Orca Interaction Poll

[greeny]

No, some are educated on the subject. Water is orders of magnitude more dense than air. Orca rely on sonar for food, socialising and communication. Setting off explosives damages their sensitive “hearing”.

Not carried away at all, no. Just educated.

Which is why the method is successful. Eventually they'll learn to stay away. That's what intelligence does for you. Learn from mistakes.
Oh and I do understand the physics involved. That why its best to deploy said devices whilst they are further away before the attack commences. A good look out is essential in these waters.

 

[greeny]

I have a novel suggestion try sailing somewhere else.

This is not solely about sailors. More bangers set off daily by fishermen than by sailors. Sailors are very infrequent users. Tell the fishermen to hang up their nets or move to another country.

 

[Sea Change]

I have a novel suggestion try sailing somewhere else.

How do I do an Atlantic circuit or get to the Med without sailing through these waters?

 

[greeny]

How do I do an Atlantic circuit or get to the Med without sailing through these waters?

Take the Nothern route. Might take a bit longer though. French canals for the med of course.

 

[Mister E]

This is not solely about sailors. More bangers set off daily by fishermen than by sailors. Sailors are very infrequent users. Tell the fishermen to hang up their nets or move to another country.

They are not having their rudders chewed.
The Fishermen are only try to increase their profits.

 

[Mister E]

Take the Nothern route. Might take a bit longer though. French canals for the med of course.

Yes for the sailing boats the area can be avoided.
It you got to an area with wildlife that is a threat and you know that the wildlife is there why complain when you encounter the wildlife?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Yes for the sailing boats the area can be avoided.
It you got to an area with wildlife that is a threat and you know that the wildlife is there why complain when you encounter the wildlife?

If you go to Svalbard or other areas where there are Polar Bears ( a far more endangered species than Orca) you are obliged to carry a rifle.

If you go on a Big Game watching safari you will find if you look closely the guide have rifles. ( Most big game is protected)

Most people that walk in the outdoor areas where there are snakes in the US if they carry a gun they load at least one chamber with snake shot. Snakes are a protected species.

There are countless examples where there are animal and insect conflicts with mankind where mankind takes measures to deter and if they don't work or the encounter is likely to be harmful then the measures will include ones that are lethal. Mankind has evolved and expanded because of the curiosity of a few who have moved out of their caves and travelled in so doing they encountered dangerous competitors and dealt with them. If they hadn't you would be sitting huddled up in your cave, perhaps you are.

 

[Rappey]

Absolute rubbish

So where is any evidence of anything you've claimed ? Seems all the Web site are wrong as you know it all.

 

[Rappey]

Polar Bears

All the animals you listed will happily kill you. The orca do not.

There are Web sites that show the current location of the orca . As some have found out ' ignore that information at your own peril.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

All the animals you listed will happily kill you. The orca do not.

There are Web sites that show the current location of the orca . As some have found out ' ignore that information at your own peril.

Given that Orca can and do travel 100s km in a day web locations are as much use as a chocolate tea pot

 

[LittleSister]

It'd be interesting to see opinion on what we should do about Orca interactions. I think we all agree that something has to be done, we can't just continue with the status quo as the interactions seem to be becoming more frequent and more widespread.


So on the assumption that doing nothing is not an option, what would you suggest?

I don't think we do all agree that something has to be done.

I'm not sure something has to be done about it, but even assuming it does, it comes an awful long way down the very long list of 'things about which something should be done'.

File under 'first world problems'?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

All the animals you listed will happily kill you. The orca do not.

There are Web sites that show the current location of the orca . As some have found out ' ignore that information at your own peril.

Orcas have killed humans ( in captivity the Orcas not the humans) we don't know what would happen if someone fell off a boat during an Orca attack. They may not be deliberately trying to have human snack or indeed kill humans when they attack boats but eventually someone will die as a result of these attacks perhaps trapped in a sinking boat.

 

[Trident]

@Trident


That comment is not really on, reeks of bigotry.

The ecological threats facing all of us on this planet are not going to be helped by such comments.

Spain and other countries have embraced tourism, inward investment and expatriates, expanded their towns and consumed their resources excessively.

Fisherman all over are at the bottom of the pile, getting crumbs from the cake, and being equally exploited.

The Orcas, demand for leisure, revenues, government policy, consumerism et cetera means such problems are difficult, maybe impossible to solve for the benefit and satisfaction of all.

At the heart of this shit fest, is rampant consumerism, our actions, demands and self satisfaction, delivered for profit, mainly at any cost. If folks think the answer is to slice people up and feed them to the fish, then there is no hope.

