Learn about how to confidently spot and identify whales. Gain insight on how to safely operate vessels around these amazing creatures. 

This class is for anyone on the bridge crew, in the pilot house, or working on boats and ships.

We've recruited a number of fantastic guests to help present the course materials from these organizations

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Introduction

    • Introducing Your Instructors - Matthew Zimmerman

    • Introducing Your Instructors - Amy Whitt
  • 2

    Basics of Whale Biology

    • What is a Whale

    • Types of Whales

    • Distribution and Habitat

    • Whale Basics

    • Different Behavior Types

    • Behavior Examples

    • Cetacean Vocalization

    • Vocalizations Examples

    • Quiz: Behaviors and Vocalizations
  • 3

    Whale Species and Threats

    • Introduction to Species and Their Threats

    • Meet the Whales

    • Bowhead Whales

    • Quiz: Bowhead Whales

    • Beluga Whales

    • Quiz: Beluga Whales

    • Right Whales

    • Quiz: Right Whales

    • Fin Whales

    • Quiz: Fin Whales

    • Humpback Whales

    • Quiz: Humpback Whales

    • Minke Whales

    • Quiz: Minke Whales

    • Killer Whales

    • Quiz: Killer Whales

    • Blue Whales

    • Quiz: Blue Whales

    • Narwhals

    • Quiz: Narwhals

    • Sperm Whales

    • Quiz: Sperm Whales

    • The Human Threats to Whales

    • Entaglement

    • Shipstrike

    • Pollution & Climate Change

    • Whale Hearing & Noise

    • Quiz: Threats
  • 4

    Spotting and Identifying Whales

    • Visual Cues

    • Other Tools

    • Quiz: Detecting Whales

    • Visual Interference

    • What to Look For

    • Quiz: Identifiying Whales
  • 5

    Whale Protections and Vessel Safety

    • Conservation Measures & Recovery Efforts

    • Why Should We Care?

    • Protecting Against Ship Strikes

    • Quiz: Protecting Whales

    • Guidelines for Vessel Operations

    • Summary of Regulations: US Waters

    • Summary of Regulations: Mediterranean Waters

    • Summary of Regulations: New Zealand Waters

    • Summary of Regulations: Canadian Waters

    • More Information of Regulations

    • Quiz: Vessel Operations
  • 6

    Reporting Observations and Citizen Science

    • The Importance of Whale Sightings

    • What is Citizen Science

    • Highlighting Citizen Science: Whale Alert

    • Highlighting Citizen Science: SeaKeepers

    • Highlighting Citizen Science: ORCA

    • Highlighting Citizen Science: Ocean Wise

    • Highlighting Citizen Science: Yachts For Science

    • Highlighting Citizen Science: The Marine Mammal Advisory Group

    • Reporting Whale Sightings

    • Quiz: The Value of Citizen Science
  • 7

    Expanding Your Impact

    • Your Whale Journey

    • Quiz: What's Next

    • Exit Survey

Your Instructors

Matthew Zimmerman

CEO - FarSounder

Matthew Zimmerman is CEO of FarSounder. He founded the company more than 24 years ago. Since its inception, he has driven the technical development and vision of FarSounder. His focus is on growing the company’s reach and developing an expert design and implementation team capable of translating customer needs into best-in-class commercial products. He has a passion for marine safety and for the sustainability of the ocean ecosystems. With these goals in mind, he leads the FarSounder team in the effort to create safer oceans by enabling FarSounder users to contribute to Citizen Science initiatives including whale conservation, ocean trash mapping, and crowdsourced bathymetry and through participating in the Whale and Vessel Safety Taskforce and in the IHO’s Crowd-Sourced Bathymetry Working Group (CSBWG).

Amy Whitt

CEO, Senior Marine Scientist - Azura

Amy D. Whitt, M.E.M. is Founder and CEO Azura Consulting LLC. She's a senior marine scientist, certified Project Management Professional (PMP)®, and certified Protected Species Observer with over 20 years of professional experience in coastal environmental management, marine conservation and education, and ocean policy. She specializes in marine mammal research, management, and conservation. Her work focuses on minimizing human impacts to marine species and populations. She integrates science and policy to solve environmental issues and has conducted over 150 marine species research and environmental compliance projects across the globe for a variety of clients including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Navy, oil and gas industry, offshore renewable energy industry, and nonprofit organizations.