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Association Between Blue Whale (Balaenoptera Musculus) Mortality and Ship Strikes Along the California Coast Michelle Berman-Kowalewski,1 Frances M

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Association Between Blue Whale (Balaenoptera Musculus) Mortality and Ship Strikes Along the California Coast Michelle Berman-Kowalewski,1 Frances M Aquatic Mammals 2010, 36(1), 59-66, DOI 10.1578/AM.36.1.2010.59 Association Between Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) Mortality and Ship Strikes Along the California Coast Michelle Berman-Kowalewski,1 Frances M. D. Gulland,2 Sarah Wilkin,3 John Calambokidis,4 Bruce Mate,5 Joe Cordaro,3 Dave Rotstein,6 Judy St. Leger,7 Paul Collins,1 Krista Fahy,1 and Samuel Dover8 1Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara, CA 93105, USA; E-mail: [email protected] 2The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Sausalito, CA 94965, USA 3National Marine Fisheries Service, 501 W. Ocean Boulevard., Suite 4200, Long Beach, CA 90803, USA 4Cascadia Research, 218 1/2 W 4th Avenue, Olympia, WA 98501, USA 5Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, OR 97365, USA 6UCAR/Smithsonian Museum Osteoprep Laboratory, Suitland, MD 20746, USA 7500 SeaWorld Drive, San Diego, CA 92109, USA 8Channel Islands Marine and Wildlife Institute, P.O. Box 4250, Santa Barbara, CA 93140, USA Abstract were severely depleted by commercial whal- ing, with the North Pacific post-whaling popula- Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) are distrib- tion of blue whales estimated at 1,400 animals uted worldwide, and although severely depleted (Gambell, 1976). Since then, their abundance by commercial whaling, their abundance off the off the California coast appears to be increasing, California coast now appears to be increasing. probably because of both changes in their distribu- Little is known about natural causes of mortal- tion and an overall increase in population (Reilly ity of blue whales, but human-related mortality & Thayer, 1990; Barlow, 1994; Calambokidis & continues despite legal protection. Ship strikes Barlow, 2004). Recently, the abundance of blue are a significant mortality factor for other species whales in the eastern North Pacific was estimated of baleen whale, and changes in shipping traffic using both line-transect and capture-recapture have been advocated to minimize further deaths. methods, giving estimates of 3,000 and 2,000 Between 1988 and 2007, 21 blue whale deaths animals, respectively (Calambokidis & Barlow, were reported along the California coast, typically 2004). Blue whales are only present seasonally one or two cases annually. Three pulses in strand- off the coast of California and their movements ings were observed, with three carcasses observed are correlated with aggregations of the euphausi- in fall 1988, three in 2002, and four in fall 2007. ids Euphasia pacifica and Thysanoessa spinfera Two of the four animals in 2007 were first (Mate et al., 1999). observed dead in the Santa Barbara Channel and Little is known about natural causes of mor- had wounds typical of a ship strike. Blue whale tality of blue whales, although rake marks and strandings were spatially associated with locations observation of a killer whale (Orcinus orca) of shipping lanes, especially those associated with attack on one animal indicate predation occurs the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and (Tarpy, 1979). Human-related mortality contin- were most common in the fall months. ues despite protection from commercial whaling as there have been several observations of blue Key Words: blue whale, Balaenoptera musculus, whales on bows of ships (Norman et al., 2004). ship strike, trauma, shipping lane, Sarcocystis Ship strikes are an important cause of mortal- ity for other species of baleen whale, especially Introduction northern right whales (Eubalaena glacialis), fin whales (B. physalis), and humpback whales Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) are dis- (Megaptera novaeangliae), with up to one third of tributed worldwide, with four recognized sub- all fin and right whale strandings attributed to ship species and five potential subpopulations in the strikes in some areas (Knowlton & Kraus, 2001; North Pacific, although these populations might Laist et al., 2001; Panigada et al., 2006). Along the not be totally discrete (Reeves et al., 1998; California coast, gray whales (Eschrichitus robus- McDonald et al., 2006b). Blue whale stocks tus) are also commonly hit by ships (Heyning & 60 Berman-Kowalewski et al. Dalheim, 1990). Ship strikes are such an impor- whales. In both 1988 and 2002, the three reported tant factor in the lack of recovery of the critically strandings were spatially distributed through- endangered northern right whale (Knowlton & out the state of California, ranging from the Kraus, 2001) that changes in shipping traffic San Francisco Bay area in the north to San Diego speed and location, and placement of dedicated in the south (a distance of over 700 km). In con- spotters on ships have been advocated to mini- trast, in 2007, the four strandings were clustered mize future deaths (Vanderlaan & Taggart, 2007; in the Southern California Bight, with most occur- International Whaling Commission [IWC], 2008). ring in