De Lichtervelde, A.

Haelters, J.

Van Waerebeek, K.

Open Marine Archive

Belgium. Progress report on cetacean research, May 2005  
to April 2007, with statistical data for the calendar years 
2005-2006. 
COMPILED BY JAN HAELTERS1 , ALEXANDRE DE LICHTERVELDE2 AND KOEN VAN WAEREBEEK2, 3 
1 Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models (MUMM), 3de en 23ste Linieregimentsplein, B-8400 
Oostende, Belgium; 2 Federal Public Service, Public Health, Food Chain security and Environment, Eurostation 
building, Place Victor Horta 40, box 10, 1060 Brussels, Belgium. 3 cepec@skynet.be 
 
This report summarises information obtained from:  
Name of agency/institute Abbreviation (use in rest 
of report) 
Contact e-mail address 
Management Unit of the North 
Sea Mathematical Models 
MUMM Jan Haelters    j.haelters@mumm.ac.be 
Francis Kerckhof and Thierry Jauniaux (MUMM/RBINS) 
Institute of Molecular Biology 
and Medicine, Free University 
of Brussels 
ULB Michel Milinkovitch     mcmilink@ulb.ac.be 
Department of Pathology, 
University of Liège 
UOL Thierry Jauniaux    t.jauniaux@ulg.ac.be 
1. SPECIES AND STOCKS STUDIED 
IWC common name IWC recommended scientific name Area/stock(s) Items referred to 
Harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena NE Atlantic 2, 4.2,  4.3, 7, 8 
Short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis NE Atlantic 2.1 
Common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus NE Atlantic 2.1 
White-beaked dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris NE Atlantic 2.1, 4.2, 4.3, 7, 8 
Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae NE Atlantic  4.3, 6.3 
Dusky dolphin Lagenorhynchus obscurus All stocks 9 
Burmeister’s porpoise Phocoena spinipinnis All stocks  9 
2. SIGHTINGS DATA 
2.1 Field work 
2.1.1 Systematic 
 
Target species Date Area No. of sightings Contact person/institute and references 
Harbour porpoise, Short-
beaked common dolphin, 
Common bottlenose dolphin 
30 May- 
8 June 
2005 
European Atlantic and 
North Sea (SCANS-II) 
43 Jan Haelters, MUMM (Haelters et al., 2005)  
2.1.2 Opportunistic, platforms of opportunity 
Numerous sightings of harbour porpoises were reported to MUMM in 2005, most of these between January and 
April, but also some in summer months. Researchers at the Institute of Nature Conservation (now INBO: 
Research Institute for Nature and Forest) reported, besides a large number of sightings of harbour porpoises, a 
sighting of two long-finned pilot whales and two sightings (resp. 2 and 3 animals) of common bottlenose 
dolphins during seabird surveys in 2005. INBO and others reported a few sightings of white-beaked dolphins 
(Haelters, 2005). Also in 2006 were numerous sightings of harbour porpoise reported, as well as a few sightings 
of white-beaked dolphins by INBO personnel. 
 
Primary species Area Data 
type/method 
Collected by Platform Contact person/institute and refs 
Harbour 
porpoise, white-
beaked dolphin 
Belgian  
waters 
(southern 
North Sea) 
  Sightings  INBO 
 
 
RBINS 
(MUMM) 
 
Various persons  
 
Research vessel During 
seabird surveys  
 
Pollution control aircraft 
 
 
Land-based bird migration 
research 
INBO: Eric Stienen 
 
 
RBINS (MUMM): Jan Haelters 
 
 
http://www.trektellen.nl 
  
 
 2
2.2 Analyses/development of techniques 
Give brief details of any analyses of data carried out, with references where appropriate. A summary table of 
sightings and associated effort may be included (see below). 
An overview of sightings is one of the objectives of the project ‘WAKO’ (Evaluatie van de milieu-impact van 
WArrelnet- en boomKOrvisserij op het Belgisch Continentaal Plat (WAKO-I)): 2006–July 2007 
3. MARKING DATA 
None.  
4. TISSUE/BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES COLLECTED 
4.1 Biopsy samples (summary only) 
None.  
4.2 Samples from bycatches 
Species Area/stock Tissue type(s) No. collected Archived 
(Y/N) 
No. analysed Contact person/institute 
Harbour porpoise NE Atlantic/North 
Sea 
Multiple 
 (see below) 
40% of stranded 
animals, condition 
permitting 
Y All T. Jauniaux/ UOL  
White-beaked dolphin NE Atlantic/North 
Sea 
Multiple All stranded animals Y All T. Jauniaux /UOL 
Samples taken: skin, reproductive tract, teeth, blubber, muscle, liver, adrenal, lymph node, stomach and intestine, kidney, urinary bladder, pancreas, 
lung, myocardium, esophagus, thymus, thyroid, central nervous system, lesions 
 
