Sciences et Avenir: What injuries did Ziphia’s necropsy reveal?
Jérôme Spitz and François Frey: The Ziphia necropsy was carried out by the Pelagis Observatory (CNRS – La Rochelle University). It revealed that this Cuvier’s beaked whale was a mature female. The external examination showed that she was in good physical condition. The internal examination, on the other hand, revealed numerous edemas and hemorrhages of the head, cardiorespiratory system, urogenital area, lungs, etc. These are the signs of traumatic death associated with a process of major damage to the circulatory system. , possibly caused by impulse noise.
You actually write in your study that the “impulse noise is considered the main suspect” in his death. He could be of the effect of a sonar coming from a military vessel which was carrying out tests under the supervision of the French industrial group Naval Group. Is this type of incident common in French waters? Internationally?
This type of link had not been highlighted in France until now, but different cases are known internationally. The most famous accident of this type took place in the Bahamas in March 2000. The United States Navy caused seven deaths: five Cuvier’s beaked whales, one Blainville’s beaked whale and a dolphin. Ten live stranded beaked whales were returned to the water but were never seen again, although they were known to live in these waters.
Since this affair, military exercises using this type of sonar have been banned in this area, and no other beaked whale strandings have occurred. Various similar cases have been reported, particularly in the Mediterranean, to the point that today, for any stranding of at least two individuals of beaked whales, this cause must be suspected first.
Ziphia’s death would have occurred on the Natura 2000 site “Celtic Seas – Slope of the Bay of Biscay”, which had become an exercise and shooting zone (Zonex) allocated by the Atlantic maritime prefecture. You even specify that “Ziphia was operating at the time of her death in an area covered by two MPAs“, marine protected areas. Are there no restrictions on noise pollution in such an area?
The backward modeling carried out by Pelagis shows that the death would have occurred in the Natura 2000 site “Celtic Seas – Bay of Biscay Slope”. This area is protected on two counts: the Habitats, Fauna and Flora directive and the Birds directive. It is also in this space that a test zone (a zonex) has been allocated.
We realized, while working on the Ziphia case, that the first directive remains awaiting the adoption of its objectives document (Docob). The other does not target cetaceans. In both cases, noise pollution is not addressed.
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“Naval Group presented the actions implemented to develop its testing procedures”
Were you finally able to collaborate with Naval Group – one of whose members is a co-signatory of the study – on better consideration of animals during such an exercise? With what results?
Although there is no direct evidence to indicate the ship’s activity as the cause of the accident, Naval Group nevertheless took up the subject with the support of our interdisciplinary working group and wished to develop the test conduct processes. pulse sonars of its combat ships.
In cooperation with Esprit de Velox (association which supports the Objectif Océan program and the design of the research vessel mentioned above, editor’s note), Naval Group has also opened a dialogue with its teams and stakeholders concerned by the impacts of anthropogenic noise on cetaceans and the regulation of marine protected areas. A conference of the parties took place on September 11, 2024 to come back together and in a factual manner on the dramatic accidents linked to impulse noises to which cetaceans have recently been victims in the EEZ of mainland France.
It was also a question of opening the discussion on the measures to be put in place at all decision-making levels so that such events do not happen again. Even less in protected areas. Naval Group presented the actions implemented, in particular to develop its testing procedures.
From Ziphia, we have linked another accident to the Mare Aperto military exercise in May 2024, in the PELAGOS sanctuary, on the east coast of Corsica. Three Cuvier’s beaked whales were stranded in Favone, north of Solenzara (two whales died on the Corsican coast, one whale returned to the water, and one found dead on the Italian side 48 hours later). The same anti-submarine sonar is concerned.
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“The areas most at risk of impacting cetaceans could be prohibited for testing”
Some underwater sound-producing organisms follow their own protocol. Do you think it would be possible, ultimately, for them to adopt a standardized protocol allowing the underwater environment to be taken more into account?
Civil organizations are subject to restrictive regulations. This is the case of Ifremer in particular, and of the companies involved in geological exploration studies for wind power oroil and gas. We propose that military exercises be inspired by these current practices. Namely that a ship should systematically combine the rules of its society or institution and the legislation of the coastal State in which it is located, to take into account the strongest constraints of one or the other.
Any activity generating noise should be better documented and controlled. The operator could, for example, be obliged to propose a risk analysis to the management board of the Marine Protected Area, with a view to obtaining prior authorization, including with regard to deep waters, to cover the ecosystems from the surface to the seabed. The areas most at risk of impacting cetaceans could be prohibited for testing.
Each use of equipment should also begin with “pre-shooting” observation and listening to ensure the absence of animals, then follow with a gradual start-up of the sources. Likewise, 24-hour daytime visual or acoustic surveillance should be provided by marine mammal observers who have authority over the mission leader and commander to stop shooting as soon as the exclusion perimeter is crossed. Once the animals have left, the shooting could resume, with a new gradual start.
