August 11, 2022 — We live in a time of high human activity and urbanization, particularly along our coasts. Human and wildlife conflict is a complex issue that has intensified within the last century. Humans are learning to coexist with wildlife species, especially those whose populations are starting to increase or recover due to aggressive and successful conservation measures. The intersection of humans and wildlife manifest in day-to-day activities that sometimes require an “all hands-on deck” approach to address and manage. Recent interactions between boats and whales have demonstrated the need for immediate and coordinated action.
Spatial Overlaps
A recent interaction between a humpback whale and a boat occurred off Plymouth, Massachusetts in late July 2022. In a viral video, a humpback whale breached and landed on the bow of a small recreational fishing vessel. This video is a stark reminder of how interactions between humans and animals in the wild can go wrong. This incident resulted from a rather unique situation. Large schools of menhaden were aggregating close to shore where commercial and recreational fishermen were targeting striped bass, which feed on these schooling fish. Three juvenile humpback whales discovered this dense patch of menhaden and began feeding in the area, very close to shore and the recreational fishing vessels. Overlap of the recreational vessels and whales raised concern for public safety and safety of the whales.