%0 Journal Article
%T Summary of Reported Whale-Vessel Collisions in Alaskan Waters
%A Janet L. Neilson
%A Christine M. Gabriele
%A Aleria S. Jensen
%A Kaili Jackson
%A Janice M. Straley
%J Journal of Marine Biology
%D 2012
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2012/106282
%X Here we summarize 108 reported whale-vessel collisions in Alaska from 1978¨C2011, of which 25 are known to have resulted in the whale's death. We found 89 definite and 19 possible/probable strikes based on standard criteria we created for this study. Most strikes involved humpback whales (86%) with six other species documented. Small vessel strikes were most common (<15£¿m, 60%), but medium (15¨C79£¿m, 27%) and large (¡Ý80£¿m, 13%) vessels also struck whales. Among the 25 mortalities, vessel length was known in seven cases (190¨C294£¿m) and vessel speed was known in three cases (12¨C19£¿kn). In 36 cases, human injury or property damage resulted from the collision, and at least 15 people were thrown into the water. In 15 cases humpback whales struck anchored or drifting vessels, suggesting the whales did not detect the vessels. Documenting collisions in Alaska will remain challenging due to remoteness and resource limitations. For a better understanding of the factors contributing to lethal collisions, we recommend (1) systematic documentation of collisions, including vessel size and speed; (2) greater efforts to necropsy stranded whales; (3) using experienced teams focused on determining cause of death; (4) using standard criteria for validating collision reports, such as those presented in this paper. 1. Introduction Ship strikes are a source of injury and mortality for whales worldwide but documenting these events and their outcomes is a significant challenge. The rate at which whale-vessel collisions occur, the types of vessels involved, and the extent to which they affect particular populations of whales are largely unknown, especially in remote areas such as Alaska. Accurate documentation of whale-vessel collisions is difficult for several reasons, ranging from cases where vessel operators are unaware that collisions should be reported, or operators who do not report for fear of reprisal, to incomplete data gathering on the details surrounding the collision and difficulties inherent in accurately assessing a free-ranging whale¡¯s condition following a collision. In addition, a large ship may strike a whale and the crew may be unaware that the collision occurred. Determining that a stranded whale died from a collision is especially difficult in Alaska because of the logistical challenges of performing complete necropsies (e.g., [1]) on stranded animals. These challenges include the remote location of most carcasses, frequent inclement weather, large tides, concerns for human safety when bears are present, limited daylight at some times of the year, and a lack
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jmb/2012/106282/