Press Releases

NEW BEDFORD WHALING MUSEUM OFFERS FREE LECTURES ON MAN AND WHALES: CHANGING VIEWS THROUGH TIME

Series Runs February 17 though May 19 at 7:30 p.m. in the Museum Theater

(NEW BEDFORD, MA) – Now in its second year, "Man and Whales: Changing Views Through Time," continues a new format of free public lectures at the Whaling Museum. Presented by experts in their respective fields, the series blends science and history in a then-and-now format as they examine historical and current aspects of a variety of whale and whaling related topics.

Four lectures will be held on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 pm in the Museum Theater, February through May. A reception will be held in the Jacobs Family Gallery before each lecture beginning at 6:30 pm. Admission is free.

On Wednesday, February 17, the series begins with "All Tied Up," presented by Michael Dyer and Charles Mayo. In Yankee whaling, staying connected to the whale you harpooned was critical since that rope linked you to the whale, and ultimately to the success of your hunt. Now the opposite is true. Maximum effort is made to disconnect any lines found attached to whales.

Michael Dyer, Maritime Curator, New Bedford Whaling Museum has devoted a great deal of his research to thoroughly understanding the process of the boat-based whale hunts. Michael will guide through the process of getting fast to, staying with, and bringing to ship's starboard staging, the whales targeted by our ships.

Charles 'Stormy' Mayo, Senior Scientist, Director of the Right Whale Habitat Studies Program at Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies has over two decades of experience in the risky field of whale disentanglement. He will share several experiences of the vital work that he and the staff at PCCS, in conjunction with a variety of agencies and university programs, lead along the East Coast to free whales from the lines that restrict movement and endanger survival.

On March 31, the series continues with "Shipping, Fishing and the Urban Whale, " presented by Amy Knowlton and David Cassoni. As ships went from sail to steam to diesel, and became bigger and faster, the risk of whales being injured or killed by vessel strikes has dramatically increased. Similarly with fishing gear, the switch from natural hemp ropes to long-lasting polypropylene line has resulted in whales becoming injured or killed from entanglements.

Amy Knowlton, Research Scientist at the New England Aquarium, has studied shipping issues and trends, and the impacts to whale populations, for over a decade. She will provide a history of regional shipping, interactions between ships and whales, and the ongoing research, education and politics involved in decreasing whale injuries and death, especially as it relates to the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.

David Cassoni, President of Massachusetts Lobstermen's Association, will tell us about the changes implemented by the lobster industry to lessen the likelihood of whales getting entangled in lobster gear. David will bring samples of the gear and explain their functions.

On April 14, Joseph Rizzi will present "Wave Glider: Expanding our Ability to Listen to Whales." Studying whales is a rewarding but daunting task. Whales may be big; the ocean is bigger and the weather doesn't always cooperate. Providing a complete picture of the animals and the habitat requires collaboration, technology and ingenuity. Joseph Rizzi, Chairman of the Jupiter Foundation, got together in his early retirement with a small group of very talented friends to create programmable, mobile technology for listening to whales. Tonight's presentation is a story about how listening to whales inspired the invention of an elegant device that will not only enable further whale studies, but could become a host-platform for a wide range of previously impossible oceanic applications.

On May 19, "A Case for Oil," presented by George Mock and Peter Tyack, will conclude the Man & Whales series. Blubber was removed from whales, rendered and sold as the oil used for light, heat, tanning and other products. But what about products made from the oil found in the melon of toothed whales? What's its function in the lives of odontocetes, especially the sperm whale?

George Mock, Treasurer and Chairman of the Board, and former President of Nye Lubricants, Inc., successfully guided his company through the transition from natural to synthetic oils. His presentation will focus on the 160 year-old company's use of melon and sperm case oil in its product lines prior to the 1970s.

Peter Tyack, is Senior Scientist, Biology Department and Director of the Marine Mammal Center at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He studies social behavior and acoustic communication in whales and dolphins and will share the results of his research, which has given us a greater understanding of the function and form of the sperm whale's case.

Finally, on May 29, the Whaling Museum is offering a unique opportunity to meet whales. A special cruise is available in partnership with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, with a mid-day departure at Hyannis Whale Watcher Cruises from Barnstable Harbor. Tickets are $75 per person, payable in advance, which includes roundtrip transportation from the museum to Barnstable. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Whaling Museum and WDCS.

All lectures start at 7:30 p.m. in the Museum Theater. A reception at 6:30 p.m. is held in the Jacobs Family Gallery prior to each lecture. Admission to the lectures is free. Reservations for the May 29 whale-watching cruise is payable in advance and seating is limited. Please RSVP to Pam Lowe, 508-997-0046 ext. 100, for the free lectures and/or the ticketed cruise. Man and Whales is sponsored by ECHO (Education through Cultural and Historical Organizations) a program administered by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the world's most comprehensive museum devoted to the global story of whales and whaling. The cornerstone of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the Museum is located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in the heart of the city's historic downtown and is open daily. For a complete calendar of events, visit the Whaling Museum online at www.whalingmuseum.org. Join the Museum's online community at flickr.com www.flickr.com/photos/nbwm, facebook.com http://www.facebook.com/whalingmuseum, Twitter www.twitter.com/whalingmuseum, and blog at www.whalingmuseumblog.org.