Ship Strike Leaves Fin Whale Severely Injured in Pelagos Sanctuary
A critically injured fin whale discovered during a whale watching expedition in the Pelagos Sanctuary has renewed urgent calls for vessel speed restrictions in Mediterranean waters. The whale, found with severe propeller wounds and protruding tissue, represents a growing crisis as ship strikes increasingly threaten marine mammals in one of Europe’s most important cetacean habitats.
Distressing Discovery in Protected Waters
Passengers aboard the whale watching vessel Corsara witnessed a heartbreaking scene on August 13th near Andora, western Liguria: a fin whale bearing multiple deep gashes across its back, with chunks of subcutaneous fat protruding from its wounds. Despite the severity of its injuries — clear evidence of a recent propeller strike — the magnificent marine mammal remained alive, surfacing intermittently between short dives.
The sighting occurred within the Pelagos Sanctuary, a protected area established specifically to safeguard Mediterranean whales and dolphins. However, this sanctuary unfortunately overlaps with some of the world’s busiest maritime traffic routes, creating a dangerous convergence of marine wildlife and commercial shipping. The same sad situation also occurs in the Mediterranean Cetacean Migration Corridor, in Spanish waters, which is a Marine Protected Area (MPA) and a Specially Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI) under the Barcelona Convention. , but where fin whales and sperm whales are frequently killed in collisions with ships.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) maintained the sperm whale’s classification on the Red List as “endangered” in its most recent assessment in December 2021, whereas the fin whale’s status in the Mediterranean was altered from “vulnerable” to “endangered.
Tethys Research Documents Growing Crisis
According to Maddalena Jahoda, researcher at the Tethys Research Institute, such injuries represent a disturbing trend rather than isolated incidents. The organisation, which has studied Mediterranean cetaceans for nearly four decades, recently documented one of the most dramatic cases in the journal Ecology and Evolution — that of ‘Fluker/Codamozza’, a fin whale whose tail was completely severed by a vessel strike, leading to a year of suffering before death.
“Too often, we encounter both sperm whales and fin whales bearing scars from propeller strikes,” explains Jahoda, lead author of the study. “These are only the cases we actually detect; most likely many collisions, including fatal ones, go unnoticed.”
Vessel Speed: The Critical Factor
Research consistently shows that vessel speed plays the decisive role in collision outcomes. “The risk increases with vessel speed, particularly above 10 knots,” notes Sabina Airoldi of Tethys Research Institute. While some regions have successfully relocated ferry routes to reduce whale encounters, the Pelagos Sanctuary and the Mediterranean Cetacean Migration Corridor present unique challenges due to fin whales dispersed offshore distribution patterns.
That means that in this particular region of the Mediterranean it is not feasible to anticipate the specific locations where these large whales may be found at any given time. Consequently, the possibility of ships altering their courses to prevent collisions with these whales is not a viable option. Therefore, the sole feasible solution to effectively avoid lethal ship collisions with these marine mammals is for ships to decrease their velocity. This is explicitly stated in the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the Contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS) Resolutions 7.12 (2019) and 8.18 (2022).
Closer to coastlines, sperm whales — the Mediterranean’s second-largest cetaceans — face particular danger as they inhabit waters dangerously close to major cargo shipping routes.
Legal Framework Exists, Implementation Lacking
The tools for protection already exist. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) recently recognized the northwestern Mediterranean as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA), providing legal support for implementing vessel speed restrictions in critical habitats.
“As the legal framework to take appropriate measures is there, it needs courage and dedication by decision makers to now implement mandatory vessel speed reduction measures in the wider region,” emphasizes Nicolas Entrup, Director of International Relations at OceanCare. “If it is a binding requirement for all, it secures a level playing field for the private sector.”
Technology and Conservation Efforts
While researchers await potential technological solutions — including those being developed through the European Life SeaDetect project, in which Tethys participates — speed reduction remains the only currently viable protective measure for the most vulnerable areas, particularly given the recent PSSA designation that provides legal backing for such restrictions.
Immediate Response and Long-term Implications
The injured whale’s discovery prompted immediate action, with Italian Coast Guards alerted and monitoring the situation. However, marine biologists emphasise the importance of maintaining distance from injured animals to avoid additional stress.
This incident serves as a stark reminder that without immediate implementation of speed restrictions and enhanced protective measures, the Mediterranean’s iconic whale populations face an uncertain future in waters that should provide sanctuary, not danger
OceanCare continues to work in close collaboration with research organizations like Tethys to advocate for stronger protective measures, including mandatory vessel speed reduction, and ensure decision-makers act swiftly to protect Mediterranean marine life.