As part of the 2023 “Underwater in Salem Sound” lecture series, Ainsley Smith, marine mammal stranding coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Division, will share her firsthand recap of the gray seal Shoebert and his adventures in Beverly last fall in a hybrid presentation Wednesday, Feb. 15, 6:45-7:45 p.m.
Smith will give an overview of the seals you can find on the North Shore and how the stranding network steps in when they need a helping hand.
To attend in person, register in advance at tinyurl.com/Feb-2023-SSCW-In-Person.
To attend via Zoom, register in advance at tinyurl.com/Feb-2023-Salem-Sound-Zoom.
Smith holds a B.S. in biology from Ithaca College and a master’s degree in environmental management from Duke University. She grew up in western Massachusetts and relocated to the North Shore in 2014.
At NOAA, Smith oversees stranding network partners from Maine through Virginia as they respond to distressed, injured or dead seals, dolphins and whales.
For the past 11 years, Underwater in Salem Sound has been jointly sponsored by Salem Sound Coastwatch and the Abbot Public Library.
In 2023, there will be two additional lectures on March 15 and April 19. All the lectures are free and open to the public. For more information, visit salemsound.org or abbotlibrary.org, email mar@noblenet.org, or call 781-631-1481.
