The navigation and its issues
Since the advent of navigation, marine animals have been obliged to share sea and ocean surfaces with humans. If ships are able to collide with each other in this space, it is also possible for them to collide with cetaceans. These collisions occur in waters all around the world, and can result in the death of the injured animal. In the Mediterranean, the scientific community is particularly worried about the status of the fin whale and the sperm whale, whose natural mortality rates could be seriously augmented by these accidents. Nowadays, with the extensive use of high speed craft, navigation companies and passengers are also suffering the consequences of such accidents. In fact, ports and coastal towns are also confronted by delicate health-related and financial issues when the carcass of a 20–80 tonne animal is brought in by a ship or the currents. Many studies address this issue, but the exact causes of these events, their impact on cetacean populations and how to avoid them, are far from being understood.
Research and management
There are many factors contributing to the causes, consequences and potential solutions to this problem, which make it an inexhaustible subject. Reduction of the risk then will not happen through one single study but through many, each tackling the problem in a specific field and targeted region. Since the year 2000, in partnership with navigation companies and scientific institutions, Souffleurs d’Ecume has been involved in a programme aiming to reduce the risks of collision in the Mediterranean. This programme comprises applied research work (development of specific observation protocols, monitoring of collisions by implementation of a Collisions network), development of technical instruments for the use of navigation companies (REPCET), and training of navigation professionals.
Prospect for the future
In August 2016, the French government passed a law on biodiversity, nature and landscape restoration (LOI n°2016-1087 du 8 août 2016 pour la reconquête de la biodiversité, de la nature et des paysages). Article 106 of this law states that some vessels will be equiped with a real time plotting of cetaceans system in order to avoid shipstrikes.
Collision Network: join! (126 Ko).
Report a collision (184 KB).
The issue of collisions in the Mediterranean (1.53 MB).
Barajas Elizo, B. (2015) – REPCET: reducir las colisiones mientras se monitorean las poblaciones de cetaceos. Effectos del hombre en la biodiversidad marina. Primera jornadas. 25 Mayo 2015, Lanzarote, Islas Canarias. Or. Com.
Arcangeli A., Cominelli S., David L., Di-Meglio N., Moulins A., Mayol P., Marini L., Rosso M. and Tepsich P. (2014) - Seasonal monitoring of cetaceans and validation of the REPCET system in terms of monitoring. Scientific Reports of Port-Cros national park, 28: 37-48.
Couvat J. (2014) – Mitigation measures to reduce ship strikes worldwide: an overview. NATURA 2000 Sectorial Workshops, Sector of Transport and Energy. 29 September 2014, Buggiba, Malta.
Couvat J., Mayol P., Ratel M. and Gambaiani D. (2014) – Studying the movements of large cetaceans to define ship strike risk areas: an experimental protocol. Pelagos Sanctuary Workshop on "Scientific Progress on Cetaceans and Perspectives in the Pelagos Sanctuary" in the framework of the 28th Conference of the European Cetacean Society, Liege, April 5, 2014. Or. Com.
Couvat J., Mayol P. and Gambaiani D. (2014) – Etude des déplacements des grands cétacés dans la partie française du Sanctuaire Pelagos afin de préciser les paramètres dynamiques des zones de risque dans RECET. Scientific Reports of Port-Cros national park, 28: 169-173.
Couvat J., Mayol P. and Gadaix B. (2013) - Reducing the risk of ship strikes and improving the knowledge on cetaceans in the PELAGOS Sanctuary: the REPCET system. 20th Biennial Conference of the Society for Marine Mammalogy. 9-13 December 2013, Dunedin, New Zealand. Oral comm.
Mayol P., Labach H., Couvat J., Ody D. and Robert P. (2013) – Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA): An IMO status as an efficient management tool of Pelagos. IMPAC 3, 21-27 Oct. 2013. Marseille (or. com.).
Mayol P., Gadaix B., Penn A., Dubois F., Peirache M., André M., Baraona P., Grillo M.-C., Saivas M. Labach H., Rondeau P., Varin O., Bewster C., Chabaud C., Gauffier P., Robert P. and Ody D. (2013) - A collaborative approach to reducing collisions between ships and large cetaceans within the Pelagos Sanctuary. IMPAC 3, 21-27 Oct. 2013. Marseille (poster)
Couvat J., Mayol P. and Gadaix B. (2013) - Reducing the risk of ship strikes and improving the knowledge on cetaceans in the PELAGOS Sanctuary: the REPCET system. 27th Conference of the European Cetacean Society. 8-10 April 2013, Setubal, Portugal. Oral comm.
