Mission Statement

OUR MISSION

•   To facilitate and support research, conservation and stewardship of whales; with a focus on the North Atlantic Right Whale.

OUR VISION

•   Assist by furthering the understanding, conservation and stewardship of whales and their ocean habitat.

•   Bring awareness to the general population of the serious impact man is having on the living conditions of the whale.

•  Support the larger issues through identifying specific areas that are not being funded by other (larger) organizations.

OUR VALUES

•  Be a positive voice for whales and their habitat and be an encouragement to those who share our mission.

•  Conduct all relationships with the utmost integrity, honesty and trustworthiness.

Board of Directors

Bios

Sarah Haney, Chairperson

Co-founder of Canadian Whale Institute in 1997 and currently Chair of the Board of Directors, Sarah is a retired registered nurse and is the proud mother of three children. Her introduction to whales occurred in Patagonia in 1991 where she experienced first hand their incredible connection with humans. She decided then to do whatever she could to preserve their habitat. Upon discovering the dangers faced by the remaining 350 North Atlantic right whales Sarah decided to dedicate her energies and the commitment of CWI to help them from becoming extinct.

Ross Atkinson

In 1984 Ross had a life altering experience while swimming with bottlenose dolphins at the Dolphin Research Center in Florida. This was followed by an introduction to whales through his meeting Roger Payne, a leading scientist and author. Inspired to continue preserving for others what Ross experienced personally, he was one of the original members who established CWI. Ross enjoys spending as much time as he can with his two children.

Debbe Crandall

Debbe had a once-in-a-lifetime experience in 1991 interacting with the southern right whale while visiting their winter habitat in Patagonia. Debbe was involved in the start-up of the CWI and has served as a member of the board since its inception. Currently Debbe is a Masters of Environmental Studies candidate in the Faculty of Environmental Studies, University of Waterloo and is Executive Director of Save the Oak Ridges Moraine Coalition, based in Caledon, Ontario.

Alan Calderwood

Born in Scotland, Alan spent some time in the British Merchant Navy where he first developed his passion for the oceans. In 1967 he immigrated to Toronto, where he recently retired from working with the City of Toronto. Alan has been a member of the Board since its inception and has assisted scientists on location while they are conducting their research.

Robert Sherrington

His attachment to the whales came as a teenager while working offshore. His first introduction to CWI was in 1988 when he took part in a fundraiser for the organization, which involved an 11-day mountaineering hike on Baffin Island. Since then Rob has kept close ties to the organization, attended CWI golf tournaments and was thrilled to have been given the opportunity to join the Board in 2006. His commitment to preserve the whales is now fuelled by wanting both his sons to experience the majestic power of these wonderful creatures in their natural habitat.

Paula Curtis, Executive Director

The initial connection to whales occurred in 1990 when her young daughter wanted to ‘help save whales’. She had learned at school they were in trouble, so together they wrote a fundraiser letter to family and friends. This led Paula to an introduction with the founding members of CWI when her daughter presented her donation. Initially, Paula served as a volunteer philanthropy consultant until 2006 when she became CWI’s first part-time staff person. Paula has served as a philanthropy professional for over 20 years in the areas of university, healthcare and Christian organizations. She is married with four children and a granddaughter.

Moira Brown, Ph.D, Senior Scientist

Moira is the senior scientist for the CWI and a senior scientist in the Edgerton Research Laboratory at the New England Aquarium (Boston, MA). She is co-chair of the Canadian North Atlantic Right Whale Implementation Team. Her research interests include population biology and demographic studies of right whales in Canadian waters since 1985 and Cape Cod Bay since 1997 and genetic studies since 1988. Her conservation work is focused on the issue of right whales and ship collisions in Canadian waters. She is the co-chair of the Canadian Vessel/Whale working group and was instrumental in working with industry and government regulators to gain approval of an amendment to the Bay of Fundy shipping lanes by the International Maritime Organization. This achievement was recognized with a Gulf of Maine Visionary Award, 2002, a Canadian Environment Award, 2003 and a lifetime achievement award from the International Fund for Animal Welfare in 2006. Her conservation work continues to be focused on the human-related threats faced by right whales in Canadian waters and the identification of conservation measures to reduce the effect of human activities on their numbers. She received a Bachelor of Education in Physical Education and Bachelor of Science from McGill University, Montreal, Quebec and a Ph.D. from the University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario.

