Press release [Dec. 14, 2001C]

For More Information contact Robin Hill, Sr. Public Affairs Coordinator, (770) 761-3035 Barb Zoodsma, Sr. Wildlife Biologist, (912) 262-3336 Diane L. Strickland, GPA Manager of Communications and External Affairs (912) 964-3883
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GEORGIA PORTS AUTHORITY WEIGHS IN TO HELP CONSERVE ENDANGERED RIGHT WHALES
BRUNSWICK, GA (December 14, 2001) -The Georgia Ports Authority recently has increased their role in the fight to help conserve one of the most endangered whales in the world. The Authority has agreed to help sponsor the right whale pager network for the Early Warning System during the 2001-2002 right whale season, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Wildlife Resource Division (WRD).
"GPA's sponsorship of the right whale pager network will greatly assist us in our conservation efforts," stated Barb Zoodsma, Sr. Wildlife Biologist with the WRD Nongame-Endangered Wildlife Section and Chairperson of the Southeast Implementation Team. "The right whale pager network simplifies the transfer of right whale sighting information and allows the rapid dissemination of sighting information to commercial and naval vessels. This is essential if we are to continue in our efforts to mitigate ship collisions with whales. We commend Georgia Ports Authority for taking this proactive step and supporting such a vital element in our conservation efforts."
Right whale sighting data is reported to the U. S. Navy's Fleet Area Control and Surveillance Facility at the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Fla. (FACSFACJax). The FACSFACJax serves as the central location to receive information including date, time latitude, longitude, number of whales and the direction of movement and they assign a sequential reference number to each report. This information is then relayed over twenty-eight cloned alphanumeric pagers that are distributed to network participants including Navy and Coast Guard personnel, harbor pilots, aerial survey team leaders, and local gillnet fishermen. By utilizing the pagers the sighting information is relayed simultaneously to the mariner community almost in real-time.
The pager system has reduced the time and multiple steps needed to widely broadcast right whale sighting information. Other participants in the program include Georgia DNR, Navy, Army Corps of Engineers and Coast Guard crews from Savannah to Ft. Pierce. The program has been in effect since 1993 and has had a good measure of success. In the southeastern United States, there have been no known right whale mortalities as a result of a ship collision since 1996.
"The Authority is a member of the Southeast Implementation Team for recovery of the North Atlantic right whale," stated GPA Manager of Communications and External Affairs Diane L. Strickland. "By working together with conservation organizations, scientists and government agencies, we can make a difference in conserving this magnificent creature."
Survey teams composed of scientists and biologists from the WRD, Wildlife Trust, New England Aquarium, Florida Marine Research Institute and National Marine Fisheries Service scour southern waters from December through March looking for right whale mother-calf pairs. The coastal waters off of Georgia and Florida are the only know breeding calving ground for this endangered species.
For more information about The North Atlantic recovery efforts, access the WRD website at www.georgiawildlife.com , Nongame-Endangered Wildlife Section and look under wildlife management. You can view the latest Northern Right Whale sighting data for the calving season by accessing www.facsfacjax.navy.mil.
Georgian's can support WRD's conservation efforts for right whales and other endangered species by purchasing wildlife license plates for their vehicles. WRD is putting tag dollars to work for wildlife. ###