Fran, one of the most well-known humpback whales that migrated along the west coast of North America was killed by a ship strike in last August, 2022.
"The death of Fran is incredibly tragic, given that ship strikes on whales can be avoided," Kathi George, the director of field operations and response at the Marine Mammal Center, said in a statement. "Everyone, including shipping companies, wants to protect these magnificent giants, and we need ships to slow down in vessel speed reduction (VSR) areas as well as when whales are around."
According to the HappyWhale database that tracks whales worldwide, there were 277 sightings of Fran since her birth in 2005. Most of these sightings were in Monterey Bay.
What Fran leaves behind is a legacy of an interconnection of humans and whales and provided significant scientific insight to marine life. But even more so, this was the first year, Fran successfully brought her own calf to the feeding grounds.
Fran’s death could have been avoided by the ship reducing its speed, which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) requests of ships seasonally when whales are in the region feeding to reduce these fatal strikes.
According to NOAA, more than 60% of ships comply but the need for more ships to do so is imperative. Kathi George reported approximately 80 whales are killed each year by vessel strikes.
It is heartbreaking Fran lost her life but maybe her loss will be the reason for more ships to slow down and respect the life below the surface of the ocean.
Quotes courtesy of www.cbsnews.com
Image of Fran courtesy of Padraig Duignan/Whales of Guerrero
