We need your testimony. Help tell our story. Think back to the first time you visited an aquarium or marine mammal facility, better yet, the first time you visited MMC, or helped with a rehab or release.  You fell in love with the animals.  You embraced the conservation philosophy and were inspired to share your increased knowledge about the marine environment and conservation issues with your students, family, friends, co-workers and other people.

People who oppose dolphins and other marine mammals living in human care are now attacking marine mammal facilities like Dolphins Plus/Dolphins Cove and even Marine Mammal Conservancy.  They claim that our programs have no educational value, no conservation impact and that the government needs to adopt stricter regulations and oversight. They’ve influenced the United States Congress.  Now the House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife has scheduled an oversight hearing on April 27, 2010, to hear testimony.

Marine Mammal Conservancy, as well as numerous other marine mammal facilities, including the  Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums believe that we not only educate our visitors, volunteers and even staff , we also empower them to share and act on this knowledge for the good of all marine mammals and the environment.

We need your help.  Would you please take a few moments to write about your experience of Marine Mammal Conservancy and the work in which you have seen and/or taken part.  Share how the educational programs and information made a positive difference in your life and those around you.  We are collecting emails and letters to provide to representatives from marine mammal facilities and the AMMPA who will testify at the hearing in less than two weeks!

Due to the short time period, email is preferred.  You may email your letters to us at: sara@marinemammalconservancy.org .  You can also send it via regular mail to attention Congressional Hearing  at Marine Mammal Conservancy, PO Box 1625 Key Largo FL 33037.

OR take the extra step!  We have provided a list of subcommittee members.  Please pick up the phone, outraged telephone calls, the direct human element, can be even more effective.  If you live in the district of one of these members of the House, would you please also write to them directly?  (Many only accept letters from people who live in their district.)

Help us tell our story.

Thank you in advance.

The Marine Mammal Conservancy Board of Directors

House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife: Committee Membership

Madeleine Bordallo (D-GU) [Chair] http://www.house.gov/bordallo/contact.shtml
Dale E. Kildee (D-MI)  http://www.house.gov/kildee/contact_form.shtml
Eni F. H. Faleomavaega (D-AS) faleomavaega@mail.house.gov
Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) http://www.house.gov/pallone/contact.shtml
Gregorio Camacho (Kilili) Sablan (I-MP) kilili@mail.house.gov
Donna M. Christensen (D-VI)  https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
Diana DeGette (D-CO)  http://www.house.gov/formdegette/dcs_zip_auth_v2.shtml
Ron Kind (D-WI)  http://www.kind.house.gov
Lois Capps (D-CA)  http://capps.house.gov/send-an-email.shtml
Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH)  http://forms.house.gov/shea-porter/webform/issue_subscribe.htm
Frank M. Kratovil, Jr. (D-MD)  http://kratovil.house.gov
Pedro Pierluisi (D-PR) http://pierluisi.house.gov/english/contact-us.html
Henry E. Brown, Jr. (R-SC) http://brown.house.gov/Contact/writebrown.html
Don Young (R-AK) https://donyoung.house.gov/Contact/default.aspx
Jeff Flake (R-AZ)  https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
Doug Lamborn (R-CO) http://lamborn.house.gov
Rob Wittman (R-VA) https://forms.house.gov/wittman/IMA/webforms/issue_subscribe.htm
John Fleming (R-LA)  http://fleming.house.gov
Jason Chaffetz (R-UT)  https://forms.house.gov/chaffetz/contact-form.shtml
Bill Cassidy (R-LA) http://cassidy.house.gov

Tours of the National Weather Service office will be conducted throughout the afternoon and presentations will be offered on a variety of topics such as weather, coral reefs, and seagrass. Popular booths last year included a marine touch-tank, face painting, puppet shows, and other kid-friendly activities.  Raffles to benefit Sanctuary Friends Foundation of the Florida Keys, and a special weather balloon launch will round out the day.

Please contact Sara for more information.

Unfortunately, the training courses scheduled for July 24th in Key West have been postponed due to inclement weather!   Rescheduled dates will be posted here as soon as they are available!

