Listen to this article
Estimated 4 minutes
The audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.
Marine researchers in B.C. say a new collaborative approach to whale sightings being used in part of California could help to prevent whale strikes here too.
In San Francisco Bay, scientists, ferry operators and the public are working together to track whales, using an app and a special kind of camera.
The WhaleSpotter cameras, each housed inside a microwave-sized white box, use thermal imaging to monitor whale activity night and day. The sightings are then recorded alongside human ones in a public app.
“The more you have eyes on the water, the more whales we can protect,” said Daniel Zitterbart, the chief scientist at WhaleSpotter.
So far, the cameras have been installed on Angel Island and San Francisco Bay Ferry vessels.
B.C. has some WhaleSpotter cameras too — but only on land, not any ferry-mounted ones, limiting where they can detect whales. The cameras can “see” about two nautical miles (3.7 kilometres).
Tracking the marine mammals is important for determining their routes and preventing vessel strikes — an issue that has seen increasing attention in B.C. There have been numerous documented whale strikes in the province in recent years, including a dead humpback whale in Wright Sound, a humpback calf struck by a Hullo Ferry last fall, and an endangered J pod orca killed in 2016.
In San Francisco Bay, the cameras are connected to an app called Whale Safe, where scientists, mariners, researchers and the public can track whale sightings.
“This is the community coming together to build a public service community resource,” said Douglas McCauley, Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory director.
In B.C., only approved commercial mariners can see what the cameras pick up — through the Ocean Wise whale report alert system — to let them know if a whale is nearby, not the general public.
Thomas Hall with San Francisco Bay Ferry said the ferry-mounted cameras will allow them to track whale behaviour and habits over time.
“Our hope is not just to use the data from the trips in real time but also establish patterns … as to where the whales are hanging out so we can adjust our routes.”
Zitterbart said he would like B.C. Ferries to do the same.
“I would love to see these cameras being used for basically all the B.C. Ferries routes. They go through humpback highways,” he said.
B.C. Ferries said it is looking at putting detection devices on its northern route, where a humpback whale was fatally struck by one of its vessels last fall and “will go from there” for the other routes.
Whales are a frequent visitor in the waters off of Vancouver. But one grey whale feeding in English Bay has people very excited. As the CBC’s Alanna Kelly reports, one swimmer had an encounter that was extra special.
Calls for more collaborative protection efforts have grown in recent years as ship traffic has increased and climate change has forced some whales to alter their patterns.
In the San Francisco Bay, McCauley said researchers have seen more grey whales swimming through as they search for new food sources on their way back north.
According to the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory, 21 whales died in the bay last year, and 40 per cent of them had signs of ship strikes.
Canadian Wildlife Federation conservation biologist Sean Brillant said vessel strikes are a major threat to whales in Canada and the time to act is now.
“It is not a B.C. only-, it is not a west coast of North America-only situation, this is a global problem,” he said.
He said it will take collaboration between groups at home and across borders to keep whales safe.
“The most successful conservation initiatives that we’ve seen, probably globally, involve sharing data across numerous agencies.”