4.3 Samples from stranded animals 
Species Area/stock Tissue type(s) No. collected Archived 
(Y/N) 
No. analysed Contact person/institute 
Harbour porpoise NE Atlantic/ 
North Sea 
Multiple 
(see above) 
40% of stranded 
animals, condition 
permitting 
Y All T. Jauniaux/UOL 
White-beaked dolphin NE Atlantic Multiple  All stranded animals Y All T. Jauniaux/UOL 
Humpback whale NE Atlantic Skin, blubber, 
muscle, eye 
1 Y 1 T. Jauniaux/UOL  
4.4 Analyses/development of techniques 
None. 
5. POLLUTION STUDIES 
Two research projects were recently reported on. These include biological trace element research (Schnitzler et 
al., 2006) and the binding ability of Zn, Cu, Cd and Hg to metallothioneins in harbour porpoises from the 
southern North Sea (Das et al., 2006).  
6. STATISTICS FOR LARGE CETACEANS 
6.1 Corrections to earlier years’ statistics for large whales 
No corrections are due. 
6.2 Direct catches of large whales (commercial, aboriginal and scientific permits) for the calendar years 
2005-2006  
None. 
6.3 Anthropogenic mortality of large whales for the calendar year 2005-2006 
6.3.1 Observed or reported ship strikes of large whales (including non-fatal events) 
On 5 March 2006 a young, female humpback whale washed ashore, in moderately fresh condition. This was the 
first record of a humpback whale in Belgian waters since 1751 (Haelters et al., 2006). The animal had died as a 
result of the injuries inflicted most probably during the collision with a ship (Jauniaux et al., 2006b). 
 3
 
6.3.2 Fishery bycatch of large whales 
None. 
7. STATISTICS FOR SMALL CETACEANS 
 Species Sex No. Date Location Fate Targeted fish 
species 
Gear How 
observed 
Source or 
contact  
Harbour 
porpoise 
_ 3+ 2005 IVc ICES area D Mixed 
fishery: sole, 
plaice, other 
species 
Recreational 
beach fisheries, 
probably gill nets; 
one animal was 
returned alive 
Indirect 
& direct 
 
J. Haelters 
Harbour 
porpoise 
_ 3+ 2005 IVc ICES area D Mixed fishery, 
predominantly 
Dover sole 
Professional 
gillnet fisheries 
indirect J. Haelters 
Harbour 
porpoise 
_ 1 2005 IVc ICES area D Mixed fishery 
for demersal 
species 
Bottom trawl 
(TBB) 
indirect J. Haelters 
Harbour 
porpoise 
_ 11-15+ 2005 IVc ICES area D Unknown Unknown gear 
 
indirect J. Haelters 
White-beaked 
dolphin 
- 1 2005 IVc ICES area D Unknown 
 
Unknown gear 
 
indirect J. Haelters 
Harbour 
porpoise 
- 27-31 
(+) 
2006 IVc ICES area D Mixed 
fishery; 
bottom -
demersal 
species 
Both recreational 
and commercial 
fishermen (mostly 
gillnets) 
indirect J. Haelters 
White-beaked 
dolphin 
- 1 (+) 2006 IVc ICES area D unknown Unknown gear indirect J. Haelters 
Comments: One of the bycaught porpoises in 2005 was voluntarily delivered to MUMM for research purposes.  In order to continue the 
established cooperation with fishermen, reports of bycatches are not made available on MUMM’s website.  Stranded bycaught animals 
however, are reported as such in the online database. 
7.1 Corrections to earlier years’ statistics for small cetaceans 
None.  
7.2 Direct catches of small cetaceans for the calendar years 2005-2006  
None. 
7.3 Anthropogenic mortality of small cetaceans for the calendar year 2005-2006 
7.3.1 Observed or reported ship strikes of small cetaceans (including non fatal events) 
None observed or reported. Former high-speed ferry routes between Belgium and the United Kingdom have 
been discontinued.  
7.3.2 Fishery bycatch of small cetaceans 
See above statistics table and  8. 
8. STRANDINGS 
The Belgian coastline is covered for cetacean strandings year-round by MUMM.  
Species 
No. 
strandings 
No. post 
mortems Contact person(s)/ Institute(s) Contact email address(es) 
Harbour porpoise 159 most Jan Haelters, MUMM j.haelters@mumm.ac.be 
White-beaked dolphin 3 3 Jan Haelters, MUMM j.haelters@mumm.ac.be 
Whale 
species 
Sex No. Date Location Vessel 
type 
Speed Fate How 
observed 
Contact person/ institute 
and refs 
Humpback 
whale 
F 1 05/3/06 
(stranding) 
Belgian coast ? ? D Stranded Jan Haelters and  
T. Jauniaux (MUMM) 
 4
The following information is taken from Haelters (2005). In 2005 a record number of (dead, stranded and 
bycaught) harbour porpoises was counted in Belgium: 
- 79 washed ashore dead; 
- 3 were found dead at sea; 
- 2 washed ashore alive and transported by MUMM to the rehabilitation centre at Harderwijk, The 
Netherlands, where they died; 
- 1 washed ashore alive and returned alive to sea; 
- 1 entangled (alive) in a fishing net (recreational beach fisheries); it was returned to sea alive; 
- 1 was bycaught by a bottom trawler; 
- 3 were bycaught by a professional gillnet fisherman; 1 was delivered to MUMM. 
In 2005 one dead juvenile white-beaked dolphin washed ashore; this animal had been bycaught in (unknown) 
fishing gear. Most of the carcasses were available for research, and were investigated according to the state of 
decomposition.  
The percentage of stranded porpoises that was bycaught between 1995 and 2004 is calculated using the total 
number of washed ashore porpoises for which a cause of death could be determined (117 animals out of 159).  In 
total bycatch was the cause of death of at least 27 animals, or on average 23% of all stranded animals between 
1995 and 2004 for which a cause of death could be determined. The highest absolute number of bycaught 
animals up to 2004 was observed in 2004: 13 (or 41% of the animals for which a cause of death could be 
determined). 
 
