Chilean blue whale population threatened by fisheries

Chilean blue whale population threatened by fisheries

The bays and fjords on the northern coast of Chilean Patagonia are a haven for blue whales in the eastern South Pacific. In these fertile waters, they forage and feed their young. However, this valuable whale area is also affected by heavy industrial fishing and smaller artisanal fisheries and aquaculture.The world’s blue whale population is currently classified as an endangered species because there are only approximately 25,000 blue whales It is still alive today, less than one-tenth of the era before commercial whaling.

A kind Learn Research published in February found that whales in northern Chilean Patagonia are forced to avoid many fishing boats every day, mainly from industrial operations. Out of concerns about the ecological threats posed by industrial fishing, researchers led by ecologist Rodrigo Hucke-Gaete of the University of Southern Chile identified areas that are particularly important for protection and regulation.

Researchers studied the factors that make this area a particularly attractive habitat for whales. They also studied the impact of the interaction between ships and whales, and the impact of noise pollution on whale populations. By tracking the movement of whales, Hucke-Gaete and his colleagues found that ship traffic had a weakening effect on the normal functions of blue whales.

The blue whales that inhabit the eastern South Pacific rely on and migrate to the prolific marine ecosystem of northern Patagonia, Chile during the summer. The special ecological conditions in this area make it a particularly attractive habitat for blue whales in the eastern South Pacific. The input of fresh water from melting glaciers helps to establish a rich food chain, starting from the upwelling of nutrients and organic matter, making the area extremely productive. These nutrients support the abundance of krill, which is a small shrimp organism that forms the basis of the blue whale’s diet.

Whales are not the only creatures attracted to northern Chilean Patagonia. Humans are attracted by these prosperous waters to harvest salmon in open water fishing operations. Industrial fishing in this area dominates other industries, making the waters overcrowded. 89% of the boats in the Chilean Ancud Bay (the main part of Northern Patagonia) are fishing boats, and most of the problems affecting whales are industrial ships. With industrial fishing operations, blue whales are forced to share offshore waters with smaller artisanal fishing boats and aquaculture operations. Industrial fishing poses the greatest threat to blue whales, but manual fishing and salmon farming are also not conducive to the survival of whales. Whales consume a lot of energy to avoid encounters with industrial vessels, smaller fishing boats, and cages used in aquaculture operations. Whales are also under greater pressure and greater competition for food resources.

As part of the study to determine areas where ships and whales might meet, Hucke-Gaete and his colleagues tagged the whales, collected their movement data, and compared this information with shipping data. They also use species distribution models to predict how ecological and physiological factors affect the movement of whales in the area. The overlap of blue whale movement and ship traffic helps researchers predict which areas are most prone to potential collisions between ships and whales.Researchers use the results of this study to call on Chilean fisheries to establish protection and protection policies and self-regulate operating.

Ancud Bay near Chilean Patagonia is important for care and feeding, and it is crowded with boats.Source: Marine Transportation

In addition to the establishment of protected areas to prevent collisions between whales and ships, another major opportunity to support the blue whale population of North Patagonia is by regulating the noise pollution of ships. Just as traffic noise and sirens can prevent two people meeting on a busy street from hearing each other, noise from ships can hinder communication between whales. Marine animals rely on their voices to greet each other, breed and navigate. Noise pollution from ships can cause communication problems and damage blue whale populations.

Unfortunately, the frequency used by fishing boats in the area to send signals to each other is the same as the frequency that whales produce in their sounds.Without noise pollution, whales can Thousands of milesThe noise produced by ships can also be spread over long distances, fundamentally cutting off the communication lines that whales rely on to manage their families and coordinate their large migrations in and out of breeding grounds and foraging grounds, which are critical to the continuation of their populations.

Carlos M. Duarte is a well-known marine ecologist who studies underwater noise pollution at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia. He found in another paper Learn Noise pollution from ships can cause changes in behavior and hinder the viability of whales. Constant environmental background noise can put great pressure on blue whales, interfere with their typical foraging behavior, and push them away from the krill-rich waters on which they depend.

From 1950 to 2000, driven by the expansion of the fishing industry, boat traffic in northern Patagonia doubled, resulting in an increase of approximately three decibels of noise pollution ten yearsThree decibels every ten years is equivalent to an astonishing doubling of noise levels every ten years, greatly increasing the intensity of communication and behavioral problems faced by whales in the region.

Scientists speculate that climate change, coupled with related ocean acidification and pollution, currently pose the greatest threat to marine mammals, but continued environmental noise may be the factor driving blue whales from endangered to extinct in the eastern South Pacific. Northern Patagonia, Chile.

Feasible measures can be taken to reduce noise pollution and reduce its impact on blue whale communication and behavior. Duarte and his team came up with several solutions. Some of these solutions include quieting the ship by lifting the engine off the ship floor, forcing the use of specially designed propellers to minimize the production of small bubbles that make a loud sound when they burst, and adjusting the speed of the ship Come to Hong Kong.

Duarte pointed out that during the coronavirus pandemic, due to industrial slowdown, noise pollution caused by humans in the ocean has been reduced by 20%. One of the effects of the reduction is that whales are found in areas where they have not been seen in decades.

“If we look at climate change and plastic pollution, this is a long and painful road to recovery. But the moment we turn the volume down, the reaction of marine life is instant and amazing,” Duarte told British Broadcasting Corporation. Noise pollution is easier to control than other human activities, and its limitations have had a huge, rapidly manifesting positive impact on wildlife.

As the melting of glaciers continues, attracting more fishing boats to northern Patagonia, the blue whale will pay the price if regulations are not implemented. Setting aside priority areas for protection and implementing noise pollution policies will greatly help the coexistence and prosperity of blue whale populations and industrial fishery companies.