Arranging Talks

I often give talks and illustrated presentations about my work. Venues have included the Edinburgh Book Festival, United Nations University (Tokyo), Wrexham Science Festival (Wales), The Deep, Scottish Seabird Centre, Edinburgh Zoo, to meetings of Flora and Fauna International, Montreal Zoological Society (Canada), European Cetacean Society, the Holarctic Marine Mammal Conference (Crimea), Trent University (Canada), Ohio State University and Evergreen College (US) and to many school, conservation and other groups, and to whale and wildlife festivals mainly in the UK, US, Canada and Japan.

I usually present an illustrated talk for 35-45 minutes, followed by questions and book signing. General audience topics include:

Orca: The Sociable Whale

Of Ants, Orcas and Creatures of the Deep

The Science of Nature Writing and the Nature of Science Writing

Creatures of the Deep

Packed audience speaking on orcas in Vancouver, Canada, October 2015.

I also give more specialized lectures at international conferences and workshops on:

Marine Protected Areas for Whales and Dolphins

Best Practice Whale Watching and Marine Ecotourism

Establishing & Marketing High Quality Whale Watching

Developing and Using the New Tool of Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) in the World Ocean

and other topics.

Reduced rates are given to conservation groups. For more information, please enquire.

Workshops

I sometimes work alone or collaborate with various colleagues to present hands-on workshops on whale watching, marine ecotourism and marine protected areas. We have presented workshops in Indonesia, Suriname, Japan, Italy, Spain, the US and UK, and at such venues as the IUCN World Conservation Congress, the International Marine Protected Area Congress, and the International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas. For more information, please enquire.

Upcoming & Recent Talks and Presentations

“Developing Important Marine Mammal Areas—IMMAs—in the World Ocean”, High-Level Dialogue and Media Workshop on Common Oceans—Why Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) Are Essential for People and Planet, Nausicaá, Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, 28 June 2018, 10 AM.

“Important Marine Mammal Areas—IMMAs—in the North East Pacific and South East Asian Seas Region”, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia, March 2018.

Atlantic Marine Protected Areas Twinning Workshop, Brussels, Feb. 27-28, 2018

Palau presentations, Bureau of Marine Resources, Koror, Oct. 30-Nov.3, 2017

“Whales and Dolphins Driving Marine Conservation and Science: The Big Picture”, Keynote Talk, International Workshop: Ending the Keeping of Dolphins in Captivity: Guidelines for Decision Making. Barcelona, Spain, 14 September 2017.

“Global Whale Watching 2017: Status and Future” Tonga, April 2017.

“Important Marine Mammal Areas — IMMAs — in the Pacific Islands Region”, Apia, Samoa, March 2017.

“How IMMAs can contribute to Other Effective Conservation Measures (OECM) and Aichi Target 11” Vancouver, BC, Canada, February 2017.

“A Turning Point for Whale Watching: Making Safe Homes for Whales in Iceland”. Whales of Iceland Exhibition, Reykjavík, Iceland, 2nd June 2016, 7.30 pm.

MPAs and IMMAs — Managing Marine Mammal Habitats, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, 26 October 2015

Orca Tour 2015, sponsored by The Whale Trail — various dates in first 2 weeks of October in Northwest US and Canada with talks on orcas, ants, creatures of the deep, with the underlying theme of habitat protection particularly in the marine environment. Dates included:

1. Creatures of the Deep, Saturna Island, British Columbia, Canada, 3 October 2015, 1 PM

2. Orcas: from Stubbs to Iceberg, Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre, Sidney, BC, 6 October, 7.30 PM

3. Whales and Whaling in the Polar Regions: Then and now.....Are whales saved yet? The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA, 9 October, 10 AM (Students only)

