Are collisions between whales and boats common and are there any boat design features that could reduce the occurrence?
As the numbers of whales migrating into Queensland each winter continue to grow and boating traffic on our waterways intensifies, the numbers of collisions between boats and whales are increasing. With the increase in population and tourism, the use of our oceans for leisure activities is also increasing. Activities such as whale watching are often pushing limits to get as close to these incredible mammals as possible. The growth in water traffic threatens whales in many ways including the risk of collisions with boats, pollution and habitat interference. All whales, dolphins and porpoises are ‘hyper sensitive’ to loud persistent sounds underwater. Some of these sounds have a range over 100km and can cause stress, disorientation or physical harm. Injuries are not only sustained from the impact of the hull of a boat, but also the propeller. To eliminate the occurrence of boat collisions with whales there is a need for more information on whale migration patterns in order to educate the
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