2003 Archives

18 December 2003

Keiko Dies

A little more than a year after being set free, Keiko–star of the film "Free Willy"–died in the evening on Friday, December 12 to the surprise of his trainers and caretakers. They report that up until 24 hours before his death, Keiko was doing well and going about his usual routine. It was only last Thursday that he started showing signs of lethargy and loss of appetite. His behaviour was abnormal and his breathing rate had changed. Dr. Lanny Cornell, the veterinarian in charge of Keiko, affirms that the orca definitely succumbed to acute pneumonia. However he points out that Keiko was 27 years old, which is quite old for a captive orca. Orcas live an average of 35 years in the wild.

Keiko, which signifies "the lucky one" in Japanese, was captured in Icelandic waters in 1979 and sold to the water park industry. The success of the film "Free Willy" in the early 1990s stimulated a wave of sympathy for the orca that was in captivity in a water park in Mexico. In 1996, Willy’s destiny became Keiko’s destiny. The Ocean Futures Society initiated a very costly world première: the freeing of an orca. From 1996 to 2002 Keiko was rehabilitated and trained first in Newport, Oregon and then in an open-ocean pen in Iceland to be later returned to the wild. In July of 2002, he left his pen and joined up and travelled with a group of wild orcas for a few weeks. Less than two months later, he was found alone in a Norwegian fjord more than 1000 km from his Icelandic pen. He was seeking human contact. Since then, Keiko has lived in Taknes Fjord in Norway where a team of specialists has been taking care of him. Keiko’s story raises questions about the feasibility of this type of operation.

Keiko’s support team had hoped that one day the orca would reunite with other orcas and return once and for all to the wild. The whale’s carcass was buried near the bay where he had attracted thousands of curious visitors from the four corners of the world. There was a private ceremony that included only Keiko’s support team. [HSUS, CNN, BBC]

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On The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) site:

11 December 2003

Use of Driftnets Now Banned in Mediterranean

During its most recent meeting in Dublin, Ireland, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) adopted a complete ban on the use of driftnets in the Mediterranean. The European Union (EU) had already adopted a similar ban in 2002, however non-member countries were not obliged to comply. As of now, all Mediterranean countries that are members of the ICCAT must respect the ban. This decision is based on results of a report from Swiss-based WWF which stated that several thousand dolphins and other vulnerable species were being killed each year in driftnets in the Mediterranean.

According to the study, the Moroccan driftnet fleet of 177 boats is the most lethal. While fishing for swordfish these boats accidentally capture between 3000 and 4000 dolphins every year. Striped dolphins and short-beaked common dolphins are most often caught. According to estimates, a further 13 000 dolphins are caught around the Straight of Gibraltar and neighbouring zones. As well as dolphins, these nets also kill 100 000 blue sharks, shortfin mako sharks and thresher sharks along with a good number of loggerhead turtles. Along with Morocco, both Italy and Turkey still possess fleets of 100 driftnet fishing boats each, while France has a fleet of 75.

Driftnets are several kilometres in length and, as their name suggests, they drift along with the currents. They are held near the surface or in intermediate layers of the water column by buoys attached to the upper line of the net and weights attached along the lower line. Several industrialized countries have banned this type of fishing gear due to the devastating effect it has on marine fauna. Bycatch in these nets represents a major threat to several species of marine mammals world-wide. According to a study published last June, nearly 310 000 cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) and nearly 350 000 pinnipeds (seals and sea lions) die in fishing gear every year world-wide.

The WWF is very pleased with this decision. It has determined that driftnet fishing is a non-renewable activity that threatens several populations of dolphins, sharks and sea turtles in the Mediterranean. The WWF emphasizes that measures should be taken by authorities to help Mediterranean fishermen adopt less destructive alternative fishing methods. [WWF]

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On Whales Online:

27 November 2003

A New Species of Rorqual Whale?

Japanese researchers published an article in the journal Nature last November 20 describing a new species of rorqual whale that they have named Balaenoptera omurai in honour of Japanese researcher Dr. Hideo Omura. Their discovery is based on eight specimens that were hunted in the eastern Indian Ocean and the Solomon Sea in the 1970s–when the ban on commercial whaling was not yet in place–and on a carcass found on the shores of an island off Japan in 1998.

At first sight, these nine carcasses resemble small fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus). They possess the asymmetrical coloration of the lower jaw typical of fin whales; the left side of the jaw is visibly darker than the right side. Also, pectoral fin and tail fin coloration is similar to that of fin whales. However, a more in-depth analysis of the anatomy and genetics of these nine specimens have enabled Japanese researchers to group them into a new species. They are essentially smaller than fin whales–12 metres compared to 20 metres for fin whales. They have on average 200 baleen plates per side, which is the smallest number of baleen plates of all rorqual whales, and their skulls possess unique characteristics. Finally, the analysis of the mitochondrial DNA of the different species of rorqual whales shows them to be distinct. These same analyses also allowed Japanese researchers to separate an existing species in two: Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera edeni) become either Eden’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni) or Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera brydei). This brings the total number of rorqual whales to eight.

Certain researchers who believe that more rigorous analyses should be carried out before defining the nine specimens as a new species are criticizing this discovery. Others believe that to too finely split species dilutes and harms conservation efforts. Finally, the debate over scientific whaling is once again raging. Some researchers state that it contributes to science, while others believe that it could imperil the survival of endangered species. All populations of rorqual whales underwent intensive hunting in the XIX and XX centuries. This hunting decimated several populations, including the North Atlantic blue whale population, which is still having trouble making a comeback. Could Omura’s whale be one of these species that went unnoticed among the thousands of whales that were hunted? Or could it be a species that, due to its life style, managed to avoid the whalers’ harpoons? [Nature, BBC, ENN]

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Shiro et al, A newly discovered species of living baleen whale, Nature, Vol. 426, 20 November 2003, p. 278-281.

20 November 2003

The United States Senate Exempts the Defense Department from Two Environmental Laws

The Bush administration has finally won its case. The Senate has authorized the American Defense Department’s exemption from two environmental laws: the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The MMPA is the American law that protects marine mammals in U.S. and international waters from all activity that could harm them.

This decision comes exactly one year after the U.S. Supreme Court came down with an injunction to stop the American Navy’s deployment of low frequency active sonar (LFA) in the world’s oceans. The judge who made the ruling was aware of the damage this type of system could inflict on marine mammals. Last August the same judge ordered the U.S. Navy to negotiate the use of this sonar with environmental organizations. One month later the two parties had come to an agreement to limit their use to Asia’s East Coast.

