Southall Environmental Associates, Inc. We are an international company that delivers science to support conservation management and environmentally-responsible business decisions. Using innovative technologies and proactive collaborations, we are tackling difficult and exciting scientific issues with global implications, such as the effects of sound on marine life and sustainable energy development. Beyond merely obtaining data, we provide information directly to decision-makers, educators, and the general public in compelling and meaningful ways. Learn more about SEA Dr. Brandon Southall has nearly 20 years of field and laboratory experience with marine mammals, as well as translating and applying scientific data on human impacts on these species to improve policy, regulatory, and business decisions. more SOCAL-10 SOCAL-10 is a research project integrated with ongoing studies of basic diving, foraging, social behavior, and sound production of marine mammals in important biological areas near southern California. more MED-09 Expedition An international team of researchers recently completed a six-week biological expedition in the western Mediterranean Sea to measure behavior and responses to sound in cetaceans. more Featured Posts from the SEA Blog | Subscribe May 10, 2010 | NOAA seeks public comment on Arctic Vision and Strategy NOAA has released an important document outlining the strategy for the Arctic and are seeking public comment on the document. The below is from a recent announcement of the document and includes the link and instructions on providing feedback. Read the post. April 14, 2010 | Wave energy rolls on off Oregon... A recent article in the Oregonian regarding upcoming deployments of wave energy buoys off the coast of Oregon. Check out: http://www.oregonlive.com/environment/index.ssf/2010/04/big_buoy_will_help_determine_t.html January 25, 2010 | An Open Letter to Congress Last week, I sent an open letter to Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Congressman Sam Farr (D-CA). The letter is available on the SEA website at: http://www.sea-inc.net/resources/OpenCongressionalLetter_Southall_1_10.pdf. There are many ways to try and inform and be involved in our form of government and the decisions it makes. One of these is by direct communication with our elected officials and my time in Washington taught me to not underestimate the importance and value in this basic right we have as citizens. I sent this letter because I wanted simply to bring the JSOST task force report to the attention of some of our California delegation in Washington D.C. and also to make the basic point that as a nation we should be doing more to integrate listening sensors in the many ocean observing systems being deployed and planned. It was intended as a constructive perspective on potentially productive Congress actions on issues related to marine noise, from someone who until recently was embedded in the thick of the issue within a federal science and management agency in Washington D.C. I am looking forward to the responses from Senator Boxer and Congressman Farr, or any of the other elected officials, federal agency representatives, or scientific leaders that were cc'd. I would also appreciate any comments on the perspectives and recommendations I made in this letter; many of the comments I have received on the SEA blog thusfar have been quite informative and helpful and I am thankful for the growing interest and feedback. ©2009 Southall Environmental Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. All research and images on this website are authorized under one of the following U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service permits: #1121-1900, #14251, #239-1481-00, #0172-1771-00, and #87-1743.