An advocate specializing in whale conservation expressed concerns about the underreporting and undetected incidents of vessel collisions with whales, as the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) launches an investigation into another humpback whale fatality off the coast of British Columbia.
Caitlin Birdsall, the executive director of the Marine Education and Research Society, disclosed that the deceased whale was discovered on November 8 near Lasqueti Island in the Georgia Strait close to the Sunshine Coast. This marks the third confirmed humpback whale death since late September. The deceased whale, a 21-year-old identified as Polyphemus by DFO from photographs, migrates between Hawaii and British Columbia, although the circumstances surrounding its demise remain unclear.
According to Birdsall, the actual extent of whale mortality due to ship strikes is challenging to ascertain as most deceased whales go unreported. However, she noted an uptick in reported incidents over the past few months.
In response, DFO emphasized its commitment to investigating the recent humpback whale fatality, highlighting vessel collisions as a significant threat to humpback whales. The population of humpback whales has been gradually recovering since the cessation of commercial hunting in the 1960s.
Christie McMillan, a DFO researcher conducting whale surveys in the Salish Sea, pointed out that approximately 400 humpback whales may inhabit the region during the autumn months. Contrary to common belief, the peak presence of humpback whales occurs in the fall rather than summer, particularly in the Salish Sea and Strait of Georgia.
McMillan stressed the importance of boaters recognizing the year-round presence of humpback whales in British Columbia waters. The recent spate of whale fatalities in the Strait of Georgia was attributed to the overlapping activities of humans and whales in the area. Polyphemus, a familiar whale in the northern Strait of Georgia, requires further examination through a necropsy to determine the cause of death.
Although the exact cause of Polyphemus’ demise remains unknown, it has been confirmed that the whale was not among the two whales recently struck by vessels in the Strait of Georgia. Additionally, there have been reports of increased vessel strikes involving whales in recent times, with some incidents involving vessels that promptly reported the collisions, potentially due to the presence of passengers on board ensuring accountability.
Birdsall highlighted a critical aspect where whales may not succumb immediately to vessel strikes but may suffer fatal injuries over weeks or months following the initial collision.