This agreement has now been compromised by the Senate decision. The new legislation accepted by the Senate gives the U.S. Navy the right to test and use, in American waters and in all oceans of the planet, any technology that defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld deems necessary for the training of U.S. troop. This includes low frequency sonar. Thus, the exemption from the MMPA allows the U.S. Navy to use sonar practically everywhere. This decision comes one month after a study published in Nature magazine linked several mass strandings of cetaceans to the use of low frequency sonar.

One of the main plaintiffs in the controversy surrounding the use of this type of sonar, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), deplores the Senate decision and affirms that this decision compromises existing marine mammal and endangered species protection in the U.S. under these two laws. This weakening of environmental laws will facilitate the authorization of certain scientific studies, such as oceanographic studies that make use of powerful sound emitting devices. These studies are mostly used for oil and gas exploration in the marine environment. [Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Nature]

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On Seattle Post-Intelligencer site:

6 November 2003

Orca Captured in Russian Waters: A Sad Success Story

On September 26, 2003, a Russian team from the Utrish Aquarium captured an orca (killer whale) in Far Eastern Russia, a first for this country. The capture technique consisted of encircling a family group of orcas using seine nets. Unfortunately, a young orca died during the operation when it became trapped in the nets. On October 5, the animal that was successfully captured, a young female less than five meters in length, was transported to a facility owned by the Utrish Aquarium near the Black Sea. She died less than a month after her capture.

For three years, Russian authorities have been issuing permits for the capture of orcas in their waters to various organizations and individuals. Ten permits were issued this year, each permit allowed for the capture of one orca. Up until recently, no attempt had been successful. The death of the young orca during the operation and that of the female in the first days of captivity have raised concerns about the methods being used–encircling using seine nets–and conditions in captivity. Since 1961, 135 orcas have been removed from their natural environment in different parts of the world. Of these 135 animals, 110 have died, on average within six years of their capture. Presently, 49 orcas are living in captivity in 12 marine parks in five countries. This trade is as lucrative as it is controversial: a wild orca is worth nearly US$1 million!

Conservation groups and researchers are very concerned about the impacts this type of activity could have on local orca populations. Orcas that live in Russian waters are not very well known. Those living in Far Eastern Russia have only been studied since 1999. Up until now, 150 orcas have been photo-identified by the Far East Russia Orca Project (FEROP). Researchers do not yet know if the captured female was already on file. The last capture of an orca took place in Japan in 1997. At the time, the operation raised such a wave of protest that Japan was forced to abandon the deal. Researchers working for FEROP and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, which partially finances FEROP, fear that the isolated waters of Far East Russia may become an area where capturing orcas becomes even easier. [WDCS]

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On Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) site:

30 October 2003

Japan Refuses to Import Icelandic Products

At the end of its first whaling season in 14 years Iceland is already facing serious problems financing its scientific whaling programme through the sale of whale products. To begin with, the meat has not solicited much more than a lukewarm response from local consumers. Also, according to a confidential Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) source, Japan has refused to import Icelandic whale products. Trade in whale products was planned, despite the restrictive rules of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Japan is having trouble selling thousands of tonnes of whale meat and blubber from its own scientific whaling programmes to Japanese consumers. Although these products were valued in the past, sales and prices have been falling steadily in recent years. Changes in consumer preferences and growing concerns about contaminants in whale meat are at the root of this decline. As a matter of fact, PCB levels measured in minke whale blubber last May, had already extinguished any hope Norwegian whalers may have had of selling their thousands of tonnes of this product to the Japanese.

Various analyses carried out by different researchers on meat samples from both Japanese and Norwegian markets have revealed that these products contain alarming levels of contaminants. Powerful toxic contaminants–such as PCBs, DDT and other pesticides, along with heavy metals such as mercury–have been measured in concentrations that exceed acceptable limits for human consumption. The disastrous effects of these products on human health are well documented: nerve damage, developmental disorders, reproductive disorders, immune system suppression, cancer, etc. Moreover, several countries that consume whale and marine mammal products recommend that pregnant and nursing women refrain from consuming, or reduce consumption of, these products.

After six weeks of whaling in the Northeast Atlantic, Iceland harpooned 36 minke whales, of a quota of 38. Difficulties faced by Iceland in selling its products will likely compromise planned expansion of its whaling programme in coming years and limit plans to extend its programme to include species such as fin whales and sei whales. [WDCS, HSUS, IFAW]

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On WDCS site:

23 October 2003

A Right Whale Dies from a Ship Collision in the Bay of Fundy

A North Atlantic right whale was found dead approximately 40 km off Digby, Nova Scotia last October 2 by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) during a routine patrol. The carcass was then towed to shore by a team from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), the Cape Cod Stranding Network, the New England Aquarium and DFO, with the help of a local fishing vessel.

A post-mortem examination, performed by the Atlantic Veterinary College of Prince Edward Island and East Coast Ecosystems, revealed that the animal had died one to two weeks earlier after a collision with a ship. Several bones in the skull were fractured. The whale was a 13.5-m long female known under the code name #2150. She had been identified for the first time in 1991 and had given birth to her first and only calf in 2001.

Ship strikes are the cause of 50 percent of deaths–excluding new-borns–of this species that is threatened with extinction. Less than 325 North Atlantic right whales remain. In an attempt to reduce the extent of this problem, shipping lanes in the Bay of Fundy were moved last July as the result of a concerted effort between Transport Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, International Maritime Organization along with several conservation groups and industries that use the shipping lanes.

The analysis of the drift of the carcass will allow researchers to determine the place where the accident took place. This information could be used to adjust measures for the protection of this species in the Bay of Fundy area. The premature death of breeding females seriously compromises the species chances of recovery. [Canadian Press]

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Toronto Star site:

16 October 2003

U.S. Navy Sonar: will its use be restricted?

On the heels of a court judgement in favour of environmental groups, the U.S. Navy has finally come to an agreement with these groups to limit the use of its LFA (Low Frequency Active) sonar to Asia’s eastern seaboard. This sonar system, created to detect modern submarines, was to be deployed in over 75 percent of the world's oceans. Now, in addition to this limited zone, the U.S. Navy must also respect coastal exclusions ranging from 30 to 60 nautical miles and seasonal limits to protect certain species during their migration.

This agreement comes as the Pentagon is lobbying Congress for exemptions to certain provisions of the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act. These exemptions would allow the U.S. Navy to use low frequency sonar virtually anywhere. They could also lead to expanded seismic exploration–a geophysical data acquisition system based on the emission of powerful sounds–used, among other things, for oil and gas exploration. At the same time, Republicans are working on legislation to replace a federal moratorium on gas and oil development along the U.S. coast.