Couvat J. and Gambaiani D. (2013) – Evaluation of the technical solutions and management measures implemented at the international level to reduce the risks of collisions between ships and large cetaceans. Souffleurs d’Ecume. September 2013. 106p.
Couvat J., Mayol P. and Gambaiani D.(2012) – Etude des déplacements des grands cétacés dans le sanctuaire PELAGOS afin de préciser les paramètres dynamiques des zones de risque dans REPCET. Souffleurs d’Ecume, GIS3M. 41p.
Mayol P. and Vandersaren G. (2011) – Navigation, whales and ship strikes: toward a collaboration between Mediterranean and Caribbean actions. ICOMMPA II. Fort-de-France, Martinique - 7 to 11 November 2011. Com. or.
Gambaiani D., Mayol P., Capoulade F., McKenzie C., McKenzie E. and Schneider M. (2010)- Impact du trafic maritime sur les cétacés. Synthèse des connaissances sur l’impact du trafic maritime (étude réalisée par le GIS3M pour le compte de Pelagos France). 1 : 25-88
Gambaiani D. (2011) - Projet IIMMERCET (IMMErsion Raisonnée des CETacés). Test et adaptation d’un protocole d’immersion raisonnée des cadavres de cétacés en Méditerranée et mise en place d’un suivi in situ des carcasses immergées. 4 p. Souffleurs d'Ecume.
Labach H., Mayol P., Gambaiani D. and Capoulade F. (2010) - Eléments pour la désignation du Sanctuaire PELAGOS en tant que ZMPV (Zone Maritime Particulièrement Vulnérable). Document rédigé par le GIS3M pour le compte de la Partie Française du Sanctuaire PELAGOS, dans l’objectif d’un dépôt auprès de l’Organisation Maritime Internationale. 40 p.
Panigada S., Capoulade F., Castellote M., Russell L. and Mayol P. (2009) - Fin whales: progress report on the evaluation of ship strikes in the ACCOBAMS area and protocol to assess ship strikes (SC6-Doc 11). 6th ACCOBAMS Scientific Committee. (102 KB).
Mayol P., Beaubrun P., Capoulade F. and Mugnier P. (2008) - Whale-ship collisions: Work and outlook from a team in the Pelagos Sanctuary. The example of the REPCET project. 60th International Meeting Commission (IWC/60/CC9rev - Agenda item 4). Santiago, Chile, 12 p. (744 KB).
Mayol P. (2007) - Détectabilité des Grands Cétacés à bord des Navires à Grande Vitesse pour limiter les risques de collision. École Pratique des Hautes Études (School of Advanced Studies), Montpellier, 167 p (French, 5.2 MB).
Mayol P., Capoulade F. and Beaubrun P. (2007) - Navires de commerce et collisions avec les grands cétacés en Méditerranée nord-occidentale : Enjeux et mesures de limitation des risques. Annales 2007 de l'Institut Méditerranéen des Transports Maritimes. 2007 : 205-227. (French, 1.7 MB).
Beaubrun P., Capoulade F. and Mayol P. (2005) - Visual detection of large cetaceans from High Speed Crafts in order to limit the risks of collision: Context, results and applications. Joint ACCOBAMS/Pelagos workshops on fin whales and collisions. Monaco, 12 - 15 November 2005 (pers. comm.) Summary, 34 KB - Workshop report, 242 KB.
Mayol P. (2005) - Enjeux des collisions entre grands cétacés et navires de commerce en Méditerranée et moyens de limiter les risques. Actes des 4ème Rencontres Régionale de la Mer. Workshop n°1 (Ports – Transports maritimes – Sécurité Maritime). 15 November 2005, Marseille. 4: 19-21 (French, 643 KB).
Mayol P., Capoulade F. and Beaubrun P. (2005) – Comment améliorer la Détectabilité Visuelle des Grands Cétacés depuis les NGV pour limiter les Risques de Collision ? Sciences et technologies marines du futur : Un enjeu pour la Méditerranée (Toulon Var Technologie). 19 May 2005, Marseille (French, 1.2 MB).
Capoulade F. and Mayol P. (2004) - Compte-rendu de l'opération REPCET (REport des Position de grands CÉTacés) 2004 au Directeur de l'Armement et de la Sécurité Maritime Terrestre de la SNCM. 4p. (French, 213 KB).
- Ship/Cetacean collisions
- Whale watching
- Cetacean ethology
- Energy programme
- Population monitoring
