Widespread exposure of marine parks, whales, and whale sharks to shipping

Authors

Vincent Raoult, University of Newcastle
Vanessa Pirotta, Macquarie University
Troy F. Gaston, University of Newcastle
Brad Norman, Murdoch University
Samanatha Reynolds, Murdoch University
Tim M. Smith, University of Newcastle
Mike Double, Australian Marine Mammal Centre
Jason How, Department Primary Industries and Regional DevelopmentFollow
Matt W. Hayward, University of Newcastle

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-28-2022

Journal Title

Marine and Freshwater Research

ISSN

Print: 1323-1650 Electronic: 1448-6059

Keywords

acoustic pollution, AIS, marine parks, satellite tag, shark, ship strikes, shipping, whale

Disciplines

Aquaculture and Fisheries

Abstract

Context: Shipping impacts are a major environmental concern that can affect the behaviour and health of marine mammals and fishes. The potential impacts of shipping within marine parks is rarely considered during the planning process.

Aims: We assessed the areal disturbance footprint of shipping around Australia, its overlap with marine parks, and known locations of megafauna, so as to identify areas of concern that warrant further investigation.

Methods: Automatic Identification System (AIS) shipping data from 2018 to 2021 were interpreted through a kernel-density distribution and compared with satellite data from ∼200 individuals of megafauna amalgamated from 2003 to 2018, and the locations of marine parks.

Key results: Over 18% of marine parks had shipping exposure in excess of 365 vessels per year. Around all of Australia, 39% of satellite-tag reports from whale shark and 36.7% of pygmy blue and humpback whale satellite-tag reports were in moderate shipping-exposure areas (>90 ships per year). Shipping exposure significantly increased from 2018 despite the pandemic, including within marine parks.

Conclusions: These results highlight the wide-scale footprint of commercial shipping on marine ecosystems that may be increasing in intensity over time.

Implications: Consideration should be made for assessing and potentially limiting shipping impacts along migration routes and within marine parks.

Recommended Citation

Raoult Vincent, Pirotta Vanessa, Gaston Troy F., Norman Brad, Reynolds Samantha, Smith Tim M., Double Mike, How Jason, Hayward Matt W. (2023) Widespread exposure of marine parks, whales, and whale sharks to shipping. Marine and Freshwater Research 74, 75-85. https://doi.org/10.1071/MF22050