Several mass stranding events have been associated with the use of low frequency sonar. One example is the mass stranding of 14 beaked whales in the Canary Islands in 2002 during international military exercises in this same area. In a recent issue of Nature, dated last October 9, a team led by Paul Jepson of the London-based Institute of Zoology revealed that the deaths of these cetaceans was probably caused by decompression sickness. This condition comes about when bubbles form in tissues causing serious damage that can lead to death. Sounds produced by the sonar may drive cetaceans to rapidly rise to the surface, which would explain the formation of the bubbles. The bubbles could also be the physical effect of powerful sounds on the gas nuclei present in the tissues of deep diving whales.

The use of powerful sounds in the marine environment also raises serious questions in Canada where there is a strong lobby to conduct seismic surveys for the exploration of petroleum potential along the Pacific Coast, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and along the Atlantic Coast. An affiliation of Quebec organizations is publishing a press release this week asking the Québec Premier to suspend oil and gas exploration activities in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. [Nature, ENN, Yahoo, Whales Online]

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On ENN site:

9 October 2003

Luna to Return Home

On October 1, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) announced its decision to reintroduce Luna, a young, solitary killer whale presently in Nootka Sound west of Vancouver Island, to its family group.

Luna, known to researchers by his code name L98, became isolated from his family group, L-pod, in July of 2001. He has since been swimming the waters of Nootka Sound on his own. This young, four-year-old male is a member of the population of 275 resident killer whales present in B.C. waters. The southern resident killer whale population, which includes L-pod, has been on the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) list of endangered species since November 2001. Researchers do not know how this young whale became separated from his pod. Since then, however, researchers and other curious humans have been monitoring the whale’s unusual behaviour and its state of health.

This year, Luna intensified interactions with humans by more frequently approaching boats, rubbing against them and occasionally stopping them. These interactions have caused problems, as much for humans as for the whale. For example, three fishermen ended up spending a night on the water when their boat ran out of gas and Luna prevented them from rowing to shore. Luna’s curiosity about boats has also led to at least two minor injuries: a cut over each eye caused by boat propellers.

In May 2003, DFO decided not to intervene in Luna’s case. They were concerned that any action could affect the animal and its population. In September 2003, following on the recommendations of the scientific panel, the Department overturned its decision, taking into account that Luna’s behaviour warranted an intervention as much for public safety reasons as for the animal’s welfare. Various Canadian and U.S. environmental groups have also put a lot of pressure on DFO. The scientific panel, composed of Canadian and U.S. private and public sector researchers, considered all possible options, including captivity.

In coming weeks DFO, along with one or several groups or organisations with the required expertise and financial backing, will undertake the operation. In 2002, DFO, along with other organisations, successfully reintroduced a young female killer whale known as Springer (or A73), that had also become separated from her group. However, attempts to reintroduce Keiko, the killer whale star of the film "Free Willy" held in captivity for 25 years, have not met with success. After five years and millions of dollars invested in the operation, Keiko is still swimming the waters of a Norwegian fjord, dependent on the care of his trainers.[Fisheries and Oceans Canada]

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On Department of Fisheries and Oceans of Canada site:

25 September 2003

Could the predatory activities of killer whales be responsible for the decline in seal, sea lion and sea otter populations?

A new study conducted by American researchers and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has revealed that the decline of seal, sea lion and sea otter populations in the North Pacific Ocean since the 1970s could be explained by an increase in predatory activity by killer whales.

Through the analysis of past commercial whaling records, researchers Alan Springer of the University of Alaska and Jim Estes of the University of California affirm that the over exploitation of great whales in the North Pacific between 1946 and 1979 provoked dietary changes in killer whales. According to their theory, this massive removal deprived certain killer whales of traditional prey, namely great whales, causing killer whales to turn towards other species of marine mammals such as seals, sea lions and sea otters.

The impact of killer whales on sea otter populations had already been studied and demonstrated by Jim Estes, however the same work had not been carried out on seals and sea lions. To do this, researchers constructed models that took into account the energy requirements of killer whales, the nutritional value of sea lions and sea otters and the number of deaths necessary to explain the declines already observed. Their results demonstrated that a slight shift in the diet of the 10 percent of killer whales of the region that feed on marine mammals could bring about the documented declines. The effects of this change on the food web go way beyond the impact on marine mammals. This change could possibly explain the decimation of kelp forests in Alaska that have been devoured by sea urchins, a prey species of declining sea otters. Mr. Springer states that overfishing and massive extraction can lead to unexpected effects on the food web.

These conclusions have not been universally approved by all researchers. Andrew Trites of the University of British Columbia argues that great whales are not a major prey species for killer whales and likely never have been. On the other hand, he states, porpoises, dolphins and minke whales are, and these species were ignored by the study. Trites believes that climatic shifts, leading to changes in fish populations, are behind the decline of the marine mammals named in the study. [EurekAlert !, Nature, BBC]

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On EurekAlert ! site:

18 September 2003

Pristine lakes in Alaska contaminated by spawning salmon

A recent study by Canadian and American researchers has demonstrated that millions of sockeye salmon spawning in pristine Alaskan lakes are the cause of high levels of PCBs found in several of these lakes. Jules Blais of the University of Ottawa, one of the researchers working on the project, has stated that levels as high as those found in industrialized areas have been recorded in these distant lakes.

Every summer, in order to spawn, millions of sockeye salmon migrate from their feeding grounds in the North Pacific towards the lakes where they were born, carrying with them large doses of PCBs from the Pacific Ocean. Although PCB emissions have diminished over the past two decades, large quantities of this contaminant still remain in the Pacific Ocean and accumulate in the food web. PCBs are produced by the manufacture of flame-retardants and paints and by the burning of waste.

The problem does not reside in the quantity of PCBs transported by each salmon–the fish are edible–but in the effect of bioaccumulation. Once they have spawned, the salmon die and slowly decompose on the lake bottom. The carcasses then become food for other organisms that ingest the contaminants. The contaminants are transmitted and accumulated, from prey to predator, all the way up the food web. Large quantities of PCBs also accumulate in the lake sediment. Researchers estimate that lake sediment where salmon spawn contains PCB concentrations that are as much as seven times higher than concentrations in lake sediment where salmon do not spawn. Researchers fear that this phenomenon also affects top carnivores such as bears, eagles and humans.

