ACS Monterey Bay Program for August 2006

Minke whales - baleen of death

Minke Whale

Thursday, August 31, 2006 7 p.m. Refreshments, 7:30 p.m. Program Lecture Hall, Monterey Boatworks, Hopkins Marine Station, Pacific Grove (Across from American Tin Cannery Outlet Stores) Speaker: Dr. Jonathan Stern

Minke whales are globally the most abundant baleen whale. They are also the most heavily hunted baleen whale. This talk will focus on minke whale biology, management and conservation issues. Local minke whale populations, the California-Oregon-Washington stock, are not hunted, and have never been hunted. However, they are not abundant. The reason and implications of this status will be discussed by Dr. Stern.

In addition, Dr. Stern will discuss some of the more important issues arising from the recent International Whaling Commission meeting. Dr. Stern was introduced to many of us through his daily email reports from this year's IWC (see Soundings, July 2006). His research began with the Northeast Pacific Minke Whale Project, which was originated by Ellie Dorsey in 1980, as the first minke whale study project. He has co-authored, with Rus Hoelzel, a book about minke whales.

Dr. Stern has a way with words, so be sure to hear him in this timely program.

Related web pages:

• Minke whale links
• Minke Whales book by Rus Hoelzel and Jonathan Stern

• Back to list of previous meetings.