A vessel belonging to a high-speed ferry service connecting Vancouver and Nanaimo collided with a humpback whale in English Bay near Vancouver, as reported by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). Hullo Ferries, the operator of the ship, promptly notified the department about the incident and is cooperating fully.
Following the collision, the whale was observed swimming north, but no further details on its condition were provided. Regulations mandate that operators of vessels or fishing equipment must immediately report accidental encounters with marine mammals to the authorities.
Hullo Ferries, known for up to 14 daily sailings using two catamarans between downtown Vancouver and downtown Nanaimo, acknowledged that their vessel Spuhels “likely made contact with a whale” during a scheduled trip. The crew took immediate evasive action upon spotting the mammal and followed safety protocols by executing a crash stop maneuver.
The company assured that they adhered to all reporting procedures, including notifying DFO, the Canadian Coast Guard, First Nations partners, and the Whale Reporting Alert System. While no specifics about the whale’s condition post-collision were provided, the company stated that CCTV footage and crew observations indicated the whale swam away from the area after the incident.
Expressing deep concern, the Vancouver Island Ferry Company emphasized their commitment to marine life protection, highlighting their strict adherence to the Whale Reporting Alert System and Canada’s Marine Mammal Guidelines. This incident comes after the recent discovery of a dead humpback near an area where it was reportedly struck by a B.C. Ferries vessel off the northern coast of British Columbia.