2005 Archives

18 August 2005

A listening system to help avoid ship collisions with right whales in the United States

Ship strikes represent a major threat to the survival of North Atlantic right whales. Four of the eight recorded deaths for this species over the past 14 months were caused by collisions with ships. A listening system could be installed in New England waters to prevent collisions.

Presently small plane surveys are used to locate right whales along the U.S. East Coast and to communicate their positions to ship captains. But this technology is good for spotting only one right whale in four. Furthermore, weather sometimes limits visibility and there are inherent risks for observers. The listening system, developed by Christopher Clark of Cornell University, is composed of a network of hydrophones—waterproof microphones—and would be able to detect 75 percent of right whales in any kind of weather 24 hours per day. Once detected, the whale's position would be transmitted to ship captains by cell or satellite telephone.

Scott Kraus, vice-president of the New England Aquarium, affirms that the system works very well, but that it has its limitations. Truth is, right whales are not as vocal as other species, such as the humpback whale; right whales sing to communicate, not to find food. Also, the use of sound varies depending on the right whale's age and gender. Mothers and calves, for example, may be quieter in order to avoid being discovered by potential predators.

Scientists are presently working at perfecting the data processing and right whale position transmission program. They must also negotiate with the shipping and the fishing industries in order to ensure that vessels will use transmitted information to slow down and/or modify their trajectory to avoid the whale. Richard Merrick, chief of the protected species branch at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), believes that, once up and running, the listening system will make a difference. According to specialists, because the right whale situation is so critical, it is important to act even before regulations are adopted. A total of 50 right whales have been found dead since 1986. Half of these deaths are attributable to human causes; 19 through ship strikes and 6 by entanglement in fishing gear. In an article that was recently published in Science researchers estimate that eight out of ten dead right whales are never found. [Washington Post, Boston.com, Newswise]

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On Washington Post site:

4 August 2005

A marine sanctuary in Chile for blue whales?

With the support of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), 40 conservation groups are pushing the Chilean government to establish a marine protected area near the Patagonian coast—in the southern part of the country—to protect the largest animal on the planet, the blue whale. This request comes two years after the extraordinary discovery in the area of what has been qualified as one of the most important blue whale nursery and feeding zones for blue whales in the Southern Hemisphere.

Observers aboard a blue whale study cruise organized in 1997 along the Chilean coast were surprised to note blue whales closer to shore than expected. A follow-up cruise carried out by other experts into the fjords of Patagonia confirmed the initial observation and allowed researchers to determine the importance of this area for blue whales. In 2003, 11 blue whale cow-calf pairs were counted during an aerial survey. Specialists are speculating on the role that this zone plays in blue whale reproduction; numerous females bring their offspring into the area, yet it is still not known whether or not they calve here. In fact, the presence of blue whales in mid-summer in the Patagonian fjords contradicts the known migration pattern for this species in the Southern Hemisphere. Generally, blue whales leave their Antarctic feeding grounds in early autumn and head towards tropical waters further to the north to calve and take care of their young over the course of the winter. After this they head back to Antarctica to feed during summer. Some suggest that Patagonian blue whales are part of a dwarf sub-species known as pygmy blue whales—a controversial classification that is not accepted by all whale experts. Others believe that blue whale migrations may be much more complex than was previously thought.

On the heals of this discovery, the NRDC and other groups that signed the sanctuary request—including the World Conservation Union (IUCN) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) are asking the Chilean government to establish a marine sanctuary to protect the nearly pristine waters of the southern part of the country and thus favour the recovery of the endangered blue whale. Commercial whaling in the early Twentieth Century heavily decimated this species. Other mammals that use this habitat include the humpback whale, the killer whale, the Chilean dolphin, Peale's dolphin, the South American sea lion and the South American fur seal. [NRDC, BBC News]

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On National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) site:

7 July 2005

Improved protection for the North Atlantic right whale in the United States

Ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear are the two main causes of death of North Atlantic right whales, an endangered species numbering less than 325 individuals. It is estimated that 50 percent of all deaths of this species—excluding newborn calves—are due to ship strikes and that 70 percent of all North Atlantic right whales have scars attributable to accidental entanglement in fishing gear. Already this year 5 percent of all mature females have perished due to ship strikes; two of them were carrying near-term foetuses. To diminish the number of accidents caused by shipping and commercial fishing operations, the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is preparing conservation strategies and new regulations.

