An advocate for the protection of whales expressed concern that numerous incidents involving collisions between ships and whales may go unnoticed or unreported. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is currently investigating the death of a humpback whale off the coast of British Columbia.
Caitlin Birdsall, who serves as the executive director of the Marine Education and Research Society, disclosed that the deceased whale, identified as a 21-year-old humpback named Polyphemus, was discovered on November 8 near Lasqueti Island in the Georgia Strait close to the Sunshine Coast. This marks the third confirmed humpback whale fatality since late September.
While the exact circumstances leading to Polyphemus’ demise remain unclear, Birdsall highlighted the challenge in determining if ship strikes are on the rise as most deceased whales are never located. She did note, however, an uptick in reported incidents over the past few months.
The DFO acknowledged that vessel strikes pose a significant threat to humpback whales, whose population has rebounded since the cessation of commercial hunting in the 1960s. Christie McMillan, a DFO researcher conducting whale surveys in the Salish Sea, estimated that up to 400 humpback whales may be present in the region during the autumn months.
McMillan emphasized the year-round presence of humpback whales in British Columbia waters, cautioning boaters to be vigilant. The recent spate of deceased whales in the Strait of Georgia has raised concerns due to the overlap between human and whale activities in the area.
Polyphemus was known to frequent the northern Strait of Georgia, and further investigations are required to determine the cause of death. While the specific reason remains unknown, it was confirmed that Polyphemus was not among the two whales recently struck by vessels in the same area.
In recent incidents, a humpback whale was discovered dead on September 18 following a reported collision with a B.C. Ferries vessel, while another whale was found deceased on October 25 shortly after a whale-watching boat from Prince of Whales made contact with it.
Birdsall attributed the increase in reported ship strikes to the vigilance of vessel crews who are aware of their reporting obligations and the presence of passengers who act as witnesses. She also highlighted the delayed impact of vessel collisions on whales, noting that injuries may lead to death weeks or even months after the initial incident.
