MMS Biennial: Pre-Conference Workshop on blue whales

Workshop title: ‘Gone today, here tomorrow?’ Case studies of the elusive blue whale.

Rationale: The workshop is aimed at reviewing the current state of knowledge of blue whales (particularly but not exclusively southern hemisphere). The largest animal ever, Antarctic blue whales were very drastically reduced in number by whaling, from originally perhaps 240000 to fewer than 1000 in the 1960s. Recent studies indicate Antarctic numbers are increasing, but remain extremely small (in the low thousands). At the same time various studies are being or have recently been carried out on the non-Antarctic and subspecifically separate pygmy blues– also taken during commercial whaling - in several areas, including western and southern Australia, eastern South America. Those studies include distinguishing pygmy blues genetically, acoustically and visually from Antarctic blues; population identity and assessment; migration; noise and impacts; and foraging ecology. Many intriguing puzzles remain: where do Antarctic blue whales breed; what controls the erratic appearance of pygmy blues on low latitude feeding grounds; how related are the various apparent subpopulations; are Chilean animals pygmy blues or another subspecies; what are the major current threats? Presentation of a series of case studies on the above from various regions is timely, to review current progress and propose future research emphasis. The results will complement the International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee’s ongoing assessments of southern hemisphere blue whales.

Date: Wednesday 28 November 2007 (i.e. the day before the Conference).

Duration: Whole day.

Contributions: case studies are already promised from researchers on Antarctic, Australian and Chilean populations. Others are welcomed, preferably in the form of case studies, but single contributions will be considered. Preference will be given to the southern hemisphere, but not exclusively.

Contributors: should contact the convenor, John Bannister, at the Western Australian Museum, bannisj@bigpond.com, as soon as possible. Numbers are likely to be limited. Arrangements are independent of the main Biennial Programme. The abstract submission deadline for this workshop is 24 August.