Lack of small fish driving whales away from West Cork

WHILE we are well accustomed to the presence of humpback whales and basking sharks in West Cork waters, there was a surprise for onlookers recently after a new visitor was spotted in Clonakilty Bay.

While out on a trip with Atlantic Whale and Wildlife Tours, David Coleman managed to photograph the humpback whale, which had not previously been recorded in Irish waters.

Speaking to The Southern Star, Pádraig Whooley, a sighting officer of the Irish Whale & Dolphin Group (IWDG) said this particular whale is new to them, but he noted that we will see fewer whales due to lack of forage in West Cork waters.

‘There is nothing that significant about a humpback whale in West Cork waters, which we’ve been writing about over the past 25 years. However, this a new whale for us,’ said Pádraig. ‘The IWDG has not previously recorded it in Irish waters so it has been added to the Irish humpback whale catalogue as #HBIRL127.’

Pádraig said this is the 127th humpback recognised Irish waters, with many of these sightings having come from West Cork waters.

‘In recent years, however, there is growing evidence that we are seeing fewer humpback and indeed fin whales in our rich waters. These species and individuals that we once saw regularly along the West Cork coast are now as likely to be seen in the north west, off Mayo and Donegal.’

He said one explanation for this range expansion is that the forage fish that large whales feed on, such as herring and sprat, are no longer to be found in sufficient biomass here.

He speculated this could be as a result of a ‘small number of large pair trawlers who have persisted in the ecologically-unsound practice of “spratting” in our shallow bays and estuaries in late autumn and winter, at the very time these small pelagic shoaling fish are attempting to spawn. Remove the feed and you remove the whale.’