Summer Training Schedule:

Date: June 12, 2010
Location: Marine Mammal Conservancy, Key Largo
Time: 9:00AM
Class: Basic Handling, Evaluation & Transport

Date: June 12, 2010
Location: Marine Mammal Conservancy, Key Largo
Time: 12:30PM
Class: Marine Mammal Rescue Equipment & Field Site Set-up

Date: June 12, 2010
Location: Island Dolphin Care, Key Largo
Time: 5:00PM
Class: Marine Mammal Oil Response Guidelines & Chain of Custody Protocols for the MC 252 Event

Date: June 19, 2010
Location: Island Dolphin Care, Key Largo
Time: 10:00AM
Class: Species Identification and Basic Behavior

Date: June 19, 2010
Location: Island Dolphin Care, Key Largo
Time: 12:30PM
Class: First Response and Advanced Assessment

Date: June 26, 2010
Location: Eco-Discovery Center, Key West
Time: 9:30AM
Class: Basic Handling, Evaluation & Transport

Date: June 26, 2010
Location: Eco-Discovery Center, Key West
Time: 1:00PM
Class: Marine Mammal Oil Response Guidelines & Chain of Custody Protocols for the MC 252 Event

Date: July 10, 2010
Location: Eco-Discovery Center, Key West
Time: 9:30AM
Class: Marine Mammal Fish Kitchen, Food Preparation and Sanitary Procedures

Date: July 10, 2010
Location: Eco-Discovery Center, Key West
Time: 12:30PM
Class: First Response and Advanced Assessment

Date: July 17, 2010
Location: Marine Mammal Conservancy, Key Largo
Time: 9:30AM
Class: Marine Mammal Fish Kitchen, Food Preparation and Sanitary Procedures

Date: July 17, 2010
Location: Marine Mammal Conservancy, Key Largo
Time: 12:30PM
Class: First Response and Advanced Assessment

Date: July 24, 2010
Location: Eco-Discovery Center, Key West
Time: 9:30AM
Class: Basic Necropsy Protocols and Sampling Procedures

Date: July 24, 2010
Location: Eco-Discovery Center, Key West
Time: 12:00PM
Class: Identifying Signs of Human Interaction

Date: July 31, 2010
Location: Marine Mammal Conservancy, Key Largo
Time: 9:30AM
Class: Advanced Transport, Techniques & Protocols

Date: July 31, 2010
Location: Marine Mammal Conservancy, Key Largo
Time: 12:00PM
Class: Basic Necropsy Protocols and Sampling Procedures

Course manuals will be given to each participant (where applicable); please bring a pen to take notes and a $5.00 suggested donation to help us cover the cost of printing course materials.  For more information contact info@marinemammalconservancy.org.  We look forward to seeing you!

Directions:

Marine Mammal Conservancy is located at 102200 Overseas Hwy (MM 102) in Key Largo, take the dirt driveway on the north side of the Concrete AT&T Tower.

Island Dolphin Care is located at 150 Lorelane Place, Key Largo, Fl 33037

When coming into Key Largo from the north you will pass the Holiday Inn on your left, MM 100.  Start slowing down, within a block you will come to an intersection with traffic lights. At this intersection, make a left turn across the highway…go one short block and make your first right hand turn…go another block and make your first left hand turn. This puts you on Ocean Bay Drive. Stay on this street for 7 or 8 blocks until you come to a small bridge. GO OVER the bridge…turn right just after the bridge and Island Dolphin Care is on the corner.

If you are arriving from Key West or south of Key Largo, drive North on US 1 to MM99. Just past MM99 you will see flashing yellow lights over the highway. At the flashing lights, turn right on EAST DRIVE. Go to the first stop sign and turn right on OCEAN BAY DRIVE. Island Dolphin Care is located about 1/3 of a mile ahead – on the right – just AFTER the small bridge.

Eco-Discovery Center is located in the Truman Annex at the end of Southard Street in Key West.

Serious and even fatal dolphin injuries from interactions with recreational fishing gear and boats are on the rise. You can help prevent these injuries, and potential damage to your gear, by following these tips designed to protect marine mammals.

