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ARCHIVED - Cadiz restricts navigation area for small boats after killer whale attacks
Sailing boats of 15 metres or less restricted to sailing between 2 and 9 miles off the coast of Cádiz, Andalucía
The Ministry of Transport, through the Maritime Captaincy of Cádiz, has decided to restrict sailing for boats with a length of 15 metres or less between cabo de Trafalgar and Barbate, following three killer whale attacks on Wednesday, August 4.
These boats are only allowed to sail between 2 and 9 miles from the coast between cabo de Trafalgar and Barbate.
According to the notice issued by the Ministry, this measure is to prevent further orca, or killer whale attacks, as, since March 27, there have been 56 reports of the animals causing problems for small sailing boats.
In 25 of the 56 cases, Maritime Rescue Services had to go and assist the boats, towing them back to shore.
As well as restricting the navigation area for smaller boats, the Ministry requests that sailing boats over 15-metres only use mechanical (motor) propulsion while they are in the restricted zone and that all boats and ships abstain from carrying out whale watching activities.
This order is currently in place until at least August 20, but it could be extended or annulled.
The Maritime Captaincy of Cádiz has also issued some advice for dealing with orca attacks: “if possible, turn off the engine, lower the sails, leave the rudder on the track and disconnect the probe” and “avoid going near the side of the boat”.
The main problem caused by the killer whales is damage to rudders and it is thought that the increase in attacks and sightings could be due to an increase in bluefin tuna in the western Mediterranean, leading the whales to stray from their usual hunting grounds.
IMAGE: Archive
