Warning Buoy Network Protects Right Whales

coondoggie alerts us to a story that is actually a few weeks old now about a network of sonic buoys to listen to right whales, in order to warn ships away from them. On April 10, 22% of the known population of right whales in the world — 79 out of 350 — were gathered at Stellwagen Bank, off of Massachusetts, to feed on a bumper crop of the tiny crustaceans called copepods. The network of smart buoys helps to protect the whales from the roughly 1,500 ships per year that go through this feeding ground on their way to and from Boston.

Comments

A better idea?

[caitsith01]

I haven't read TFA, but assuming the summary is accurate, this system warns ships away from whales. This, of course, relies on the fact that ships WANT to get away from whales - but couldn't a whaling ship use this to home in on its prey?

A far more interesting system would be one which warns *whales* away from *ships*. If someone could come up with a cheap system which, upon detection of a largish ship, transmits the whalian equivalent of "Japanese/Norweigan ship approaching!!! Dive! Dive!", then instead of ridiculous chases across the Southern Ocean environmental activists could simply charter a plane and drop thousands of the things around known whale migratory zones. Make the whole thing solar powered and super-long-lasting, too.

This would be a nice, passive way to fight whaling. I particularly like the idea that we could give whales some technology to fight back against the huge, fast, explosive harpoon-armed whaling technology presently employed by Japan.

Re:A better idea?

[Whiney Mac Fanboy]

This, of course, relies on the fact that ships WANT to get away from whales - but couldn't a whaling ship use this to home in on its prey?

I don't think there's a helluva lot of Norwegian & Japanese whaling inside Massachusetts Bay.

then instead of ridiculous chases across the Southern Ocean environmental activists could simply charter a plane and drop thousands of the things around known whale migratory zones.

The area of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary is 50 million square kilometers. I don't think your solution is particularly practical.