A female orca.
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Noise deterrents are being developed to scare orcas away from boats, a Portuguese trade association said.
Orcas off the Iberian coast have been ramming into boats and ripping off their rudders.
The association said sailors in the area are “afraid” to take their boats into Portuguese waters.
Researchers are planning to develop and test noise deterrents meant to scare away orcas after a rapid rise in reports that the creatures are ramming boats off the Iberian coast.
“Some lines of development of acoustic deterrents are being developed that will be tested this summer, in order to try to find options for the protection of sailboats and minimize the number of interactions,” António Bessa de Carvalho, president of the National Association of Cruises (ANC), told Portuguese news agency Lusa.
The ANC, the Portuguese Navy, and the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests have been holding meetings since March to find a solution to orcas damaging boats by ramming into them and grabbing and ripping off their rudders, per Lusa.
Alfredo López of the Grupo de trabajo Orca Atlántica, which is collaborating with the Portuguese government, told Insider the work is in the very early stages.
He added they are focusing on finding solutions that “comply with the legislation” and “do not cause environmental damage.”
Noise deterrents typically work by emitting pulses of high-frequency sound to scare away sea creatures from an area.
While types of acoustic deterrents exist, none are specifically designed to be used for orcas and sailboats, he said.
“You have to invent it. They do not exist because there was never a need,” he said.
One focus, López said, is to ensure the deterrent does not contribute more noise to the ocean.
“Adding more noise into the ocean can be harmful to living things. That is why the previous comment would not develop continuous emission deterrents,” he said.
Orca whales are curious animals that will approach your boat.
Portland Press Herald / Contributor / Getty Images
Dozens of reports of interactions between orcas and boats have been reported, most of which have taken place off the Iberian coast. The creatures’ motivations are not clear, but the behavior seems to be spreading among local pods of orcas.
One recent interaction was reported as far north as the Shetland islands, off the coast of Scotland.
A video released on Thursday showed orcas interrupting a boat race in the Atlantic Ocean last week. The video shows the animals repeatedly rubbing against the ship’s rudders, Insider previously reported.
“Three orcas came straight at us and started hitting the rudders. Impressive to see the orcas, beautiful animals, but also a dangerous moment for us as a team,” skipper Jelmer van Beek said, Insider previously reported.
At least two boats have been sunk as a result of the interactions, and the exchange can leave the boats unable to steer their course and having to be rescued at sea, per Lusa.
“Sailboat owners are very concerned and are currently afraid to take their boats to the Algarve”, the southernmost region of Portugal, “as they do every year,” Bessa de Carvalho told Lusa.
Desperate sailors have been trying all sorts of techniques to keep orcas away from the boats, such as throwing sand over the side of the ship, navigating backward, hitting the orcas or throwing firecrackers and flares at them, throwing lemons in the water, or hitting dishes and kitchen items to make noise, none of which have been particularly effective, López said.
The Grupo de trabajo Orca Atlántica recommends slowing down the boat’s engine if possible. That has worked in about 60% of cases, said López.
For the time being, Lopez said the best way to protect boats is for sailors to “be informed.”
“Sailors can consult the website and GT Orcas mobile application (Google Play and Apple Store) to find out about hot spots, be prepared if they sail in those areas, avoid sailing at night and approach the coast, as far as possible,” he said.