Model and Strategy
Whales are charismatic creatures that capture the mystery and magic of the ocean – yet whale survival is at risk. The waters off the coasts of San Francisco and Southern California are prime feeding ground for whales, and are also some of the busiest in the world for ship traffic. This is a deadly combination. Ship collisions are the leading cause of death for whales, pushing endangered blue whales toward extinction and threatening recovery of other species. We have to act now to preserve whales’ key role in healthy marine food webs and benefits to fisheries and carbon sequestration. We will reduce whale strikes from commercial ships by guiding science-based policy changes to (1) significantly reduce ship speeds in whale feeding areas, and (2) move most ship traffic offshore to non-feeding areas.
Our project will preserve these iconic animals for future generations while also protecting our rich marine ecosystem. Ships travelling slower make less noise, burn less fuel, and produce fewer greenhouse gases and toxic particulates responsible for significant health impacts to coastal cities. Significantly reducing ship strikes will thus benefit both human and ocean wildlife communities.
Impact
National Marine Sanctuaries rely on our whale data and expertise to assess current conservation measures and recommend changes that decrease whale deaths. Our work is expected to reduce the number of whales killed by ships along the US West Coast by 80% based on current analyses. Annual humpback whale mortality should drop from 22 to 4, or approximately half the federally recommended limit for human-caused deaths. Blue whale deaths should decrease from an estimated 18 annually to less than 4, giving us time to enact new policies to save this endangered species. The estimated 43 fin whale strikes should be cut in half. This would result in significant population gains for these long-lived whales with low numbers of offspring.
Significantly reducing ship strikes will benefit both human and ocean wildlife communities by reducing ocean noise, greenhouse gas emissions, and toxic particulate pollution near coastal communities, as well as by protecting the key role whales play in healthy marine food webs, securing lasting benefits to fisheries and carbon sequestration.
This research is highly applicable to managers who want to reduce whale deaths from collisions with ships elsewhere in the world. Our next steps in scaling up after this project will be to assess overall mortality and provide guidance to help the critically endangered northern right whales on the East Coast, and explore ways to use our approach to guide shipping practices in the newly opened Arctic routes. Finally, we are developing relationships with our partners in the Indian Ocean and off the West Coast of South America, where there is currently no work being done to improve shipping practices to decrease whale mortality.
Leadership
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Ellie M. Cohen
President & CEO
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Dr. Jaime Jahncke
California Current Director