2002 Archives

12 December 2002

Iceland to resume whaling

Iceland intends to resume whaling by 2006. They made the announcement on the day after being readmitted as a member nation of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) last October. Even though Iceland is now free to hunt whales like Norway, it promised to respect the four-year delay in order to let the dust settle after the controversy over their reinstatement as a member of the IWC. Iceland whalers are unhappy. They would have liked to resume whaling this year. On the other hand, whale-watching tour operators are against the resumption of whaling, which they say threatens their industry. Iceland could recommence scientific whaling before 2006; the Icelandic government has not yet reached a decision on this issue.

The whaling controversy is not new in Iceland. In 1986, it attained a climax when environmental activists sank two whaling boats in Reykjavik harbour. From 1986, the first year of the whaling moratorium, to 1989, Iceland could have hunted 60 whales per year for scientific research purposes, and then all hunting was banned. Iceland left the IWC in 1991. [ENN]

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21 November 2002

No captive cetaceans on Maui (Hawaii)

On November 15, the Maui County Council voted unanimously to ban the exhibit of captive whales and dolphins. The Council stated that cetaceans are intelligent and sensitive marine mammals, and that the presence of wild cetaceans in the waters of the Pacific Ocean surrounding Maui County provides many cultural, spiritual, and economic benefits to the County's residents. They also stated that captive cetaceans have stressful living conditions. This decision had strong public support. The Council received a petition containing 15 000 names along with hundreds of letters asking them to reject the proposition of a delphinarium on Maui and to ban the keeping of marine mammals in captivity. Maui joins the state of South Carolina along with 17 other cities and counties across the U.S. that have banned the display of cetaceans. Hawaii is an area where humpback whales of the Pacific North East converge in winter. These islands are a national marine sanctuary for the humpback whale. Wild spinner, bottlenose, spotted and rough-toothed dolphins live off shore year round, along with pilot whales, false killer whales and other odontocetes. [ENS]

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7 November 2002

U.S. Navy sonar: federal court injunction

On October 31, the U.S. federal court issued an injunction stopping the deployment of the new U.S. Navy sonar system. This sonar system is known as Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active sonar (SURTASS LFA). The U.S. Navy plans to deploy it in 75% of the world’s oceans. It uses very loud, low frequency sound for the long-range detection of submarines, which have become very silent. This sonar has been measured at 140 decibels, 480 km from the source.

Marine mammals depend on sound for essential activities such as foraging, communication and so forth. The sonar system represents a nuisance and even harassment to cetaceans, several species of which are already endangered. Moreover, it is believed that very loud sounds can lead to death. In the Bahamas, in March 2000, whales were found beached following sonar testing by the U.S. Navy. Last September, mass strandings took place in the Canary Islands during NATO military exercises that included acoustic testing. Recently, the deaths of two beaked whales in the Gulf of California were linked to a geophysical survey by the National Science Foundation.

The U.S. Navy had obtained a permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for the SURTASS LFA project. The permit authorized the U.S. Navy to harass, injure and even kill marine mammals. Nonetheless, Judge Elizabeth LaPorte granted the request of the five environmental groups that had instituted the pursuit: the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Humane Society, the League for Coastal Protection, the Cetacean Society International and the Ocean Futures Society. She declared that the NMFS permit violates several laws including the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). The injunction suspends deployment of the system for the duration of the proceedings. [ENS]

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24 October 2002

Iceland joins the IWC

Iceland joined the International Whaling Commission (IWC) at a special meeting that was held in Cambridge, UK, on October 14, by a vote margin of one. Iceland joined with a reservation to the moratorium on commercial whaling. This means that Iceland will be free to legally resume whaling like Norway. Iceland was a member of the IWC up until 1991. At that time it had agreed to be bound by the moratorium on commercial whaling established in 1986.

With Iceland’s membership, the number of member countries favourable to whaling has once again increased. Anti-whaling environmental groups are outraged by this situation. They question the usefulness of the IWC if countries have the option of staying or leaving, respecting or disregarding the moratorium. Some environmentalists allege that IWC decisions are based on politics rather than on whale conservation.