Peter Croal, Director-at-Large

Peter Croal has close to 30 years of poverty reduction development experience. During this time he has worked as a geologist and environmental specialist in Canada where he assisted First Nations in their economic development and environmental sustainability. Since 1993 Peter has been working with the Canadian International Development Agency where he develops programs for CIDA, in conjunction with developing countries, on the integration of environmental sustainability criteria into poverty reduction programs. Peter has a broad range of exposure to development culture as he has travelled to over 30 developing countries, lived in Namibia for 2 years and has worked in the private sector, federal government, NGO (as employee and director) and is also advising the City of Ottawa on their environmental activities. He also advises international organizations such as the OECD, World Bank and UNEP. Peter first got involved with whales when Sarah Haney was involved with the Boston group back in 1997. The passion and concern for whales was infectious. Since his career is so focused on environmental issues, Peter is constantly confronted with the abuses that we inflict on the world and in his own way wants to help.

Peter Turner, Director at Large

Peter has been employed on passenger ships, tankers, cargo ships, and supply vessels in most areas of the world while serving in the Merchant Navy. He has held command and is the holder of an Unlimited Master Mariners Certificate of Competency. He has served as Harbour Master in Prince Rupert and in Saint John, NB. Dr. Moira Brown stimulated his interest in the protection of the North Atlantic right whale during consultations on the amendment to the Bay of Fundy shipping lanes. In his current employment as a consultant in marine transportation, he has been involved in a number of projects where the protection of the right whale has been of interest to the proponents. Captain Turner is the National Master of the Company of Master Mariners of Canada, and a member of the Nautical Institute. Peter Turner was pleased to accept CWI's offer to join the Board as a Director-at-Large in 2005.
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Scientists are making a difference…

Dr. Moira Brown was instrumental in getting government, the shipping industry and scientists to the table to address the issue of ship strikes and right whale mortality. From this five-year effort, Dr. Brown defied the odds and encouraged the shipping industry to change their lanes in the Bay of Fundy to accommodate marine mammals. The lanes were rerouted in July 2003 around an area the whales typically congregate. This was the first time in the history of the International Marine Organization that they adopted amended shipping lanes to avoid a marine species. However, Dr. Brown said there hasn’t been a substantial conservation action since that, that has had the impact of moving the shipping lanes in the Bay of Fundy. With the high level of ship strikes over the past two years, she’s anxious to see measures implemented more quickly. Optimistically, she hopes to see action in the U.S. in 2007 or 2008. Dr. Brown is often perched on the bow of a research vessel, using her trademark crossbow to retrieve skin samples to obtain critical genetic information. She's compiled a comprehensive databank of individual whales - the best profile of any endangered species yet. "We are creating a model that could be used for conservation and recovery of any endangered species", she says. "We’re showing that people of varying interests can work together to create solutions." CWI has supported a number of different research projects and conservation efforts. In collaboration with the New England Aquarium, and the Natural Resources, DNA Profiling and Forensic Centre at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario, graduate students have been studying right whale genetics since 1988.

CWI New Initiatives

• 1. A stewardship project with Transport Canada (Marine Safety), Department of Fisheries and Oceans (Oceans and Coastal Management Division, Species and Risk Office, Canadian Hydrographic Service and the Coast Guard) and marine stakeholders (shipping and fishing industries) to investigate more protection for right whales on the Roseway Basin through the designation of an 'Area to Be Avoided' through the International Maritime Organization.
• 2. A research and stewardship project to survey the area south of the Gaspé Peninsula in the mouth of the Baie de Chaleur to determine is this is a third right whale habitat in Canadian waters.
• 3. An education-oriented development of a bilingual Canadian right whale web site.

Why give to us?

Here are just a few of the initiatives that the CWI is involved:

• 1. A stewardship project with Transport Canada (Marine Safety), Department of Fisheries and Oceans (Oceans and Coastal Management Division, Species and Risk Office, Canadian Hydrographic Service and the Coast Guard) and marine stakeholders (shipping and fishing industries) to investigate more protection for right whales on the Roseway Basin through the designation of an 'Area to Be Avoided' through the International Maritime Organization.
• 2. A research and stewardship project to survey the area south of the Gaspé Peninsula in the mouth of the Baie de Chaleur to determine if this is a third right whale habitat in Canadian waters.
• 3. An education-oriented development of a bilingual Canadian right whale web site.