THE FUTURE IS ROPELESS

It’s the End of the Line for California’s Whale Entanglement Problem

with special guest

Ben Grundy-HawleyCenter for Biological Diversity

Saving whales does not happen in a moment—it happens with a movement.

A whale moving along California’s coast shouldn’t have to navigate a maze of fishing ropes to survive. Yet sharing these waters safely depends on choices people make—from the gear deployed at sea to the policies debated onshore.

The threats are urgent, effective solutions already exist, and upcoming policy decisions offer opportunities for all of us to help. It’s a timely and important moment for Ocean Hoptimism’s first evening dedicated to whales.

For a whale entangled in fishing gear, it’s a fight for survival.

Ropes can restrict movement, cut into flesh, and make feeding or reaching the surface a struggle. Alongside collisions with ships, entanglements are among the most serious threats these animals face. Here along California’s coast, protecting whales also means working through difficult questions about how fishing can continue safely—and how fishers can afford the transition.

That’s where science, innovation, policy, and a movement of people willing to speak up come together.

We’re delighted to welcome Ben Grundy-Hawley, Oceans Campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity.

Ben works to protect whales and other marine species from fishing gear entanglements and vessel strikes, advocating for state and federal laws and regulations that protect ocean wildlife from harmful human activities. He’ll bring that work into the room—and help us find our place in it.

Thankfully, effective solutions already exist.

Pop-up fishing gear—also called on-demand or ropeless gear—keeps trap lines and buoys stowed until fishers retrieve their catch, reducing the deadly maze of ropes in whale habitat. Already used in several U.S. fisheries, it offers enormous promise. But fishing communities navigating tight margins need support to make the transition.

That’s where policy—and all of us—come in. Ben will share two upcoming policy asks we can support to protect whales while keeping fishing communities part of the solution. Whether you’re a longtime ocean advocate or simply curious, you’ll leave knowing how to help.

A movement can grow anywhere people gather—including over a pint.

Join us Thursday, November 19, from 7–8 PM at Faction Brewing in Alameda. Free and open to all.

Bring a friend and your curiosity. Come for the whales, the community, and the craft beer. Leave ready to lend your voice to a safer ocean.