HomeMy WebLinkAboutNPC_MRC_CascadiaResearch_proposal1. Name of the project:
Insights into ship strike and entanglement risk to humpback whales on Washington’s outer coast
2. Lead organization and Contact:
Alexandra Vanderzee
Research Biologist, Cascadia Research Collective
avanderzee@cascadiaresearch.org
360-621-2857
218 ½ 4Th Ave W
Olympia, WA 98501
3. Start and end dates for your project:
February 2026-June 2027
4. Deliverables:
A report on humpback whale spatial area-use of the Washington outer coast, to inform
Washington State’s conservation and management plan for humpback whales (June 2027)
Final presentation to MRC (June 2027)
5 quality project photos, an MRC newsletter article, final report and end of project presentation to
MRC (June 2027)
5. Project staff:
Alexandra Vanderzee will lead this project by conducting surveys to collect new data as well as
analyzing existing data, and will help with presentations and disseminating information gathered
to appropriate and interested entities. Alex is a Research Biologist with Cascadia Research
Collective and a current master’s student in the Environmental Sciences program with Oregon
State University, this work will function as a facet of her thesis. Alex has worked for Cascadia for
nearly 15 years and has a wide variety of experience working on projects related to baleen whale
abundance, distribution and movement along the US West Coast. Alex’s work has included both
in-house data management, processing, analysis and in-field surveys on both small and large
vessels to document humpback whale occurrence along Washington outer coast and inside
waters. Alex has acted as co-intern supervisor for Cascadia’s internship program, training and
mentoring dozens of graduate students and young adults, and aids in Cascadia’s outreach group.
John Calambokidis is a Senior Research Biologist and one of the founders of Cascadia Research
Collective. John will advise on project design, analysis, and assist in presentations and
disseminating information to the appropriate stakeholders and partners. John has served as Project
Director of over 200 projects, authored two books on marine mammals (on blue whales and a
guide to marine mammals) as well as more than 135 publications in scientific journals, 150
technical reports, and 175 scientific presentations. He has conducted studies on a variety of
marine mammals in the North Pacific from Central America to Alaska. He served as Project
manager for major projects such as the SPLASH Pacific-wide study of humpback whales and the
Southern California Behavioral Response Study to sonar. He has directed long-term research on
the status, movements, and underwater behavior of blue, humpback, and gray whales. Some of
his recent research has included attaching tags to whales with suction cups to examine their
feeding behavior and vocalizations.
Jenn Tackaberry is a Research Biologist with Cascadia Research Collective and a Level 5
responder for the West Coast Large Whale Entanglement Response Network. Jenn will assist
with surveys and presentations for this project. Jenn started studying marine mammals in 2004
and received her Master’s degree from Moss Landing Marine Laboratories at San Jose State
University. Her work focuses primarily on humpback whales, but she also works with many other
baleen whale species, including blue, fin, sei, grey, minke, and NA right whales. Her work
experience includes long-term population and behavioral studies, behavioral and movement
analysis of biologger data, and entanglement response and research.
Jessie Huggins has been with Cascadia Research since 2004 and is our stranding coordinator; she
takes the lead on Cascadia’s responses to and examinations of stranded marine mammals in
Washington State, specializing in large whale and other cetacean strandings. As part of this
project, Jessie will assist with presentations related to marine mammal stranding response. Her
current research interests include marine mammal diseases, long-term stranding trends, and
human impacts. In addition to stranding response, she works on various aspects of our large
whale photo-identification projects.
Andi Gero will assist with surveys conducted as part of this project. She started at CRC in March
2023 as a West Coast intern as she transitioned out of the United States Army. After her
internship, Andi stayed on as staff to assist the stranding team and West Coast office on a variety
of projects.
6. Partners:
Cascadia has a long history of collaboration with other research groups, environmental
organizations, and state and federal agencies in our work on humpback whales in the region. We
work with WDFW and other groups on whale entanglements including conducting trainings and
educational presentations. We have worked closely with different parts of NOAA including the
Marine Mammal Laboratory and the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Cascadia
through the SPLASH project conducted the largest collaborative study of humpback whales in the
North Pacific involving over 400 researchers and naturalists. Cascadia has worked with and has
proposed or active projects with several of the coastal tribes/nations (including the Makah and
Quinault) on the Washington Coast.
