Protecting Whales

As a keystone species, whales help sustain the marine food web that supports ocean life worldwide. Through a vital natural process known as the “whale pump” or “the poop loop,” whales fertilize the ocean with their nutrient-rich waste, which stimulates the growth of phytoplankton, feeding the marine food web for all marine species. Phytoplankton contributes roughly 50% of the world’s oxygen production, making whales essential not only to ocean ecosystems, but also to the health of the planet. Additionally, whales absorb significant amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide, helping to fight climate change. One whale can remove up to 33 tons of carbon from the atmosphere per year (in comparison, a tree removes 40 to 50 tons per year).

Mitigation efforts in the US and Canadian pot and trap fisheries, specifically lobster and crab, have focused on on-demand fishing gear, which replaces the static vertical line to the surface buoy – the primary threat of entanglement – with a rope contained on the ocean floor until it is released by a remote mechanism to surface “on demand.”

A primary driving force behind the use of on-demand gear are fishery area closures by government officials when whales are present. On-demand gear can allow for continued fishing in closed areas while also protecting whales and other vulnerable species. Other measures to reduce entanglements, such as gear marking, weak links, and weak rope, are also commonly used worldwide, but may not be as effective in preventing entanglements. Additionally, as on-demand gear is enabled with GPS and interoperability technology, it offers a range of benefits beyond reducing whale entanglement, including reduced gear loss and theft, lower fuel costs, shorter trips, and the collection of valuable scientific data, such as bottom temperatures and sea state.