The LIFE INTEMARES project, coordinated by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, has initiated oceanographic campaigns that will collect information on the distribution of sperm whales and other cetaceans in the Canary and Balearic Islands.

The LIFE INTEMARES project, coordinated by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, has initiated oceanographic campaigns that will collect information on the distribution of sperm whales and other cetaceans in the Canary and Balearic Islands. The main objective of this study, which will be carried out over the next few months, will be to use this information to design management measures to significantly reduce cetacean mortality due to collisions with vessels in areas where maritime traffic poses a serious threat to their populations.

In the case of the Balearic Islands, photo-identification campaigns are being carried out for the specimens, as well as satellite tagging and genetic study of individuals of sperm whales, the species most affected by collision episodes, to monitor their population. Hydrophones are also being placed at strategic crossing points in the Canals of Mallorca and Ibiza to carry out acoustic-passive monitoring of the cetaceans that use them. Finally, these works include ferry trips from the peninsula to the islands, and between islands, for their sighting and to analyse whether the routes of these vessels cross sensitive areas for these species. These campaigns are being carried out with the collaboration of the Tursiops Association.

The information obtained will overlap with the existing information on the analysis of maritime traffic, developed by the Centre for Studies and Experimentation of Public Works (CEDEX), to develop a programme of measures to minimise collisions of cetaceans, especially sperm whales, with maritime traffic. Following this work, one of the measures will be selected in order to launch a small-scale pilot project to test the effectiveness of its implementation in the area.

SPECIAL THERMAL CAMERAS

In parallel, and also paying special attention to the sperm whale, similar actions will be carried out in the Canary Islands. In this sense, photoidentification campaigns, satellite tagging, genetic analysis and specific archipelagic sampling will also be carried out to check the current distribution of the species. With all this information, and also after overlapping it with the existing information on maritime traffic, a programme of measures will be proposed to minimise collisions between vessels and cetaceans.

However, in this area, a demonstration action will be carried out in parallel, and from the coming months, to test the effectiveness of the use of special thermal cameras, created exclusively for these actions, for the detection of sperm whales to minimise collisions with passenger transport lines. In this case, there is the collaboration of the University of La Laguna, together with the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN) and CEAMAR, and also with Arquimea in the case of the cameras for ferries.

A SERIOUS THREAT

Collisions with boats are one of the main threats identified for the survival of cetacean populations in Spanish waters. This is due to the high volume of maritime traffic that exists, especially on the Mediterranean slope and island waters of the Balearic and Canary Islands, where the most important ports in our country are located. These high-traffic areas largely overlap with the ranges of several cetacean species, resulting in these situations.

Specifically, one of the species most affected by collisions with large vessels is the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus). 60% of the deaths of individuals of this species are caused by this reason, according to a recent study by the University of La Laguna.

Faced with this situation, it is a priority to design active conservation measures that reduce the effects of existing threats on cetaceans and, in particular, the effect of collisions between boats and sperm whales. To this end, scientific knowledge of the species is being deepened, in order to have updated and truthful information that provides a greater knowledge of its distribution in our waters.

EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF PROTECTED AREAS 

The LIFE INTEMARES project is moving towards the objective of achieving effective management of the marine areas of the Natura 2000 Network, with the active participation of the sectors involved and with research as the basic tools.

The Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge coordinates the project. The Ministry itself, through the Directorate-General for Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification and the Sub-Directorate for the Protection of the Sea; the Regional Government of Andalusia, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, as well as the Environment and Water Agency; the Spanish Institute of Oceanography; AZTI; the University of Alicante; the Polytechnic University of Valencia; the Spanish Fisheries Confederation, SEO/BirdLife and WWF Spain. It is supported by the LIFE Program of the European Union.