1) Never Feed Wild Dolphins – It’s Harmful And Illegal
• Feeding is illegal under the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act.
• Feeding teaches dolphins to beg for food and draws them dangerously close to fishing gear and boat propellers.

2) Reuse Or Share Leftover Bait
• Freeze leftover bait for later or give it to your fishing neighbor.
• Dumping leftover bait may attract dolphins to fishing areas to beg or steal bait and catch.

3) Reel In Your Line If Dolphins Are Near
• Reel in and wait for dolphins to pass to avoid losing your bait or catch and prevent potential harm to dolphins.
• Never cast towards dolphins.

4) Change Locations If Dolphins Show Interest In Bait Or Catch
• Move away from dolphins to avoid unintentionally hooking one and prevent damage to gear or catch.

5) Release Catch Quietly Away From Dolphins When And Where It Is
Possible To Do So Without Violating Any State Or Federal Fishing Laws
Or Regulations.
• Feeding or attempting to feed a marine mammal in the wild is prohibited.

6) Check Gear And Terminal Tackle
• Inspect your gear often to avoid unwanted line breaks – even small amounts of gear in the water can be harmful to wildlife if entangled or ingested.

7) Use Circle And Corrodible Hooks
• Circle hooks may reduce injuries to fish, dolphins, and sea turtles.
• Corrodible hooks (any hook other than stainless steel) eventually dissolve.

Stay At Least 50 Yards Away
• Stay a safe distance from wild dolphins to avoid causing potential harm.
• Maintaining a safe distance helps keep dolphins wild.

9) Recycle Fishing Line
• Place all broken or used fishing line in a Monofilament Fishing Line Recycling Bin.
• If no recycling bins are available, place broken or used fishing line that has been cut into pieces in a lidded trash can.

10) Stash Your Trash
• Littering is illegal and can be harmful to wildlife.
• Collect any trash you’ve left behind and place it in a lidded trash can.
To report feeding or harassment of wild dolphins, call the NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement at: 1-800-853-1964.

To report an injured or entangled dolphin, or other wildlife, call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at: 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).

These “Best Practices” were developed by a team of experts from NOAA’s Fisheries Service, the Chicago Zoological Society, Mote Marine Laboratory, and Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute after interviews with boaters, anglers, and fishing guides. They emphasize current conservation efforts and existing regulations.

Download a pdf handout: Dolphin Friendly Fishing Tips.

Download a pdf brochure: Dolphin Friendly Fishing & Viewing Tips.

Download a pdf brochure in Spanish: Recomendaciones para observer y pescar en amistad con los delfines.

Download a pdf version of the Protect Dolphins brochure.

Brochure courtesy of NOAA Fisheries Office of Protected Resources.

Download the full pdf of Inky the Whale Coloring Book

Source: United States Coast Guard

*Note: This is an introduction course, if taught in full, this would require a full 8 hour day.  (On-line and self study as well as Certification can be obtained by taking an on-line examination)  (College Credit available by taking the on-line course and completing the on-line test along with ICS 200)

Course Description:

• ICS Overview
• Basic Features of ICS
• Incident Commander and Command Staff Functions
• General Staff Functions
• ICS Facilities
• Common Responsibilities

Registration:  To register for this course, please send your name, email, address, and telephone number to: info@marinemammalconservancy.org or call us at (305) 451-4774.

Course Fee:  All MMC courses are free for existing and new volunteers, however a $5.00 donation is suggested to help us cover the cost of course materials.

Please click here to view our upcoming course schedule.

Course Description:

• Introduction
• Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program
• Marine Mammal Protection Act (Title IV) and relevant regulations
• The Animal Welfare Act relevant regulations
• Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service relevant regulations
• Endangered Species Act relevant regulations

Registration:  To register for this course, please send your name, email, address, and telephone number to: info@marinemammalconservancy.org or call us at (305) 451-4774.

Course Fee:  All MMC courses are free for existing and new volunteers, however a $5.00 donation is suggested to help us cover the cost of course materials.

Please click here to view our upcoming course schedule.