Whale I never: Rise in humpback whale sightings in the UK
Throughout the past few winter months, the UK has registered an increase of humpback whale sightings around its expansive coastline. While this increase might indicate a growing humpback whale population, it could also be an indicator of a warming ocean, researchers warn.
Around the UK, sightings of seals and dolphins – and lately of tunas, too – are relatively common. In the past few months, however, visitors to the UK’s vast coastlines have been surprised by an increasing number of humpback whale sightings throughout the winter months.
Between 29 December and 8 January, the Isles of Scilly have reported 17 sightings of whales, including a sighting of an individual called ‘Pi’, who has turned up around the archipelago annually since 2019.
Further up in the English Channel, the Sussex Dolphin Project has reported 26 humpback whale sightings around Sussex since November, close to the coast at Deal, Kent, and Eastbourne. While sightings of the 15-metre-long whales are rare off Sussex, they are not entirely unexpected as the whales sometimes pass through the English Channel on their migrations throughout winter.
While the humpback whales spend their winters feeding in the Arctic circle, they begin to make their way down south towards the warmer waters of the tropics to breed and rest at the beginning of the year. Usually, they move along the western coastline of Britain but some opt to swim down the east coast and through the English Channel instead. Researchers are now trying to find out why that is.
In the eastern English Channel, the sightings in Deal and Eastbourne were within one hour. “I know humpback whales are fast but they are not that fast,” said the Sussex Dolphin Project‘s Thea Taylor, indicating that there were at least two individuals in the Channel.
Researchers believe that the increase in sightings could be directly linked to a recovering global population of humpback whales since the commercial whaling ban of 1986. But, they warn, the increase could also be an indication of changing food availability due to a warming ocean.
Ruth Williams, head of marine conservation for the Wildlife Trusts, said in a comment to The Guardian: “We’re seeing a lot of bait fish – smaller fish like anchovies – around the south west coasts. They are very quick reproductively, and with climate change their stocks are moving up closer to our waters.”

Some researchers argue that more whales are seen around the UK due to a redistribution of prey in the area. According to them, a warming ocean leads prey to move northwards. But, they urge that no conclusive evidence for this has yet been established.
To not disturb the whales, people are encouraged to keep their distance. Taylor said: “The Dover Strait is a very small area of water, very narrow, and incredibly busy – not only shipping but a lot of industrial fishing.
“There are always concerns about collisions with large shipping vessels. We know so far they seem to be hugging the coast going past Kent and Sussex – we hope they continue to do that and stay out of the busiest shipping lanes,” she added.
If whale numbers are set to increase in the English Channel, researchers warn that new guidelines are needed to address how underwater cables, the growing amount of offshore wind farms, and increasing boat traffic could affect the species.

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