In May 2005 a relatively high number of decayed harbour porpoise carcasses washed ashore in a short period of 
time.  The most probable cause of death of most of these animals had been determined as bycatch.  A model 
developed at MUMM demonstrated that the most probable region where the animals had died was the southern 
North Sea – eastern Channel.  The results of this investigation were presented at the 2006 ICES Annual Science 
Conference (Haelters et al., 2006). 
 
In 2006, circa 92 harbour porpoises (a record number) (live/dead stranded, bycaught, found at sea dead) were 
counted in Belgium. Most of the carcasses were available for research, and were investigated according to the 
state of decomposition.  
- 4 washed ashore alive; 2 of these died and 2 were refloated; 
- 3 were found dead at sea (unknown cause of death); 
- 26-31 washed ashore dead, and were found to have been caught in fishing gear (26 certain, another 5 
most probably); of these, a number could be attributed to recreational fisheries, especially in March and 
April; 
- 27 washed ashore dead, and were found to have, most probably, died from natural causes; 
- 27 washed ashore dead, and a cause of death could not be determined. 
Post-mortem findings for 2005 and partially for 2006 have been reported (Jauniaux et al., 2006a,b) 
9. OTHER STUDIES AND ANALYSES 
Two multiple-year population genetics research projects were completed at the Free University of Brussels. 
Using nine nuclear species-specific microsatellite loci and two mitochondrial gene fragments (cytochrome b and 
control region) of 221 individuals, Cassens et al. (2005) investigated the processes that have shaped the 
geographical distribution of genetic diversity exhibited by four dusky dolphin populations (Peru, Argentina, 
southern Africa, New Zealand). With mitochondrial control region sequences and 11 species-specific 
microsatellite loci, Rosa et al. (2005) assessed the genetic differentiation among 118 by-caught and stranded 
Burmeister’s porpoises from Peru, Chile and Argentina. Both studies were conducted jointly with the Peruvian 
Centre for Cetacean Research (CEPEC), Pucusana, Lima.  Further, Fontaine et al. (2006) studied the efficiency 
of fluorescent multiplex Polymerase Chain Reactions (PCRs) for rapid genotyping of harbour porpoises with 11 
microsatellite loci. 
Camphuysen and Peet (2006) described the presence of cetaceans in the southern North Sea (The Netherlands 
and Belgium).   
10. LITERATURE CITED 
11. PUBLICATIONS 
11.1 Published or ‘In Press’ papers only 
Cassens, I., Van Waerebeek, K., Best, P.B., Tzika, A., van Helden, A., Crespo, E.A., Milinkovitch, M.C. 2005. 
Evidence for male dispersal along the coasts but no migration in pelagic waters in dusky dolphins 
(Lagenorhynchus obscurus). Molecular Ecology 14: 107-121.   
 5
Courtens, W., Stienen, E.W.M. and Vanermen, N., 2006.  Zeevogels en zeezoogdieren van de Vlakte van de 
Raan, in: Coosen, J. et al. (Ed.), 2006. Studiedag: De Vlakte van de Raan van onder het stof gehaald, 
Oostende, 13 oktober 2006. VLIZ Special Publication 35: 59-72.  
Das, K., De Groof, A., Jauniaux, T. and Bouquegneau, J.-M., 2006.  Zn, Cu, Cd and Hg binding to 
metallothioneins in harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena from the southern North Sea. BMC Ecology 
2006, 6:2 
Fontaine, M.C, Galan, M., Bouquegneau, J.-M. and Michaux, J.R., 2006.  Efficiency of Fluorescent Multiplex 
Polymerase Chain Reactions (PCRs) for rapid Genotyping of Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) 
with 11 Microsatellite Loci. Aquatic Mammals 32(3): 301-304 
Haelters, J. and Kerckhof, F., 2005.  De bescherming van de bruinvis: een brug tussen het Europese visserij- en 
milieubeleid.  Argus Milieumagazine 3(1): 4-7. 
Haelters, J., Jauniaux, T. & Kerckhof, F., 2006.  Bultrug op Belgisch strand. Zoogdier 17(2): 3-5. 
Haelters, J., Jauniaux, T., Kerckhof, F., Ozer, J. and Scory, S., 2006. Using models to investigate a harbour 
porpoise bycatch problem in the southern North Sea–eastern Channel in spring 2005. ICES CM 2006/L:03. 
8p. 
Haelters, J. and Kerckhof, F., 2005. A remarkable increase in the number of stranded harbour porpoises 
Phocoena phocoena at the Belgian coast. In: Mees, J. & Seys, J. (Ed.), 2005. VLIZ Young Scientists' Day, 
Brugge, Belgium 25 February 2005: book of abstracts. VLIZ Special Publication, 20, p. 39 
Rosa, S., Milinkovitch, M.C., Van Waerebeek, K., Berck, J., Oporto, J., Alfaro-Shigueto, J. Van Bressem, M.-
F., Goodall, N. and Cassens, I. 2005. Population structure of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA variation 
among South American Burmeister’s porpoises (Phocoena spinipinnis).  Conservation Genetics  6: 431-
443.  
Schnitzler, J., Siebert, U., Jepson, P., Beineke, A., Jauniaux, T., Bouquegneau, J.-M. and Das, K., 2006.  
Biological trace element research, F.I.: 1,4440 Humana Press. 
 
