Threats are now largely invisible, it’s no longer the graphic carnage…now it’s more indirect but no less a threat to the species.
NOAA’s Dr Barbara Taylor argues that we need a new approach to marine mammal conservation. Principal current and near-future conservation challenges include direct human-caused mortality (via fisheries by-catch in small-scale fisheries and hunting) and an indirect reduction in population growth due to habitat degradation from over-fishing, environmental contamination, and global climate disruption.
Dr Taylor was in Dunedin as a Plenary Speaker at the Biennial Conference of the Marine Mammals Society. Her plenary talk was titled “All the ingredients—how to succeed at marine mammal conservation”.
This is the first in the Sustainable Lens #whaleofasummer series recorded during the Biennial Conference of the Marine Mammals Society.