Although the Pacific Ocean is viewed by many as a pristine area, the facts tell a different story. A wide range of contaminants, often traces of past negligence, can be found in this environment. Another group of Canadian and American researchers have come together to investigate this problem. In order to obtain indications on water-borne contaminants they will be studying the diet of harbour seals. Being predators situated high up in the food web, these seals will give researchers clues concerning contaminants that also affect killer whales, which are listed as an endangered species in Canada. High levels of PCBs have already been noted in Pacific killer whales, particularly the nomads that are at the top of the food web and feed on other marine mammals. Fortunately, since PCB emissions have dropped, lower concentrations are now being measured in whale calves. [Nature, CBC, Biosphère]

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On Nature site:

11 September 2003

U.S. Navy Sonar: Federal Court Judgement

On August 26, the U.S. Federal Court came down with its final ruling concerning the deployment of a U.S. Navy sonar system. Last October, Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Laporte had imposed an injunction to stop the deployment of the Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System Low Frequency Active sonar (SURTASS LFA). She has now ordered the U.S. Navy to reduce potential harm that it could cause to marine mammals and fish by negotiating limited use of the system (where, when and how) with conservation groups. In her judgement she also stated that the permit given to the U.S. Navy by the National Marine Fisheries Service for the deployment of the system violates several laws such as the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The U.S. Navy had planned on deploying this system in 75 percent of the world’s oceans. The loud, low frequency sounds emitted by the SURTASS LFA can travel thousands of square kilometres, scanning the oceans to detect submarines. These sounds can reach levels of 240 decibels at their source, and between 150 and 160 decibels 200 km away. The U.S. Navy has already confirmed that, at these levels, sound can harm marine mammals.

In March 2000 several species of whales stranded in the Bahamas. An investigation concluded that the use of medium frequency sonar by the U.S. Navy in this area was the cause of this event. In September 2002, several beaked whales died stranded in the Canary Islands as a result of NATO military exercises. More recently, last May, further exercises conducted by the U.S. Navy off Vancouver Island appeared to be the likely cause of the deaths of dozens of harbour porpoises and the erratic behaviour of a group of killer whales.

The plaintiffs, headed by the National Resources Defence Council (NRDC), are pleased with the judge’s decision. The Navy has stated that it is reviewing the decision, but it is initially concerned about repercussions on national security. The Bush administration has been vigorously attacking environmental restrictions that it believes compromise national security. Several propositions to weaken environmental laws such as the MMPA are before Congress.

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NRDC Press Release:

28 August 2003

The WWF Rewards a Network of Whale Sanctuaries

On August 13, the environmental group WWF rewarded 11 Pacific nations by recognizing their contributions as a "Gift to the Earth". Over the years these nations have either taken the initiative of declaring their Exclusive Economic Zones (marine areas within 200 nautical miles of their coasts) whale sanctuaries or have adopted national legislation to protect whales. The following nations have thus protected 28 million sq. km of ocean: the Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Niue, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Australia and New Zealand.

As well as favouring the recovery of certain endangered whale populations, the creation of these sanctuaries, combined with a good management plan, should work as a tool for the conservation of the marine environment and the development of certain activities such as fishing and ecotourism. Whale watching has been expanding around the world over the last 10 years. As an industry, it generates more than US$1 billion annually worldwide. In certain countries it has even replaced whaling, an activity abandoned by several countries since the adoption of a moratorium on commercial whaling by members of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1982.

The IWC has already established two whale sanctuaries: the Indian Ocean Sanctuary, created in 1979, and the Southern Ocean Sanctuary, created in 1994. For several years now, Australia and New Zealand have been proposing the creation of a South Pacific Sanctuary (complementary to the Southern Ocean Sanctuary) to members of the IWC. This proposition has yet to obtain sufficient votes to be adopted. The WWF has been campaigning for years to get South Pacific nations to ban whaling within their territorial waters. This network of sanctuaries could be an alternative to a sanctuary declared by the IWC. The WWF hopes that the "Gift to the Earth" award and the publicity surrounding it will incite the other Pacific islands to imitate the initiatives of these 11 nations. [WWF, CBI]

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WWF-Pacific site:

21 August 2003

Icelandic Whalers Go Minke Whaling

Three Icelandic boats left port on Sunday to go whaling. When Iceland rejoined the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in October of 2002 it clearly stated its desire to recommence commercial whaling after 2006 and to carry out scientific whaling until then. During the annual meeting of the IWC in April of 2003, Iceland presented its whaling programme to the Scientific Committee. The plan proposed taking 100 fin whales, 50 Sei whales and 100 minke whales in the fall of 2003.

On August 6, Iceland’s fisheries minister announced a revised scientific whaling programme. Over the course of their six week mission, researchers will kill only 38 minke whales from a population estimated at 43 000 by the IWC. According to the minister, this decision demonstrates Iceland's willingness to be constructive and to compromise when it comes to whaling issues. Iceland is heavily dependent on marine resources and the carcasses will mainly be used to study the whales’ food in order to evaluate the impact of whales on fish stocks. As for whale products that can be exploited, they will be sold in local markets as provided for in the IWC regulation on scientific whaling.

Last Monday, Iceland harpooned its first minke whale of the programme. This has created a good deal of controversy within the IWC, the various conservation groups concerned and the country itself. Iceland completely abandoned whaling in 1989 and several Icelanders have since turned to a new, flourishing industry: whale watching. This industry now brings in several million dollars per year, and tour operators are worried that renewed whaling will compromise their livelihood. Conservation groups, such as the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, Greenpeace and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), are firmly opposed to the resumption of whaling and are putting pressure on Iceland to abandon its project. The scientific value of the program is also being questioned. [BBC, High North Alliance]

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BBC News site:

7 August 2003

Whales Victims of a Red Tide?

An unusual number of whale carcasses have been reported off the eastern Canadian and American coasts. More specifically, the carcasses were in the Georges Bank area, approximately 150 miles off Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Over the past month, airplanes and ships have spotted 17 carcasses, mostly humpback whales and several fin whales.

The alarm was sounded on July 3 when three humpback whales floated at the surface and were spotted by fishermen who were carrying out an aerial survey of the area. Other carcasses have been regularly reported, an unusual number, according to Philip Clapham of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts.

Researchers from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution are presently working on the case. They are taking urine, blood, skin and blubber samples in an effort to discover the cause of this mass fatality. Several researchers believe that this event could be caused by a red tide, the blooming of toxic red algae of the genus Alexandrium.

This type of algae produces toxic substances known as saxitoxins, which are not toxic to the animals that accumulate them, such as molluscs and several species of fish. However, they are toxic for mammals. This species of algae is normally found near the coast, however unusual winds and currents of recent weeks may have transported these algae offshore and "infected" mackerel, a fish species on which the whales feed.

Red algae killed 14 whales in this same area in 1987. Mass fatalities caused by toxic algae are quite rare for whales. However, these events regularly cause dolphin, sea lion and sea-otter deaths in several areas around the world, like the coast of California. [Nature News Service, Halifax Herald]

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On Nature News Service Site:

31 July 2003

Difficult to Count the Whales... of the Past!

A study published in the prestigious "Science" magazine on July 23, 2003, reports new North Atlantic whale population estimates before intensive whaling began. Jo Roman of Harvard University and Steve Palumbi of Stanford University affirm in their article that estimates based on whaling ship logs underestimated whale populations at the time.

