Ilangakoon, A. D.
Impacts of Whale-Watching on Blue Whales (Balaenoptera musculus) off Southern Sri Lanka Conference
no. 115, 2013.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Arabian Sea, balaenoptera musculus, Blue whale, impact, management, Northern Indian Ocean, risk assessment, ship strike, shipping, Sri Lanka, tourism, Whale watching
@conference{,
title = {Impacts of Whale-Watching on Blue Whales (Balaenoptera musculus) off Southern Sri Lanka},
author = {Ilangakoon, A. D. },
url = {https://repository.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2433/176191/1/12thseastar_045.pdf},
year = {2013},
date = {2013-01-01},
journal = {PROCEEDINGS of the Design Symposium on Conservation of Ecosystem (2013) (The 12th SEASTAR2000 workshop)},
number = {115},
pages = {45-50},
abstract = {Blue whales inhabit the coastal waters off southern Sri Lanka throughout the year, due to a narrow
continental shelf and upwelling, related feeding opportunities. A busy, international shipping lane also
lies off the south coast. While blue whales are listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the
subspecies status and genetic affinities of this northern Indian Ocean population is not well
understood. Since 2009 a rapidly expanding, boat-based, commercial whale-watching industry has
developed off the south coast, but remains unregulated due to the non-existence of national
regulations or codes of conduct. As a result, unethical practices are leading to harassment of the
targeted whales. Comparison of sightings data from before and after whale-watching began, shows a
shift in the area of occurrence and concentration of whales. Simultaneously there is an increase in the
number of stranding and vessel collision related mortality. These factors indicate that current whalewatching
practices are displacing whales from their preferred feeding areas and inadvertently pushing
them offshore into the shipping lane, causing an increase in fatal vessel collisions. It is recommended
that a precautionary principal is followed and whale-watching activities are regulated as a priority, in
order to mitigate any adverse impacts. },
keywords = {Arabian Sea, balaenoptera musculus, Blue whale, impact, management, Northern Indian Ocean, risk assessment, ship strike, shipping, Sri Lanka, tourism, Whale watching},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {conference}
}
Blue whales inhabit the coastal waters off southern Sri Lanka throughout the year, due to a narrow
continental shelf and upwelling, related feeding opportunities. A busy, international shipping lane also
lies off the south coast. While blue whales are listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the
subspecies status and genetic affinities of this northern Indian Ocean population is not well
understood. Since 2009 a rapidly expanding, boat-based, commercial whale-watching industry has
developed off the south coast, but remains unregulated due to the non-existence of national
regulations or codes of conduct. As a result, unethical practices are leading to harassment of the
targeted whales. Comparison of sightings data from before and after whale-watching began, shows a
shift in the area of occurrence and concentration of whales. Simultaneously there is an increase in the
number of stranding and vessel collision related mortality. These factors indicate that current whalewatching
practices are displacing whales from their preferred feeding areas and inadvertently pushing
them offshore into the shipping lane, causing an increase in fatal vessel collisions. It is recommended
that a precautionary principal is followed and whale-watching activities are regulated as a priority, in
order to mitigate any adverse impacts.
continental shelf and upwelling, related feeding opportunities. A busy, international shipping lane also
lies off the south coast. While blue whales are listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, the
subspecies status and genetic affinities of this northern Indian Ocean population is not well
understood. Since 2009 a rapidly expanding, boat-based, commercial whale-watching industry has
developed off the south coast, but remains unregulated due to the non-existence of national
regulations or codes of conduct. As a result, unethical practices are leading to harassment of the
targeted whales. Comparison of sightings data from before and after whale-watching began, shows a
shift in the area of occurrence and concentration of whales. Simultaneously there is an increase in the
number of stranding and vessel collision related mortality. These factors indicate that current whalewatching
practices are displacing whales from their preferred feeding areas and inadvertently pushing
them offshore into the shipping lane, causing an increase in fatal vessel collisions. It is recommended
that a precautionary principal is followed and whale-watching activities are regulated as a priority, in
order to mitigate any adverse impacts.
Ilangakoon, A. D.
Exploring anthropogenic activities that threaten endangered blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) off Sri Lanka Journal Article
In: Journal of Marine Animals and their Ecology, vol. 5, no. 114, pp. 3-7, 2012.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Arabian Sea, balaenoptera musculus, Blue whale, impacts, Northern Indian Ocean, shipping, Sri Lanka, Whale watching
@article{,
title = {Exploring anthropogenic activities that threaten endangered blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) off Sri Lanka},
author = {Ilangakoon, A. D.},
url = {http://www.oers.ca/journal/volume5/issue1/Ilangakoon_Gallery.pdf},
year = {2012},
date = {2012-01-01},
journal = {Journal of Marine Animals and their Ecology},
volume = {5},
number = {114},
pages = {3-7},
abstract = {The waters off Sri Lanka, an island in the northern Indian
Ocean, are an important habitat for blue whales, a species listed as
Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The
subspecies status, genetic affinities and movement patterns of this
northern Indian Ocean population of blue whales is not yet clearly
understood but off Sri Lanka they can be found throughout the
year. Sri Lanka also lies on a busy international shipping lane. Since
2009 a boat-based commercial whale-watching industry targeting
the blue whale, has been developing off the south coast, with
annual growth in numbers of boats and visitors. This industry
however remains unregulated in any formal or informal manner due
to the absence of regulatory mechanisms in this small, developing,
island nation. Consequently unethical practices are leading to
harassment resulting in direct and indirect impacts on the targeted
whales. Sighting and stranding data from before and after the
inception of whale watching activities indicate a spatial shift in the
area of occurrence and concentration of whales and a corresponding
increase in fatal vessel collisions along the southwest coastline of
the island. There are clear indications of displacement from
preferred near-shore feeding areas to the vicinity of the adjacent
shipping lane, causing an increase in collision risk. Although these
findings are based on limited data, it is recommended that a
precautionary principal is followed and anthropogenic activities are
quickly regulated to mitigate adverse impacts on these endangered
blue whales. },
keywords = {Arabian Sea, balaenoptera musculus, Blue whale, impacts, Northern Indian Ocean, shipping, Sri Lanka, Whale watching},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
The waters off Sri Lanka, an island in the northern Indian
Ocean, are an important habitat for blue whales, a species listed as
Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The
subspecies status, genetic affinities and movement patterns of this
northern Indian Ocean population of blue whales is not yet clearly
understood but off Sri Lanka they can be found throughout the
year. Sri Lanka also lies on a busy international shipping lane. Since
2009 a boat-based commercial whale-watching industry targeting
the blue whale, has been developing off the south coast, with
annual growth in numbers of boats and visitors. This industry
however remains unregulated in any formal or informal manner due
to the absence of regulatory mechanisms in this small, developing,
island nation. Consequently unethical practices are leading to
harassment resulting in direct and indirect impacts on the targeted
whales. Sighting and stranding data from before and after the
inception of whale watching activities indicate a spatial shift in the
area of occurrence and concentration of whales and a corresponding
increase in fatal vessel collisions along the southwest coastline of
the island. There are clear indications of displacement from
preferred near-shore feeding areas to the vicinity of the adjacent
shipping lane, causing an increase in collision risk. Although these
findings are based on limited data, it is recommended that a
precautionary principal is followed and anthropogenic activities are
quickly regulated to mitigate adverse impacts on these endangered
blue whales.
Ocean, are an important habitat for blue whales, a species listed as
Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The
subspecies status, genetic affinities and movement patterns of this
northern Indian Ocean population of blue whales is not yet clearly
understood but off Sri Lanka they can be found throughout the
year. Sri Lanka also lies on a busy international shipping lane. Since
2009 a boat-based commercial whale-watching industry targeting
the blue whale, has been developing off the south coast, with
annual growth in numbers of boats and visitors. This industry
however remains unregulated in any formal or informal manner due
to the absence of regulatory mechanisms in this small, developing,
island nation. Consequently unethical practices are leading to
harassment resulting in direct and indirect impacts on the targeted
whales. Sighting and stranding data from before and after the
inception of whale watching activities indicate a spatial shift in the
area of occurrence and concentration of whales and a corresponding
increase in fatal vessel collisions along the southwest coastline of
the island. There are clear indications of displacement from
preferred near-shore feeding areas to the vicinity of the adjacent
shipping lane, causing an increase in collision risk. Although these
findings are based on limited data, it is recommended that a
precautionary principal is followed and anthropogenic activities are
quickly regulated to mitigate adverse impacts on these endangered
blue whales.