ABSTRACT
Beginning around the year 2000 in Europe, the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans in the Black Sea Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area (ACCOBAMS), which is based on the Bonn Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (UNEP/CMS), was formed in response to increased concerns about collisions between large cetaceans and ships. In tandem, discussions were also initiated at the International Whaling Commission (IWC), which is the main organization for the management of cetacean stocks and whaling issues. In 2008, at the 60th IWC Annual Meeting held in Santiago, Chile, cooperation with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) was strength-
ABSTRACT: Recently, sudden collisions between large cetaceans and high-speed hydrofoils have become problematic to Japanese sea transport in some localities. We therefore initiated a project to investigate approaches for minimizing risk to both ships and cetaceans. Under the present project, the following three subprojects are underway: clarifying which whale species are found near sea routes and determining their seasonal variations; identifying whale species that have a high collision risk; and determining the unique acoustic characteristics of high-collision-risk cetaceans for the improvement of underwater speakers (UWS). By conducting acoustic surveys using novel methods, including an anatomical approach based on characteristics of the inner ear, the aim of this project is to accurately estimate the audible range of species with a high collision risk and improve the sounds generated by the UWS. Thus far, we have identified the cetacean species at highrisk in two major sea routes. In the next phase of the study we plan to develop an imaging system that recognizes a cetacean's unique blow using an infrared camera, in an attempt to warn of the approach of highcollision-risk whale species at an early stage by sounding an alarm.