Roman and Palumbi analyzed the variation of a certain type of DNA (mitochondrial DNA)from North Atlantic minke whale, fin whale and humpback whale samples. They noted a large variability of this type of DNA for each of the species, which suggests that very large populations existed in the past. They evaluate historic populations of minke whales, fin whales and humpback whales in the North Atlantic at 265 000, 360 000 and 240 000 respectively.

These new numbers are much greater than estimates used by the IWC (International Whaling Commission) for decisions related to whaling. Using numbers based on whalers' records from the middle of the XIX Century, 130 000 minke whales, 40 000 fin whales and 20 000 humpback whales swam the waters of the North Atlantic before commercial whaling began. Roman and Palumbi believe that their estimates should replace those used by the IWC.

This statement has not been unanimously accepted by the scientific community. Several researchers believe that the technique used is fallible and that small errors could have drastic effects on results. The IWC evaluates present-day North Atlantic populations of minke whales, fin whales and humpback whales at 120 000 to 182 000, 27 000 to 82 000 and 11 570 respectively. Counting living whales is already a difficult task... imagine counting the whales of the past! [NNS, BBC]

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On Nature News Service:

24 July 2003

Capture of Live Dolphins in the Solomon Islands

A major capture of live dolphins, the largest to date, has taken place in recent weeks in the Solomon Islands, an archipelago of over 1000 islands north east of Australia. Parque Nizuc, an aquatic park in Cancun, Mexico, directed the operation and ordered the capture of several dozen dolphins (likely as many as 200 of them). Local fishermen earned between AU$60 to AU$400 (CN$55 to CN$365) per dolphin. The animals were captured off the islands, transported by boat and kept in an enclosure near the shore.

As with many countries, Mexican law prohibits the capture of live cetaceans in Mexican waters. However, this same type of enterprise is not prohibited in certain countries, like the Solomon Islands, where the political situation is difficult, indeed chaotic. For many residents, this type of enterprise is an insult to their culture: according to ancestral beliefs, some humans have the power to change themselves into dolphins. Therefore, it is taboo for the islanders to hinder these animals in any way.

Despite pressure from several environmental groups and the Australian government to abandon the project, Mexico went forward with the importation of some thirty dolphins to Parque Nizuc last Monday. The Mexican government has stated that the aquatic park has all required authorizations for this type of operation. Several specialists were worried. They were concerned about the dolphins abilities to endure such a long voyage on a cargo plane. In fact, representatives of the park and Mexican environmental groups affirm that the animals, which are presently being kept in enclosures near the beaches of Cancun, are in good health. What will happen to these dolphins? Rumour has it that they will be sold for several thousand dollars each to foreign aquatic parks, a rumour that has been denied by Parque Nizuc.

The international CITES convention, signed by 160 countries including Mexico, regulates international trade in endangered plant and animal species. All cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) are listed in Annex 1, which includes endangered species. Trade in these species is permitted only under exceptional conditions and import and export permits are required. [The Age, ENN]

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The Age:

10 July 2003

Right Whale Conservation Effort Leads to Action

A new conservation measure for North Atlantic right whales has been in place since July 1. Shipping lanes in the Bay of Fundy have been changed. This heightened protection is the result of a concerted effort between Transport Canada, numerous conservation groups, representatives of industries that use the shipping lane, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Marine Safety Committee of the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Acting on recommendations put forward in the North Atlantic Right Whale Recovery Plan, published in 1998, Transport Canada worked for four years with the various concerned parties to modify the shipping lanes. In April of 2002, the ministry submitted its proposal to the IMO. The proposal was accepted in December 2002.

This is the first time shipping lanes have been altered to protect an endangered species. There are only 300 to 350 North Atlantic right whales left. Ship collisions have been responsible for almost half of all deaths over the past decade. Approximately two-thirds of the population spends the summer in the Bay of Fundy, a prime feeding ground for this species. Researchers strongly believe that moving the shipping lanes will reduce the risk of collisions between ships and right whales. They also hope that this will encourage the United States to undertake a similar project, thus reducing the risk of ship strikes throughout this species’ territory. [WWF]

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WWF Site:

26 June 2003

Annual Meeting of the IWC: Members are Divided

Once again this year the annual meeting of the IWC (International Whaling Commission) ended in discord. The meeting was held from June 16 to 19 in Berlin, Germany. Pro and anti-whaling nations were not able to come to a common agreement.

Although it was created in 1946 to improve the management of commercial whaling activities, several resolutions adopted by the Commission since the moratorium was announced in 1982 have taken on "conservationist" overtones. This has led to the frustration of whaling nations such as Japan, Norway and Iceland that are unable to obtain satisfaction. Japan has threatened to withdraw from the Commission after members adopted a resolution to create a Conservation Committee. This Committee would have the mandate to evaluate problems faced by cetaceans, such as accidental entanglement in fishing gear, ship strikes, contamination and climate change.

Whaling nations also presented their scientific whaling programmes during the meeting. Japan proposes to broaden its annual hunt of 400 minke whales in the Antarctic and maintain its hunt in the western North Pacific. The latter programme involves the killing of 150 minke whales, 50 Bryde’s whales, 50 sei whales and 10 sperm whales to study the feeding ecology of these cetaceans. Iceland presented a similar scientific whaling programme with the killing of 100 minke whales, 100 fin whales and 50 sei whales. Considering the value of this scientific hunt, the possibility of using non-lethal methods to study the same questions, uncertainty surrounding the evaluation of whale populations and a possible hidden agenda for commercial whaling, the Commission adopted a resolution, by a slight majority, encouraging whaling countries to abandon their scientific whaling programmes.

Once again, propositions for the creation of sanctuaries for the whales of the South Pacific and the South Atlantic failed to gain the necessary three-quarters majorities to be adopted, although they did obtain a majority of the votes. As for the Revised Management Scheme to control commercial whaling activities in the event of a lifting of the moratorium, it has yet to be completed; though the Commission maintains that the work is ongoing.

Finally, it was during this meeting that subsistence-whaling quotas for aboriginal communities in the United States, Greenland, Russia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines were established. It is worth noting that Canada withdrew from the IWC in 1982 when the moratorium was first announced. However, the subsistence whaling of narwhals, belugas and bowhead whales still takes place in Canadian Arctic waters. [IWC]

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19 June 2003

Thousands of Marine Mammals Die Every Year, Victims of Entanglement in Fishing Gear

A new study published by researchers Andy Read of Duke University, U.S.A. and Simon Northridge of the University of St. Andrews in the United Kingdom is the first to give worldwide estimates of marine mammal by-catch. Basing their numbers on marine mammal by-catch in U.S. fisheries between 1990 and 1999, the researchers estimate that approximately 308 000 cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) and 345 000 pinnipeds (seals and sea-lions) die in fishnets every year. During this period, 84 percent of by-catches of cetaceans and 98 percent of by-catches of pinnipeds occurred in gill net fisheries.

