SC/56/E28 Are seismic surveys responsible for cetacean strandings? An unusual mortality of adult Humpback Whales in Abrolhos Bank, Northeastern coast of Brazil.
Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) aggregate at Abrolhos Bank, Bahia and Espírito Santo States, during spring-winter season for breeding and calving. The Instituto Baleia Jubarte/Humpback Whale Institute – Brazil maintains a permanent marine mammal rescue program along the coast adjacent to th...
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.513.2167 http://www.anp.gov.br/brnd/round9/round9/guias_R9/sismica_R9/Bibliografia/Engel at al 2004 - Seismic x whale strandings.pdf |
| Summary: | Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) aggregate at Abrolhos Bank, Bahia and Espírito Santo States, during spring-winter season for breeding and calving. The Instituto Baleia Jubarte/Humpback Whale Institute – Brazil maintains a permanent marine mammal rescue program along the coast adjacent to the Abrolhos Bank, aiming to register the strandings of humpback whales and to identify their probable cause of death. Since 2001 aerial surveys were also undertaken in order to evaluate the population size and distribution along the Bahia and Espirito Santo States coasts. During the 2002 breeding season, 3D seismic surveys were conducted in the Southern portion of the area, licensed by the Brazilian Environmental Agency/IBAMA. These surveys were coincident with an unusual increase in the strandings rate of adult humpback whales in this region. Some change was observed in the distribution of humpbacks, comparatively to 2001 and 2003 aerial survey data. In 2003, due to uncertainties regarding the relationship between these seismic activities and strandings, using the precautionary principle IBAMA agreed to incorporate in its recent guidelines for licensing the oil activities the prohibition of seismic surveys during the whale breeding season, from July to November. IBAMA is currently discussing and establishing rules and procedures for seismic surveys off the Brazilian coast, including the prohibition of these activities during the reproductive season in important areas |
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