Well on the other hand - their fishing methods destroy the eco system, the are - in all the cases of those I have met - greedy, arrogant and unpleasant ... for example having races through an anchorage in Rias , seeing who could get closest at speed to the anchored yachts, causing massive wake and damage .. and then when a 7 year old boy who had been asleep and was literally thrown from his bunk came on deck streaming blood from his nose I watched as the crew on the next boat past laughed and called others to tell them about it . So I stand by what I said but it is only based on personal experience and I have of course not met all Spanish fishermen - just dozens / hundreds over the years. (NB I am talking about commercial fishermen not hobby anglers ) . Even with such a high sample of unpleasant people I will accept that some must be decent folks - I bet there is even the odd one who runs the legally required lights at night

 

[Major_Clanger]

I don't think we do all agree that something has to be done.

I'm not sure something has to be done about it, but even assuming it does, it comes an awful long way down the very long list of 'things about which something should be done'.

File under 'first world problems'?

Yes, on a broader scale I totally agree, but we are First World and we have a growing problem facing yachts. I don't think many of us are happy with the status quo.

Yachts aren't going to stop sailing that coast, and others transiting to/from the Med don't really have a viable alternative. The fishing boats aren't affected in the same way we are and take action to prevent catch depredation; as far as I know their boats haven't been 'attacked', just have the nets damaged and large lumps of tuna bitten-off.

I'm very much of the camp that believes we are in the Orca's world, we are not the apex species at sea and should defer to that and act accordingly. That means no Orcas should be harmed just because humans want to sail their boats about. But I believe we have to do something because at some point someone will die from an interaction - not deliberate, there's no record anywhere of an Orca in the wild harming a human, but a boat will have its rudder stock ripped out and founder and someone will drown.

If nothing else, insurance companies may well call the shots. Some are already refusing cover in the affected areas and once they all band together we'll be in a pickle.

My hope is that we find a non-harmful answer, and I absolutely believe there is one - see my previous suggestion. As is often the case, any real progress is slow until a body decides to fund some research.

 

[Mister E]

If you go to Churchill Canada in Polar Bear season and deliberately go out on foot looking for Polar Bears you will be arrested.
They have learnt that they are living in the bears territory and are making more money from tourists than they ever did before.
Seen as whale watching is so popular then the is employment to be gained from these interactions.

As for something must be done was there not a ban on yachts a few years ago.
Something could be done and the ban made permanent. Be careful what you wish for.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

If you go to Churchill Canada in Polar Bear season and deliberately go out on foot looking for Polar Bears you will be arrested.
They have learnt that they are living in the bears territory and are making more money from tourists than they ever did before.
Seen as whale watching is so popular then the is employment to be gained from these interactions.

As for something must be done was there not a ban on yachts a few years ago.
Something could be done and the ban made permanent. Be careful what you wish for.

They can't ban transiting yachts and they are hardly likely to ban yacht ownership and close marinas which make the communities infinitely more money than a few whale watchers.
Try talking sense.

 

[Mister E]

They can't ban transiting yachts and they are hardly likely to ban yacht ownership and close marinas which make the communities infinitely more money than a few whale watchers.
Try talking sense.

So why did they ban yachts from their territorial waters on safety grounds.
You know the risk and you choose to accept it if you sail it that area if not go elsewhere.

You are the one that shoots little feathered things for fun, not surprising that you are in favour of killing other creatures as well at the first excuse.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

So why did they ban yachts from their territorial waters on safety grounds.
You know the risk and you choose to accept it if you sail it that area if not go elsewhere.

You are the one that shoots little feathered things for fun, not surprising that you are in favour of killing other creatures as well at the first excuse.

In some Portuguese marinas when there are very large waves at the entrance they close the marinas / harbours nothing whatsoever to do with Orcas and it's not uncommon throughout the world to have harbours closed for entry and exit due to weather conditions.

Have you ever been on a boat?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

So why did they ban yachts from their territorial waters on safety grounds.
You know the risk and you choose to accept it if you sail it that area if not go elsewhere.

You are the one that shoots little feathered things for fun, not surprising that you are in favour of killing other creatures as well at the first excuse.

Just so you can complete your hate list, I have shot most if not all game birds, Dear, Wild Boar, Squirrels, Pigeon, Foxes, Rooks, with the exception of the Foxes I have eaten at least part of what I have shot, yes including the squirrel.

 

[Laser310]

Most people that walk in the outdoor areas where there are snakes in the US if they carry a gun they load at least one chamber with snake shot. Snakes are a protected species.

generally, snakes are not protected in the USA. I don't think any venomous snakes are protected.

Yes, some people kill them.., but most people do not kill them.

I see venomous snakes when I hike; mostly copperheads.., and they are not in the least bit aggressive.

I have never had an "interaction" - they usually just sit there so i can take pictures.

rattlesnakes can be a bit more ornery, but it's not as if they are going to chase you down. Nearly all bites happen when people step on or near, them, try to pick them up, or stick their hand close when scrambling up rocky outcrops.