The publication of this study coincides with the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), which is taking place this week in Berlin, Germany. Members of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) hope this study will pressure the IWC into passing a resolution to make the by-catch problem a priority issue.

The researchers affirm that this level of by-catch seriously threatens several cetacean populations. More than half of all North Atlantic right whales–a species reduced to less than 350 individual animals–bear wounds or scars caused by fishing gear. In the Gulf of Mexico, 15 percent of a population of small cetaceans known as vaquitas die each year in fishing nets. Only 500 individuals of this species remain. Entanglement in fishing nets is responsible for the decimation of the Irrawaddy dolphin in the Philippines. Less than 70 individuals remain.

Cetacean by-catch in the United States dropped by two thirds at the end of the 1990s, while numbers for pinniped by-catch remained unchanged. This reduction for cetaceans is attributed to the application of conservation measures aimed at reducing by-catch. However, a reduced fishing effort in certain areas is also responsible for the decline. The WWF recognizes that the solution to this problem is dependant on the co-operation and creativity of fishermen as well as the willingness of governments to solve it by increasing research funds for the development of fishing gear that poses less of a threat to marine mammals.[WWF]

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12 June 2003

Fisheries and Oceans Canada to Regulate Whale-Watching Activities

The last of a series of meetings organized by Fisheries and Oceans Canada took place on June 4 in Les Escoumins. These nation-wide public consultation meetings were held in light of DFO’s project to modify its Marine Mammal Regulations. The existing Marine Mammal Regulations prohibit the disturbance of marine mammals (whales, seals and sea otters). These Regulations are too general and do not inform the public about behaviours that are unacceptable when viewing marine mammals in their natural environment. Whereas cruises aimed at viewing whales and other marine mammals are increasingly popular in Canada, a report by Dr. Jon Lien of Memorial University in Newfoundland has demonstrated that these activities can adversely affect their behaviour, and by doing so, prevent them from completing activities that are essential to their survival.

Proposed modifications to the Regulations include general considerations such as prohibiting the disturbance of the vital life processes of marine mammals and prohibiting feeding, touching, swimming with or displacing marine mammals. Fisheries and Oceans Canada also plans on introducing measures to manage marine mammal viewing, rescue, research and media and film production activities.

These Regulations will be applied wherever marine mammals are present in Canada, be it the Atlantic Ocean, the St. Lawrence, the Pacific Ocean or the Arctic Ocean. Conditions indicated on permits issued within the context of these regulations will take regional differences into consideration. The Marine Activities in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park Regulations that have been in place since 2002 will still apply. Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s new Regulations will harmonize the behaviour of operators working on the periphery of the Marine Park with the Regulations that are in place within the Park.

The general public has until mid-August to forward comments, suggestions or advice to Fisheries and Oceans Canada. To obtain a workbook, visit Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s website. The results of these public consultations will be compiled as of September, after which DFO will work on the writing of proposed amended Regulations. These proposed Regulations will be presented to the general public in the spring of 2004, before the parliamentary process begins. [Fisheries and Oceans Canada]

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29 May 2003

U.S. Navy Military Exercises in Canadian Waters

The U.S.S. Shoup, a U.S. Navy destroyer, is the cause of a major controversy that has been brought to light by the media, biologists and environmentalists from both the Canadian and American West Coast. While en route to the Canadian Forces’ Nanoose Bay test range, the destroyer’s crew carried out submarine detection and avoidance exercises using a very powerful (over 200 dB), mid-frequency (3 kHz) sonar for 5 hours in an area frequented by several cetaceans.

Researchers and people working for whale-watching companies in the area around Haro Straight and San Juan Straight near Vancouver Island heard these powerful sounds through hydrophones, as well as at the surface without special equipment. Around twenty killer whales, part of an endangered resident population, along with hundreds of porpoises and a minke whale, were also present. According to observers, these cetaceans appear to have strongly reacted to the sound. The killer whales first grouped together near the shore then split up, changing direction on several occasions and displaying unusual diving behaviour. As for the porpoises and the minke whale, they left the area in a hurry.

Several porpoises were found dead in the same area one week after these events. There is concern that the use of sonar may be to blame for the demise of these animals. Carcass examinations will be carried out to determine cause of death. It is important to note the occurrence of several other similar events in the past, such as an incident in the Bahamas in March 2000. The American Navy admitted that the sonar tactics it was testing could have been the cause of the stranding of seventeen cetaceans found at the time.

There is no law prohibiting the use of sonar in this area, although the Canadian Navy shuts down sonar when marine mammals are present on the Nanoose Bay range. As for the Americans, the Pentagon is seeking to exempt the Secretary of Defence from several environmental laws in order to allow the U.S. Navy to test low frequency (LFA) sonar. For now, the U.S. Navy holds a permit from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) that allows them to harass, harm or kill marine mammals.[CBC, Vancouver Aquarium]

This just in: On February 11, 2004, scientists charged with the examination of 14 harbour porpoises found dead in Puget Sound in the summer of 2003 have announced the results of the necropsies. Given the advanced state of decomposition of the carcasses, the scientists were not able to determine the cause of death for five of them. Three porpoises likely died from ship strikes or a collision with another animal, while two others died of a bacteriological infection and pneumonia. Even though they discovered signs of disease and injury in the ears of several of the porpoises, the scientists were not able to determine if these were caused by sonar or other means, such as decomposition.[Vancouver Aquarium]

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22 May 2003

A Good Year for California Grey Whale Recruitment

Grey whale numbers along the California coast indicates a good birth rate this year. These whales are presently leaving their mating grounds off the Mexican coast to head towards their feeding grounds in Alaskan waters. Over the past decade researchers had noted an increase in deaths and major fluctuations in the birth rate of this population. In 1998, 1388 calves were counted, compared to 427 in 1999, 279 in 2000 and 256 in 2001. In 2002, 850 females with calves were counted and researchers are confident the California grey whale birth rate will be similar this year.

The California grey whale population came close to extinction due to intensive whaling in the 1800s. In 1969, this species was added to the American list of endangered species. In 1994, after years of conservation efforts and scientific monitoring, the population was taken off of the list. Four years later, the population was estimated at 26 000 individuals! Last year, however, the population was re-evaluated at 17 000 individuals.

