JohnyBear, Debra

English

University of New Hampshire

University of New Hampshire
University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository
Media Relations Administrative Offices
10-24-2007
Right Whales In The Wrong Place -- No Bones
About It
Debra JohnyBear
UNH Media Relations
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/news
This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It has
been accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more
information, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.
Recommended Citation
JohnyBear, Debra, "Right Whales In The Wrong Place -- No Bones About It" (2007). UNH Today. 880.
https://scholars.unh.edu/news/880
9/11/17, 1'52 PMRight Whales In The Wrong Place -- No Bones About It
Page 1 of 2http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2007/oct/dj24whale.cfm.html
 
Right Whales In The Wrong Place -- No Bones About It
Contact:  Debra JohnyBear 
603-862-3102
UNH College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Public Relations
October 24, 2007
DURHAM, N.H. – “There are so few North Atlantic right whales today,” says Igor Tsukrov,
associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of New Hampshire, “that
marine biologists who track them have names for each of them. So, when one dies, it is as if a
friend has been lost.”
Tsukrov hopes his research may someday help save the North Atlantic right whale from
extinction.
Protected from commercial exploitation since 1935, and declared an endangered species since
1974, the North Atlantic right whale population, nevertheless, continues to decline. Once
numbering in the hundreds of thousands, only 300-350 known individuals remain along the
continental shelf of North America, making the species the most rare of all whales.
One reason for the lack of population recovery is that the small population size makes
breeding difficult. Another cause for concern, however, is that many mother whales and their
calves have been accidentally killed en route from their breeding grounds off the Florida coast
to Cape Cod, where they cut across Boston Harbor’s international shipping routes to the Gulf
of Maine, looking for food.
Six North Atlantic right whales were accidentally killed in 2006—four of them by ship
collisions, or strikes. Measuring as much as 55 feet long and weighing up to 70 tons, the
North Atlantic right whale is one of the largest mammals on earth. Unfortunately, the
lumbering sea giant is no match for cargo ships weighing as much as 500,000 tons bearing
down on them at 20 knots in the open sea. That would be comparable to an 80,000-pound
semi-truck running through a six-pound toy poodle at 23 miles per hour.
Changing speeds by even a few knots, or altering routes, could cost the shipping industry
$50-150 million per year in lost time and extra fuel costs. Before any changes to regulations
can be made, clear data proving the speeds and forces on impact of ship collisions that kill
whales are needed. In walks Tsukrov and his UNH colleagues, who were funded by the
National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to determine the precise bio-
mechanics of what happens when a ship strikes North Atlantic right whales.
“Whale bones are unlike any other mammal bones,” says Tsukrov. “Whales float in water in a
zero-gravity state and do not need the bone rigidity to support them the way that land
mammals do. As a result, whale bones have less bio-mineral density, making them spongier
and lighter than land mammal vertebra.”
9/11/17, 1'52 PMRight Whales In The Wrong Place -- No Bones About It
Page 2 of 2http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2007/oct/dj24whale.cfm.html
Last year, NOAA took a big step toward protecting North Atlantic right whales by proposing
changes in the Boston Harbor Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS). The NOAA recommendations
involved a 12-degree shift in the northern leg of the TSS and narrowing the two shipping
traffic lanes by approximately one-half mile each during whale migrations. The International
Maritime Office, representing the interests of the international shipping industry, endorsed the
proposal in December, 2006, which became effective July 1, 2007. NOAA calculates the
realignment is expected to provide a 58% reduction in ship strike risk to migrating North
Atlantic right whales.
Meanwhile, a government plan for lowering the shipping speed limit to 10 knots (11.5 miles
per hour) during whale migrations was proposed by NOAA in June, 2006. The World Shipping
Council, whose 28 members carry an estimated $500 billion worth of goods into and out of
U.S. ports each year, has blocked speed limits, arguing in a letter to the White House budget
office that “there is no meaningful scientific bases to conclude that the chosen action will
protect whales.”
Contrary to the World Shipping Council claims, Tsukrov says, “The results of our three years of
research clearly show that in the case of a ship strike higher ship speeds result in more
damage to a whale and a substantial increase in the probability of whale mortality.”
Tsukrov will submit the final UNH research results to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
(WHOI) in December, 2007. WHOI is expected to officially present their report to NOAA,
including Tsukrov’s data, in January, 2008.
Working with marine biology specialists Michael Moore and Regina Campbell-Malone of the
WHOI, Tsukrov’s UNH collaborators include professor Ken Baldwin (Director of the Center for
Ocean Engineering) and civil engineering professor David Gress.
HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTO:
http://www.ceps.unh.edu/images/whale.jpg
UNH mechanical engineering undergraduate research team (L-R, Prof. Igor Tsukrov, Matthew
Packard, Alexander Unrein, and Robert Marsella) performing experiments on the right whale
mandible.


