2009 ETS Sousa Habitat Workshop

Dr. Peter Ross of Simon Fraser University (Canada) and chair of the Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Technical Advisory Working Group (ETSSTAWG) opening the 2009 ETS Sousa Habitat Workshop in Taipei, Taiwan on Monday, 2nd November.

Monday, 2nd November saw the start of the 2009 International Eastern Taiwan Straight Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin Habitat Workshop in Taipei, Taiwan. This workshop follows on two previous international workshops held in 2004 and 2007 and a workshop on critical habitat delineation held at the Society for Marine Mammalogy's 18th Biennial Conference held in Québec City, Canada last month.

A workshop was held on Monday morning after which manuscript meetings and writing sessions followed for the rest of the week. Participants aim to produce a manuscript on important habitat requirements for the critically endangered Taiwan Humpback Dolphins. A press conference will be held on Friday.

A summary of Monday morning's workshop follows:



2009 International Eastern Taiwan Straight Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin Habitat Workshop


Welcome by Robin Winkler of Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association.

Participants introduce themselves.

Opening and introduction to the ETS Sousa by Dr. Peter Ross, chair of the Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Technical Advisory Working Group (ETSSTAWG).

Habitat characteristics of Sousa chinensis in Taiwan by Chou Lien-siang, National Taiwan University.

Investigations on the ETS Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin by John Y. Wang, FormosaCetus Research and Conservation Group.

Land use and sustainable development in Taiwan coastal areas, Chien Lien-kwei, National Taiwan Ocean University.

Update on habitat threats to the Sousa, Kan Chen-yi & John Tsai, Matsu's Fish Conservation Union.

Sousa Conservation Statutes, Liu Chiung-lien, Forestry Bureau.

Fishing regulations in the range of the Sousa, M.C. Wang, Fisheries Bureau.

Wrap up and close by Peter Ross.


The 2009 International Eastern Taiwan Straight Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin Habitat Workshop was sponsored by the Eastern Taiwan Strait Sousa Technical Advisory Working Group (ETSSTAWG) and Wild at Heart Legal Defense Association. In addition, the workshop was co-sponsored and supported by Winkler Partners; Matsu's Fish Conservation Union; FormosaCetus Research and Conservation Group; Fisheries and Oceans Canada; Ocean Park Conservation Foundation, Hong Kong; Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society; and Humane Society International.


Also see:
Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin habitat in Taiwan: Report of an international expert panel convened in Taipei, Nov 2-5 2009

Taiwan's Humpback Dolphins face extinction

SMM Conference, Québec City: Workshop - Critical habitat delineation for critically endangered Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins in Taiwan