Researchers have recently become concerned about fluctuations and the low birth rate noted over several consecutive years. Some researchers suggest that the Eastern Pacific has reached the limit of its ability to sustain this whale species, which would explain the end to population growth. On the other hand, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration biologist and California grey whale specialist, Wayne Perryman, maintains that this population is feeling the effects of changes in oceanographic conditions. Mr. Perryman attributes the years of low birth rates to extensive ice cover present in the Arctic when the grey whales reach this region. He also affirms that the successful birth of a California grey whale depends on how fat the mother is. This is related to the accessibility of prey over the course of the summer, which is in turn related to the amount of ice present in the Arctic during this same period. An underfed female could terminate its pregnancy instead of carrying a foetus that it could not bring to term. This would explain the low birth rates of 1999, 2000 and 2001. Mr. Perryman adds that global warming, while not in itself a good thing, could be beneficial to the California grey whales as it would free the Arctic of its ice more quickly. [Santa Cruz Sentinel]

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24 April 2003

Scientific Whaling: Science or Smokescreen?

Phil Clapham and his colleagues, all members of the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) published an article in the March edition of BioScience that seriously criticized the scientific whaling programme carried out by Japan since the establishment of the whaling moratorium in 1986. They maintain that this programme does not include testable hypotheses or other performance measures, that the data collected are not necessary for the management of whale populations, that the data are not submitted to an independent review, that more useful information can be gathered without killing the animals and that this programme sacrifices more whales than would be permitted by IWC quotas if there were not a moratorium.

This article is part of a debate that began last year, in May 2002, when 21 scientists published an open letter addressed to the Japanese government in the New York Times in which they urged Japan to suspend its scientific whaling programme. William Aron and two of his colleagues responded to this letter in an article published in BioScience. They stated that the scientists that signed the letter to the New York Times were more motivated by their personal opinions than by scientific fact. Thus, the article written by Clapham and his colleagues reconfirms the credibility of the authors of the New York Times letter by supporting the critical arguments that they summarized. Moreover, Clapham and his colleagues point out that Japan’s scientific whaling programme is being used to fulfil commercial objectives.

Japan annually hunts approximately 700 whales within the context of its scientific whaling programme. Recently, Japanese whalers returned from Antarctica with approximately 440 minke whales. They will now be proceeding with the other part of the scientific whaling programme. First, they will spend 40 days along the country’s northeast coast to hunt 50 minke whales. Then, in May, the fleet will depart for three months of whaling in the eastern North Pacific to kill 100 more minke whales, 50 Bryde’s whales, 50 sei whales and 10 sperm whales.

Norway also hunts around 700 minke whales each year in the North Atlantic. This is a commercial hunt. Norway objected to the moratorium and is therefore not bound by it.

Iceland recently rejoined the IWC making its objection to the whaling ban, a condition of its membership. Iceland wants to resume commercial whaling by 2006. Until then, scientific whaling is being discussed, with proposed annual takes of 100 fin whales, 50 sei whales and 100 minke whales. International conservation organizations are opposed to this project, as is Iceland’s tourist industry, specifically its whale-watching sector. [Clapham et al. 2003, Briand et al. 2002, Aron et al. 2002, ENN, BBC]

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Clapham et al., March 2003, Whaling as Science, BioScience, Vol. 53 No. 3, p. 210-212.

10 April 2003

Iceland Announces its Proposal to Begin Scientific Whaling

Last week Iceland submitted its proposal to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) to begin scientific whaling. According to the plan Iceland will hunt 100 fin whales, 50 sei whales and 100 minke whales annually. The fin whale and the sei whale have both been designated as endangered by the IUCN (World Conservation Union).

Those in favour of the scientific hunt justify their support by stating that the research aims to investigate cetacean diets, distribution and numbers. These arguments are the same as those put forward by Japan, which hunts several hundred minke whales per year. However, those who are against the hunt claim that information concerning all of these subjects can be collected without killing whales. Japanese market interest for Icelandic whale products played an important role in the decision to resume whaling.

Conservation groups, like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), condemn the project. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society is concerned about the effects this hunt may have on Iceland’s whale-watching industry. Greenpeace warns that whale populations are just beginning to recover from years of exploitation, breed slowly and are jeopordized by other human threats such as pollution and climate change.

The next IWC meeting will be held in Berlin, Germany in June of 2003. [Environment News Service]

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3 April 2003

Right Whale News

The North Atlantic right wale is a species threatened with extinction. The population is limited to approximately 300 animals. On March 31, researchers from the New England Aquarium, the Wildlife Trust and the Florida Marine Research Institute concluded their annual census of this species on its calving grounds along the coasts of Florida and Georgia. They counted 18 newborn calves. They had counted 22 calves in 2002, 31 in 2001 and only one in 2000. This is therefore a good year for births. They also noticed a good number of juveniles and adults. Three whales were noted either trailing fishing gear or with marks from fishing gear. Entanglement in fishing gear is a major cause of mortality for right whales. After this calving period, mothers and calves will be heading north.

A meeting was held on March 18, 19 and 20 to coordinate all those working with right whales in the Bay of Fundy. The Bay of Fundy is a major summer feeding ground for right whales. The meeting organized by Fisheries and Oceans Canada was held at the St. Andrews Biological Station in New Brunswick. The purpose of the meeting was to coordinate all research efforts for the summer and fall of 2003.

On December 19, Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced changes to navigation routes to protect right whales in the Bay of Fundy. Ship strikes constitute the main cause of death for this species. Traffic lanes will be modified as of July 1 to avoid the area most frequented by these whales. This recommendation was part of the Canadian North Atlantic right whale recovery plan.

Along with heavy maritime traffic, another factor may have a negative impact on right whales in the Bay of Fundy. A recent study has demonstrated that the whales are regularly exposed to paralytic toxins. These toxins are produced by dinoflagellate algae. The toxins make their way up the food chain into zooplankton consumed by the whales. This chronic exposure, several months of the year, could affect the whales’ breathing capacities, feeding behaviour and ability to reproduce. [New England Aquarium, Center for Coastal Studies, Transport Canada, Durbin et al. 2002]

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27 March 2003

Dolphins participate in mine-clearing operations in Iraq

The Anglo-American coalition is proceeding with mine-clearing in the Khor Abdallah canal that connects the port of Umm Qasr to the Persian Gulf in southern Iraq. The purpose of the operation is to open the port to allow humanitarian aid to be transported into the country. Dolphins participating in the mine-clearing operation have been trained by the American navy. Two Atlantic bottlenose dolphins from San Diego, California, named Makai and Tacoma, arrived by helicopter on Tuesday. The dolphins are able to locate mines in deep water using their sonar. A sensor attached to their pectoral fins registers their reactions, which allows trainers to locate the mines. The dolphins are trained to remain at a safe distance; the divers then move in to recover the mines. The only concern is that local indigenous dolphins, which are territorial, might expulse Makai and Tacoma. The "animal division" of the American navy also includes sea lions.

