Yangtze porpoise wins, legal speed limits, and an energy megaproject
Big Blue Bulletin #47
Welcome to the latest edition of the Big Blue Bulletin – things have changed just a little bit around here as featured stories will now focus on whales, dolphins, and porpoises, with a little bit of commentary from me thrown in as well. Still, you can expect good news, bad news, and a cute creature in your inbox every Friday.
Let’s dive in 🐬
Ocean news
🗞️ Big news of the week -
🐳 The army of helpers learning to rescue New Zealand’s stranded whales
New Zealand sees hundreds of whale strandings each year and more than almost anywhere else in the world. Though most countries rely on government agencies to respond to strandings, New Zealand are taking a different approach. Across the country, a network of trained volunteers is being mobilised to help.
From fake dolphins to 2-tonne pilot whale replicas, these practice sessions are preparing ordinary people to leap into action when real animals beach. It can take hundreds of hands to save a single whale, and with strandings becoming more frequent—thanks to human-driven noise, pollution, and disorientation—every trained helper makes a huge difference.
🛥️ Conservation groups aim to defend NOAA vessel speed limit in court
A group of conservation organisations is fighting to uphold a 2008 vessel speed rule designed to protect North Atlantic right whales from ship strikes—one of the leading causes of death for the critically endangered species.
The rule, which enforces a 10-knot speed limit in certain zones, is being challenged by a vessel captain who was fined for exceeding the limit by nearly double over a 200km stretch in 2022. The captain’s legal team claims NOAA lacks the authority to issue civil penalties under existing wildlife laws.
In response, groups including Defenders of Wildlife and Whale and Dolphin Conservation have filed a motion to defend the rule, calling it essential to the survival of the species.
🏴 Scottish island named UK's best for seeing humpback whales
Scotland’s Isle of Mull has just been crowned the best place in the UK for seeing the elusive humpback whale. Teeming with marine life, the island’s clear waters regularly attract dolphins, otters, and seals as well but it’s the summer months when humpbacks are most likely to appear.
Other Scottish wildlife highlights include Chanonry Point on the Moray Firth and the Cairngorms National Park, making the country a marine megafauna hotspot.
Having just moved to Scotland myself, this is ideal.
🇲🇽 Mexican whale researchers sound the alarm on an energy megaproject
A proposed $15 billion liquefied natural gas terminal in Mexico is raising alarms among scientists who say the project could spell disaster for the Gulf of California’s rich marine life.
To export the gas, enormous tankers would regularly have to pass through a marine mammal hotspot which is home to 36 whale and dolphin species, including a year-round fin whale population and most concerning, the last remaining vaquitas.
“This is going to hurt” says whale researcher Jorge Urbán. “We’ll regret it a lot.”
🇨🇳 Yangtze porpoise growth reflects river conservation success in China
After years of decline, China’s critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoise is finally showing signs of recovery. Thanks to major conservation efforts and improved river health, the population rose by over 23% between 2017 and 2022.
Habitat restoration, pollution control, and a growing public interest in the species, boosted by tools like the new tracking map (which can be used by visitors to the area), are all playing a role in helping this rare freshwater cetacean bounce back.
🏴 Orwell dolphins are 'at high risk of stranding'
A pod of six common dolphins was spotted playing near boats in the River Orwell, Suffolk recently, a rare occurence for those lucky enough to see them. Though onlookers were overjoyed to see the cetaceans, conservationists are concerned.
The Cetacean Research and Rescue Unit (CRRU) said this offshore species is rarely seen so close to shore, let alone in shallow inland waters. Their presence could indicate disorientation or distress, and with rising threats to ocean health, experts warn these inland visits may become more common but for all the wrong reasons.
Have a great weekend! 📸
Cover image by People's Daily Online/Fu Jianbin.
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Amie 🐋
Enjoy those Scottish whales 🐳