the Santa Barbara Channel; the maximum To this end, a 10-kt limit on vessel speed and separation between these four confirmed reports changes to ship routing have been implemented was 180 km. In nine of the years, there was no during seasons of peak right whale abundance in blue whale mortality, while in others there were some areas of the North Atlantic (International only one (n = 4) or two (n = 3) deaths. Of the Maritime Organization [IMO], 2008; National 21 blue whale deaths along the California coast Marine Fisheries Service [NMFS], 2008). Despite between 1988 and 2007, eight of these carcasses reports of blue whales observed draped over the were confirmed to have died as a result of ship bows of ships (Reeves et al., 1998; Norman et al., strikes via direct examination of the carcass or by 2004), data on the frequency of ship strikes and the fact that that they appeared in port associated identification of high-risk sites for this species with a ship (n = 3). Five of the ship-struck whales have not been compiled. This paper summarizes were females, four of which were adults, and three two decades of blue whale strandings along the were subadult males (Table 1). The ship-struck California coast from 1988 to 2007 and identifies whales were found in the vicinity of the shipping regions of ship-strike-associated strandings. lanes entering the San Francisco Bay, the Port of Los Angeles, the Port of Long Beach, and in the Materials and Methods Santa Barbara Channel (Figure 1). Two ship-strike-related mortality clusters Observations of dead whales close to shore or on occurred within the 20 y examined here. Two the beach were reported by members of the general whales were mortally struck in 2002 and four in public to the California Marine Mammal Stranding 2007. In 2002, a blue whale (CMMC-C158) had a Network or the National Marine Fisheries Service series of six parallel vertical slashes along its right (NMFS). Occasionally, mariners involved in a side and another had a broken left flipper and lac- collision with a whale reported the incident to erations on the head, both suspected to be caused the NMFS, and these animals were recorded as a by a ship strike. In 2007 (8 to 19 September), vessel strike. Animals were examined in as much five sightings of dead blue whales (representing detail as logistics allowed. One animal received a at least four individual animals) were reported in complete necropsy as described by Rowles et al. southern California. This cluster of mortalities (2001), including collection of tissue samples for was sufficiently anomalous to be designated an histopathology and toxicology, fluids for biotoxin “Unusual Mortality Event” (UME) by the NMFS analysis, and examination of skeletal regions; this (Wilkinson, 1996). On 8 September 2007, a 22-m- animal stranded in 2007 and was towed to a beach long male blue whale (DSJ2231) was discovered suitable for an in-depth necropsy. Additionally in dead floating in Long Beach Harbor, Los Angeles 2007, partial necropsies were conducted on two County. It was towed out to sea for disposal after of the strandings, and one other whale was mea- it was measured and sampled for genetics but sured, examined externally, and a skin sample was before a necropsy could be performed. On 11 collected for genetic analysis. Biotoxin analyses September 2007, a dead blue whale was observed were conducted in NOAA-contracted laboratories floating in the Santa Barbara Channel north of employing standard protocols. Santa Rosa Island at 34° 20' N and 119° 25' W (Figure 1). This female whale (SBMNH-2007- Results 19) stranded 2 d later on Hobson County Beach, Ventura County, on 13 September 2007. On Strandings 12 September 2007, another dead blue whale was Over the two decades included in this paper, seen floating off of San Clemente Island which 21 blue whale strandings occurred along the did not strand. No additional information was col- California coast (Table 1). These strandings were lected from this animal, and it is assumed that this temporally and spatially patchy (Figure 1). Three animal was the previously documented animal pulses in stranding frequency were observed: the towed from the Long Beach Harbor. The follow- first in fall 1988 (n = 3), another in summer and ing week (19 September 2007), a dead blue whale fall 2002 (n = 3), and a third in fall 2007 (n = (SBMNH-2007-20) was observed in the Santa 4), the latter two pulses consisted of ship-struck Barbara Channel at 34° 09.5' N, 119° 29.6' W Blue Whale Ship Strike Blue Whale Ship Strike 61 325 Figure 1. Initial locations of reported blue whale strandings with evidence of ship strike from 1988 through 2007 326 Figure 1. Initial locations of reported blue whale stranding with evidence of ship strike 327 from 1988 through 2007. 328 329 16 62 Table 1. Reported blue whale ship strikes in California between 1988 and 2007 Carcass Length Probable cause Date ID Location Condition Code* Sex (m) of death Remarks 19 July 1988 LACMNH-JEH-384 San Clemente Island, 4 M 13.0 Box Canyon 15 Aug 1988 SBMNH-1988-31 San Luis Obispo, 4 F 26.0 Oceano Dunes 3 Sept 1988 CAS-RLD-300 San Francisco, 4 M 22.1 Unknown Large abscess in right chest wall, penetrating chest cavity; Fort Funston gastro-intestinal tract empty; heart and lungs eaten away by sharks.
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