While we do not identify in-kind contributions specifically in our budget, our humpback whale
work has received funding from NOAA and WDFW in the past and this will be part of the
available data we will be analyzing in the proposed study. John Calambokidis’ time will be
contributed as In Kind.
7. Geographic Area:
This project will encompass the waters off the Washington outer coast, focusing on the offshore
areas off Clallam and Jefferson counties (La Push in particular), but may include survey work
from Grays Harbor, Washington up to the NW tip of the Washington coast. Partnerships will
focus on communities within the western portion of Clallam and Jefferson counties.
Figure 1. Map of possible survey area in yellow for 5 additional surveys conducted as part of this
proposal, with humpback whale sightings (colored by year) from CRC data from 1994-2024.
Emphasis will be conducting surveys out of La Push to reach the areas of high concentrations of
humpback whales off the northwest coast of Washington, but could include areas further south if
reports of high concentrations come in and weather allows. La Push and Forks (red stars) will be
primary focus of partnerships.
8. Permits:
Vanderzee, Tackaberry, and Huggins are Co-PI’s on NOAA permit # 28850.
Tackaberry and Huggins are Co-PI’s on MMHSRP MMPA/ESA permit # 24359 for
entanglement and stranding response.
9. Project Narrative:
a) This project will advance the understanding and stewardship of humpback whale populations
along the outer coast of Washington State by characterizing spatial use patterns, with a focus
on sub-regional differences by age class, sex and group composition. While previous studies
have documented humpback whale occurrence in this region (Calambokidis et al., 2017;
Olson et al., 2024; Miller, 2020), detailed evaluations of demographic use and interchange
between coastal sub-regions is lacking and critical to better understand the full effect of
anthropogenic risk to the population.
The remote coastal waters of Washington overlap with major human activities, including
shipping traffic, commercial and recreational fisheries, and naval operations, which pose
growing risks to humpback whales through potential ship strikes, entanglements, and habitat
disturbance. Through a combination of vessel-based surveys and analysis of existing datasets,
this project will assess humpback whale density and spatial patterns of coastal use. The data
gathered and analyzed resulting from this project will be shared with groups that Cascadia
collaborates with, including environmental organizations, tribes, and state and federal
agencies. Additionally, we aim to give presentations to the local community of fishers in La
Push and/or Forks with the goal of emphasizing whale-safe fishing practices and
entanglement response protocols. Results of this study will directly support scientifically
based risk assessments and inform management strategies aimed at minimizing human
impacts on vulnerable whale populations.
b) The population of humpback whales along the U.S. West Coast has increased dramatically
over the last two decades, reflecting a remarkable recovery from historical whaling pressures.
As their numbers have rebounded, so too as their presence in coastal habitats. Recently,
portions of Washington’s outer coast and the Salish Sea were designated as Biologically
Important Feeding Areas (BIAs) (Calambokidis et al., 2024), highlighting the region’s
growing significance as critical habitat for foraging humpback whales.
Increasing whale abundance also brings rising overlap with human activities, particularly
along the remote stretches of Washington’s outer coast and the area of the outer Strait of Juan
de Fuca. This region supports major commercial shipping routes, commercial and
recreational fisheries, naval operations, and recreational activity, all of which elevate the risks
of ship strikes, entanglements, and habitat disturbance. Vulnerable groups, such as calves and
pregnant mothers, may be particularly susceptible to these threats.
While humpback whale occurrence along the outer Washington coast has been generally
documented (Calambokidis et al., 2017, Olson et al., 2024), fine-scale demographic patterns,
such as differences in spatial use by age class, sex, and group composition, remain poorly
understood. Research effort along the outer coast has been limited by the region’s remoteness
and challenging field conditions, leaving critical knowledge gaps.
Humpback whales along the outer coast originate from multiple Distinct Population
Segments (DPS), including the Hawaii, Mexico and Central America populations. Two of
these DPS, Mexico and Central America, are federally listed under the Endangered Species
Act, reinforcing the importance of region-specific conservation planning. Understanding how
different groups and populations use the outer coast is essential for assessing risk, prioritizing
management actions, and supporting recovery goals.
Building on past efforts by Cascadia Research Collective, which established a baseline
understanding of humpback whale presence in this region, this project will provide a more
detailed assessment of demographic use patterns, density estimates, and potential risk zones.
The goals will be to assess the following questions:
1) How does spatial use of Washington’s outer coast differ by demographic groups (sex,
age class, group composition), and how does this use overlap with human activities?
