Whale spotters believe they have identified the humpback struck by a B.C. Ferries vessel in Howe Sound on Oct. 18.
A dead humpback located Monday near the Grace Islands, close to where the strike happened, has been identified as “Notcho,” according to a social media post by the Marine Education and Research Society, on behalf of the Canadian Pacific Humpback Collaboration.
Tasli Shaw, who curates the Humpbacks of the Salish catalogue, identified the whale based on photos provided by Gambier Island resident Emily Ashton, the post reads.
The whale was nicknamed Notcho in 2017 because of “a distinctive nick/notch on the left side of his fluke,” according to MERS. First sightings of the animal in B.C. waters occurred in 2016.
The dead whale’s fluke is severed and its dorsal fin is not visible because it washed up on its back, the post notes, adding that Shaw was able to use the markings and shape of the whale’s right pectoral fins to identify it.
B.C. Ferries has previously confirmed the Queen of Surrey was involved in a whale strike during a sailing between Horseshoe Bay and Langdale on Oct. 18.
At the time, the company said the whale surfaced “directly in front of the vessel, leaving the crew with very little time to react.”
The strike was immediately reported to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, B.C. Ferries said.
Witness video submitted to CTV News, purportedly taken from the ferry, appears to show blood in the water following the collision.
Screams can be heard off camera, followed one person saying “We hit it,” and another saying “The boat cut it.”
In an email to CTV News on Wednesday, the DFO said the dead whale was reported to it on Tuesday, and it’s working with partners to locate the deceased cetacean and “determine next steps.”
“At this time, DFO cannot confirm whether the dead whale is the same whale involved in the Oct. 18 incident,” the federal department said.
“Department staff are working to identify the animal and arrangements are being made to conduct a necropsy, if feasible, to help determine the cause of death and gather additional information.”
The DFO said it is also “engaging with the Squamish Nation” on its response and “any social, cultural or ceremonial interests” related to the dead whale.
In its own statement Wednesday, B.C. Ferries said it is “aware of reports” of a dead humpback in the area of the Oct. 18 strike.
“This is a very sad development and we recognize the concern this raises,” the company said. “Fisheries and Oceans Canada is leading the investigation and assessment. B.C. Ferries continues to co-operate fully with DFO and provide information to support that work.”
The ferry service referred further questions about the whale’s cause of death, “regulatory processes or potential enforcement action” to the DFO.
“We share these waters with whales and other marine wildlife, and take that responsibility seriously,” B.C. Ferries said. “We have measures in place to help reduce the risk of vessel strikes, including crew training, marine mammal reporting procedures and operational practices intended to reduce interactions with whales. We continue to review our practices and work with federal agencies and marine conservation partners to identify opportunities to further reduce these risks.”
With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Andrew Weichel