A new take reduction plan and proposed rules are being finalized with respect to accidental entanglements. This plan includes not only right whales, but humpback and fin whales off the United States East Coast as well. These species are also victims of accidental entanglement in fishing gear. The new regulations would require more trap/pot and gillnet fisheries to use modified gear, reduce the use of lines that hangs vertically in the water or float along the ocean bottom and expand gear marking requirements. The agency also proposes to revise boundaries and seasons for management areas and exempted waters (where the rules would not apply). NOAA Fisheries Service will be accepting comments on the proposed rule up until July 21.

NOAA is also preparing a strategy to reduce ship strikes. Different possibilities are presently being evaluated; therefore the public is invited to comment on the alternatives under consideration before July 22. Regulations will be elaborated based on the preferred alternatives once the process has been completed. The ship strike reduction strategy proposes a combination of routing and speed options defined by the seasonal presence of right whales in three major regions of along the U.S. East Coast—mid-Atlantic, Southeast and Northeast ports—all the while taking industry requirements into consideration.

Along with these two conservation measures, last month NOAA also completed its revised North Atlantic Right Whale Recovery Plan. While defining the various threats to right whales, this plan suggests several strategies to lessen the impacts of threats of human origin. Measures taken by NOAA to diminish the number of cases of accidental entanglement and ship strikes have been identified as priorities in the Recovery Plan. [NOAA]

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On National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) site:

30 June 2005

57^th IWC meeting: whaling nations lose ground

The 57^th annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) held last week in Korea—a country with reservations concerning whaling—, was marked by decisions that were squarely in favour of whale conservation.

Yet, from day one of the meeting Japan attempted to return the Commission to its original mandate: the management of commercial whaling. For several years now, Japan has stated that it is dissatisfied with the conservation tangent that the IWC has been taking and—since they cannot find satisfaction—has been threatening to pull out. Therefore, the Japanese commissioners proposed the deletion of numerous discussion topics that were on the meeting's agenda linked to whale conservation, such as sanctuaries, whale watching, whale killing methods, small cetaceans, health issues and the Conservation Committee. This proposition, along with another Japanese proposition to change voting procedures to a secret ballot, was rejected by a majority of member countries.

One long-awaited point of discussion for this 57^th meeting was the Revised Management Scheme (RMS), a plan to monitor whaling activities. The adoption of this plan would allow for the lifting of the commercial whaling ban. The IWC chairman noted that the working group was not in a position to put forward a proposal for an RMS this year. Japan then proposed its own RMS, which was defeated by a vote of 29 against, 23 in favour, with 5 abstentions. Therefore, lifting of the ban does not seem as imminent as appeared to be the case at the close of the previous IWC meeting. At the time, members had adopted a resolution that committed the IWC to completing the plan and possibly adopting it this year.

Another hot topic on the agenda was the second phase of Japan's Antarctic scientific whaling plan known as JARPA II. As rumours over the past weeks suggested, Japan proposed to expand its annual catch of minke whales within the parameters of the programme from 440 to 850, and to add 50 humpback whales (none in the first two years) and 50 fin whales (10 in the first two years). Several members of the Commission, the Scientific Committee and numerous environmental organizations continue to question the value of hunt. In a 44-page report, the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) denounces one inconsistency: according to this organization, killing the animals is an archaic method for fulfilling research objectives, especially considering that Japan is on the cutting edge in matters concerning technology. In the same light, member countries once again adopted a resolution encouraging Japan to abandon this programme or to review it so as to conduct the research in a non-lethal manner.

Other important topics were also discussed over the course of the week. Japan's proposition to allow small scale, coastal community commercial whaling—to a maximum of 150 minke whales—was rejected. The Scientific Committee expressed concerns about grey whales and the Sakhalin oil and gas development project and will support all conservation efforts for this endangered population. The Scientific Committee examined the state of endangered small cetaceans, including the vaquita and the Dall's porpoise, even though member countries are divided when it comes to the IWC's competence with regards to the management of small cetaceans.