2) What areas along the outer coast represent the highest risk zones for ship strike and
entanglement, especially for vulnerable demographic groups such as mothers and
calves?
3) To what degree do these animals utilize other areas, such as the outer portion of the
Strait of Juan de Fuca?
We also aim to deliver 3-4 presentations to the fishing community, marine operators, and
local residents in La Push and/or Forks to raise awareness of whale presence in the region,
promote best practices to avoid vessel collisions, and improve the reporting and
documentation of entangled whales. Findings from this study will be shared with long-
standing collaborators, including environmental organizations, tribal nations, and state and
federal agencies. By filling critical gaps in understanding of humpback whale spatial ecology
along Washington’s outer coast, this study will help guide conservation efforts that support
both whale recovery and sustainable coastal livelihoods.
c) This project aligns closely with multiple NPC MRC benchmarks and is highly appropriate for
MRC funding. It addresses the Marine Life benchmark by improving understanding of
humpback whale population demographics along Washington’s outer coast, particularly the
use of this region by federally listed Distinct Population Segments. By identifying areas of
high whale density and vulnerable demographic groups (i.e. calves and pregnant females),
this project supports species stewardship and informs management actions aimed at reducing
risks from human activities like ship strikes and entanglements.
This project also supports the Marine Habitats benchmark by identifying important feeding
areas and providing data that can be used to make scientifically based recommendations to
protect critical habitat. Through spatial mapping of whale distribution and risk zones, it
contributes to better defining the biological characteristics of key marine habitats.
By using established protocols for photo-identification, spatial analysis, and demographic
assessment, the project upholds the Sound Science benchmark. Data collection will fill
critical gaps in fine-scale knowledge of humpback whale habitat use, which is necessary for
effective management and conservation.
Finally, this project contributes to the Coastal Communities benchmark by promoting
sustainable coexistence between recovering whale populations and marine-dependent
industries. By providing science-based information and working with tribal members and the
local community, the project supports both ecological resilience and the long-term
sustainability of coastal economies.
Overall, this project directly addresses the mission of the NPC MPC to steward, protect and
enhance marine resources, while fostering science-based management and resilient coastal
communities.
d) Our objectives are as follows:
1. Characterize the spatial composition of humpback whales in key coastal areas:
Analyze individual sighting records to examine how different groups (i.e.
mother/calf pairs, juveniles, females, competitive groups) vary across known
important habitats along Washington’s outer coast.
2. Identify spatial patterns related to whale demographics
a. Evaluate whether certain demographic groups use specific regions, times,
or habitat types, helping refine our understanding of how different
whales use coastal areas.
3. Support risk reduction and conservation planning: Information from our
proposed work would serve to:
a. Reduce risk of vessel strikes on humpback whales by identifying critical
areas used by specific age/sex classes (like mothers and calves) that
overlap with shipping lanes. This information would be shared with
WDFW, NOAA, Canada DFO, and USCG to help identify possible
changes in shipping lanes and speeds.
b. Reduce entanglement risk through providing better information on areas
of overlap of humpback whales and fishing activities and improving
awareness and reporting of entangled whales. This would be achieved
through trainings and sharing of information with entities managing
fisheries including WDFW, NOAA, and coastal tribes active in fishing
operations.
e) February 2026-May 2027 – Analyze Cascadia’s data on humpback whales that utilize the
outer coast of Washington and write up results
July 2026-October 2026 – Conduct surveys out of La Push and Westport to gain additional
data on humpback whales utilizing the outer coast of Washington
May 2027 – Finalize analysis of data collected and report
June 2027 – Final report and presentation to MRC
f) This study will leverage both existing datasets and gather new data, which would include:
1. Small boat surveys conducted by Cascadia Research along the outer coast (more
than 200 surveys from 1994 to 2024 documenting over 300 sightings of 1,200
humpback whales).
2. Photo identification of humpback whales on the outer coast from Cascadia’s
surveys (above) as well as other opportunistic sources contributed to Cascadia or
Happywhale.
3. Additional data from 5 surveys we would conduct from July-October 2026 with
support from the NPS MRC to fill gaps in available data, including collecting
drone images to assist with age class determinations.
4. Data from tags that have been deployed on humpback whales in the study area by
Cascadia and other research groups.
Analysis methods may include the following:
1. Discovery curves, time-series analysis, and cluster modeling to assess population
trends and spatial structure of different demographics along the Washington outer
coast.