11.2 Unpublished literature 
Drouget, O., 2006.  Écologie trophique du marsouin commun (Phocoena phocoena) (L.) en baie sud de la Mer 
du Nord: Étude préliminaire sur base de la composition en acides gras et en isotopes stables.  Master thesis 
(Oceanography), University of Liège, 2006. 
Haelters, J. 2005. ASCOBANS Annual National Report 2005. 8pp. [Obtainable from MUMM]. 
Haelters, J., 2005.  On the occurrence of the bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus in Belgian waters.  
ASCOBANS Advisory Committee Meeting 12, doc AC12/10, Brest, 12-14 April 2005, 5p. 
Haelters, J. 2006. ASCOBANS Annual National Report 2006. 8pp. [Obtainable from MUMM]. 
Haelters, J. and Kerckhof, F., 2006. Strandingen van bruinvissen tussen 1995 en 2006 (31 mei): doodsoorzaken.  
Nota KBIN (BMM), sectie 15, 9 juni 2006, 5p.  
Haelters, J., MacLeod, K. and Van Mol, B., 2005.  Belgica cruise 2005-13 report: SCANS II & BELCOLOUR 
(30 May to 8 June 2005). 16p. 
Haelters, J. and Noirot, I., 2005.  The influence of active SONARs on marine mammals : a new concern for the 
Belgian Defence.  Advisory Committee of ASCOBANS , Brest, France, 12-14 April 2005. 3p. 
Haelters, J. and Jacques, T.G. 2006.  De bescherming van walvisachtigen in Belgische wateren: bijkomende 
informatie gericht aan DG Leefmilieu van de federale Overheidsdienst volksgezondheid, veiligheid van de 
voedselketen en leefmilieu, m.b.t. de uitvoering door België van de Habitatrichtlijn Art. 11 en 12 voor wat 
betreft walvisachtigen. Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen, Beheerseenheid 
Mathematisch Model Noordzee (BMM), Brussel. 14p. 
Jauniaux, T., Brenez, C., Das, K., Haelters, J. & Coignoul, F. 2006a.  By-caught cetaceans stranded along the 
Belgian and northern French coastline: are they a good control population?  Abstract, 20th annual conference 
of the European Cetacean Society, Gdynia, Poland, April 2006. 
Jauniaux T., Brenez C., Haelters J., Jacques J., Oser J., Scory S., Coignoul F. 2006b. Stranding of a humpback 
whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) on the Belgian coast, International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, 
Annual conference, Maastricht, Netherlands, September 20006.  
 
 
REFERENCES 
Camphuysen, K. and Peet, G., 2006. Walvissen in de zuidelijke Noordzee – Whales and dolphins of the North 
Sea. Fontaine Uitgevers BV, ‘s Graveland, Nederland. 160 p. 
  


Belgium. Progress report on cetacean research, May 2005 to April 2007, with statistical data for the calendar years 2005-2006

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