Once again this year, the meeting polarized members with pro-whaling countries like Norway, Japan and Iceland calling for a lifting of the whaling ban based on cultural interests, and on the other side, countries in favour of whale conservation. [CBI, ENN, ENS]

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On IWC site:

9 June 2005

Sonar: The NRDC is suing the U.S. government to obtain documents

On Wednesday, June 1, the Natural Resource Defence Council (NRDC) began legal proceedings against the U.S. government. It accuses the government of withholding information that is in the public's interest concerning the mass stranding of marine mammals and the role played by U.S. Navy sonar. This lawsuit was presented before the New York federal court under the Freedom of Information Act.

The NRDC has been investigating this subject for several years. It had requested documents from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the U.S. Department of Commerce related to mass stranding and the use of sonar over a year ago. Of the thousands of pages expected, only 12 documents totalling fewer than 25 pages have so far been forwarded. Some of the withheld documents are related to the highly publicized mass stranding that took place last January in North Carolina, which caused the death of 35 whales of three different species.

Michael Jasny, senior consultant with the NRDC, accuses the U.S. government of “…sitting on box-loads of data that show the devastating impact of military sonar on whales”. In their annual meeting last year, members of the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) investigated the potential threat of sonar and declared that noise generated in the oceans by military sonar and by oil and gas exploration and production was the cause of an increasing number of cetacean deaths.

To date, the NMFS has been involved in investigating several stranding events likely linked to sonar, yet very few reports have been made public. The NRDC therefore requests that the court order the U.S. government hand over these reports. [NRDC]

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On National Resource Defence Council (NRDC) site :

26 May 2005

A new strategy for the protection of whales in Australian waters

On May 20, the Australian government published its strategy to preserve five threatened whale species: the humpback whale, the sei whale, the fin whale, the blue whale and the southern right whale. The publication of this strategy is the result of many years of work by Australian authorities in collaboration with specialists, non-governmental organizations and industry. From now on, whales found within 200 nautical miles of Australia's coastline, as well as the coastline of certain islands situated to the west and south—an area known as the Australian Whale Sanctuary—will be protected by virtue of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This Act prohibits the killing, injuring, taking, trading, keeping, moving or interfering with these species of whales within the designated Australian Whale Sanctuary zone.

The purpose of the protection strategy is to allow targeted species to recover to levels that existed prior to 19th Century, when intensive commercial whaling became commonplace. The blue whale and the southern right whale are considered endangered species in Australia, while humpback, sei and fin whales are classified as vulnerable. Two main threats have been identified: the recommencement of commercial whaling and/or the expansion of scientific whaling, as well as the disruption of habitat through sound pollution, the presence of fishing gear and of ships, chemical pollution and other forms of pollution.

To protect these five cetacean species, those who participated in the elaboration of the strategy propose to:

1. Establish a programme to estimate abundance and monitor these species

2. Establish a programme to better characterize the habitat of these species

3. Prevent the resumption of commercial whaling and the expansion of scientific whaling

4. Protect habitat that is critical for the survival of these species

5. Ensure the monitoring of other potential threats, including the collapse of whale prey stocks, oceanic and climate change

This strategy will enable Australian authorities and private organizations to adopt protection measures for all five species. It will also facilitate funding for recovery activities. Furthermore, Australia is working with other South Pacific countries to establish a Memorandum of Understanding for the conservation and management of marine mammals in the South Pacific region. [Australian Government]

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On Australian Government site :

12 May 2005

COSEWIC meeting: fin whale and bowhead whale under study

Two species of whales—the fin whale and the bowhead whale—were evaluated by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) during its biannual meeting that took place near Newfoundland's Gros Morne National Park in early May. Committee members considered a total of 41 reports, bringing to 500 the total number of species considered threatened by COSEWIC.

The Committee assessed two populations of fin whales: the Pacific population and the Atlantic population. The risk category of the Pacific fin whale has been changed from Special Concern—status attributed in 1987 to fin whales from both oceans—to Threatened, a higher level of risk category. According to the report submitted to Committee members, the present population still represents only 50 percent of population of 60 to 90 years ago. Ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear continue to threaten this population. The Atlantic fin whale population has conserved its status of Special Concern. Ship strikes and entanglement are also limiting factors for this population.