The main goal of the October 14 meeting was to evaluate quotas for the hunting of bowhead whales in the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort seas by aboriginal populations. A consensus was reached: from 2003 to 2006, up to 280 bowhead whales may be landed by these populations. This quota will be subject to re-evaluation as of 2004. At the same meeting, IWC members rejected, by a vote of 19 to 16, with two abstentions, the proposition to allow four Japanese coastal communities the catch of 50 minke whales annually until the Commission finalizes the Revised Management Scheme (RMS).

Following the special meeting, another meeting was held from October 15 to 17 to discuss issues related to the RMS that had remained outstanding since the previous annual meeting. The RMS is the management system that will apply if the moratorium is lifted. Thirty-seven of the 49 member states were represented at the meeting. [IWC, ENS]

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10 October 2002

Labelling errors on whale products sold in Japanese markets

The London based Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) is investigating whale products sold in Japan. This agency recently brought up the issue of the erroneous labelling of three products found in Japanese markets. Two of these products were labelled "minke whale skin from Greenland" while a third was labelled "whale skin from Russia". DNA analysis undertaken by the Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research concluded that an error had indeed occurred at the packaging plant. The "minke whale skin from Greenland" was in fact Dall’s porpoise hunted in Japanese waters, and the "whale skin from Russia" was Antarctic minke whale taken by Japanese whalers. Even though Japanese whaling is technically legal, there is concern that errors in labelling could facilitate overstepping of quotas and poaching of protected cetacean species. The Japanese government insists that its DNA monitoring system, which was designed to eliminate illegal trade, is reliable.

However, according to EIA, widespread illegal trade in cetacean products is still going on in Japan. Of 980 whale products analysed by the Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research, only 24 percent were properly labelled. Nearly 60 percent of the whale products did not identify species, while 9 percent were falsely labelled. Also, according to EIA, large quantities of dolphin and porpoise meat are being fraudulently sold as whale meat. For consumers, this false labelling is all the more serious considering the high levels of contaminants contained in small cetacean meat.

EIA maintains that Japanese hunts of dolphins, porpoises and small whales are contrary to International Whaling Commission recommendations and contradict the principle of sustainable utilization of marine resources. Japan insists that a majority of Japanese support sustainable whaling and want to consume whale meat.[ENS]

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3 October 2002

Whales strand themselves in the Canary Islands

On September 24 and 25, nine beaked whales died as they stranded themselves on the beaches of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote islands in the Canary Islands, Spain. Six others were refloated. These strandings took place during NATO manoeuvres. At least 58 boats, six submarines and 30 aeroplanes participated and acoustic exercises were also carried out. Necropsies will be performed on the whale carcasses. The heads of the whales will be examined to identify possible damage to their auditory systems. It is believed that acoustic exercises damage the auditory systems of whales, rendering them incapable of orienting themselves properly. Whales could even die from the sounds emitted.

The military exercises were suspended at the request of the Canary Islands government. Similar strandings took place in the area in 1991, and every year between 1985 and 1989. In all instances except 1986 and 1987, Vidal Martin of the Society for the Study of the Cetaceans in the Canary Archipelago has documented that naval exercises were taking place at the same time as the strandings. Three other carcasses were found after September 25 and there is the possibility that others will also be found. The government of the Canary Islands will make an official report with the results from the necropsies and will then possibly work on the organisation of a round table to discuss this issue with experts in the field. [ENS, MARMAM]

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19 September 2002

A distemper epidemic decimates European seals

Thousands of seals have been found dead in and around the Wadden Sea on the coast of Denmark, Germany and Holland. The cause is phocine distemper, a morbillivirus related to distemper in dogs. The epidemic has already killed 12 000 seals and there is no indication that it is over yet.

When this virus infects a seal, it attacks its immune system, rendering the animal more vulnerable to other diseases. Ninety percent of the animals have no chance of recovery and die soon after infection.

Two species of seals can be found in the Wadden Sea: the harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) and the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus). The harbour seal is more seriously affected by the virus than the grey seal. The Wadden Sea is an important breeding ground for seals in Northwest Europe. They nurse their pups on the numerous sandbanks left exposed at low tide.

The epidemic began in May in the Kattegat Sea between Denmark and Sweden. In June it had reached the Wadden Sea. In recent weeks dead seals infected by the virus have been found in Norway, Great Britain, Belgium and France.

This is the second epidemic of its kind in the Wadden Sea. In 1988, the distemper virus eradicated nearly two thirds of the seals in this area. At the time the virus was totally new in European seas. It is believed to have originated in Greenland and been introduced to Denmark by migrating seals.

According to the Seal Rehabilitation and Research Centre (SRCC) and WWF, the immune systems of seals from the Wadden Sea were already weakened due to exposure to toxic waste that is present in their environment. [ENS]

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12 September 2002

Keiko: return to the wild

Since 1998, Keiko, the killer whale star of the film "Free Willy", has been involved in a training programme aimed at re-introducing him into the wild. The organization responsible for this project is the Ocean Futures Society. Keiko's "training camp" was situated in Iceland; Keiko belongs to an Icelandic population of killer whales. On July 17 he left his pen for good. His trainers guided him offshore so that he could join a group of wild killer whales. In the weeks that followed he travelled along the coast of Iceland with the group of wild whales. He then headed offshore towards Norway, probably still in the company of wild killer whales. At this point there was no longer visual contact with Keiko, those following him kept track of his movements with the help of a satellite transmitter attached to his body. In early September, six weeks after his return to life in the wild, Keiko ended up alone in a Norwegian fjord near the small village of Halsa. His presence did not go unnoticed. Keiko's fans flocked to him by land and sea. People were continually present in Keiko's environment. Those responsible for Keiko's rehabilitation had to inform those present of the negative impacts of human interaction. Keiko should not be fed. Instead, he should search for food on his own, as he did during the six weeks of his voyage. Also, he should seek out individuals of his own species, rather than humans, in order for his re-integration into the wild to succeed. Due to concerns about his health, blood samples were taken. The number of white blood cells in his bloodstream was a little high, indicating that he had either a benign infection or that he was under a certain amount of stress. Antibiotics were administered. The Ocean Futures Society team determined that he was not in top shape and that it was necessary to give him some food and physical training. He will remain in Norway this winter, however, he will be taken to a more remote area, less frequented by humans, where he will have a better chance of coming into contact with other killer whales. He will be free, but his health will be monitored and his tenders will intervene if necessary. [Oregon Coast Aquarium-Newport]

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15 August 2002

Norway resumes export of whale products

A shipment of minke whale meat and blubber has left Norway and is headed for Iceland a year and a half after the announcement of the resumption of export. This shipment, of eight tonnes, is the first containing whale products to leave Norway in 14 years.

Norway had resumed the commercial hunt of minke whales in 1993 after having officially stated its opposition to the International Whaling Commission's ban on commercial whaling. The CITES Convention (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) prohibits the international trade of endangered species. Norway and Iceland are not bound by this convention with respect to minke whales, as they filed objections to the fact that certain populations of whales are listed in Annex 1 of the Convention, which prohibits international trade. Up until recently, Norway had followed a self-imposed ban on the export of whale products for fear of a backlash of public opinion.

Since 1993, Norway's commercial hunt has only supplied their domestic market with whale meat. Norwegian whalers have put pressure on their government for the resumption of the export of whale products. The Norwegian Seafood Export Council estimates that Norwegian companies have lost 9.8 million Norwegian crowns (CN$ 1.7 million) due to the ban since the resumption of whaling in 1993.

The delay between the announcement by the Norwegian Government in January 2001 and the first shipment of whale products is due to the necessity of completing the genetic catalogue that includes the "signature" of every animal that has been hunted by Norway in recent years. This measure is to ensure the origin of whale products found in the market place and constitutes a form of protection against poaching. [High North Alliance, Whales Online]

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8 August 2002

Mass stranding of pilot whales off Cape Cod

Over 50 pilot whales beached themselves on Chapin Beach in Cape Cod last July 29. Nine of them died, the others returned to deeper water at high tide. Rescue teams from the Cape Cod Stranding Network (affiliated with IFAW) and the New England Aquarium were assisted by hundreds of volunteers, local residents and vacationists, who worked to protect the animals from the heat and kept them humid by pouring water and draping wet towels over them. The next day, July 30, the pilot whales that had been rescued, 46 in all, beached themselves again, this time in Wellfleet Bay a few miles from the site of the previous rescue. Teams of rescuers intervened once again. Even though 15 whales died at the scene, 31 were returned to the water. However, these 31 individuals stranded once again in Wellfleet Bay within a few hours. After assessing the whales' condition, 25 of them were euthanized and the other six died naturally. Necropsies will be performed on the carcasses.

