Space Coast Surfriders Foundation
Board of Directors Meeting Minutes
Date: September 17, 2025
Time: 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Location: Tiny Turtle
1. Call to Order
Board Chair Nina Hunt called the meeting to order at 6:30 PM.
2. Icebreaker
To kick off the meeting with connection and curiosity, Nina invited attendees to turn to someone nearby and discuss two questions:
- “What’s one small moment this past week that made you feel good?”
- “What’s one ocean creature you’d love to swim with (or already have)?”
3. Guest Speaker Presentation
Speaker: Julie Albert – Program Coordinator, Right Whale Sighting Network
Julie shared a powerful and eye-opening presentation on the status of the North Atlantic Right Whale (NARW) — one of the world’s most critically endangered marine mammals.
She opened by grounding the audience in the most recent data:
- As of 2023, the estimated population is approximately 370 whales
- Fewer than 70 breeding females remain in the population
- Over 85% of all NARWs have entanglement scars from fishing gear
- The species is now on track for functional extinction by 2035 if current trends continue
Julie explained that NARWs migrate south to give birth in the warmer waters off the southeastern U.S. coast, including Florida.
Key Threats to Survival:
- Entanglement in Fishing Gear
- Often fatal or results in chronic injury, starvation, or reduced ability to reproduce
- Mitigation efforts include:
- Reduced breaking strength ropes
- Sinking groundlines
- Innovative ropeless fishing gear
- Seasonal closures in key migration routes
- Vessel Strikes
- A leading cause of mortality, especially in southeastern calving grounds and northeastern feeding areas
- Mitigation includes:
- Shifting commercial shipping lanes away from known migratory paths
- Implementing mandatory and voluntary vessel speed reductions
- Enforcing the 500-yard approach rule,
- Climate Change
- Ocean warming affects the availability and distribution of plankton—the whales' primary food source
- Warming waters are also shifting migratory patterns, leading whales into unprotected areas
What’s Being Done:
- Creation of SMAs (Seasonal Management Areas) and DMAs (Dynamic Management Areas) to protect whales when and where they appear
- Deployment of PAM (Passive Acoustic Monitoring) devices to detect whale presence and trigger dynamic protections
- Research and advocacy for policy change, innovation in fishing technology, and enhanced monitoring
Why This Matters Beyond the Whale:
Julie emphasized that the health of the Right Whale population is deeply connected to climate regulation and oceanic ecosystems:
- Whales play a critical role in supporting phytoplankton, which contribute to:
- Producing over 50% of the world’s oxygen
- Storing 40% of the world’s carbon
- Protecting whales = protecting the climate
How You Can Help:
- If you spot a whale:
- Call 1-888-97-WHALE or 1-877-WHALE-HELP
- Report via the Whale Alert App
- Educate your community
- Advocate for stronger protections and responsible boating practices
- Support organizations involved in marine mammal conservation
Julie closed by reminding attendees that we still have time, but immediate action is critical. The North Atlantic Right Whale’s survival depends on the coordinated effort of conservationists, communities, industry leaders, and individuals alike.
4. Closing Remarks
Nina Hunt thanked all attendees for their participation and engagement. Special thanks were extended to Tiny Turtle for hosting.
Everyone was encouraged to tip their servers generously, hang out, connect, and explore how they can get more involved in upcoming programs and initiatives.
Meeting Adjourned: 8:00 PM
Minutes prepared by:
Brendon Miller
Board Secretary