Contrary to the Pacific fin whale, the various populations of bowhead whales, all classified as Endangered in 1986, have been attributed lower risk categories. The Eastern Arctic population was divided into two populations: the Hudson Bay-Foxe Basin population and the Davis Strait-Baffin Bay population. The first of these populations—estimated at 300 mature individuals—corresponds to the criteria of a Threatened status. On the other hand, while the size of the Davis Strait-Baffin Bay population has been estimated at 3000 whale, this estimation represents only 30 percent of its historic size. Although this evaluation criterion corresponds to the Endangered category, it has been designated as Threatened due to the cessation of commercial hunting, which was the main cause for its decline. Finally the Western Arctic population was renamed the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort population and attributed the status Special Concern. This population appears to be on the road to recovery, representing 50 percent of its historical size. Nonetheless, it continues to be the object of regulated whaling.

Taking the new COSEWIC evaluations into consideration, the Canadian government will decide over the next few years whether or not it will include these populations on the List of Endangered species by evaluating economic and social repercussions for Canadians. This designation provides legal protection for the populations so designated and bans all killing, harassing, capturing or injuring of any individual classified as Endangered or Threatened. The Species at Risk Act became law in June of 2003. Four new species of marine mammals will be assessed for the May 2006 COSEWIC meeting. These include Pacific and Atlantic minke whales, the Atlantic sub-species of harbour seals, Sowerby's beaked whale (an Atlantic species) and the Atlantic walrus population from the Eastern Arctic. [COSEWIC]

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28 April 2005

Rescue of a stranded grey whale in British Columbia

On the morning of April 25, the Vancouver Aquarium's Marine Mammal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre received a call concerning a dead grey whale stranded on a beach south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Soon after, a second call was received with news that the animal was in fact still alive. A team of specialists from the Vancouver Aquarium was dispatched to the site to maintain the animal alive and prepare a plan to return it to its natural environment. By the end of the day, however, the whale managed to swim out to sea on its own.

Vancouver Aquarium veterinarian Dr. Dave Huff ascertained that the young grey whale was six metres in length, of undetermined gender, had considerable barnacle growth and was quite thin. Yet, the animal was breathing normally and was alert. Its skin also showed signs of new and old injuries, probably inflicted by fishing nets and ropes.

The team of specialists and volunteers maintained the whale alive for several hours on the beach. Fire fighters installed a system to continually pump cold water onto the whale and erected a tent to provide it with shade. Volunteers dug trenches around the animal's chest to allow the cold water to cool it off and to take some pressure off the lungs.

As the intervention team was elaborating a plan to return the whale to sea when the tide reached an adequate level, it swam out to sea on its own as soon as water reached the tip of its tail. Escorted by a small boat carrying the specialists, the young whale headed out to the deep waters of an area where other grey whales had been spotted. At sunset the rescued whale was seen in the company of two adult grey whales.

Despite the success of the intervention, Dr. Huff is concerned about the whale's state and believes that its chances of survival are very slight. Still, according to Dr. Huff it was worth the effort to give the whale a second chance! [AquaNews]

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On AquaNews of the Vancouver Aquarium site :

21 April 2005

Whaling: Norway increases its quota while Japan hopes to double theirs

Norway will likely experience a record whaling season this year with an increased quota of 797 minke whales. Last year, 542 minke whales—of a quota of 670—were hunted over the course of a shortened season. Norway hopes to increase its kills in part to protect its commercial fishery and to bolster national trade in whale products. To accomplish this, the Norwegian whaling fleet of 30 boats will not only benefit from the higher quota, but also from a longer season, which began last Monday instead of in mid-May. Thus, whale products will be offered for sale during the entire whaling season. The season will come to a close at the end of August. Another novelty for the whaling programme: ships will head to sea without the government inspectors who normally monitor whaling activities to ensure that the techniques employed to kill the whales are humane. Whaling boats will instead be equipped with electronic sensors to record the number of harpoons deployed and the number of whales killed.

