The problem doesn’t seem to be limited to cetaceans and pinnipeds. Cephalopods, the squid, octopus and cuttlefish that are favored foods of whales and their kin, also appear to be negatively impacted by human generated noise. Check out this Discovery News article from April 2011.

An article published yesterday in CNN Opinion, by Cornell’s Chris Clark and Brandon Southall, formerly of NOAA, offers some thoughtful suggestions as to how we can combat this problem that we’ve created. We created the technology that makes the noise. We can create the technology that minimizes the noise.

The animal shown in the article is a Risso’s Dolphin.

May you have a quiet weekend, except while you’re cheering on the New England Patriots.

Gary Jobson (photo: Billy Black)

Gary Jobson, world-class sailor and president of US SAILING will be the first of 12 distinguished speakers in a combined lecture series beginning on Thursday, February 2 at the Whaling Museum.

Gary Jobson will present “Sailing: Speed and Passion.” A world class sailor, television commentator and author, Jobson is President of US SAILING, the national governing body of sailing in the United States. He has authored 17 books on sailing, is Editor-at-Large of Sailing World and Cruising World magazines and has been ESPN’s sailing commentator since 1985. In October 2003 he was inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame by the Herreshoff Marine Museum. In 1999, Jobson won the Nathanael G. Herreshoff Trophy, US SAILING’s most prestigious award. He currently races a Swan 42, Mustang, and an Etchells, Whirlwind.

Jobson’s illustrated talk is the first of 12 programs scheduled this winter and spring – February 2 through May 10 – part of the Whaling Museum’s three signature lecture series now combined: the Sailors’ Series (5 programs), Man and Whales (3 programs), and the Old Dartmouth Lyceum (4 programs). Held on Thursday evenings, all programs include a reception at 6:30 p.m. in the Jacobs Family Gallery followed by the lecture at 7:30 p.m. in the Cook Memorial Theater.

Admission to each lecture: member, $15; non-member, $20. Select any number of programs when you confirm. Subscription to the combined series: members, $165.00 for all 12 lectures; non-members, $225.00. For tickets please call (508) 997-0046 Ext. 100.

The Sailors’ Series (SS) celebrates its 22nd year with illustrated lectures presenting a wide variety of experience and adventures by individuals with lifelong commitments to sailing, boats, and the sea. Thursdays: February 2 and 16, March 22, April 12 and 19.

The Man and Whales series (M&W) examines our changing views of marine mammals with science-themed lectures that bring focus to important whale conservation topics through the expertise of those who dedicate their professional lives to these issues. Thursdays: March 1, 15 and 29.

The Old Dartmouth Lyceum series (ODL) illuminates broader historical themes with fine and decorative arts by examining significant holdings in the Museum collection, including 19th century landscape painting, ceramics and glassware. Thursdays: April 5 and 26, May 3 and 10.

Schedule:

February 16 – John Rousmaniere: “The Golden Pastime,” an illustrated history of American yachting history. (SS)

March 1 – Dr. Peter Capelotti: “The Whaling Expedition of the Ulysses 1937–38.” (M&W).

March 15 – Dr. Stephen Godfrey: “When Whales Walked the Earth: Fossil Whales and Olfactory Evolution.” (M&W)

March 22 – Douglas Adkins: “Dorade; the History of an Ocean Racing Yacht.” (SS)

March 29 – Capt. Stacy Pedrozo, USN, C.O., Naval Justice School, and Capt. Tom Fetherston, USN Retired, “Whose Homeland Security? Protecting Marine Mammals While Protecting National Security.” (MW)

April 5 – Stuart P. Feld, Hirschl & Adler Galleries: “Museum acquisitions during the tenure of Director and Curator Richard Kugler.” (ODL)

April 12 – Capt. Sean S. Bercaw: “Full Sail into Cuba on the Amistad.” (SS)

April 19 – Rich Wilson: “Race France to France, Leave Antarctica to Starboard.” (SS)

April 26 – Kirk J. Nelson: “New Bedford Glass and Its Context.” (ODL)

May 3 – Keith Kauppila: “Visual Culture of the Civil War,” (ODL)

May 10 – Chris Gustin: “Finding Form.” (ODL).

