A new study led by University of Victoria marine biologist Lauren McWhinnie warns that as Arctic sea ice shrinks and shipping traffic increases, vessel disturbance could very likely impact marine mammals such as belugas and bowhead whales, which rely on a quiet environment to communicate and forage.
The study “Vessel traffic in the Canadian Arctic: management solutions for minimizing impacts on whales in a changing northern region”, was published in the peer-reviewed journal Ocean and Coastal Management, and calls for precautionary measures to reduce the negative impacts of increased vessel traffic in the Arctic – such as noise and ship strikes – as climate change brings a longer ice-free season.
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McWhinnie, a post-doctoral researcher in UVic’s geography department, said:
A voluntary restriction on vessel speed will reduce the likelihood of ship strikes and contribute to reducing noise levels. Other trial studies have shown that slower vessels pose less risk to marine mammals.
By examining management plans from over 1,000 international Marine Protected Areas, the researchers identified 14 vessel management tools to assess if they are suited for the Arctic environment. After evaluating each tool, researchers recommend that at least two of these spatial tools are suitable for the Arctic:
- A voluntary exclusion zone (avoidance);
- A voluntary speed reduction zone (slow down).
The study found that the tools would only significantly affect very large and fast vessels travelling further from shore, rather than smaller community boats operating closer to shore. The study area was conducted in the eastern Beaufort Sea of the western Canadian Arctic, near the western entrance of the Northwest Passage.
Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, a co-author and partner of the study, will share the study results with local and federal governments, coastal communities and the shipping industry.
See more about “Vessel traffic in the Canadian Arctic: management solutions for minimizing impacts on whales in a changing northern region”