4. Orcas: from Stubbs to Iceberg, Olympia, WA, 10 October, 7 PM

5. Orcas: from Stubbs to Iceberg, Tacoma, WA, 11 October, 2 PM

6. Of Ants, Orcas and Creatures of the Deep, Seattle, WA, 13 October, 7 PM

Putting whales and their habitats on the world map: Why We Need the New Tool of ‘Important Marine Mammal Areas’ — IMMAs. Milan Expo. Give Back — Science for WaterEvolution, The Future of the Ocean: Charting Sustainability, Municipality Aquarium of Milan, Milano, Italy, 23 June 2015

Building a Sustainable Brand for Sustainable Whale Watching in Iceland, Húsavík Whale Centre, Húsavík, Iceland, 26 May 2015

Building a Sustainable Brand for Sustainable Whale Watching in Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland, 27 May 2015

Protecting Marine Mammals in the Offshore: Why We Need the New Tool of ‘Important Marine Mammal Areas’ — IMMAs, Keynote talk, MAMBO 2 Conference: ‘Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity Offshore’,

Bangor, Co. Down, Northern Ireland, 19 March 2015

Uncovering Marine Protected Areas and Important Marine Mammal Areas, Wadham College, University of Oxford, 11 February 2015

Talk in Whale Watching Symposium, Cartagena, Colombia, at the Latin American Marine Mammal Conference — 16th RT de Especialistas en Mamíferos Acuáticos de América del Sur, 2 December 2014

Keynote in Cartagena, Colombia, at the Latin American Marine Mammal Conference — 16th RT de Especialistas en Mamíferos Acuáticos de América del Sur, 3 December 2014

Public talk, Adelaide, Australia, on “Of Orcas, Ants and Creatures of the Deep,” 7.30 pm, Stamford Grand, November 10, 2014.

Two talks, IUCN World Parks Congress, Sydney, Australia, “Mapping Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs),” November 14, 15, 2014.

Keynote, International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas 3, Adelaide, Australia, “Marine Mammal Protected Areas (MMPAs): Small, Big, Good, Bad, and Why We Need to Map Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs),” November 9, 2014.

Nine-date “Orca Tour” with The Whale Trail for Northwest US and Canada in May 2014. Talks kicked off as part of an Orca Weekend on Saturna Island with various killer whale researchers in a Q and A and opening talks by Paul Spong and Erich Hoyt. Talks by Erich Hoyt, The Whale Trail’s Donna Sandstrom, with various receptions and other events then moved to Washington State: Port Townsend and Port Angeles, followed by Newport, Oregon. Then the tour travelled to the Bay area for talks in San Francisco, Monterey and Santa Cruz, and then back up to Seattle and Vancouver, for the final talks on the tour. Most talks were sold out. For more information, see the OrcaTour website or contact Donna Sandstrom.

Talking about Whales and Weird Sea Creatures, Whale Fest talk for kids, Planet Whale Conference, Hilton Hotel, Brighton, UK, March 15 and 16, 2014.

Two Talks: Killer Whales in Canada and Russia from “Stubbs” to “Iceberg” and Making Homes for Whales and Dolphins, Winter Killer Whale Festival, Grundarfjörður, Feb. 16-23, 2014.

Talks at Workshop and Conference Event, 3rd International Marine Protected Areas Congress, Marseille, France, 21-25 October 2013: Closed Workshop on Designing Criteria for Important Marine Mammal Areas, 22 October, and Evening Event, 6.30-7.30 pm, 24 October, in Grand Large Room, Ocean+ Evening Event, IMPAC 3 Conference, Marseille.

