IN THIS ISSUE

Get to Know Our Executive Director, Linda Hunter

Action Alert

Volunteer Spotlight:
Bob & Molly Dinneen

In the News

Wildlife Spotlight:
The Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)

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Join us for FMSA's exclusive whale watching excursions around the Farallones! Our final trip this season will be November 12th. More info: lhitchcock@farallones.org

What's Delphinus? Look for more details coming soon about our next annual Sanctuary-themed art sale. (The scientific name for the Common Dolphin comes from the Latin and Greek words delphis and delphinus. The short-beaked variety is Delphinus delphis, and Delphinus capensis, the long-beaked

OceanFest on October 8th was a great success—lots of sun and people, incredibly delicious food from Chez Panisse, Farallon Restaurant, Zuni Cafe and Greens plus live music, plankton races and fun for kids, Lulu, the leopard shark and much more! Visit our website in next few weeks for photos!

Get to Know Our Executive Director, Linda Hunter

We recently had a chance to sit down for a few minutes with Linda Hunter, and here's what she had to say:

What are your top priorities for FMSA? What do you intend to accomplish?
I want everyone to know that there is this huge underwater national park called the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary just off our shore. It belongs to the citizens, but in order to increase stewardship of these wonderful natural resources, people need to know about them. I hope to engage stewards all over the Bay Area whose watersheds empty into Sanctuary waters. Continued >>

Action Alert: Save Our California Coast!

Support the Boundary Expansion of the Gulf of the Farallones & Cordell Bank Marine Sanctuaries!

Fearing the prospect of oil and gas drilling off the Northern California coast, U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer and Rep. Lynn Woolsey appeared recently in San Francisco with marine scientists and conservationists to promote legislation that would expand the boundaries of two national marine sanctuaries. Continued >>

Volunteer Spotlight: Bob & Molly Dinneen

"Where's the rest of my paper?" Bob demanded as Molly walked into the living room. "What do you mean?" she wondered. He held up that day's San Francisco Chronicle, displaying the big, missing square in the middle. "Who cut this part out?" He pointed to the absent piece of this deepening puzzle. "There was something I needed—right there." Continued >>

In the News

Senator Barbara Boxer and Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey paid FMSA a visit at a recent press conference held right here on the dock just outside our offices! They appeared alongside many marine scientists and conservationists to promote the Boundary Modification Act, a proposed piece of legislation that would expand the boundaries of both the Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries. Continued >>

Wildlife Spotlight: The Humpback Whale (Megagtera Novaeangliae)

Named for the hump in its dorsal fin, the humpback whale's scientific name means "large-winged of New England" and refers to its long, wing-like flippers. Helpful in identifying individuals is each whale's own special pattern of markings found on the underside of its tail flukes, a design set in stark contrast against a body of mostly black or grey; though some flukes are found to be completely dark underneath. Females tend to be larger than males, and full-grown adults observed off our coastal region reach a length of 49-52 feet and an average weight of 35-40 tons! Continued >>