- The objective is to minimize the risk to crew members, navigation and cetaceans in the event of an encounter.
- Do not stop the boat, sail towards the coast and avoid sailing in areas with a high probability of presence of these animals, are some of the indications
The Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO), through the General Directorate of Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification, and the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility (MITMA), through the General Directorate of the Merchant Marine, offer a series of recommendations and guidelines for all sailors in case of sighting or interaction with killer whales in the Atlantic. The objective is to avoid or minimize risks to crew members, vessels, navigation and the cetaceans themselves.
These recommendations were endorsed at the international workshop on killer whales held in Madrid on February 6-8, 2024 at the proposal of the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). Orca experts from different countries and managers from the governments of Spain, Portugal and Morocco participated in the meeting. The conclusions and indications have been integrated into a report that was presented to the IWC Scientific Committee in April and will be made public at the end of May.
The recommendations are extended to the whole year, but should be extreme during the months of April to August in the delimited area of the Gulf of Cadiz and the Strait of Gibraltar, as it is an area of high probability of presence of killer whales, especially during those months.
CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The main conclusion among the experts at this workshop is that these interactions between killer whales and boats are not aggressive, but are more related to play or socialization behavior than aggression. Therefore, the use of terms such as “attack” to describe these encounters is inappropriate and unfounded and should not be applied.
Among the recommendations, the following should be highlighted:
a) In case of interaction, whether it is a motorboat or a sailing boat, do not stop the boat and sail towards the coast, to shallower waters.
b) Not to navigate in the defined area of the Gulf of Cadiz and the Strait of Gibraltar indicated during the months of April to August, and to navigate as close as possible to the coast within the safety limits.
c) Prevent people on board from approaching the risers, ensuring that they are located in places that provide the greatest possible protection against possible sudden movements that could cause injury or a fall into the sea, and against blows caused by the sudden displacement of moving parts.
d) Avoidance of conduct and use of deterrent measures that may cause death, harm, disturbance or discomfort to cetaceans.
e) Notify the sighting or interaction with cetaceans to the nearest Rescue Coordination Center (SCC) through the corresponding VHF channels (channel 16 or working channel), according to the notification instructions established for this purpose.
In addition, MITMA establishes that any navigator who observes the presence of killer whales or who is involved in any type of interaction should notify the nearest Rescue Coordination Center (CCS) as soon as possible, providing, as far as possible, as much information as possible from the form available on its website, as well as any other information considered to be of interest.
It also requests that as long as it does not pose a danger to the crew or the animal, photographs of the killer whale specimens involved be taken in order to have a better record and identification of these cetaceans, and they should be sent to the e-mail address provided by the Rescue Coordination Center.
These recommendations are published on the web pages of both ministries and on the web page of the Sociedad de Salvamento y Seguridad Marítima. They are also disseminated during the summer campaign on social networks with the hashtag #SeguridadNautica.
In addition, during the months of April to August, the CCS CÁDIZ and CCS TARIFA will broadcast nautical radio-warnings warning about navigation recommendations, the guidelines to follow in case of interaction with killer whales and the information to be provided about such episodes.
Map published on May 13, 2024 on the MITECO website:
KILLER WHALE POPULATION
The killer whale population in the Strait of Gibraltar and the Gulf of Cadiz is listed as vulnerable in the Spanish Catalog of Threatened Species (CEEA) developed by Royal Decree 139/2011, of February 4. For species included in the CEEA, any action taken for the purpose of killing, capturing, persecuting or disturbing them is prohibited.
In addition, Royal Decree 1727/2007, of December 21, 2007, establishing measures for the protection of cetaceans establishes a series of measures including the prohibition of approaching cetaceans with the boat within 60 m of them, feeding the animals, throwing food, drinks, garbage or any other type of object or solid or liquid substance that is harmful to cetaceans; producing loud or strident noises and sounds in an attempt to attract or drive them away, including the emission of sounds underwater.
This population of killer whales has a conservation plan developed by Order APM/427/2017, of May 4, approving the protection measures, and the Conservation Plan for the killer whales of the Strait and Gulf of Cadiz, which prohibits in its article 4.3 to develop the activity of observation of cetaceans, whether commercial, private or scientific, in the critical area of the Ensenada de Barbate, Conil and Banco Majuán, during the critical period for the species, which takes place from March 1 to August 31.