‘Adventures with Orcas in the North Pacific — from A1 (Stubbs) to Iceberg, the White Russian Bull’, Saturday 8 June 2013, 7-9 pm, sponsored by The Whale Trail, at the Hall at Fauntleroy in West Seattle, Washington, USA, 8 June 2013

Keynote, Marine Protected Areas for Marine Mammals – Global Experiences and Lessons for BC with particular attention to noise issues, WWF Noise Management Workshop, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 6 June 2013

Public Talk, ‘Protecting Special Places for Whales & Dolphins’, Vancouver Aquarium, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 5 June 2013

‘Dolphins Down Under’ and ‘Homes for Whales & Dolphins’ with Mike Bossley, Scottish Seabird Centre, 15 May 2013

‘Protecting the special places where whales and dolphins live: Turning “paper parks” into “oceanic art treasures” worth saving’, European Cetacean Society keynote talk, Setúbal, Portugal, 9 April 2013

Concluding remarks, Marine Protected Areas Workshop, European Cetacean Society, Setúbal, Portugal, 7 April 2013

Killer whales in Canada and Russia from “Stubbs” to “Iceberg”, Winter Killer Whale Festival, Grindafjordur, Feb. 19, 2013

‘Making Homes for Whales & Dolphins’, The Geological Society, London, UK, Dec. 5, 2012

‘Identifying & Protecting the Critical Habitat of Whales & Dolphins’, Whale Fest, Planet Whale Conference, Hilton Hotel, Brighton, UK, Oct. 25, 2012

‘The Secret Lives of Orcas & The People Who Study Them’, SciFest, Dunbar’s Science Festival, Dunbar PS, John Muir Campus, Mar. 10-11, 2012 at 11:00 (Sat) & 12:00 (Sun)

‘Making Homes for Whales & Dolphins’, Dunbar’s Science Festival, Dunbar PS, John Muir Campus, Mar. 10-11, 2012 at 13:45 (Sat) & 14:00 (Sun)

Keynote: ‘Thinking Big, but Not Forgetting Small. The ICMMPA Take Home Vision’, Second International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas, Fort-de-France, Martinique, Nov. 10, 2011

‘River Dolphin Workshop’, Second International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas, Fort-de-France, Martinique, Nov. 9, 2011

‘Homes for Whales & Dolphins Around the World and in the Mediterranean’, IMMRAC 1st Int’l Conference, Israel Cetaceans — Risks & Chances, Ashdod Port Convention Center, Israel, Oct. 26, 2011

Keynote: ‘Whale Watching Worldwide with a View to Management in the Wider Caribbean’, UNEP Caribbean Environment Programme, Workshop on Marine Mammal Watching in the Wider Caribbean Region, Panama City, Panama, Oct. 19-22, 2011

Kava Bowl Ocean Summit, Honolulu, Hawaii, Participant, June 29—July 4, 2011

’Exploring and Disseminating New Tales about Whales’ , The Beautiful Whale Project, New Tales about Whales in Science, Society & Art, United Nations University, Tokyo, 10 Dec. 2010 [see beautifulwhale.com]

Keynote, Global Whale Watch Conference, IFAW, United Nations University, Tokyo, 11 Dec. 2010

Introducing the Whale Watch Blueprint — Japanese version, Global Whale Watch Conference, IFAW, United Nations University, Tokyo, 12 Dec. 2010

Whale watching and the Naturalist Guide, Tokyo Communication Arts, 17 Dec. 2010 (2 lectures)

Whale ‘Talk Show’, Host, Temporary Contemporary Gallery, Tokyo, 18 Dec. 2010

CIESM Panel on Apex Predator Mapping in the Mediterranean, Venice, Italy, 14 May 2010

Keynote and Workshop Talks — Marine Protected Areas and Coastal Zone Management, Paramaribo, Suriname, Sponsored by the Green Heritage Fund Suriname, 25 March 2010

Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative (GOBI) Technical Planning Workshop (IUCN, UNEP-WCMC, BFN), Cambridge, UK, 15-16 January 2010

Keynote, First International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas, Maui, Hawaii, 30 March 2009 (www.icmmpa.org)

Convener, Workshop on Mapping cetacean critical habitat areas and turning them into marine mammal protected areas networks, ICMMPA, Maui, Hawaii, 1 April 2009