Meanwhile, according to reliable sources, it appears that Japan is set to propose a new Antarctic scientific whaling plan to the International Whaling Commission (IWC). The plan would see the number of minke whales hunted increase from 440 to 800. Furthermore, the plan would also propose the killing of 10 humpback whales and 10 fin whales. While Japanese authorities were not able to confirm this rumour—as the details of their proposition cannot be unveiled before it is submitted to the IWC—they nonetheless declared that their research programme must evolve and that the entire ecosystem must be studied. This would bring to six the total number of species taken by Japan within the context of its two scientific whaling programmes. Along with minke whales, Japanese whalers in the Pacific Northwest also hunt Byde's whales, sei whales and sperm whales. It goes without saying that, although it has yet to be confirmed, this rumour has provoked the anger and disapproval of anti-whaling countries and groups such as the Humane Society International (HSI). This organization, which fights to oppose the hunting of marine mammals worldwide, has been waiting for several months on a judgement from the Australian Federal Court to bring a court case against the Japanese Whale Company, which is illegally hunting minke whales in Australia's Antarctic Whale Sanctuary. The HSI has attempted to obtain the support of the Australian government, which prefers to engage in diplomatic discussions with Japanese authorities.

IWC member countries will be able to voice their opinions on the Japanese proposition during the next annual meeting set to take place in South Korea from June 20 to 24. [Whales Online, Planet Ark, HSI, CBC]

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On Planet Ark site :

7 April 2005

2005 birth rate for North Atlantic right whale encouraging

2005 has been the second best year since the early 1990s for births of North Atlantic right whales: 27 births have been recorded. Despite these encouraging numbers, specialists still consider the situation of the species to be critical.

Sixteen births were recorded in 2004, 18 in 2003, 22 in 2002, 31 in 2001 (record year) and only one in 2000. Scientists attribute the improved birth rate to the abundant food supply over the last few years. Every year since the early 1990s, between December and March, biologists from the New England Aquarium have flown over the waters off the coasts of Georgia and Florida (east of the United States) to count the number of newborn whales. This year, 12 of the 27 new mothers had given birth in 2002. According to Kate Sardi, assistant director at the Whale Center of New England, a cycle of 3 years between births is a sign of a healthy population.

Specialists are not however overly excited about this piece of good news. Human-caused deaths are still the biggest threat to the species, and the high birth rate can't obscure the efforts needed to save the species. Collisions with boats and accidental fishing gear entanglements are the most significant threats. Over the last six months, at least four right whales have been killed by ship strikes and one was killed due to fishing gear entanglement. Two of these whales were with near-term fetuses and two others were females of reproductive age. This is a major loss for the species that now only numbers between 300 and 350 individuals. A sixth right whale was seriously injured as a result of a ship collision last month.

With the winter calving season over, the right whales are now headed north to their feeding grounds, including the Bay of Fundy. Newborn whales accompany their mothers on this long journey of several hundred kilometres and will be exposed to similar threats, including ship collisions. The mortality rate for juvenile whales is estimated to be 25%. Scientists are therefore recommending that boat and ship operators reduce their speed to 10 knots when they are within 30 miles (54 km) from the east coast of the U.S. [Boston.com, The Berkshire Eagle]

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On Boston.com News site :

24 March 2005

WWF sounds the alarm for Asian river dolphins

On World Water Day (March 21), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) launched an appeal for a concerted effort to save Asian river dolphins. According to the international organization, all Asian river dolphin populations are severely threatened by dams and accidental entanglement in fishing gear, as well as industrial, agricultural and human pollution. Troubling levels of numerous toxic chemicals have been detected in river dolphin populations, indications of the poor quality of water used by several human communities. For these reasons, WWF requests that governing authorities, environmental groups and local communities join efforts in protecting local biodiversity, thus ensuring good water quality.

River dolphins inhabit some of the planet's most densely populated river basins, such as the Ganges River in India and the Indus River in Pakistan where one tenth of humanity resides. According to WWF estimates, the Yangtze river dolphin, also known as the baiji, is especially threatened; only 18 of these dolphins remain in the Yangtze, China's largest river. Furthermore, there are less than 2,000 Ganges river dolphins along a 6,000-km stretch of river, less than 2,000 Irrawaddy dolphins in various salt and fresh water habitats in Asia and the Pacific Ocean and no more than 1,100 Indus dolphins left in Pakistan.

Through the WWF River Dolphin Conservation initiative, WWF-India has been working for over 10 years with various communities that live along the Ganges River to improve water quality. Communities are encouraged to not use soaps and detergents in the river, to use natural instead of chemical fertilizers and to improve their sanitary systems. While most local communities initially opposed them in the early 1990s, 90 percent of the inhabitants now support these initiatives and perceive the economic benefits associated with them. According to WWF, efforts are paying off. The number of dolphins present in one 165-km long section of the Ganges River increased from 22 to 42 over a decade. People in charge of the recovery project hope that these positive results will encourage other communities to initiate their own projects.

