At this event, ACS San Francisco Bay Chapter and Jess Morten, Director of the Marine Resource Protection Program at the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation (CMSF), delved into the efforts to halt or reduce fatal collisions between ships and whales. Global shipping is vital to the economy, but high volumes of large vessel traffic off of our coastlines have negative impacts on public health and the marine environment. Large vessels traveling at higher speeds produce more emissions that contribute to reduced air quality in our coastal communities, increased underwater noise, and a higher risk of fatal collisions with whales. Known as ship strikes, these collisions are a main contributor to large whale mortality globally and in California's waters. There have been 53 recorded incidents of fatal ship strikes on endangered whale species in California from 2007-2022, and modelers estimate that these observed and documented incidents represent only a small fraction of the total number of fatal ship strikes taking place. To mitigate this global and regional threat to large whales, NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries in California - which includes Greater Farallones, Cordell Bank, Monterey Bay, and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuaries - works alongside many partners to implement conservation measures to reduce ship strike risk, including collaborating with international and federal partners to reconfigure shipping lanes and engaging with industry to implement an incentive-based vessel speed reduction program known as Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies (www.bluewhalesblueskies.org).
This free event was open to the public. Registration was required. A suggested donation of $10 per participant is encouraged and greatly appreciated. Donations help cover webinar costs and support our education and cetacean research grant programs.
ABOUT Jessica (Jess) Morten
Jessica (Jess) Morten is the Marine Resource Protection Program Director at the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation (CMSF) and oversees the marine resource protection program projects that CMSF manages, including the Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies Program, monthly large whale aerial surveys in the Santa Barbara Channel, and piloting data collection and analysis tools that can help inform marine managers and protect marine resources. In her role with CMSF, Jess is also a Resource Protection Specialist Affiliate for NOAA Channel Islands, Cordell Bank, Greater Farallones, and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries and helps to coordinate and support NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries' west coast whale conservation work. Jess began working with NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries in 2016 as the California Sea Grant Fellow with Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary after receiving a Master's degree in International Environmental Policy and Ocean and Coastal Resource Management in 2015 from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Her prior whale research and resource protection background includes supporting population and behavioral field research projects on both coasts of the United States - focused on humpback, North Atlantic right, and Southern Resident killer whales - as well as policy research focused on evaluating fishery management strategies. Jess lives with her partner Charlie and their two dogs in Santa Cruz and feels extremely lucky to get paid to do meaningful work to protect whales and marine ecosystems.