Pilot whales, which are cetaceans in the Delphinidae family, live in extensive family groups. They are well known for their mass strandings. This was the largest stranding of this species on Cape Cod in more than a decade.[ENS]

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25 July 2002

Birth of three belugas in captivity

The month of July was exceptional for two Canadian aquariums. On July 6 and 13 two female belugas from MarineLand in Ontario gave birth to their first babies. Denise’s calf weighed in at 69 kg, while Xena’s weighed 78 kg at birth. Then, on July 20, the Vancouver Aquarium’s Aurora, a 14 year-old female beluga whale, gave birth to a male calf that weighed approximately 55 kg. The Vancouver Aquarium veterinarian, David Huff, has reported that mother and baby are doing well. He noted, however, that the young beluga faces several critical stages in the coming weeks. Public visits of the newborn calf will be controlled during this crucial period. Personnel from MarineLand are also closely monitoring the health of mothers and calves. The death rate for baby whales in captivity is high.

In a telephone interview, the president of the Vancouver Aquarium, Dr. John Nightingale, recalled the birth of the young whale: "… by 2:00 p.m. the calf was visible and the birth took place at 6:40 p.m. It was all wrinkled, like an accordion! The baby made its way immediately to the surface to take its first breath." He was delighted to witness such an event…. from two metres away!

This was not Aurora’s first calf. She gave birth in June of 1995 to Qila, a female beluga that still resides at the Aquarium.

Still unnamed, Aurora’s newborn calf is the fifth beluga born in captivity in Canada. The first was born in Vancouver in 1977, but did not survive. Qila followed in 1995. She was the first beluga conceived and born in captivity in Canada. The two other belugas born at MarineLand in Ontario were also conceived in captivity. [Aquarium de Vancouver, MarineLand]

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18 July 2002

Springer heads home

On July 13, the young, female killer whale known as Springer, or A73, began her return voyage to coastal Canadian waters. She had been discovered seven months earlier in Manchester Basin, Washington. Specialists judged this area perilous for the killer whale due to intense marine activity.

After her ten-hour (750-km) trip aboard a catamaran, the killer whale was escorted to an area off Telegraph Cove, northern Vancouver Island, in a floating pen. The following day she was freed and swam westward where she was spotted following a group of killer whales. Young as she is, biologists hope that she will be able to find an adult female that will take care of her. Fisheries and Oceans Canada is keeping track of Springer. They have installed suction cup transmitter.

The young animal had to show a clean bill of health in order to be re-introduced into her habitat. This was necessary to avoid any form of contagion of the northern killer whale population and to maximize chances that Springer re-integrate her group. A team formed of experts in marine mammal biology, veterinarians and pathologists from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Vancouver Aquarium concluded that the killer whale was in good health. Following several health problems observed in the spring, she has regained her former appetite and vitality. Whether the two-year-old female will be accepted by her family group or not remains to be seen. [ENN]

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11 July 2002

Bombing near right whales

Bombing exercises at sea directed by the U.S. Navy could impede efforts for the protection of the North Atlantic right whale. So says the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The HSUS recently asked federal American authorities that bombing sites be moved outside the feeding grounds of this species.

On June 10, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) discovered the headless carcass of a right whale calf just north of the area designated as a major feeding zone for this highly endangered species. It is believed that this discovery is the result of bombing. The right whale is in a critical situation as numbers for this species total 300 in the North Atlantic. Recent studies have also noted a slight decline in this already reduced population.

Other incidents linked to American military exercises have been noted. Over the course of the winter of 1996 along the coast of Florida and Georgia several right whales were found beached while the Navy was conducting bombing exercises in the area offshore. More recently, in the fall of 2000, several species of whales were found stranded on the beaches of northern Bahamas islands. At the time the Navy was testing very powerful sonar emitters. Studies conducted on six of the carcasses by NOAA Fisheries, an American governmental organization concerned with marine resources, revealed wounds resulting from exposure to powerful sound waves. [ENS]

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27 June 2002

An attempt to reintroduce a killer whale into its family group

Killer whale A73, nicknamed Springer, is a young, two-year-old female, member of one of the groups of killer whales that resides north of Vancouver Island. Its mother died early on in 2001 and she has been separated from her group since. This situation is not normal for this species; killer whales live in very tight-knit family groups. A73 has been alone in Puget Sound, Washington, since January.

