Presentations on Marine Mammals and Boater Safety and Stewardship Are Available!

Apr 8, 2021

Get ready for the upcoming boating season by reviewing your knowledge of safe boating practices around large whales!

In February, two presentations were provided at the first ever virtual Vancouver International Boat Show by Environmental Committee member Jackie Hildering.

She included content from the CPS-ECP #BoatBlue Boater Education resource in both presentations adding her expertise as a Humpback Researcher with the Marine Education and Research Society (MERS). The presentations centered on the return of large whales, particularly Humpback Whales, in BC waters, and how it has changed the game for boaters.
Information regarding the laws and best practices, to protect both whales and boaters, was shared.

MERS also recently partnered with Tourism Vancouver Island and the North Island Marine Mammal Stewardship Association (NIMMSA) to develop a workshop on ethical advertising: “Where the Whales Are: Best Practices for Marine Mammal Viewing Experiences”. The workshop notably covers best practices for sharing sightings on social media. The recommendations put forth in that workshop can apply to marine mammal viewing around the world.

If you missed these presentations, fear not! Recorded versions of all these webinars are available here: mersociety.org/presentations. Happy viewing!
Visit boatblue.ca for more information on how to be a responsible boater and participate in the health and conservation of our waterways.

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