Ropeless Consortium Annual Meeting

The Ropeless Consortium meeting will be from 8:30am to 5:00pm November 6, 2018 at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, New Bedford MA and will include presentations on available ropeless fishing products, prototypes in development, and testing results from this year, as well as discussion of progress overcoming regulatory challenges, fisheries outreach, establishing experimental fisheries, and funding opportunities and challenges.

There is no fee to attend the meeting, however, registration is required and closes October 26, 2018 or when room capacity is met. Given the nature of the meeting, we expect to reach capacity well before October 26th. The agenda will be drafted with both invited and submitted talks. Those wishing to present should submit abstracts via the link below no later than September 1, 2018.

The Ropeless Meeting will be held the day before the Annual North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium Meeting (separate registration required). Hotel rooms have been blocked at nearby hotels for both meetings.

Code of Conduct

The Ropeless Consortium is dedicated to providing a positive and productive conference experience for all attendees. To that end, we expect meeting attendees to abide by our Code of Conduct.

Videotaping, audiotaping, and photography of and during the Ropeless Consortium Annual Meeting are prohibited.

Press

The Ropeless Consortium meeting is closed to members of the media. While we respect and appreciate the importance of media on right whale issues, many of the presentations are of works in progress that are being shared in confidence among colleagues. It would be detrimental to the study, the researchers, and the whales if the results of work in progress appeared in the media prior to their publication in a scientific journal. The meeting represents a forum for free exchange of information and ideas between fishermen and associations, scientists and conservationists from academia, governments and NGOs. If there were media present, this open discussion would not be possible for some participants. We are willing to provide contact information of experts in the field to the media for direct contact outside the context of this meeting. We appreciate your understanding.

(This Press Release was reprinted in full with sections in bold print as sent to the Fishermen’s Voice.)