The training of dolphins and other marine mammals (belugas, sea lions and false killer whales) for military purposes is not new. Dolphins were used in the 1970s in the Vietnam War. At the end of the 1980s, dolphins patrolled the port of Bahrain to protect American ships from enemy divers and mines. In fact, the American programme was launched in 1960 at a cost of several million dollars per year. The Soviet army once operated a similar programme.[Associated Press, Radio-Canada, CNN]

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13 March 2003

Pressure increases for offshore oil development in Canada

From sea to sea, pressure is mounting to open new marine areas to oil development. However, all activities associated with this industry, be they linked to seismic exploration, exploratory drilling, production, transportation or the dismantling of infrastructures, pose serious risks to marine life and the industries that depend on it. This explains why oil development in the marine environment encounters so much opposition in Canada not only from environmental groups, but also from those who depend on marine resources, such as people working in the fishing industry and in tourism.

Despite arguments and the well-orchestrated work of environmental groups, fishermen and people working in tourism, the Canada-Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Board has just lifted the ban and authorized seismic exploration off Cape Breton, less than 10 km from the coast. Cape Breton Island has thus joined the rare and dubious company of the southern United States and several Third World countries that allow oil exploration close to shore.

The Gully, situated some 200 km south-east of Halifax, is soon to be listed as a Marine Protected Area. This underwater canyon is home to numerous marine species, including an endangered population of northern bottlenose whales. Despite this, Marathon Canada Ltd. is about to obtain the right to proceed with seismic exploration mere kilometres from the zone to be protected.

On the West Coast, federal and provincial bans on oil development have preserved British Columbia’s coasts and their rich ecosystems for 25 years. But now there is strong pressure to lift the bans coming mainly from the federal Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal. Federal Environment Minister David Anderson is opposed to the idea, but he expects the bans will one day be lifted.

Closer to home, in the province of Quebec, the St. Lawrence is being considered for oil exploration projects, not only in the Gulf, but also in the Estuary. While some of these projects have undergone environmental impact studies, to date there is no study that examines all of these projects together to evaluate their cumulative effects with regards to social, economic and environmental considerations. However, these projects will likely have major effects on marine life, which is the lifeblood of industries bordering the St. Lawrence.

For now, it appears that the evolution of most of these cases leans in favour of groups lobbying for oil development at any price. Do Canada and its provinces have the necessary tools to supervise and regulate this type of development while at the same time protecting their marine environments? Seeing as how there has yet to be a global evaluation of these projects, we are still waiting for an answer to this question. This explains why the objections of the various groups opposed to oil development across Canada are so similar: let’s put a moratorium in place and then develop the tools necessary for a cautious and enlightened evaluation of these cases.

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Toronto Star:

27 February 2003

Illegal hunting of dolphins for human consumption in Peru

Mundo Azul (Blue World), a non-governmental organization in Peru, has launched a public awareness campaign to inform people about the problem of illegal dolphin hunting. According to Mundo Azul, this hunt for human consumption kills at least 1000 dolphins per year along the Peruvian coast. There have been reports of the meat being served in restaurants.

The hunting of dolphins, along with the consumption and sale of dolphin meat has been prohibited by Peruvian law since 1996. At the time, the government passed a law in response to the drastic rise in the number of dolphins taken in the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1993, it was estimated that 15 000 to 20 000 dolphins were killed annually. The following species are now protected: the dusky dolphin, the common dolphin, the bottlenose dolphin, Burmeister’s porpoise, the tucuxi and the Amazon river dolphin. It is even illegal to take the meat of beached animals or those caught in fishing gear as it is impossible to determine the source of this meat once it finds its way onto the open market.

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13 February 2003

Protection of the Maui’s dolphin in New Zealand

The New Zealand government has just announced new measures to protect the Maui’s dolphin, also known as the North Island Hector’s dolphin.

The Hector’s dolphin is the smallest and rarest dolphin species in the world. It is found only in New Zealand waters. Two populations exist: the North Island Hector’s dolphin and the South Island Hector’s dolphin. These two populations are separate and isolated from each other. Scientists have recently found significant genetic differences between the two groups and they are now considered to be separate subspecies.

The North Island Hector’s dolphin population numbers between 100 and 150 individuals. It is critically endangered. Accidental entanglement in fish nets is the main cause of the decline of the population. To protect the population, the government has announced a ban on commercial and amateur netting in the dolphin’s habitat, a zone extending 4 nautical miles offshore over an area of more than 300 km of north-west North Island coastline.[New Zealand Department of Conservation]

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30 January 2003

Sakhalin Island petroleum exploration projects threaten grey whales

Oil and gas development projects off Sakhalin Island in the Sea of Okhotsk (Eastern Russia) have been raising controversy for some time now. Recently, 50 environmental groups have sent letters to Shell and Exxon-Mobil, the companies responsible for these projects. Among their demands are that Shell and Exxon-Mobil at least respect Russian environmental laws and the environmental standards that apply elsewhere in the world. The demand was also sent to government agencies. The Russian government was criticized for its inaction with regards to this situation.

According to scientific studies, the exploration phase of the projects has already harmed the Western Pacific grey whale population. There are only an estimated 100 whales left in this population, of which around 20 are reproductive females. The whales spend nearly six months of the year in the area around Sakhalin Island. Scientists observed changes following seismic testing that took place in the middle of the feeding grounds. The whales moved south and a large proportion of them are now very skinny.

Along with seismic exploration, there is concern about commercialization (drilling platforms, pipeline construction, etc.) and hydrocarbon pollution that will follow.

The fisheries are also threatened by this project. Two thirds of all fish caught in Russia come from the Sea of Okhotsk.[Pacific Environment]

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16 January 2003

Makah grey whale hunt: new ruling

An appeals court has reversed the June 2002 decision concerning the hunt for grey whales by the Makah tribe of Washington State. According to the final judgement that came down in December, the Makah must halt all hunting, which is illegal as it violates the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The federal government must now carry out environmental impact studies after which the hunt will be permitted only if it is deemed to respect the MMPA. The environmental associations that had filed the suit are satisfied, but the Makah plan to appeal the decision.[ENS]

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9 January 2003

Pilot whales beached in New Zealand

Approximately 150 pilot whales became stranded on Stewart Island in southern New Zealand. Half of the animals had already succumbed before they were discovered. Specialists and volunteers were pouring water over survivors suffering from the heat and returning some of them to sea. These manoeuvres are not a guarantee of success. After being returned to open water, pilot whales often strand themselves again further along a coastline. This was the case for a group of pilot whales that beached themselves on Cape Cod last summer. This species is known for its collective strandings. The causes of these events are not known for sure. [Associated Press]

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