THE AMERICAN CETACEAN SOCIETY/LOS ANGELES CHAPTER INVITES ALL MEMBERS AND WELCOMES THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO THIS MONTH’S MEETING ON TUES., SEPT. 30, 2003 AT 7:30 P.M. AT THE CABRILLO MARINE AQUARIUM:

"Pinniped/Human Interaction" by Jim Lecky While some pinniped species in the North Pacific are critically endangered and even declining, others, like the Northern elephant seal, the harbor seal and especially the California sea lion, have made dramatic recoveries and are now abundant. These high numbers of certain species are leading to increased interactions with humans, mainly by interference with fisheries and taking over of recreational areas, and to potential increased pressure on some endangered species. NOAA Fisheries implemented a cooperative pinniped research and monitoring program in conjunction with several west coast agencies to study and monitor the effects of the expanding populations. NOAA Fisheries has also been involved in the testing of various non-lethal deterrence methods and their evaluation. Jim Lecky is Assistant Regional Administrator for Protected Resources for the Southwest Region of National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries). He will update us on the extent of the interactions between pinnipeds and humans and will give us a preview of remedies that are being considered. The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is located at 3720 Stephen M. White Drive in San Pedro. ACS/LA general meetings are free and are held on the last Tuesday of the month. For an update on the speaker or information about ACS/LA, call (310) 548-8500, or visit our website at www.acs-la.org Come and meet our speaker in the relaxed surroundings of the Baja Cabana restaurant at our no-host dinner before the meeting. Dinner is at 6 p.m., at 1622 S. Gaffey St. (at 17th St.) in San Pedro. (310) 833-9765.