Man has been killing whales for
millennia and with increasing effectiveness when being killed intentionally.
The explosive harpoon has been a major factor in that advance. This efficient
killing method has led to the near extinction of major large whale stocks in
both hemispheres. Unintentional whale killings have also grown to be of
substantial concern both in terms of marine mammal stock conservation and also
through the way in which the animals die.
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Whale entanglement is a growing
problem in terms of conservation, welfare and human safety. The full
extent is hard to assess as most entanglements are never observed, but research
suggests that over 300,000 whales and dolphins die annually due to entanglement
in fishing gear, and others are also trapped in marine debris. This can
have a devastating, long-term conservation impact on those populations which
are already threatened, in some cases critically.
Whale entanglement is also a
serious welfare issue. It can lead to drowning as trapped animals
cannot reach the surface to breathe, to wound and infection as heavy ropes bite
through skin, and to starvation as animals towing heavy fishing gear cannot
feed effectively.
Human refuge is another very
important concern. Handling any large, wild animal can be dangerous. Responding
to one at sea, and that is likely to be injured and distressed, requires
training and calm, careful implementation of safety protocols, minimizing risk
to the response team and conducting the most effective disentanglement
possible, whatever the scenario. Unfortunately, whale entanglement is a
problem around the globe, and we can only help a small percentage of entangled
whales.
The effect
that entanglements can have on cetaceans is a concern to the Australian
Government. Most whales and dolphins are at risk from entanglements; as a
result of rubbish, marine debris or marine industry activities.
Some large
whale species (humpback whales and southern right whales) which make annual
migrations to inshore Australian waters to breed and give birth are still
making a gradual recovery from the impacts of whaling in the last century.
This recovery
has coincided with a growth in coastal development, fishing activities,
aquaculture and other off shore infrastructure. Much of this activity is within
the migratory paths of these marine mammals. As a result there has been an
increase in the reported incidence of whale entanglement in Australian waters
in recent years. This issue is not confined to our region, with reports of
whale entanglements on the increase throughout the world.
Whale entanglement can cause serious injury and
distress to the animals and may result in the animal dying. Government agencies
coordinate activities to disentangle whales whenever possible. Disentangling a
whale is a very skillful exercise and can also be dangerous. For this reason
disentanglement training is essential to ensure government staff have the
skills and expertise to perform this extremely important task. State
governments run training courses and only trained government staff can assist
in disentanglement operations.
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