studying scars - aerial photographs to help determine rates of collision and entanglement in Humpback Whales. Ocean Wise Marine Mammal Research Program

  Hosts and technical support: Christie McMIllan, Jackie Hildering and Marieke Knierim, MERS.
  
  

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.