Lessons From Placing an Observer on Commercial Cargo Ships Off the U.S. West Coast: Utility as an Observation Platform and Insight Into Ship Strike Vulnerability

Kiirsten Regina Flynn,John Calambokidis

doi:10.3389/fmars.2019.00501

Abstract

Ship strikes of whales are a growing concern around the world and especially along the U.S. West Coast, home to some of busiest ports in the world and where ship strikes on a number of species including blue, fin, and humpback whales have been documented. This trial program examined the feasibility, logistics, industry cooperation, and effectiveness of placing an observer on board a commercial ship. An experienced marine mammal observer went on five voyages, spanning over eight days on ships operating between U.S. West Coast ports. Daylight observations were conducted over 68hrs and covered over 1300nm as ships transited between three ports (Seattle, Oakland, and LA/Long Beach(LA/LB)). Sightings of large whales were reported on all (n=42), totaling an estimated 57 individuals that included humpback, blue, fin and beaked whales. Close encounters of large whales occurred, (on one occasion a near miss, estimated at 40m, of two humpbacks) and on another, a ship chose to alter course to avoid whale sightings in its path identified by the observer. All ships personnel cooperated and voluntarily aided in the observations even after initial skepticism by some crew about the program. While most effort on mitigating ship strikes along the U.S. West Coast has focused on shipping lanes, the vast majority of these sightings occurred outside these lanes and on the transit routes, emphasizing the need for added attention to these areas. This experiment demonstrates the effectiveness and promise of observations from ships providing critical information on whale locations at risk to ship strikes.

Highlights

Ship strike of large whales have become an issue of growing concern worldwide and along the U.S West Coast in particular (Redfern et al, 2013; Rockwood et al, 2017)
Ship traffic along the U.S West Coast operate from major ports including those in the north based in Washington and British Columbia that transit out the Strait of Juan De Fuca, those based in San Francisco Bay including Oakland, Richmond, and San Francisco and in the Southern California Bight (SBC) home to Los Angeles/Long Beach (LA/LB), one of the world’s largest ports
Ships transiting to and from these ports can go through five west coast National Marine Sanctuaries (NMS), areas identified as biologically important areas (BIAs) for the endangered blue and humpback whales, and for high densities of feeding gray whales (Calambokidis et al, 2015)

Summary

Introduction

Ship strike of large whales have become an issue of growing concern worldwide and along the U.S West Coast in particular (Redfern et al, 2013; Rockwood et al, 2017). Ships transiting to and from these ports can go through five west coast National Marine Sanctuaries (NMS), areas identified as biologically important areas (BIAs) for the endangered blue and humpback whales, and for high densities of feeding gray whales (Calambokidis et al, 2015). The JWG concluded that in order to reduce lethal ship strikes, a reduction in the co-occurrence of ships and whales had to occur In their 2012 report, their recommendations included modification of shipping lanes, creation of dynamic management areas (DMA) in regions of high whale concentrations, education and outreach initially engaging and informing the commercial industry, and the creation of a real time monitoring and whale sighting network with commercial ship participation (Joint Working Group, 2012)

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Results

Conclusion