An advocate concerned about the well-being of whales suggests that numerous collisions between ships and these marine creatures go unnoticed or unreported, while the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) is currently looking into yet another humpback whale fatality 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 was found on November 8 near Lasqueti Island in the Georgia Strait close to the Sunshine Coast. This incident marks the third confirmed death since late September.
The identity of the deceased humpback whale, a 21-year-old named Polyphemus known to migrate between Hawaii and British Columbia waters, remains a mystery regarding the circumstances leading to its demise. Birdsall highlighted the challenge of determining if the increase in reported whale fatalities is specifically due to ship strikes, emphasizing that most deceased whales are never located. However, she did mention a rise in reporting activities in recent months.
According to a statement by the DFO, efforts are underway to comprehend the latest humpback whale fatality, with vessel collisions identified as a significant threat to these creatures. The humpback whale population has been gradually recovering since commercial hunting ceased in the 1960s.
Christie McMillan, a researcher at the DFO conducting whale surveys in the Salish Sea since 2020, mentioned that approximately 400 humpback whales could be present in the area during the fall season. Contrary to popular belief, the highest concentration of humpback whales is observed in the fall rather than summer, particularly in the Salish Sea and the Strait of Georgia.
McMillan emphasized the year-round presence of humpback whales in British Columbia waters, highlighting the unfortunate frequency of whale fatalities in the Strait of Georgia due to the overlapping activities between humans and whales in the region. Polyphemus was a familiar visitor to the northern part of the Strait of Georgia where its body was discovered, and a necropsy is required to determine the cause of death.
Although the exact cause of Polyphemus’ demise remains unknown, it was confirmed that the whale was not among the two recently struck by vessels in the Strait of Georgia.
Recent incidents include the discovery of a deceased humpback whale on September 18 following a reported whale strike by a B.C. Ferries vessel, as well as another whale found dead on October 25 shortly after a vessel from the whale-watching company Prince of Whales made contact with it. In another event on October 17, a high-speed ferry reported a collision with a humpback whale near Vancouver’s English Bay, resulting in injuries to a calf.
Birdsall highlighted an increase in reported ship strikes, attributing this rise to vessels whose crews are well-informed about the legal obligation to report such incidents and the presence of passengers who can hold them accountable. She noted that whales struck by vessels may not perish immediately but could succumb to injuries weeks or months later.
