CANADIAN WHALE INSTITUTE
I am a senior scientist with the Canadian Whale Institute (Campobello Island, NB), expert whale dis-entangler with the Campobello Whale Rescue Team and emerita scientist with the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium (Boston, MA). My research interests include population biology and demographic studies of North Atlantic right whales. My conservation work is focused on working with the fishing industry on entangled whale response and training new responders and with the shipping industry on reducing the risk of vessel-whale collisions in Atlantic Canadian waters. I worked with the shipping industry, scientists at Dalhousie University (Halifax, NS), Canadian government regulators, and the International Maritime Organization to gain the adoption of two measures that have substantially reduced the risk of vessel strikes of right whales in their two critical habitats. Similarly on this project, I will act as an advisor and liaison among the diverse array of groups that have an impact on right whale conservation and research.