Right Whales In The Wrong Place -- No Bones About It

UNH Scholars' Repository

University of New HampshireUniversity of New Hampshire Scholars' RepositoryMedia Relations Administrative Offices10-24-2007Right Whales In The Wrong Place -- No BonesAbout ItDebra JohnyBearUNH Media RelationsFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/newsThis News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Administrative Offices at University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. It hasbeen accepted for inclusion in Media Relations by an authorized administrator of University of New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For moreinformation, please contact nicole.hentz@unh.edu.Recommended CitationJohnyBear, Debra, "Right Whales In The Wrong Place -- No Bones About It" (2007). UNH Today. 880.https://scholars.unh.edu/news/8809/11/17, 1'52 PMRight Whales In The Wrong Place -- No Bones About ItPage 1 of 2http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2007/oct/dj24whale.cfm.html Right Whales In The Wrong Place -- No Bones About ItContact:  Debra JohnyBear 603-862-3102UNH College of Engineering and Physical SciencesPublic RelationsOctober 24, 2007DURHAM, N.H. – “There are so few North Atlantic right whales today,” says Igor Tsukrov,associate professor of mechanical engineering at the University of New Hampshire, “thatmarine biologists who track them have names for each of them. So, when one dies, it is as if afriend has been lost.”Tsukrov hopes his research may someday help save the North Atlantic right whale fromextinction.Protected from commercial exploitation since 1935, and declared an endangered species since1974, the North Atlantic right whale population, nevertheless, continues to decline. Oncenumbering in the hundreds of thousands, only 300-350 known individuals remain along thecontinental shelf of North America, making the species the most rare of all whales.One reason for the lack of population recovery is that the small population size makesbreeding difficult. Another cause for concern, however, is that many mother whales and theircalves have been accidentally killed en route from their breeding grounds off the Florida coastto Cape Cod, where they cut across Boston Harbor’s international shipping routes to the Gulfof Maine, looking for food.Six North Atlantic right whales were accidentally killed in 2006—four of them by shipcollisions, or strikes. Measuring as much as 55 feet long and weighing up to 70 tons, theNorth Atlantic right whale is one of the largest mammals on earth. Unfortunately, thelumbering sea giant is no match for cargo ships weighing as much as 500,000 tons bearingdown on them at 20 knots in the open sea. That would be comparable to an 80,000-poundsemi-truck running through a six-pound toy poodle at 23 miles per hour.Changing speeds by even a few knots, or altering routes, could cost the shipping industry$50-150 million per year in lost time and extra fuel costs. Before any changes to regulationscan be made, clear data proving the speeds and forces on impact of ship collisions that killwhales are needed. In walks Tsukrov and his UNH colleagues, who were funded by theNational Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to determine the precise bio-mechanics of what happens when a ship strikes North Atlantic right whales.“Whale bones are unlike any other mammal bones,” says Tsukrov. “Whales float in water in azero-gravity state and do not need the bone rigidity to support them the way that landmammals do. As a result, whale bones have less bio-mineral density, making them spongierand lighter than land mammal vertebra.”9/11/17, 1'52 PMRight Whales In The Wrong Place -- No Bones About ItPage 2 of 2http://www.unh.edu/delete/news/cj_nr/2007/oct/dj24whale.cfm.htmlLast year, NOAA took a big step toward protecting North Atlantic right whales by proposingchanges in the Boston Harbor Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS). The NOAA recommendationsinvolved a 12-degree shift in the northern leg of the TSS and narrowing the two shippingtraffic lanes by approximately one-half mile each during whale migrations. The InternationalMaritime Office, representing the interests of the international shipping industry, endorsed theproposal in December, 2006, which became effective July 1, 2007. NOAA calculates therealignment is expected to provide a 58% reduction in ship strike risk to migrating NorthAtlantic right whales.Meanwhile, a government plan for lowering the shipping speed limit to 10 knots (11.5 milesper hour) during whale migrations was proposed by NOAA in June, 2006. The World ShippingCouncil, whose 28 members carry an estimated $500 billion worth of goods into and out ofU.S. ports each year, has blocked speed limits, arguing in a letter to the White House budgetoffice that “there is no meaningful scientific bases to conclude that the chosen action willprotect whales.”Contrary to the World Shipping Council claims, Tsukrov says, “The results of our three years ofresearch clearly show that in the case of a ship strike higher ship speeds result in moredamage to a whale and a substantial increase in the probability of whale mortality.”Tsukrov will submit the final UNH research results to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute(WHOI) in December, 2007. WHOI is expected to officially present their report to NOAA,including Tsukrov’s data, in January, 2008.Working with marine biology specialists Michael Moore and Regina Campbell-Malone of theWHOI, Tsukrov’s UNH collaborators include professor Ken Baldwin (Director of the Center forOcean Engineering) and civil engineering professor David Gress.HIGH RESOLUTION PHOTO:http://www.ceps.unh.edu/images/whale.jpgUNH mechanical engineering undergraduate research team (L-R, Prof. Igor Tsukrov, MatthewPackard, Alexander Unrein, and Robert Marsella) performing experiments on the right whalemandible.

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Right Whales In The Wrong Place -- No Bones About It

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