Humpback Whale in the Shannon Estuary !! Update

6 December 2024

IWDG managed to find the whale on 3 December following great help from the Shannon Pilots. We obtained images of both sides of the dorsal and a poorly lit image of its tail fluke. At present we cannon match it to the IWDG Humpback Whale Catalogue, suggesting it is a new animal. We also flew the IWDG drone over the whale to obtain a length measurement. While conditions were not ideal, with very turbid waters we got a fairly decent surfacing profile with which to attempt photogrammetry – it looks like quote a small individual.

  

The IWDG have reached put to the Harbour Master at Shannon Foynes Port Company regarding the humpback whale in the Shannon Estuary, which was first reported to the IWDG on the 28th of November.
This is the first case of a humpback whale in the estuary, and we need to exercise due care. The Shannon is a high-density maritime traffic area, so the whale is at increased risk of a ship strike.
We hope a temporary marine notice could be issued to avoid any issues regarding a ship strike by asking ships to slow down between Loop Head and Kerry Head to Tarbert Lighthouse. 10 knots is usually the recommended maximum speed in high risk areas, however this does not eliminate the risk. Additionally we would ask ships to remain vigilant and keep an eye out for the whale during daylight hours in the Shannon Estuary. If they do see the humpback whale, we would ask them to attempt avoiding the animal by slowing down and/or manoeuvring out of its way, if this can be carried out safely.

29 November 2024

To everyone’s amazement, a humpback whale was seen and filmed way up the Shannon Estuary on 26 and 27 November . It was initially filmed off the Shannon Ferry by Marieke Dunk plying the waters between Killimer and Tarbert and the following day slightly west off Ardmore Point, Co Kerry but Shannon pilots Kevin McKiernan and Brian Clohessy. The pilots saw it breach !

 

Unfortunately, on the same day the IWDG team based in Kilrush couldn’t locate it to photograph and film to see if the whale was known from the IWDG Humpback Whale Photo-ID catalogue.

There have been reports of species larger than the resident bottlenose dolphins in the inner estuary, but never has evidence such as a photograph or video been obtained. To be honest, none of us would have believed this sighting without the evidence.

 

Humpback whales are being seen more frequently off Loop Head 45km to the west in recent years, but never in the estuary.  There have been good marks of sprat in the estuary, escaping capture from our few trawlers who continue to remove this critically important forage fish species.

This just shows again, the changing distributions of whales and dolphins in Irish waters and the bonus of leaving forage fish in the sea to be … foraged !