IUCN World Conservation Congress, Barcelona, 6-8 October 2008

Launching the Global Marine Protected Areas Campaign with WDCS and Team Russia, Volvo Ocean Race, Alicante, Spain, 9 October 2008

Indonesia: Whale Watch Workshop, July 2008

Whale Photo-ID and Acoustic Workshop, St. George’s School, Edinburgh, Scotland, in prep for Antarctic expedition, December 2007

Marine Protected Areas in the Black & Mediterranean Seas, Dubrovnik, Croatia, 23 October 2007

Marine Mammals and Marine Protected Areas. Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, Honolulu, Hawaii, 2 July 2007

Marine Protected Areas and Cetaceans: Their potential for noise mitigation, Geographic Restrictions Workshop, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, 4-6 June 2007

Living with Orcas in the Russian Far East. A benefit presentation for the Far East Russia Orca Project. 8 May 2007 (7 pm, Tuesday). Futures Room, St George’s School for Girls, Edinburgh.

What is needed to make sustainable whale watching and a good cetacean MPA? Keynote Lecture to the 2nd International Workshop on Management and Non-Lethal Use of Cetaceans, La Pedrera, Uruguay, 19th April 2007

Orca Acoustics Talk with Dr. Olga Filatova (FEROP). Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick, 13th April 2007

The Lives of Kamchatka Orcas - Wrexham Science Festival, Wrexham, Wales, UK - 29th March 2007

Keynote Talk for Marine Protected Areas symposium, GEF Marine Project - Caldera, Chile - 14th November 2006

Marine Protected Areas workshop for ACCOBAMS Scientific Committee - Monaco - 5th November 2006

Whales of the Mediterranean - Spanish, French, Arabic, Greek, German, Italian and English. Erich Hoyt presented the new multi-lingual versions of this 5-part film as part of the Conservation Cinema at the IUCN World Conservation Congress, in Barcelona, 8 October 2008. The film was well attended and received by conservationists from around the world. This translation project was funded by WDCS and Ocean Care, with the goal of providing easy educational access for the films throughout the Mediterranean basin as well as an example of a regional approach which may help as an example for other marine conservation projects in other parts of the world.  Films may be downloaded free for educational use in quicktime and iTunes formats.

Erich Hoyt Whale Video and Talk Series at the Scottish Seabird Centre, North Berwick, 14th and 21st August, and 4th September 2006

The Scottish Seabird Centre hosted a series of 3 Monday-evening talks with video dispatches from the field in 2006. The presentations featured high quality videos from the field, revealing pioneer whale and dolphin research as well as conservation work.

14th August 2006, 7 pm: The Secret Lives of the Russian Orcas...was a chance to see WDCS’s Far East Russia Orca Project in action, which Erich works with off Kamchatka in the Russian Far East, including rare footage of an orca capture caught on video.

21st August 2006, Monday, 7 pm: Tango Whale Watching in Patagonia, Argentina. On the National Day of the Whales in Argentina in Sept. 2005, the most famous tango band from Buenos Aires played for the whales and more than a hundred people at a unique ocean concert. Filmed by Chris Johnson, PBS Voyage of the Odyssey producer-cinematographer.

4th September 2006, Monday, 7 pm: Japanese Whale Watching, Giant Squid and Expo. In August 2005, Erich and Japanese naturalist Kotoe Sasamori gave presentations and led porpoise watches at the World Expo in Nagoya, Japan. In February 2006, he went to the Ogasawara islands where the giant squid was photographed for the first time. This is a chance to explore Japan’s complex relationship with cetaceans.

Besides the talks, WDCS Whale & Dolphin Workshops, 11th, 12th and 14th August were popular, as was the giant inflatable 100-foot blue whale on the beach on 11th August. For more information about future whale and dolphin events, contact the Scottish Seabird Centre, The Harbour, North Berwick, Scotland, www.seabird.org and the WDCS Wildlife Centre, Spey Bay, Scotland, www.wdcs.org.