Unusual Whale Sightings in British Waters

Humpback and Blue Whales are joining Fin Whales around the UK

Oct 2, 2008 John Blatchford

Whales face many man-made problems.

Recent sightings of Blue Whales around Ireland and Humpbacks near the Channel Islands suggest that these species might be doing well in the North Atlantic.

Blue Whales in Irish Waters

A confirmed sighting of a Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) was made this year (15/09/08) off the Irish coast by scientists from the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group while they were searching for Tuna and Fin Whales. This is the first time a Blue Whale has been seen in Irish waters in 20 years (or the first time a sighting has been validated at least). Acoustic studies (using hydrophones) suggest that up to 50 Blue Whales pass through Irish Waters each year, so maybe this year’s sighting is the first of many, and an indication that the species is recovering in the North Atlantic.

Humpback Whales in the English Channel

Also in September of this year (2008) a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) was seen in the English Channel, near the Channel Islands. It is thought, from tentative identification of the individual (using fin and fluke characteristics), that this whale was also seen in the Bay of Biscay around the same time. It was probably migrating south (from northerly feeding grounds to warmer water) and was either following fish or simply ‘got lost’. Humpbacks are frequently seen off the West Coast of Ireland, but this is the first sighting of one in the English Channel.

Fin Whales around the British Coast

The Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is the most common whale in British waters, with an estimated population of between 7,500 and 17,000 in the ‘British Isles-Spain-Portugal’ group, and over 40,000 in the North Atlantic as a whole. Numbers seem to be increasing, and with Humpbacks and Blue Whales also returning it looks as if whale populations are beginning to recover. But there are still severe threats.

Man-made Problems Whales Face

• Shipping Lanes and Ships Colliding with Whales – many whales are killed or injured each year after collisions with large ships. The only solution seems to be to route shipping lanes away from whale migratory routes, and/or to impose speed limits on ships in certain locations.
• Fishing Gear and Damage to Smaller Whales – dolphins and other small whales are often caught accidentally in fishing nets, and many more have been found dead with scars showing that they have been tangled in nets at some time in their lives. There have been attempts to develop equipment to attach to nets, which make noises to deter dolphins, or at least to allow them to learn that the noise indicates the presence of a net nearby (dolphins are very intelligent).
• Noise from Ships and Sonar - Whales communicate using sound, and ships’ engines probably disrupt them. Sonar (particularly the high powered sonar used by the military) not only disturbs them, but can actually injure and even kill them. Nothing can be done about engine noise, but there are attempts to restrict the use of military sonar, both to the locations where less harm will be done, and also to the times when it will be less damaging.
• Direct Harm to Whales by Whaling – many fewer whales are intentionally killed each year at present than was the case in the past, but many still are. Any return to legal whaling would be the worst of all bad news for whales.

The copyright of the article Unusual Whale Sightings in British Waters in Marine Biology & Oceanography is owned by John Blatchford. Permission to republish Unusual Whale Sightings in British Waters in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Humpback Tail Flukes

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