Discover the challenges of a mammal that plays an essential role in the marine environment
02/03/2019 - AMA
What is the real impact of human activities on marine mammals? How can we protect whales both in the Argentinian sea and in the international waters?
If you want to know the answer to these questions, come to the conference organized by AMA! It will take place on the 26thof March at Monaco’s Yacht Club. An Argentinian expert in sea mammals will be there to talk about right whales, their current situation and the challenges they face daily.
The entry is free of charge! Everyone is welcome.
A few words about the conference
The conference will take place in three different stages. First of all, a 20-minute short film will be shown. After that, the Dr. Enrique Alberto Crespo, a specialist of the interactions between marine mammals and human activities, will give a speech. Dr. Crespo is a researcher at the Scientific Technological Center of Patagonia (CENPAT) and he has been working there for almost 40 years. Furthermore, he was appointed as main researcher at the most prestigious scientific institution in Argentina, the National Council for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICET). It is the first time in CENPAT’s history that one of its members has reached such a category, and he was not chosen for no apparent reason: Dr. Crespo has published more than 85 scientific articles throughout his career. Indeed, he is a renowned personality in his field – this is a must-see event!
Last but not least, we have planned some discussions in which various Mediterranean association will take part. As an example, the association “Souffleurs d’Écume”, whose main goal is to defend the preservation of Mediterranean cetaceans, will be there.
The southern right whale: what are its distinctive features?
Why did we decide to focus on the southern right whale? Here are some alarming facts:
Historically, the right whales were the most sought-after species by whale hunters because of their high content in fat, which made them float on water. This phenomenon first developed in the Northern Hemisphere and it was not until the 17thcentury, 11 centuries later, that they started to be hunted in the Southern Hemisphere, where the southern right whale lives.
Today, the right whales that spend their reproduction season in the Valdés peninsula (Argentina) are subjected to the highest mortality rate that has ever been registered for this species. Since 2003, 605 whales have died on the Argentinian coast, 538 of whom were calves.
Moreover, once the reproduction season is over, right whales go back to the open sea, where they are confronted to a high number of dangers related to human activities such as fishing, oil transportation or industrial activities. Thus, this problem not only concerns Argentina, but also the international community of States and the issue of the international waters’ regulation.