Humpback Whales, with their haunting songs and massive tail flukes, are beloved by people all over the world; yet, they are at risk. Today, SDTN salutes Bermuda's dedication to preserving this species and other marine mammals. Let's take a closer look.
A New Sanctuary
On September 21, 2012, Bermuda's Minister of Environment, Planning and Infrastructure Strategy shared the news regarding the transformation of Bermuda's Exclusive Economic Zone to a Marine Mammal Sanctuary, with an emphasis on protecting endangered Humpback Whales.
Bermuda's EEZ is shaped much like a circle, with Bermuda positioned directly in its center. It, and the newly declared Marine Mammal Sanctuary, covers over 170,000 square nautical miles. While not the biggest Marine Mammal Sanctuary on the planet, it is substantial and will certainly aid ongoing marine mammal conservation efforts in the Atlantic Ocean.
The Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, which covers 638 square nautical miles, and which is located just off Massachusetts Bay, is a well-known site for watching Humpback Whales, and is partnering with Bermuda's new Marine Mammal Sanctuary to help identify individual whales traveling from one protected zone to the other. This is exciting news, as over the last several years, more than 670 individual Humpback Whales have been matched to fluke ID's collected at Stellwagen Bank. Several of these matches have been made over and over again, with some going back as far as 35 years. Collectively, this is the largest database of migratory whales' fluke IDs to have been obtained anywhere.
The Atlantic Humpback whale population can be found feeding at Stellwagen Bank during the summer months; they travel to the Caribbean, including to Bermuda, for the winter calving season. Bermuda's government has signed a collaborative "Sister Sanctuary" agreement with NOAA as a first step toward developing a formal international partnership designed exclusively for the protection of marine mammals, including Humpback Whales.
While the new Marine Mammal Sanctuary does not place excessive limits on fisheries, it is the third in a trio of pieces of protective legislation. The first is the Fisheries Act of 1972, which protects all whale species; the second is the Protected Species Act of 2003, which provides specific protections to whale species which are considered to be threatened worldwide.
By establishing this Marine Mammal Sanctuary, and by partnering with the Stellwagen Bank Marine Mammal Sanctuary, Bermuda has taken an important step in protecting marine mammals and in assisting in the global recovery of some of the most at-risk species on the planet. In addition, by promoting and encouraging research, and by monitoring this incredible and iconic whale species, Bermuda stands as a role model for other nations. We hope they'll follow suit.
If you're interested in encountering whales while diving in Bermuda, you can do so! Not only can you hear the whales vocalizing as you dive, you'll often see them engaging in mating behaviors and you can often encounter mother and calf pairs. This is an unforgettable experience, and by traveling to Bermuda and supporting the nation's travel infrastructure, you help support the Humpbacks - and, it's an adventure you'll never forget.