Where Do Whales Live? The Federal Government Wants To Map Where They Go

12/30/24 • 10 min

Where do whales live? Where do they go? These are just some of the questions the US federal government would like to answer by introducing a bill (H.R. 10292) called the Whale CHARTS Act.

In this episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast, host Andrew Lauren discusses the recently introduced Whale Conservation Habitat Analysis Research and Technical Strategies Act, also known as the Whale Charts Act. This bipartisan legislation aims to enhance the protection of baleen and sperm whales by improving our understanding of their feeding areas, calving grounds, and migration routes.

Key points covered in the episode include:

Objectives of the Whale Charts Act: The bill seeks to create high-resolution distribution maps of whale populations, develop predictive models to forecast shifts in whale habitats due to climate change, and conduct targeted research on understudied baleen whale species.
Importance of Mapping: Enhanced mapping and predictive modeling are crucial for preventing dangerous collisions between vessels and whales. The North Atlantic right whale, for example, is often struck by ships, and understanding their migration routes is essential for their conservation.
Use of Technology: The act encourages the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to utilize innovative data sources, such as passive acoustic monitoring and satellite imagery, to improve the accuracy of habitat maps. This technology integration aims to safeguard marine wildlife while ensuring safer navigation for boaters.
Bipartisan Support: The episode emphasizes that the Whale Charts Act has bipartisan support, making it a viable piece of legislation that could pass. Listeners are encouraged to contact their federal representatives to express support for the bill.

Overall, the episode highlights the significance of mapping and tracking whale populations not only for their protection but also for the safety of human activities in marine environments. By leveraging advanced technology and data, the Whale Charts Act represents a proactive step towards harmonizing maritime operations with the natural behaviors of whales.

Link to article: https://ecomagazine.com/news/policy/new-bill-introduced-to-improve-predictive-mapping-technology-for-whale-and-boater-safety/

US Congresspeople associated with the bill:

Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Florida): https://buchanan.house.gov/constituent-validation Rep. Doris Matsui (D-California): https://matsuiforms.house.gov/contact/ Rep. Nicole Malliotakis(R-New York): https://malliotakis.house.gov/contact Rep. Jared Huffman (D-California): https://huffman.house.gov/contact/

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Where do whales live? Where do they go? These are just some of the questions the US federal government would like to answer by introducing a bill (H.R. 10292) called the Whale CHARTS Act.

Key points covered in the episode include:

Objectives of the Whale Charts Act: The bill seeks to create high-resolution distribution maps of whale populations, develop predictive models to forecast shifts in whale habitats due to climate change, and conduct targeted research on understudied baleen whale species.
Importance of Mapping: Enhanced mapping and predictive modeling are crucial for preventing dangerous collisions between vessels and whales. The North Atlantic right whale, for example, is often struck by ships, and understanding their migration routes is essential for their conservation.
Use of Technology: The act encourages the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to utilize innovative data sources, such as passive acoustic monitoring and satellite imagery, to improve the accuracy of habitat maps. This technology integration aims to safeguard marine wildlife while ensuring safer navigation for boaters.
Bipartisan Support: The episode emphasizes that the Whale Charts Act has bipartisan support, making it a viable piece of legislation that could pass. Listeners are encouraged to contact their federal representatives to express support for the bill.

Link to article: https://ecomagazine.com/news/policy/new-bill-introduced-to-improve-predictive-mapping-technology-for-whale-and-boater-safety/

US Congresspeople associated with the bill:

Previous Episode

Climate Change Actions Using Sargassum and Black Fly Larvae

In this episode of the "How to Protect the Ocean" podcast, host Andrew Lewin interviews Dr. Annalisa Bracco, a professor at Georgia Tech specializing in ocean and climate dynamics. The discussion centers around innovative climate solutions, moving away from the typical focus on the negative impacts of climate change.

Key Climate Solutions Discussed:

Sargassum Management:

Problem: Since 2011, there have been significant blooms of sargassum in the tropical Atlantic, impacting beaches in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. These blooms require costly cleanup efforts, amounting to approximately $300 million per year.

Solutions:

- Sinking Sargassum: Research is being conducted to explore the feasibility of sinking sargassum to sequester carbon. This involves understanding the ecological impacts and ensuring that the carbon captured is not released back into the atmosphere.
- Biofuel Production: Collaborations with engineers and biologists are underway to convert sargassum into biofuels. One approach involves using black fly larvae, which can efficiently consume sargassum and accumulate lipids for biofuel extraction.
- Bricks from Sargassum: A small business in Mexico is creating bricks from dried sargassum, which are reported to be more resilient to storms than traditional building materials.

Coral Reef Connectivity:

- Dr. Bracco's team is using machine learning to study the connectivity among coral reefs, which is crucial for understanding how larvae disperse and how healthy ecosystems can support one another.
- The research highlights the dynamic nature of coral ecosystems, particularly in the Pacific, where certain areas can recover from bleaching events due to the exchange of larvae. In contrast, the Atlantic faces challenges due to pollution and overfishing, which hinder recovery.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration:

- The episode emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary work in addressing climate issues. Dr. Bracco collaborates with experts from various fields, including biology, engineering, and computer science, to develop comprehensive solutions to climate challenges.

Overall, the episode provides a hopeful perspective on climate solutions, showcasing innovative approaches to managing ocean health and addressing the impacts of climate change.

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Next Episode

Sea Turtle Conservation in Florida is Hard

Sea Turtle Conservation in Florida is hard and it's about to get harder with the onset of increased intensity of hurricanes and increased sea level rise.

Sea Turtle Conservation has been successful over the past few decades with protection policies being implemented along Florida coastlines. Still, hurricane events and increased sea level rise can wipe out nests in one storm killing hundreds of thousands of sea turtles.

In this episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast, host Andrew Lord discusses the challenges facing sea turtle conservation in Florida, particularly in light of climate change. While sea turtles have seen a resurgence due to decades of conservation efforts, new threats are emerging that jeopardize their future.

The episode highlights the impact of climate change, specifically the increase in hurricane intensity and rising sea levels, on sea turtle nesting. The 2024 hurricane season demonstrated these vulnerabilities, with storms like Hurricane Beryl and Hurricane Debbie destroying hundreds of nests along Florida's Gulf Coast. The physical toll on nesting beaches, including erosion and loss of habitat, poses a significant threat to the survival of sea turtles.

Sea turtles play a crucial role in marine ecosystems, maintaining the health of seagrass beds and coral reefs. Their decline could have far-reaching consequences for marine biodiversity. The episode emphasizes that protecting sea turtles from climate change impacts is a complex challenge that requires collective action.

Listeners are encouraged to support beach conservation programs, advocate for climate action, and get involved with local organizations dedicated to protecting sea turtles and their habitats. Despite the daunting challenges posed by climate change, the episode conveys a message of hope, urging individuals to take action to ensure the survival of these iconic marine creatures.

Link to article: https://phys.org/news/2024-12-florida-sea-turtle-success-story.html

How To Protect The Ocean - Where Do Whales Live? The Federal Government Wants To Map Where They Go

Transcript

00:00:00.069

Where do whales live? Have you ever wondered that? I know it's an easy question. They live in an ocean, but where do they go? Where do they eat? Where do they mate? Where do they go on these large migrations and where do they stop? That's an important question to ask because there is a bill that was introduced to Congress by Democrats and Republicans to find out where whales go. We're going to talk about that on today's episode of the How to Protect the Ocean podcast.