Newsroom

NOAA Fisheries Service Media Advisory
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Feb. 5, 2010

Media Contact:           Kim Amendola, NOAA                                    
                                   727-403-6533                                      

     NOAA Fisheries Service will host three informational sessions along the central and southwest Florida coasts on Dolphin SMART – a bottlenose dolphin conservation program primarily aimed at dolphin viewing businesses and their customers. This unique recognition and education program identifies responsible viewing practices designed to prevent behavior changes in wild dolphins caused by human interactions, while providing business marketing incentives for participants.  The sessions will include information on how to become a Dolphin SMART participant or Proud Supporter, and how being Dolphin SMART benefits wild dolphins and local businesses that chose to participate. 
 
What:                                          Dolphin SMART Program Informational Sessions
 
Who:                                           Dolphin viewing businesses, other interested businesses and organizations, media, and the general public are encouraged to attend to learn more about the                                                         program benefits and how to participate.
 
Dates and Locations:              Ft. Myers area on Tuesday, February 9, 2010, 7:00-8:30 p.m. EST at Lee County Parks and Recreation Support Services Facility (6490 South Pointe Blvd.,                                                         Fort Myers, FL 33919).  The facility is located half a mile south of College Parkway at the last light before the Cape Coral Bridge.                                               
 
                                                    St. Petersburg area on Wednesday, February 10, 2010, 7:00-8:30 p.m. EST at NOAA Fisheries Service in the Dolphin Conference Room.  The building is                                                         located at:  263 13^th Ave. S, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.
 
                                                    Sarasota area on Thursday, February 11, 2010, 7:00-8:30 p.m. EST at Mote Marine Laboratory’s Ann and Alfred Goldstein Marine Mammal Research and                                                             Rehabilitation Center in the Jean Purcell Hendry Conference Hall.  Mote is located at 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota, FL 34236.
     
Additional Information
    Dolphin SMART participants can be wild dolphin viewing businesses or a Proud Supporters, which is an exciting new addition to help support the program mission.  Proud Supporters are companies or organizations that increase program awareness by educating customers about how they can help protect wild dolphins by booking tours with recognized Dolphin SMART businesses.  Dolphin SMART would like to congratulate its first Proud Supporter, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, as well as some of its newest Proud Supporters, the Society for Ethical Ecotourism of Southwest Florida and Lee County Parks and Recreation. 
Dolphin SMART already exists in Key West, Fla. and Orange Beach, Ala.  Expanding Dolphin SMART to central and southwest Florida is an important step in ensuring healthy populations of wild dolphins in the future.  More information is available at www.dolphinsmart.org.
 
Dolphin SMART Program Contact  
    For more information on Dolphin SMART or the informational sessions, please visit dolphinsmart.org or contact:
 
Jessica Powell
Dolphin SMART Regional Coordinator
727-824-5327
contact@dolphinsmart.org