A Meeting of Minds
Workshop brings scientists together to seek common solutions

Contrary to public perception, not all marine mammal research involves observing animals in the wild. While studying wild animals in their natural environment does provide valuable information for science and conservation, it simply cannot answer many of the pressing research questions about marine mammals. Questions such as how do the food requirements of marine mammals vary by time of year, what are the nutritional benefits of different prey, what are the energetic costs of changing behavior, and what are the physiological consequences of changing their diet cannot be answered from field studies. Thus, many scientists turn to trained animals – such as those cared for in public aquaria or in university research facilities – to study specific aspects of their physiology or behavior.

Whether they are studied in an academic, aquarium, or open-water setting, captive marine mammals make a valuable contribution to science and conservation. However, keeping marine mammals is a difficult and expensive proposition. Their sheer size and their unique set of environmental and social needs present logistical and scientific hurdles that can stretch most research budgets to the breaking point.

To address the common challenges faced by the small community of captive marine mammal researchers, a group of scientists met in September 2007 to compare notes and discuss solutions. The two-day workshop, entitled "Marine Mammals in the Lab: Tools for Conservation and Science", brought together participants from public universities and aquaria, non-profit organizations, and government institutions in Canada, the United States, and Europe.

Common Solutions
“Our goal was to bring together researchers from a variety of aquatic facilities to brainstorm means to make laboratory studies of marine mammals more viable, scientifically valuable, and cost-effective,” says David Rosen of the University of British Columbia (UBC), who co-facilitated the workshop. “We hoped to increase the level of science through increased cooperation and synergy between institutions and researchers.”

Co-sponsored by the Vancouver Aquarium and the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums, the two-day workshop was held at the Vancouver Aquarium and UBC’s Fisheries Centre. In all, twenty-two participants from a variety of backgrounds and interests met to discuss ways to improve the nature of research with marine mammals in the laboratory and to ensure its continuation as a vital scientific resource.

The workshop generated potential solutions to many common issues. By the end of the two days, participants had established a set of specific recommendations that could be immediately implemented to enhance communication and increase the value of their science.

“Our hope is that the tangible plans and goals generated through this workshop will be discussed and become embedded in the way we conduct laboratory science with marine mammals in the future,” says Rosen. “In other words, not just great ideas but concrete actions that increase the scientific value of marine mammals in the laboratory.”

In just 48 hours, the workshop produced an enthusiastic and productive flurry of discussion and planning. The highlights of the workshop are described in the proceedings, but the resultant planning and brainstorming is still evident months later.

12 May 2008

Publication:
Marine Mammals in the Lab: Tools for Conservation and Science. Rosen, D.A.S. and A.W. Trites. 2008. In North Pacific Universities Marine Mammal Research Consortium. Vancouver, BC. pp. 15 pages abstract Twenty-two participants from a variety of backgrounds and interests discussed how to improve the nature of research with marine mammals in the laboratory and ensure its continuation as a vital scientific resource in the future. There was agreement that captive marine mammals represent a valuable scientific asset. Many of the pressing conservation and scientific research questions pertaining to marine mammals cannot be carried out with their wild counterparts. However, studying marine mammals in the laboratory incurs specific financial, scientific, and logistical challenges. The workshop generated potential solutions to many of these issues. Participants expressed the need for greater cooperation and coordination between scientists to optimize the scientific value of research with captive marine mammals, and to minimize the costs of such research. This could be enhanced through scheduled in-person gatherings and web-based portals for listing active and proposed research. Better use must also be made of scientific resources and expertise, and novel sources of revenue have to be generated. There should also be greater sharing of documents relating to experimental design and research permitting. The effectiveness of research will benefit from greater communication between researchers and husbandry staff at institutions holding animals for research. Such efforts should raise the profile (and acceptance) of captive marine mammals science within the scientific community and for program administrators, leading to greater financial and research opportunities. Nine specific recommendations were forwarded that could be immediately implemented to enhance communication and increase the value of captive marine mammal science: 1. Produce a list of research resources (animals, specialized skills and equipment); 2. Create a list of on-going captive marine mammal studies; 3. Produce a list of publications derived from research with captive marine mammals; 4. Develop a set of guidelines for communication, responsibilities, and intellectual ownership for collaborative projects; 5. Implement means for coordination of future studies (both web-based and scheduled workshop/meetings); 6. Design a means for sharing standard Operating Procedures; 7. Hold a workshop to increase statistical rigor and standards in experimental design; 8. Introduce the use of annual survival rates into institutions holding marine mammals; and 9. Heighten the awareness of the value and prevalence of captive studies to the Us Marine Mammal Commission.