A company specializing in whale-watching reported an incident where one of its vessels encountered a humpback whale that surfaced unexpectedly near Vancouver. The company, Prince of Whales, stated that their vessel swiftly maneuvered to avoid the whale, resulting in minimal contact. Passengers onboard experienced falls and injuries as the vessel abruptly stopped, with four individuals receiving medical treatment and later being hospitalized in stable condition at Granville Island.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) confirmed a collision between a whale-watching vessel and a humpback whale in Howe Sound. Following the incident, the whale was observed surfacing three times. The DFO mentioned ongoing efforts to identify the whale and highlighted the cooperation of the company involved.
This event follows a recent occurrence where a high-speed passenger ferry struck a humpback whale in English Bay near Vancouver. Subsequently, a humpback calf with a significant wound near its dorsal fin was identified as the affected whale.
Humpback whales are known to be at risk of ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear, as highlighted by the DFO. The likelihood and severity of such incidents depend on various factors including whale density, ship traffic, and vessel size and speed. The southern Salish Sea has seen a peak in humpback whale presence during the fall season, with around 416 individual whales estimated to inhabit Canadian waters between Vancouver and the western end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The DFO has issued alerts to enforcement officers and the Pacific Whale Watch Association to remain vigilant for injured animals due to anticipated adverse weather conditions.