The 2012 lecture series is presented by BayCoast Bank, and sponsored in part by C. E. Beckman, and Hampton Inn Fairhaven/New Bedford.

In its announcement, AAM stated that reaccreditation is awarded only after a comprehensive yearlong examination and peer review of all aspects of the Whaling Museum’s mission, operations and programming. “Accreditation is emblematic of many things, the highest standards in museum operations, outstanding public programs, and long-term sustainability among them,” said Ford W. Bell, AAM president. “Accreditation is clearly a significant achievement. But put simply, it means the citizens of the communities served by these museums have in their midst one of America’s finest museums.”

In her letter to museum president, James Russell, Dr. Bonnie W. Styles, Chair of the AAM Accreditation Commission, wrote “We found the museum to be a highly performing organization that has a solid strategic plan, excellent community engagement and is dealing strategically and realistically with budget hardships. We particularly liked the three-tier intern apprenticeship program. The museum is also a good example of merging history and science together in exhibits and programming.”

Mr. Russell noted the importance of reaccreditation. “We are extremely proud of this achievement. It validates years of hard work on the part of our dedicated trustees, volunteers and staff – evaluated against the strictest professional and national standards. This honor elevates all of New Bedford and the South Coast region, and it reenergizes us in the continued building of a greater, stronger Whaling Museum,” he said.

AAM Accreditation recognizes the highest standards in individual museums and ensures that museums continue to uphold their public trust. Developed and sustained by museum professionals for 40 years, the AAM museum accreditation program is the field’s primary vehicle for quality assurance, self-regulation and public accountability.

Former Whaling Museum Trustee, Dr. Michael Moore of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), will represent the South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT) on an expedition cruise to Antarctica, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, departing Ushuaia, Argentina on November 20, 2011, returning on December 8.

Made possible by SGHT’s collaboration with One Ocean Expeditions – well known for its high quality, safe and responsible Polar Expeditions – their ice-strengthened ship will take only 100 passengers. For this voyage only, One Ocean will make a generous donation to the SGHT Habitat Restoration Project, of which Dr. Moore has been part for many years.

To book, or with any other enquiry, call Denise at (970) 704-9178, or email alison.neil@sght.org. For more information see the One Ocean Expedition cruise flyer and details on the arctic exploration vessel, Akademic Ioffe.

Mike Silvia, Rocketfish Media, one of the many reps at the conference

The region’s first free public social media conference is taking place at the Whaling Museum today: SouthCoast Social; A Social Media & Internet Marketing Conference.

Several new social media businesses as well as established companies that depend on these new marketing opportunities that are developing daily have set up shop in the Jacobs Family Gallery. The Conference begins at 10 a.m. in the Cook Memorial Theater and runs until 1:00 p.m.

Museums by nature conserve and interpret the past. But social media is the frontier upon which they will communicate with the world. No longer limited to the visitors who walk through its doors the Whaling Museum’s reach is global through the internet and social media, as was demonstrated this past January when the 16th Annual Moby-Dick Marathon was live-streamed on the website. Melville would have been incredulous. Even Jules Verne would not have believed it. Around the World in 80 nanoseconds.

Michelle Gaspar & Eric Abrantes, Advanced Eye Centers, Inc. depend on social media promos

New Bedford Harbor and its famed fishing fleet, as seen from the Whaling Museum cupola.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum will host the New England Science Writers and other journalists as they delve into “The Science of Counting Fish” on Saturday, June 18 at 2:00 p.m. in the Cook Memorial Theater.

The discussion will focus on new technologies that are under development that will help to more accurately “count” fish. These new methods for assessing fish populations promise to put an end to disputes over whether or not fisheries are being overfished, not just in this part of the world but most everywhere. Case in point: On Massachusetts’ South Coast, fishermen and some scientists claim that reports of overfishing are “a myth,” while other marine scientists and government officials claim that certain species are dangerously overfished, which has led to the implementation of catch limits – limits that, according to the fishing community, are too harsh.

