Ship collision risk threatens whales across the world’s oceans
Nisi, Anna C.; Welch, Heather; Brodie, Stephanie; Leiphardt, Callie; Rhodes, Rachel; Hazen, Elliott L.; Redfern, Jessica V.; Branch, Trevor A.; Barreto, Andre S.; Calambokidis, John; Clavelle, Tyler; Dares, Lauren; de Vos, Asha; Gero, Shane; Jackson, Jennifer A.; Kenney, Robert D.; Kroodsma, David; Leaper, Russell; McCauley, Douglas J.; Moore, Sue E.; Ovsyanikova, Ekaterina; Panigada, Simone; Robinson, Chloe V.; White, Tim; Wilson, Jono; Abrahms, Briana (2024). Ship collision risk threatens whales across the world’s oceans. Science (Wash.) 386(6724): 870-875. https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.adp1950
In: Science (Washington). American Association for the Advancement of Science: New York, N.Y. ISSN 0036-8075; e-ISSN 1095-9203, meer
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| Abstract |
After the near-complete cessation of commercial whaling, ship collisions have emerged as a primary threat to large whales, but knowledge of collision risk is lacking across most of the world’s oceans. We compiled a dataset of 435,000 whale locations to generate global distribution models for four globally ranging species. We then combined >35 billion positions from 176,000 ships to produce a global estimate of whale-ship collision risk. Shipping occurs across 92% of whale ranges, and <7% of risk hotspots contain management strategies to reduce collisions. Full coverage of hotspots could be achieved by expanding management over only 2.6% of the ocean’s surface. These inferences support the continued recovery of large whales against the backdrop of a rapidly growing shipping industry. |
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