Apart from the four Asian species, a fifth species exists in South America: the Amazon river dolphin, or boto. No population estimates are presently available for this species that is threatened by the drying up of certain portions of its habitat, the construction of hydroelectric dams, accidental entanglement in fishing gear and poaching. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) has classified the Amazon river dolphin a “Vulnerable” species, the Ganges and Indus river dolphins as “Endangered” and the Yangtze river dolphin as “Critically Endangered”. As for the Irrawaddy dolphin, IUCN specialists consider that there is not enough information to make an assessment. [WWF, IUCN]

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On WWF site :

10 March 2005

Mass stranding of dolphins in Florida: is sonar to blame?

Between 70 and 110 rough toothed dolphins—a species that normally swims in deep continental shelf waters—became stranded on sand flats near Marathon in southern Florida on Wednesday March 2. While 15 of them swam away into deeper waters on their own, more than 30 succumbed or had to be euthanized by specialists on site. A total of 26 rough toothed dolphins were transported to the Marine Mammal Conservancy, a rehabilitation centre in Key Largo. Necropsies are presently being carried out on dead animals in an attempt to determine the cause of the mass stranding. For now, two hypotheses have been put forward: red tide bacteria—highly unlikely since the necropsied dolphins had empty stomachs—or U.S. Navy sonar.

Twenty four hours before the stranding, the U.S. Navy submarine USS Philadelphia had been conducting exercises approximately 70 km off Marathon. Although the Navy states that it is investigating the situation, it has refused to confirm or deny the use of sonar. Similarly, the mass stranding off North Carolina last January that caused the death of 35 whales of three different cetacean species is under investigation for the same reasons. Several mass stranding incidents have been linked to the use of low-frequency sonar. In an incident that took place in 2002, 14 beaked whales stranded on beaches in the Canary Islands following NATO military exercises.

The use of low-frequency sonar is a very controversial issue in several countries, particularly the United States. In November of 2002, environmental groups won a case in U.S. federal court when the judge ordered the U.S. Navy to limit the use of low-frequency sonar. One year later the Bush administration pushed the Senate to adopt legislation compromizing this judgement: members voted in favour of exempting the American Defence Department from the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the Endangered Species Act (ESA), thus permitting the near unlimited use of Navy sonar. Conversely, the 25 member states of the European Union accepted the establishment of a moratorium on the use of high-intensity sonar—including NATO operations—in their territorial waters. [ENS, Reuters, CNN, Whales online]

This just in! (5 May 2005)

To date, nine of the 26 rough-toothed dolphins transported to the rehabilitation centre have been returned to the wild. Two were set free in April and seven in early May. Volunteers from the centre transported them 22 km off the Florida coast and set them free in deep water. In order to track the dolphins, all were equipped with radio transmitters. One male and one female were also equipped with satellite tags. Five females remain in the rehabilitation centre. Those in charge plan on releasing them as soon as the dolphins are healthy enough, with the exception of one of the females that lost its mother. Biologists are still waiting for the necropsy results to determine the cause of the stranding. U.S. Navy active sonar has not yet been excluded as a cause.

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On Environmental News Network site (ENN) :

24 February 2005

The Sakhalin oil project once again threatens grey whales

Six years after the first controversial oil development project in crucial habitat for a small population of grey whales off Sakhalin Island in the Okhotsk Sea east of Russia, a group of IUCN (World Conservation Union) scientists has been called on to evaluate the potential impact of the second phase of the project, set to begin in November 2007. This evaluation was requisitioned by the very oil company promoting the project, RussiaÕs Sakhalin Energy Investment Company (SEIC). A scant one hundred grey whales inhabit the Northwest Pacific Ocean. Only 23 of them are adult females capable of reproducing. The northeast coast of Sakhalin Island is the only known feeding ground for this critically endangered population.

In their report, the scientists estimate that the most prudent approach would be to suspend all operations related to oil development and delay all development projects in the Sakhalin Island area. According to their models, this population of grey whales presently faces a high risk of extinction, a risk that would increase with impacts attributable to phase 2 of the Sakhalin II project. Furthermore, according to the scientists, the precarious situation of this population is so critical that all preventative measures must be taken even before it can be determined if potential risks will really have an impact on the whales.

