The mission, known as the Minke Whale Hearing Project, has confronted criticism from conservation teams and scientists. Concerns had been raised concerning the stress and potential hurt brought on to the whales throughout their short-term captivity. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation despatched open letter to the Norwegian authorities in 2021 urging the mission’s cancellation, as per an NBC News report. Critics argued that different, non-invasive strategies might yield comparable findings with out risking the welfare of the animals.
Despite opposition, the analysis was executed below stringent protocols, in line with Brandon Southall, a marine acoustic guide mentioned to NBC News. He famous that the mission adhered to greatest practices and contributed worthwhile insights into ocean noise administration insurance policies below rules just like the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
Methodology and Challenges in Whale Capture and Testing
To facilitate testing, a fancy trapping system was established alongside the minke whales’ migration route close to Norway’s Lofoten Islands, as per the study. The staff utilised over a mile of nets to information the whales right into a channel, the place they had been briefly held in a fish farm enclosure. Monitoring was performed by a staff of 12–15 personnel, together with veterinarians. Blood samples, satellite tv for pc tags, and neurological knowledge had been collected throughout periods lasting 30 to 90 minutes earlier than the animals had been launched.
Lead researcher Dr Dorian Houser, National Marine Mammal Foundation, emphasised the welfare measures in place in the course of the interview with NBC News. He reported that the tagged whales resumed regular behaviours post-release, however one whale not examined died after changing into entangled in a internet throughout a storm.
The examine’s outcomes might affect future insurance policies addressing underwater noise air pollution. However, as famous by Susan Parks, professor of biology at Syracuse University to NBC News, the restricted pattern measurement and scope spotlight the necessity for additional analysis to grasp the listening to capabilities of baleen whales throughout species and age teams.