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Vancouver Aquarium have put together a plan to rescue this animal. On June 17, A73 was captured and transported by barge to an NMFS pen in Manchester, Washington. A team of specialists conducted a series of medical examinations to evaluate the animal’s fitness. It was suffering from a skin condition and possible digestive problems identified by characteristic "bad breath". She was also infested with parasitic worms. Her condition has since improved. A73 is eating better and appears to be in better shape.

Further testing will be required in order to establish a more precise bill of health. If A73 turns out to be infected by a virus or bacteria that could be transmitted to other killer whales, she may not be reintroduced. If she is found to be healthy, able to endure the trip and judged capable of surviving on her own, A73 will be freed in Canadian waters off Vancouver Island, near where her family group is known to spend the summer. It is not known if the young female will be accepted or rejected by the group.

Last year an attempt was made to return the well-known Keiko to its natural environment. To date, no killer whale has been successfully reintroduced into its family group by humans. The decline of West Coast killer whale populations is what is driving authorities to attempt this reintroduction. [Vancouver Aquarium]

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13 June 2002

Makah grey whale hunt: judgement

An affiliation of environmental associations that had filed a request for an injunction has failed in its attempt to stop the Makah tribe of Washington State from hunting grey whales. A federal judge has rejected their request. The plaintiffs argued that this hunt threatens both the whales and human safety. Although the court is sensitive to their concerns, the rights of the Makah, which are clearly stated in the Neah Bay treaty, outweigh them. The groups involved that disagree with the hunting of grey whales by the Makah, have filed a notice of appeal. [ENS]

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30 May 2002

Whaling: the 54^th annual meeting of the IWC, the status quo persists

The 54^th annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) took place from last May 20 to 24. The ban on commercial whaling was not lifted. As it stands, the Revised Management Scheme for whaling, which has not yet been completed, must be accepted before the Commission will consider lifting the ban. Representatives of the IWC agreed to hold a special meeting next October to continue working on this plan. As for the proposed whale sanctuaries, one in the South Pacific proposed by Australia and New Zealand and the other in the South Atlantic proposed by Brazil, they did not receive the three quarters of votes required for their adoption. Among other points of order on the agenda, Iceland was refused entry into the IWC. This country, which withdrew from the Commission, will continue to assist IWC meetings as an observer. And so the status quo with respect to whaling remains. The next meetings will be held in Berlin, Germany in June of 2003.[IWC]

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16 May 2002

Toxic algae is suspected in the deaths of marine mammals

Dozens of marine mammals were have been found dead on California beaches recently, mostly dolphins and sea lions. Numerous seabirds were also found dead or ill. The suspected cause is an algae that produces domoic acid. This toxin is introduced into the food chain by filter feeders such as mussels. It is then found in fish that are the prey of seabirds and marine mammals.

The California Department of Health Services (CDHS), which is sampling along the coast, has discovered record high levels of domoic acid. The CDHS has issued warnings concerning the consumption of molluscs, certain species of small fish and crabs. So far, there have been no reported cases of human illness. [Environment News Service]

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2 May 2002

Protect marine mammals from human disturbance

In the United States, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is seeking legislation for the protection of marine mammals from human disturbance. Included in their definition of marine mammals are whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and sea-lions.

Numerous inappropriate interactions and observation activities have been reported. A growing number of people attempt to approach the animals, swim with them, touch them or feed them. These types of activities are very tempting for avid marine mammals fans. However, it turns out that they are harmful to the animals, especially in cases where they are searching for food, resting or taking care of their young. These interactions can also be risky for humans.

Situations have been observed where people were chasing whales or dolphins, using their boats in an attempt to have the dolphins "surf" in their wake, or throwing objects to seals and sea-lions to have them pose for a picture. This behaviour results in situations of harassment and can even injure the animals.

An official policy has been issued by the NMFS. Modifications may also be made to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). This act already includes bans on harassing or feeding marine mammals. The NMFS has also issued restrictions concerning the approach of right whales in the North Atlantic and humpback whales near Hawaii and in Alaska. Those responsible for marine mammals at NMFS do encourage people to observe marine mammals in their natural habitat, but to do so in a responsible manner. [Environment News Service]

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18 April 2002

Whale meat : beware of toxic contaminants

The Japanese have launched a campaign to promote the consumption of whale meat. The campaign is targeting young people. Hundreds of people lined up for free samples of whale products distributed in Tokyo’s youth fashion district. The samples included whale stew, deep fried whale meat and blubber recipes. This promotional campaign is a means for the Japanese to stimulate support for the resumption of commercial whaling.

However, Dr. Sharman Stone, Australia’s Parliamentary Secretary for the Antarctic, warns against this campaign. Whale meat contains high levels of toxic contaminants. Whales feed relatively high up in the food chain. Also, these animals live long lives. There is therefore a strong likelihood that they will accumulate and concentrate large quantities of contaminants dumped into the oceans by humans. According to Dr. Roger Payne of the Whale Conservation Institute, the highest concentration of endocrine disrupting compounds ever found in any animal came recently from a minke whale, the very species most hunted and consumed by the Japanese. [Environment News Service]

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4 April 2002

Killer whales heavily protected

Groups of killer whales on the West Coast of North America are being closely monitored by the Canadian and American governments and by various environmental organizations. A series of recent events are cause for concern. First of all, two killer whales became stranded at Dungeness Spit, Washington, on January 2 and 3. One of them, a female, died. The other, a male, was escorted into the Straight of Juan de Fuca after three days of dedicated assistance from rescue teams. It is known to have survived the critical first few days after release.

Two other killer whales, members of the resident population off British Columbia, became separated from their respective family groups over the course of the past few months. L98, a young male killer whale, belongs to group "L", one of the three groups of killer whales that reside off southern of Vancouver Island. This young killer whale was spotted in a remote bay on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. He appears to be in good health and food in the area is abundant. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has put together an action plan to protect the whale in collaboration with the Vancouver Aquarium and the Center for Whale Research based in Washington state. Together they plan to monitor the whale and inform the public of its situation to avoid disturbance by boaters. The southern resident population of killer whales has declined regularly over the past few years. Their numbers have dropped from 99 whales in 1996 to 78 in 2001. Group "L" has been especially affected by this decline. Each individual is therefore very important. The second killer whale to be separated from its group, a young, two-year-old female, is in Puget Sound, Washington. Her number is A73 and she belongs to the "A" group of killer whales that resides in Canadian waters. The National Marine Fisheries Service, along with other groups like the Orca Conservancy and the Earth Island Institute, are discussing plans to re-integrate this killer whale into its family group. Resident killer whales are known to live in very stable matriarchal groups. Individuals rarely, if ever, leave their group, especially if they are young animals. It is difficult to evaluate to what extent these situations are cause for concern for the fragile killer whale populations. Whatever the case may be, these whales are being closely monitored and are heavily protected. [Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Orcacam]

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21 March 2002

Restaurants competing with whales?

Every spring, the waters of coastal British Columbia abound in spawning herring. Canadian seine fishermen head out to sea to capture several tonnes of herring (26 500 tonnes this year) for their roe, or eggs, sold as a choice ingredient in sushi. Yet, herring stocks are low. Consequently, quotas have been reduced in recent years. Also, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada closely monitors landings of herring.

Nonetheless, certain fisheries critics are concerned about the negative effects of the roe fishery on the food sources of certain species of whales, fish and marine birds such as killer whales, salmon and great blue herons. According to these critics, low abundance of such a critical prey species as the herring could compromise the recovery of endangered populations. The importance of herring spawning grounds should be taken into account in management strategies for these species.

The most severe opponents of the roe herring fishery consider that the tonnes of herring landed each year should remain in the water to feed species that depend on them for their survival rather than go to humans for whom this is a non-essential resource. A policy to this effect has been adopted in Washington State. Such a policy is now under consideration in Canada. [Environment News Service]

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7 March 2002

Japan to add sei whales to its whaling programme

Japan has announced that it will add a new species to its North Pacific whaling programme: the sei whale. They have set a quota for 50 sei whales for the 2002 whaling season between June and October. This season's programme already included 100 minke whales, 50 Bryde's whales and 10 sperm whales (resumption of whaling of these last two species began in 2000). The Japanese have killed 246 whales in the Pacific North West over the course of the past two years. They also kill 400 minke whales annually in the Antarctic.