Phase 2 includes the construction of two new drilling platforms connected to land by pipelines. The main difference between phase 1 and phase 2 is that natural gas is to be transported from the drilling platform to land by way of pipelines instead of oil tankers. Although this method of transport considerably reduces certain tanker-related risks, scientists have identified four other risks related to the pipelines. These are an increase in disturbance by noise pollution and potential for ship strikes during pipeline construction, habitat destruction and exposure to potential leaks. The company has already planned mitigation measures to lower threats associated with the project. Scientists have judged several of these measures to be either insufficient or inadequate. They have also brought to light major gaps in SEIC information related to the biology of grey whales, their habitat, their prey and the decisional processes of the company itself. This has prevented scientists from making a full evaluation of certain risks and some SEIC mitigation measures.

The scientists also stress the importance of including all threats to this population in the evaluation of such a development project; although the impacts of one project may appear to be limited and acceptable, the cumulative impacts of several projects could compromise the recovery of this population of grey whales. They also recommend increased research and monitoring efforts to detect any demographic changes.

From exploratory stages using seismic surveying techniques to the production stages of an oil deposit, every phase of offshore oil and gas production involves risks for marine and coastal habitats. From the Gulf of Alaska to AustraliaÕs Great Barrier Reef, from the St. Lawrence to the Sea of Okhotsk, oil development projects are arousing the increasing concern of environmental groups, the scientific community, the fishing industry and the tourism industry. Many believe that these projects are too risky to be developed in the critical habitats of endangered or commercially important species. [IUCN]

This just in! (4 April)

Following the recommendations of a group of specialists designated by the IUCN, Sakhalin Energy has opted for a less disruptive option for grey whales by locating its pipelines 20 km further south than originally planned, thus avoiding a key grey whale feeding area. This option will limit noise disturbance, potential collisions and the destruction of critical habitat during construction, as well as potential exposure to oil spills. However, the location of the platform, that environmentalists believe is too close to grey whale habitat, remains unchanged. [ENS]

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On the World Conservation Union (IUCN) site:

10 February 2005

Twelve killer whales trapped in pack ice in Japan: eleven dead, one survivor

On the morning of February 7, 12 killer whales were found trapped by pack ice in a Japanese island port 1500 km north of Tokyo, near the Russian border. Fishermen, residents and specialists tried in vain to return the animals to open water. The following morning 11 of the whales had died. The twelfth, which according to observers was a seriously injured female, succeeded in breaking free of the natural death trap and was seen swimming alone three kilometres off shore.

According to several specialists, including Erich Hoyt, Canadian biologist and founder of the Far East Russia Orca Project (FEROP), fast-swimming killer whales rarely become ice bound. A change in the weather may be to blame for this incident; a low-pressure system bringing about northern winds abruptly blew drifting ice shoreward. Unfortunately, the whales appear to have reacted by swimming towards the coast.

The family group was composed of one adult male, six adult female and five young killer whales. Skin samples and photos were taken to determine whether the group belonged to a Russian or Japanese killer whale population. There are few killer whales left in Japanese waters due to hunting and ongoing live capture. On the other hand, over 150 killer whales have been identified in far-eastern Russian waters since the FEROP project began in 1999. According to Erich Hoyt, family group size suggests that these were fish-eating resident-type killer whales. Researchers and museums have shown an interest in samples and skeletons. One aquarium sent a request for sperm to carry out artificial insemination of a captive female killer whale. However, the carcasses will apparently be sent to universities and research centres for analysis.

Although ice entrapment is a rare event for killer whales, it may represent a serious threat to other species, such as blue whales. Representatives of this species occasionally postpone leaving ice-encrusted waters in order to take advantage of accumulated plankton on chosen feeding grounds. In these situations, wind-propelled drifting ice can become a death trap. From 1869 to 1992, the Whale Research Group documented a total of 23 cases of ice entrapment along the West Coast of Newfoundland implicating at least 41 blue whales. [WDCS, News 24]

This just in!

