Notes

Source: Sea Shepherd
Sea Shepherd joined forces with a group of scientists last month to conduct research on two separate projects off the coast of Mexico: humpback whales and ocean plastics.

From March 8th to the 19th 2017, Sea Shepherd’s R/V Martin Sheen welcomed four scientists under the supervision of Dr. Jorge Urban, from Universidade Autonoma de Baja California Sur (UABCS) and sailed to the remote Archipelago of Revillagigedo for scientific studies.

Revillagigedo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Pacific Ocean that is made up of four volcanic islands approximately 240 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas, in the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico. These include three inner islands, San Benedicto, Socorro and Roca Partida, and the outer island, Clarion.

This archipelago is one of the most important breeding areas in Mexico for the humpback whale, who migrate to the location from various feeding grounds in Alaska and the Bering Sea.

“The humpback population found here demonstrates a high loyalty to this archipelago,” said UABCS’s Pamela Martinez, who was on board the Sheen. “This research project is important to help determine the current conservation status of these whales and to gather information about their migration patterns and migration connections between their feeding and breeding grounds.”

The visiting scientists took photographs to identify the individual humpback whales on the archipelago’s Socorro and Clarion Islands. They also took skin and blubber biopsies which helps with determining the gender of the whales along with what they have been eating. Sound recordings of humpback whales were also conducted.

Scientists hope to use the collected data to confirm that these whales are not always migrating in the same patterns. Martinez believes that humpback whales are mostly loyal to their breeding grounds, but not always loyal to their feeding grounds.


Micro plastics in the Oceans
While in Revillagigedo, scientists also took water samples to identify if there are any micro plastics in the water. Plastic is the most common debris found in Oceans; those less than 5 mm are referred to as “micro plastics.”

The project continued the work started last year with Sea Shepherd and UABCS in the same area. At the time, scientists discovered the archipelago’s Clarion Island – the one furthest away from land – had the highest concentration of micro plastics of all four islands. Last month’s expedition with Sea Shepherd was a follow-up to collect more samples and investigate if this still holds true.



In Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’s latest scientific research campaign, we are studying the toxicology levels in whales in the Gulf of California. We are working with marine scientists from the Universidad de Baja California Sur, Italy and United State of America to conduct the first studies regarding the toxicology of microplastics and pollution in the Gulf of California.


The campaign is focused on both legitimate and ethical research. It directly confronts those scientists, and those who call themselves scientists, who are more concerned with destroying life and ecosystems than with helping increase scientific knowledge. Sea Shepherd Conservation Society only supports studies that utilize non­lethal methods for collection and using data, that is, studies that best protect this planet.

The current research expedition in the Gulf of California will be used to determine the level of contamination produced by microplastics and other contaminants in the Gulf of California and will contribute to studying the ways in which humans have polluted the oceans. A database is being developed to determine the levels of contamination in the whales and how those levels of contamination influence the whales’ genetics. Some of the whales, such as fin whales, are residents of the Gulf of California. That means that all the contaminates of the pollution found in these whales will directly reflect the pollution in the Gulf.

Our research vessel, R/V Martin Sheen, and her crew are collaborating with the scientists to complete this research expedition. We all must strive to learn how to best care for and protect life on this planet so we can live in a healthy environment and preserve the Earth for future generations. We must stop destroying our the planet. It is essential to become educated as to the state of the ecosystems. This research campaign will help achieve that as the study will help us to understand the environment so we can change our destructive habits and apply new laws for the protection of the environment.