@techreport{,

title = {Strategic Plan to Mitigate the Impacts of Ship Strikes on Cetacean Populations: 2017-2020},

author = {Cates, K.,DeMaster, D.P.,Brownell Jr, R.L.,Silber, G. K.,Gende, S.,Leaper, R.,Ritter, F.,Panigada, S.},

url = {https://iwc.int/private/downloads/dr1UJzeCuNpAWs9Xf9caBw/IWC_Strategic_Plan_on_Ship_Strikes_Working_Group_FINAL.pdf},

year  = {2017},

date = {2017-01-01},

journal = {Document presented and endorsed by the meeting of the Conservation Committee of the International Whaling Commission},

volume = {IWC/66/CC20 - updated },

number = {64},

pages = {17},

publisher = {International Whaling Commission},

abstract = {The International Whaling Commission (IWC) has identified the need to produce a Strategic Plan describing its activities intended to reduce the threat of ship strikes with cetaceans in the near and distant future. This document provides the necessary background, information and recommendations to help the IWC develop approaches and solutions by 2020 to achieve a permanent reduction in ship strikes of cetaceans.

A number of recommendations were accepted by the IWC at its October 2016 meeting (IWC-66), including: (1) Initiate efforts to get a more comprehensive and more accurate reporting of ship strike incidents into the Ship Strike Database, (2) Review records of ship strikes and add new records to the database in a reasonable time frame, (3) Improve on the reliability of species identification of ship struck whales, (4) Maintain an easily assessable compendium of relevant papers and reports of ship strike issues; produce an updated bibliography related to ship strike issues on a two year schedule, (5) Implement use of a standard protocol for reviewing and recording data into the Ship Strike database, and (6) Publish summary statistics from the Ship Strike database on a routine basis, and couple this effort with outreach efforts.

The IWC has recognized that reducing the spatial overlap of both high numbers of cetaceans and high numbers of vessels is likely to remain the best means of reducing ship strikes. Reducing vessel speeds in areas of high interactions is also a key element in mitigating adverse impacts on cetacean populations.

Finally, it was noted that human-induced mortality caused by ship strikes can be an impediment to cetacean population growth. Populations of whales in the low hundreds of individuals are at risk of continuing declines even if only a small number of ship strikes occur per year. Therefore, it is important to identify populations that are small, are in decline, or for which human activities result in whale deaths or injuries and to monitor these populations to evaluate the extent to which ship strikes are a threat:

a.	Western North Atlantic right whale

b.	Eastern North Pacific right whale

c.	Chile-Peru right whale

d.	Arabian Sea humpback whale

e.	Western gray whale

f.	Blue whale-Sri Lanka and Arabian Sea

g.	Blue whale-Chile

h.	Sperm whale-Mediterranean Sea

i.	Fin whale-Mediterranean Sea

j.	Bryde’s whale-Gulf of Mexico

k.	Omura’s whale-Northwestern Madagascar

l.	Sperm whale-Canary Islands region},

keywords = {IWC, mitigation, risk assessment, ship strike, Threats, vessel traffic},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {techreport}

}

@techreport{,

title = {Priorities for addressing whale and ship co-occurrence off the coast of Oman and the wider North Indian Ocean.},

author = {Willson, A.,Kowalik, J.,Godley, B.J.,Baldwin, R.,Struck, A.,Struck, L.,Nawaz, Rab,Witt, M.J.},

year  = {2016},

date = {2016-01-01},

journal = {Report presented to the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission},

number = {503},

pages = {13},

publisher = {IWC},

abstract = {Satellite telemetry studies and habitat density mapping of the endangered Arabian Sea humpback whale

(Megaptera novaeangliae) has revealed overlap with shipping off the coast of Oman. To date the only other

Northern Indian Ocean (NIO) study to determine the risk of mortality to whales (Baleanoptera musculus)

from shipping was completed in Sri Lanka. A demonstration exercise reviewing vessel traffic (from AIS

data) passing through coarsely defined habitat reveals that container vessels may provide the highest risk to

whales based on speed of vessels, and given a three fold increase in container traffic in the NIO region

between 2004 and 2014. Traffic density heat maps show shipping routes are predominantly distributed

around the periphery of the NIO area in close proximity to the continental shelf showing overlap with

historical records of takes of blue, humpback, sperm (Physester macrocephalus) and Bryde’s whales

(Baleanoptridae edeni) during Soviet whaling between 1964 and 1966. The review presents a case for

immediately commencing risk assessment work on humpback and ship co-occurrence in Oman whilst

undertaking a wider spatial assessment of the region to at least determine priority areas for study. Given

overlapping habitat use between species in certain areas, a multi-species approach to reviewing mitigation

options is recommended.},

keywords = {AIS, Blue whale, Humpback Whale, megaptera novaeangliae, mitigation, Oman, ship strike, vessel traffic, whales},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {techreport}

}

@techreport{,

title = {Watching out for whales: industry responsibility to address threats to Arabian Sea humpback whales, Gulf of Masirah, Oman},

author = {Baldwin, R.,Willson, Andrew,Collins, T.J.Q.},

year  = {2015},

date = {2015-01-01},

journal = {Report presented to the 66th meeting of the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission},

number = {312},

pages = {10},

abstract = {Research on Arabian Sea humpback whales in Oman over the past 15 years has revealed that the Gulf of Masirah is a hot spot for this Endangered population and the only part of its known range where males and females are found at near parity. This information has been used by a partnership of industry, consultancy and NGO in Oman to develop mitigation related to port operations and hydrocarbon exploration in the area. This has included the development of a Whale Management and Mitigation Programme to be implemented by the Port of Duqm Company, as well as mitigation procedures that were used by a seismic survey contractor in late 2014. Impacts to whales nevertheless remain, including a collision between seismic equipment and a whale in December 2014, suggesting that further development of protection measures for the Arabian Sea humpback whale is still required. },

keywords = {Arabian Sea, Humpback Whale, megaptera novaeangliae, mitigation, seismic, ship strike, vessel traffic},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {techreport}

}