Assessing fish populations has always been an inexact science. But that is changing. Joining us to speak about these technologies are ocean engineer Hanumant Singh, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and marine biologist Kevin Stokesbury, School for Marine Science & Technology, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Both scientists are at the forefront of new approaches, and they will describe why the old ways of counting fish can be so misleading and the advantages of these new technologies.

Admission to the talk: $10/per person at the door, which includes admission to all Museum galleries. To attend, please email Ann Parson: parson-a@verizon.net by June 16th.

New England Science Writers is a professional organization of about 240 reporters, writers, freelancers, producers, bloggers, authors and communicators. NESW hosts meetings and workshops and provides other forums to network and keep up with the rapidly changing worlds of science, technology and journalism. NESW communicates with its members primarily by email, including job announcements and freelance opportunities. We are based in the Boston area with members mostly from the New England region of the United States.

Man and Whales: Changing Views Through Time

The lecture titled The Gulf of Mexico: Spilling Crude Oil Where We Once Spilled Sperm Oil, is presented by Judy N. Lund and Deborah Cramer.

New Bedford has a deep-rooted connection to the one large ocean that covers more than 70% of our planet. Tonight we will examine our historic link to one place in our marine environment and how the continued quest for oil has impacted this region.

Judith N. Lund, former Curator, New Bedford Whaling Museum, will provide us with a historical overview of whaling in the Gulf of Mexico, an endeavor that until recently was not well documented. Using her soon-to-be-published paper as the foundation, Judy will explain how this smaller whale fishery fit in with the larger Atlantic whale fishery. Her most recent works includes a definitive two-volume reference, American Offshore Whaling Voyages, 1667-1927, published by the Old Dartmouth Historical Society – New Bedford Whaling Museum in 2010.

Deborah Cramer, Visiting Scholar, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will explore the short term impact of the BP oil spill and the longer term consequence of oil drilling and shipping on the marshes of southeastern Louisiana and the wider Gulf, sharing her recent visit there and showing stunning photographs from her book, Smithsonian Ocean: Our Water Our World.

Both speakers will be available to sign their books at the pre-lecture reception.

Man & Whales lecture series will continue on April 20 and May 18.

As a finale to the lectures, the Whaling Museum is offering a unique opportunity to meet whales on Saturday, May 21. A special whale watch trip is available in partnership with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, departing from the Whaling Museum at 8:00 a.m. to Capt. John Boats, Plymouth, MA. Tickets are $75 per person, payable in advance, and includes roundtrip transportation. Reservations are required and seating is limited. Proceeds will benefit the Whaling Museum and WDCS. Please call 508-997-0046 ext.100, to RSVP for the free lectures and/or sign up for the whale watch.

Man & Whales is sponsored by ECHO (Education through Cultural and Historical Organizations) a program administered by the U.S. Dept. of Education. Offered in partnership with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

The nomination was made by Congressman Barney Frank. “The New Bedford Whaling Museum serves as an invaluable and unique resource that has been of great benefit for both scholars and the general public. In recognition of its extraordinary service to the community, I am pleased to nominate the Whaling Museum for an Institute of Museum and Library Sciences National Medal,” Congressman Frank said.

In noting the recognition, James Russell, Museum president and CEO said, “We are extremely grateful to Congressman Frank for his nomination as the Whaling Museum continues to evolve and tell the story of the region in new and inspiring ways which will be forever linked to the sea.”

Headquartered in Washington, DC, the mission of the IMLS is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development.

The IMLS National Medal is awarded to “selected institutions which demonstrate extraordinary and innovative approaches to public service and inclusiveness, exceeding the expected levels of community outreach, and may also include libraries and museums advancing global cultural understanding.”

Some of you may remember Joe Rizzi, Executive Director from Jupiter Foundation. He led a presentation on their work during the Man and Whales lecture series in 2010.

If you’re really interested in the technology they use, visit the Equipment page on the website.  In fact, look through the whole site. They’re doing some interesting research projects.

Humpback Family, by Richard Ellis