2 March 2005

A similar event has occurred less than one month after these 12 killer whales were trapped. Six killer whales are presently caught in the ice in Far-Eastern Russia, in the coastal waters of the Kuril Archipelago. Two of the whales have died. Dozens of volunteers are attempting to save the remaining four. There are plans to use an icebreaker to open a passage to open water for the whales.

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On Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society site :

3 February 2005

The Solomon Islands and Chile ban the capture of live dolphins

In July of 2003, the capture of several dozen wild dolphins in the Solomon Islands raised international controversy. A year and a half later, Solomon Islands Fisheries Minister Paul Maenu and Conservation Minister David Holosivi announced a ban on all live dolphin exports.

This announcement is the result of strong pressure placed on the Solomon Islands by several countries—including Australia and New Zealand—and conservation groups, like the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, to prohibit this industry. It also responds to concerns by local tuna fishermen that several countries would boycott their products. However, the government clearly stated that this new regulation would not affect the traditional use of dolphins by Solomon Islands residents in any way.

The regulation puts an end to plans by the Solomon Islands Marine Mammal Education Centre Ltd. (SIMMEC) to renew its permit, which it obtained in 2003 for the export of dolphins to Mexico. According to the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), by the end of 2004, some 40 captive dolphins were still waiting in poor conditions to be exported. The SIMMEC permit expired on December 31, 2004.

Meanwhile, Chile has also tightened regulations concerning captive dolphins. After an ill-fated operation in 1995, the country had decided to limit and control cetacean imports. The new regulations, adopted in January 2005, prohibit the capture, export and captivity of cetaceans, sea lions and marine turtles.

An increasing number of countries are banning the capture of live cetaceans in their territorial waters, yet some countries still allow them to be imported. This trade can represent an enticing source of revenue for residents of countries where political and economic conditions are difficult. [WDCS, Scoop Media, tvnz]

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On Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society site :

20 January 2005

North Atlantic right whales: death, survival and birth

Four deaths in six weeks

Four right whale carcasses have been discovered along the Atlantic Coast of the United States since late November. One was found off Virginia at the end of November, another south of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts in early December, a third off Nantucket Island on January 11 and finally one more off Georgia on January 12. Three of the four whales were females. The first carcass was that of a gestating female carrying a near-term foetus. The third carcass was that of a female that had given birth to at least six calves and had survived a ship strike in 2001. Ship strikes are the main cause of death for this species, which is classified as "endangered". Right whales migrate along North America’s East Coast between their winter calving grounds, off Florida and Georgia, and their summer feeding grounds off Canada’s East Coast. So far the National Marine Fisheries Service has determined that only one of the four whales died from a ship strike. The United States is considering modifying shipping lanes in order to protect right whales from ship strikes.

Kingfisher found alive and a New Year disentanglement

A young right whale named Kingfisher made headlines on Whales Online on April 15, 2004, as a rescue team was working hard to disentangle it from the fishing gear it was trailing. Poor weather impeded the numerous rescue attempts and scientists lost track of the young male whale when a fisherman accidentally cut through a line carrying a satellite tag. Many had given Kingfisher up for dead when he was sighted off Georgia on January 11, 2005, apparently in good condition. To the surprise of scientists, Kingfisher was mostly free of the lines that had been seriously hampering him.

On December 30 and 31, 2004, a team of specialists from the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies freed a young right whale of heavy fishing gear. This whale had been located for the first time in early December as it was travelling along the East Coast of the United States heading south. On December 21, a rescue team succeeded in attaching a satellite transmitter to the trailing gear. However, it wasn’t until December 29 that weather conditions permitted the planning of an intervention strategy that was carried out with success late in the afternoon of December 31. The whale, whose code number is 3314, was named Yellow Fin in honour of the U.S. Coast Guard vessel that assisted the disentanglement team during this perilous rescue. Scientists estimate that at least 13 of the 300 to 350 North Atlantic right whales are presently entangled in fishing gear.

Births for the 2005 breeding season

The good news for this population is that a total of 13 newborn calves have been counted this breeding season by teams conducting aerial surveys over breeding grounds. This number is very encouraging according to scientists; the breeding season will last until March. Last breeding season a total of 16 births were recorded, 18 in 2003, 22 in 2002, 31 in 2001 and only one in 2000. [EMS, NOAA, The Boston Globe, Whales online]

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On Environmental Media Service site :