VANCOUVER — A humpback whale calf struck by a B.C. Ferries vessel Thursday will likely survive, the Marine Education and Research Society says.
The calf, named Crochet, suffered a gash on the right fin of its tail and bruising on its right side following a collision with B.C. Ferries vessel Island Aurora near Port McNeill.
“After monitoring for three hours, we believe Crochet is likely to survive,” the society said. “We will continue to monitor and have reached out to our community to help give this whale more space and educate others on how to reduce the threat of collision.”
B.C. Ferries said while it is standard practice for ferry operators to slow down in the presence of whales, this calf unexpectedly emerged within 20 metres of the vessel.
“Our crew quickly followed protocols, stopping the vessel’s propellers to prevent further harm and immediately reporting the incident to our operations centre,” said Jeff Groot of B.C. Ferries.
The 80-metre Island Aurora runs between Alert Bay, Port McNeill and Malcolm Island. It has the capacity to carry 47 cars.
B.C. Ferries staff reported the incident to several agencies including the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, local researchers and members of the ‘Namgis First Nation.
“Local researchers have since confirmed that the whale survived and appears not to have sustained serious injuries,” Groot said.
“Additionally, we made sure to check in with our crew to ensure they have the support they need as they process the events.”
The Marine Education and Research Society has commended B.C. Ferries for notifying local research agencies, saying it created “an optimal opportunity to know who the whale is, monitor their welfare, and learn from this accident to reduce the threat of vessel strikes.”
Thursday’s collision comes just a week after Crochet’s sibling, Auger, was hit by a motorized boat near Port McNeill on Aug. 15. The society said it monitored Auger and it appears the whale will be OK.
