Whales and ships share ocean space in Southern California coastal waters, and that can be problematic for both. This is especially true in the Santa Barbara Channel—the area between the mainland and the Channel Islands where a shipping lane is located near a concentration of whales and where there is always a danger of the faster-moving ships striking the slower whales, injuring or killing the large mammals.
Community Engagement
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This article is #8 within the USC Sea Grant Ship’s Log Maritime Series publication. It was published in November 2020.
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USC Sea Grant helped lead negotiations on the Channel Islands Marine Shipping Working Group to discuss solutions to whale-ship interactions in the Santa Barbara Channel. Check out a video, highlights, and recommendations about the Vessel Speed Reduction Incentive program in the Santa Barbara Channel. Slower ship speeds reduce incidences of ships striking whales, reduce whale mortality, and reduce harmful air quality.
Related Links
- Blue Whales, Blue Skies Initiative
- Video Link: Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies
- Publication: Reducing the threat of ship strikes on large cetaceans in Santa Barbara Channel and Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary: three case studies: A Report by the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary
