Each spring, summer, and fall, hundreds of protected humpback whales come to the waters off of southern New England to feed. However, these whales share their feeding habitat with both recreational and commercial activities and, as a result, are at a high risk of being struck by a vessel.
In a new study published in Marine Mammal Science, Vessel collision injuries on live humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, in the southern Gulf of Maine, the authors reviewed over 200,000 photos of 624 individual humpbacks taken over a nine-year period. They evaluated the proportion of humpback whales bearing injuries consistent with sharp force trauma, such as injuries resulting from propellers. The images showed that almost 15% of those humpbacks had injuries or scarring consistent with one or more vessel strikes. The study’s primary author, Alex Hill, a Project Supervisor at Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), said, “Sadly, this study underestimates the actual number of whales involved in vessel strikes as we could not account for impacts from blunt force trauma or cases where whales died as a result of the strike.”
Hill went on to explain that blunt-force trauma, which can result from the vessel hitting a whale, may not leave a discernible injury, and even in cases where a wound is detectable, it is not always possible to know if it is from the same event, as whales can be struck multiple times.
While NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service has issued guidelines for vessels engaged in whale watching, there are currently no regulations or guidelines specifically devised to reduce the likelihood of collisions for transiting vessels. Regina Asmutis-Silvia, co-author of the study and Executive Director at WDC, notes, “We are using our findings to support the need for the development of operational guidelines applicable to all vessels transiting in the vicinity of whales. We already educate recreational boaters of this very real threat through two outreach projects, See a Spout and Sharing the Seas.”
About Whale and Dolphin Conservation:
WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, is the leading global charity dedicated to the conservation and protection of whales and dolphins. WDC’s vision of a world where every whale and dolphin is safe and free is not a noble gesture, but a necessary goal for a healthy planet on which humans and wildlife can survive and thrive. We defend these remarkable creatures against the many threats they face through campaigns, advising governments, conservation projects, field research and rescue. WDC staff, volunteers and interns conduct research and work to protect whales from the threats they face. Visit www.whales.org to learn more about how you can help as a volunteer, advocate, or donor.
Asmutis-Silvia adds, “We know whales are vital to keeping our oceans and planet healthy. If that’s not enough of an argument to protect them, then perhaps the concerns about human safety resulting from a collision will be.”
For more information, contact: Whale and Dolphin Conservation: Alex Hill, alex.hill@whales.org, Regina Asmutis-Silvia, regina.asmutis-silvia@whales.org, 508-746-2522
– Whale and Dolphin Conservation
