Life Below Water Research

Feb 13, 2023 – Week 1: Life Below Water Research

Blue Whale

Threat

Blue whales are the largest animals to have ever lived on Earth. They can weigh up to 400,000 pounds and have a length of up to 98 feet. Commercial whaling depleted blue whale populations worldwide in the 1800s and early 1900s. Although commercial whaling is no longer a threat, blue whales are endangered due to environmental changes such as habitat loss and toxics. Ship strikes and becoming entangled in fishing gear can also harm blue whales.

Solution

Governments can create regulations and management plans to promote healthy fisheries and reduce the risk of entanglements, as well as to implement whale-safe shipping practices and to reduce ocean noise. To prevent further habitat degradation of marine ecosystems, governments can isolate major shipping routes from areas containing marine mammal habitats. Noise pollution interferes with a whale’s hearing and communication patterns. It is ideal and should be mandatory to use vessels with an engine isolated from the hull to reduce noise pollution from ships.