2. Environmental data to be paired with humpback sightings to determine how this
may influence spatial distribution across seasons and years.
g) The geographic extent of this project will focus on the outer coast waters off Jefferson and
Clallam counties, with some data included from the mouth of the Columbia River to the NW
tip off the Washington coast. This project will have broad impact by informing risk reduction
efforts for ship strikes and entanglement, which are major threats to humpback whales. This
data will directly support agencies, tribes, and shipping and fishing industries, as well as
recreational fishermen and marine operators that live in these communities.
h) Yes, there are plans to continue this work into the future. As humpback whale populations
continue to recover, and as climate change and expanding shipping and fishing industries
increase pressure on coastal ecosystems, ongoing monitoring of demographic-specific habitat
use will be critical. Continued studies will help track changes in whale distribution, assess
emerging risks, and provide updated, science-based recommendations to support management
actions that reduce ship strike and entanglement threats over time.
10. Project Budget (Please use the budget template provided in Appendix C).*
Category Detail
MRC
Request
Matching
Contribution
(not req) Total
Salaries and Benefits
or hourly wages
Wages for surveys
CRC staff vessel captain (Alex Vanderzee,
$31/hr), wages for CRC research assistant
(Jenn Tackaberry or Andi Gero, $30/hr), 5
days of surveys at 12hrs/day 3660 3660
Wages for data
processing, data
analysis, grant
reporting and
coordination
CRC staff (Alex Vanderzee, $31/hr) to
process data and images collected from 5
surveys, analysis on new data and existing
data, grant reporting (~400hrs) 12400 12400
Wages for CRC staff
prep and presentations
for outreach
CRC staff (Jenn Tackaberry or Jessie
Huggins, $30/hr) for prep and presentations
related to outreach, 4 days at 4hrs/day 480 480
Wages related to
administrative support
CRC staff (admin, $35/hr) to provide
administrative support for financials and
invoicing, 12hrs over course of project 420 420
Wages related to
fringe benefits
Benefits for all staff wages listed above, at
38.80% 6580 6580
Supplies/Equipment
Use of field gear
Use of data acquisition system, cameras,
UAS, 5 days of survey effort to use
equipment at $300 per day 1500 1500
Travel
Surveys – daily vessel
use rate $400/day for 5 survey days 2000 2000
Surveys – vessel fuel 50 gal/survey day at $5/gallon 1250 1250
Mileage rate
$0.70 per mile for vehicle transport – mileage
from Olympia to La Push and back for 5
surveys (338mi per trip for 5 trips) 1183 1183
Per Diem
$65/day for food, for 2 people per trip for 5
surveys 650 650
Lodging for surveys
Cost based on federal rates – 5 nights of
lodging for either survey days or
presentations 550 550
Outreach mileage
2 days mileage cost at $0.70 per mile for
vehicle to give presentations (338mi per trip
to La Push and back) 473 473
Contracted services
Indirect expenses (All
such expenses should
be itemized.)
Other
Office use
Costs related to computer and software use,
$250 per month for 6 months 1500 1500
Totals 32646 32646
Literature Cited
Calambokidis, J., Barlow, J., Flynn, K., Dobson, E., & Steiger, G.H. (2017). Update on abundance,
trends, and migrations of humpback whales along the U.S. West Coast. IWC Scientific Committee Report
SC/A17/NP/13.
Calambokidis, J., Kratofil, M.A., Palacios, D.M., Lagerquist, B.A., Schorr, G.S., Hanson, M.B., Baird,
R.W., Forney, K.A., Becker, E.A., Rockwood, R.C., & Hazen, E.L. (2024). Biologically Important Areas
II for Cetaceans within U.S. and Adjacent Waters – West Coast Region. Frontiers in Marine Science,
11:1283231. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1283231
Miller, H. (2020). Relating the distribution of humpback whales to environmental variables and risk
exposure (Master’s thesis, University of Washington). University of Washington ResearchWorks
Repository. http://hdl.handle.net/1773/46497
Olson, J.K., Larson, S.E., Robertson, F.C., Miller, H., Morrigan, A., Berta, S., & Calambokidis, J. (2024).
Utilizing long-term opportunistic sightings records to document spatiotemporal shifts in mysticete
presence and use in the Central Salish Sea. Frontiers in Conservation Science, 5:1401838.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fcosc.2024.1401838