Abstract
The Mediterranean sperm whale population is listed as ‘Endangered”. The Hellenic Trench is the core habitat of the eastern Mediterranean sperm whale sub-population that numbers two to three hundred individuals. Major shipping routes running on or very close to the 1000 m depth contour along the Hellenic Trench are causing an unsustainable number of ship-strikes with sperm whales reviewed in this paper. Sperm whale sighting and density data were combined with specific information on the vessel traffic in the area (e.g., types of vessels, traffic patterns, speed and traffic density), in order to estimate the risk of a whale/ship interaction. Routing options to significantly reduce ship strike risk by a small offshore shift in shipping routes were identified. The overall collision risk for sperm whales in the study area would be reduced by around 70%, while a maximum of 11 nautical miles would be added to major routes and only around 5 nautical miles for the majority of ships. No negative impacts were associated with re-routing by shipping away from sperm whale habitat and there would be additional shipping safety and environmental benefits. A significant contribution to the overall conservation status of the marine Natura2000 sites in the area and very important population units of threatened species such as Cuvier’s beaked whales, monk seals and loggerhead turtles would be achieved, by the reduction of shipping noise and reduced risk of any oil spills reaching the coasts, which are also important touristic destinations in Greece.
Highlights
The Hellenic Trench is core habitat for the eastern Mediterranean sperm whale sub-population, which is believed to number no more than two to three hundred individuals [1, 2]
This paper aims to address the problem of ship strikes along the Hellenic Trench by (i) documenting the available research on sperm whales as well as specific information on the vessel traffic in the area, such that the risk of a whale/ship interaction can be estimated, (ii) identifying possible routing options to reduce ship strike risk and (iii) assessing the implications of the proposed routing options with respect to other species vulnerable to shipping impacts and fishing activities
In this study satellite data was available for 14% of the time
Summary
The Hellenic Trench is core habitat for the eastern Mediterranean sperm whale sub-population, which is believed to number no more than two to three hundred individuals [1, 2]. The Mediterranean sperm whale population is listed as “Endangered” by International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and is at risk mainly from driftnet entanglement and ship strikes [3]. Because of its regional importance for the Mediterranean sperm whale population, ACCOBAMS (Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic area) proposed the Hellenic Trench to become a Marine Protected. Can we reduce collision risks between large vessels and endangered sperm whales along the Hellenic Trench?
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