March 2009 DC visit and Strandings

I am currently on route to Washington DC to attend the “Blue Vision Ocean Summit” coordinated by David Helvarg’s Blue Frontiers. This should be a good dose of “Old Home Week” with up to 500 Ocean Activists and colleagues all meeting to coordinate an ocean strategy for the new and environmentally friendly Obama administration.

In addition to getting to meet with some of our best ocean conservation proponents such as Sylvia Earle and Rep. Sam Farr, we will also have the pleasure to hear from our new head of NOAA – marine biologists and climate solutions evangelist Dr. Jane Lubchenko.

I have arranged to spend a few more days “burning up shoe leather” on The Hill, meeting mostly with representatives on the Natural Resources Committee Energy and Minerals, and Oceans and Wildlife subcommittees. I have also arranged some meetings with the staff of some of the freshmen Senators and Representatives to sound them out on Ocean Noise.

Most of what I will be covering on the ocean noise detail will be focused on the noise hazards of oil and gas seafloor processing equipment. (see: https://ocr.org/sounds/seafloor-fossil-fuel-processing/ )

I want to give my deep and public thanks to community member Scott Leiby for pitching in his frequent flyer miles to make this trip possible!

I will keep all posted on our progress.

Meanwhile, Taryn Kiekow send us a tragic account of yet another melon headed whale stranding in the Philippines. (see: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/151279/news/regions/pcg-romblon-folk-shoo-whales-back-to-sea

Again another 100-200 animals, just weeks after a similar incident involving 200-300 animals in Manila Bay – and yet another recent multi-species stranding in Tasmania.

I am reaching out to scientists in the area to see if the causes of these tragedies can be determined. So far most reports are speculative and ambiguous.

I’ll keep you posted.

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