Sei whales have been hunted in the past. The North Pacific population dropped from pre-whaling numbers of 63 000 to present estimates of approximately 14 000. Conservation groups list this species as endangered. Groups that are typically opposed to Japanese whaling are obviously outraged by this project. This announcement comes as members of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) are meeting in Auckland, New Zealand, to discuss possibilities of how to regulate any future whaling. The possible lifting of the ban on commercial whaling will be debated at the 54^th annual meeting of the IWC that will take place in Shimonoseki, Japan, this May. [Environment News Service]

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21 February 2002

Antarctic survey returns

An International Whaling Commission (IWC) research mission has just returned from the Antarctic. Working for the Southern Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research Programme (SOWER), two research vessels spent 60 days in this area of the globe in an attempt to estimate the minke whale population. Unfortunately, weather conditions were poor and did not permit researchers to carry out their survey. They report having lost 80 % of their research time due to poor visibility, wind and snow.

Up until recently, the IWC estimated that there were 760 000 minke whales in the Antarctic Ocean. These numbers stem from ten-year-old estimates. New Zealand scientists believe that there may be as few as 268 000 Antarctic minkes. The area will likely have to be re-surveyed and it could be another three years before the question is cleared up. [Antarctican]

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14 February 2002

New solutions to diminish the number of collisions between ships and manatees

According to a study by Edmund R. Gerstein of Florida Atlantic University, the strategy of reducing boat speed to diminish the risk of collision with manatees may in fact have the opposite effect. It has long been assumed that manatees were able to clearly hear the sound of motors and that they were just too slow and awkward to avoid propellers. However, for short spurts at least, these animals are able to attain speeds of 4.6 metres per second when frightened or surprised.

The work of Gerstein’s team demonstrated that, contrary to what previous studies had suggested, manatees have poor sensitivity in the low frequency ranges. A motor that is turning over slowly emits low-frequency sounds that are difficult for manatees to hear. In fact, by reducing its speed, a boat could actually become inaudible for the animal until it is too close to avoid a collision. As well, a boat that passes slowly in a zone inhabited by manatees will spend more time in the zone, thus increasing the risk of collision.

Given the difficulty associated with spotting these animals in the shallow areas they frequent, and due to their relatively calm and quiet disposition, traditional methods of detection are not very efficient. In order to avoid incidents that are more and more numerous, Gerstein’s team has perfected an acoustic alerting device that projects very low—intensity and highly directional acoustic signals. It can be installed on the bow of a boat and manatees could quickly learn to associate the acoustic signals with boats to avoid collisions.

24 January 2002

Protection of the bowhead whale in Canadian waters

This winter, a conservation strategy for the endangered Eastern Arctic population of the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) will be published. The strategy sets out to improve the population’s status by using an ecosystem approach and focusing on long-term conservation issues. The strategy is a joint effort of the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, the World Wildlife Fund (Canada), and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The short-term conservation objectives are to:

• identify and protect important areas used by bowhead whales;
• establish a long-term monitoring and research program combining both traditional knowledge and science;
• ensure a sound, sustainable and continuing Inuit subsistence harvest of bowhead whales;
• ensure that human activities do not adversely affect bowhead whale populations or their habitat;
• communicate this conservation initiative to the public in Nunavut and beyond.

17 January 2002

Makah whale hunt challenged

Conservation groups have filed a legal challenge against the U.S. government over the killing of grey whales by the Makah tribe off the coast of Washington. Over the summer, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) had broadened grey whale hunting permit conditions. The plaintiffs claim that these conditions increase the threat to grey whales as well as to human safety. They also claim that the government has failed to adequately evaluate the environmental impacts of this hunt. [ENS]

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10 January 2002

Dolphins and tuna: trade embargoes against Mexico and other countries could be lifted

The American Court of International Trade has dismissed a lawsuit brought by the Defenders of Wildlife and other environmental groups against the United States government over the way it implemented its dolphin conservation program in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean. In real terms, these environmental groups were seeking an injunction to stop the United States from lifting embargoes against Mexico and other tuna fishing countries.

According to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), opening up the American market to these tuna exporting countries is a key element for ensuring their co-operation in the International Dolphin Conservation Program (IDCP). Another key element, the softening of conditions allowing "Dolphin Safe" labelling, was not put into place because of another lawsuit where, this time, the court came down in favour of the plaintiffs.

These two decisions by the court mean that all countries that respect the rules of the International Dolphin Protection Program would be able to export tuna to the United States. However, this tuna could not be labelled "Dolphin Safe" unless it was caught without encircling dolphins. [ NMFS]