Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute

“The officers reviewed a paper copy of the draft 990 two weeks before the report is filed. An electronic copy of the draft report is circulated to the Finance Committee two weeks before the report is filed. The Finance Committee chair forwards any comments or concerns to the Chief Financial Officer. A draft electronic copy is the circulated to all HSWRI board members via e-mail for review one week before the report is filed. Any comments or concerns are forwarded by the CFO to the preparer for any revisions before filing. All these reviews are of the base 990 form and all schedules and other attachments to the report.”

“HSWRI requires all officers, trustees and key employees to annually affirm in writing their understanding and conformance to HSWRIs written conflict of interest policy. This policy requires that all employees report any potential conflicts of interest to the Chief Financial Officer, who is an officer of the organization. Officers and trustees report any potential conflicts to Board Chair who convenes the Executive Committee, which determines whether an actual or perceived conflict exists and steps to mitigate or eliminate the conflict. For employees, this determination is made by the President. All parties to the potential conflict do not participate in the deliberations or decisions on the transaction.”

“HSWRIs board has delegated the determination of the compensation of the President and key employees to the Compensation Committee. The Committees review and recommendation are based upon use of data as to comparable compensation for similarly qualified persons in functionally comparable positions at similarly situated organizations. A contemporaneous record of their discussions and decisions is maintained as part of the corporate record. The Presidents and key employee compensation was last reviewed in 2017. The Presidents last salary increase was in 2020.”

“HSWRIs governing documents, conflict of interest policy and financial statements available to the public upon request to the Chief Financial Officer. Inspection copies are available for in person inspection at HSWRIs main office. Copies are sent upon request to the public via e-mail at no charge or via US mail at the legally allowable charge.”

“OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES 4: ANIMAL BEHAVIORConducted scientific research on 1 grant-funded animal behavior project, using sound to harmonize human and animal interaction. By understanding how marine life uses sound for communication and survival, we can reduce impacts of human-made noise, minimize entanglements, and injuries and use sound to warn marine life of hazards.This year, our team contributed to a collaborative project that presented an analysis of the acoustic repertoires of Icelandic killer whales, examining group-specific calls across five locations from 1985 to 2016. The study identified 91 distinct call categories, with some overlap in calls between regions, particularly in Vestmannaeyjar and Breiafjrur, while certain areas featured unique call categories. The occurrence of specific calls remained relatively stable over a 14-year period but varied year-to-year in correlation with the movement of individuals. The study provides a more comprehensive and updated analysis of the call type repertoire of killer whales in Iceland, expanding on the foundational work of HSWRI scientists from 1988, supporting our commitment to understand the dynamics of animal behavior and communication. The program continued testing low-cost underwater video monitoring and sound data collection systems that will be useful for monitoring the biological community and behavior of animals around human structures in the ocean, including offshore aquaculture structures. Pilot testing near our white seabass net pens in the Agua Hedionda Lagoon, CA were conducted to monitor biodiversity around the structure. This research provides insight into opportunities for low-cost monitoring in areas where wildlife potentially aggregates and interacts around human activity in the ocean. This year, we welcomed a new postdoctoral researcher to our Animal Behavior and Senses Lab, whose research continues to focus on the communication systems of toothed whales. Our team is actively leading projects investigating vocal learning in belugas and how human-made noise impacts their signature signals. In addition, our team is focusing on identifying the specific calls narwhals use to maintain contact with their social groups, with the aim of exploring how these vocalizations might be used for monitoring purposes. In addition, research is underway on mother-calf communication and vocal learning in toothed whales. This research is a critical contribution to our understanding of how these species communicate and respond to environmental changes and individual and population level interactions. OTHER PROGRAM SERVICES 5: EDUCATION AND OUTREACHConducted scientific research on 1 grant-funded education and outreach project, inspiring a love for science. We are committed to creating future citizen advocates for ocean health and marine life by advancing public appreciation for scientific discovery. HSWRI scientists work with students at all levels, committed to a K to Gray lifelong learning approach to inspiring all citizens to be ocean stewards with an appreciation for scientific discovery, targeting Title 1 schools for outreach and presentations. Seabass in the Classroom continued this year with 6 active schools across San Diego, Los Angeles, and Orange counties participating in the raising and releasing of white seabass. Our new Education and Outreach Manager led efforts growing the program, by working to bring this program to Title 1 and minority-serving school districts that often lack robust STEM education programs. Further, we continued our work to inspire hands-on and experiential learning and career development opportunities, with more than 450 students visiting the Carlsbad hatchery and Mission Bay facilities for educational tours and career chats with scientists. Our Institute continues to prioritize paid internship opportunities for college-age students over the summer to provide them with invaluable hands-on experience working alongside our researchers. Student recrui”