Whale Report Alert System (WRAS)

Real-time tool for mariners to help prevent whale ship strike and disturbance

About the WRAS

Ship strikes are the main driver of human-caused injury and death to large whales globally. Vessel traffic has increased by 300% in the past two decades and this number will continue to rise. As large vessels are increasingly transiting through prime whale habitat, the number of collisions with whales are becoming more and more frequent, with up to 20,000 fatal strikes annually (as of December 2024). The Whale Report Alert System (WRAS) is a cutting-edge conservation tool designed to protect whales from ship strikes and disturbance by alerting mariners to their presence in real time. The WRAS receives real-time data from a multitude of whale detection platforms and disseminates this information to mariners in a number of user-friendly ways.

How Does the WRAS Work?

Whale presence information is obtained from real-time observations, sent in by trusted observers using the BC Cetacean Sightings Network’s existing WhaleReport app. Access to the WRAS is only granted to the operators of ships, tugs, and ferries and is not available for public use.

Two Ways Ship Crew are Alerted

Ship crews are alerted to whales in two ways: 1) Pilots and shipmasters receive text alerts via the WRAS app when within 10 nautical miles of reported whale locations. Alerts expire based on the species sighted. 2) Vessel operations centers use a desktop map interface to relay whale reports to fleet ships, especially useful in areas with limited cellphone coverage or when mobile device use is restricted.

Why is the WRAS Needed?

There is an urgent need to protect British Columbia’s vulnerable cetacean (whale, dolphin, and porpoise) populations. Impacted by anthropogenic threats, including ship strikes, vessel noise, and disturbance, 12 of the 23 species of cetaceans found in B.C. are currently listed as “At Risk” under Canada’s Species at Risk Act.

Frequently Asked Questions

Want to know how the WhaleReport Alert System (WRAS) works? Who has access? How you can report sightings without cell service? Check out this FAQ.

Learn more

Get Involved

Commercial Mariners (marine pilots, shipmasters, and operations centre staff) can help!

Access to the Whale Report Alert System (WRAS) is available to those directly involved in maritime operations, including commercial and government vessels, representatives of Indigenous governments or communities, as well as research and conservation organizations. If you belong to any of the above, please request access to the WRAS through the Whale Report App or on our desktop app.

Data Providers

Acartia.io

Ocean Wise has partnered with Acartia.io data cooperative to provide increased marine mammal detections into the WhaleReport Alert System, particularily in Washington State. Acartia is a decentralized data cooperative for sharing marine animal locations within the Salish Sea. It is named for one of the smallest animals in Puget Sound - microscopic copepods - but was built to recover one of the biggest - the endangered Southern Resident killer whales.

Acartia.io

Orca Network

Orca Network is dedicated to raising awareness about the whales of the Pacific Northwest, the importance of providing them with healthy and safe habitat, and finding ways for people to work together to protect the rich, beautiful, and diverse Salish Sea. Orca Network provides data into the WhaleReport Alert System via Acartia.io.

orcanetwork.org

Conserve.io

Conserve.io is bringing conservation into the 21st century by deploying a mix of mobile, web and crowdsourcing technology to simplify and scale the collection of conservation data and to make that data more actionable. Conserve.io provides data into the WhaleReport Alert System via Acartia.io.

conserve.io

Beam Reach

Beam Reach catalyzes marine conservation wherever endangered salmon-eating orcas roam — from northern California to southeast Alaska. Based in Seattle, we are bioacoustic experts who create innovative technological solutions with our non-profit, government, and industry partners to help save the whales. Beam Reach provides data into the WhaleReport Alert System via Acartia.io.

beamreach.blue

Whale Alert

The Whale Alert app was launched in 2012 as a citizen science tool aimed at reducing the risk of vessel strikes. It empowers users to report whale sightings via an accessible interface, and informs users of speed zones, warnings, and other measures to reduce vessel speeds and reduce risks to whales and mariners.

whalealert.org

SMRU Consulting

SMRU Consulting is a global leader in marine mammal consulting and research, delivering innovative, robust and environmentally sound solutions to clients active in the marine environment. They have extensive experience in carrying out research into many facets of marine mammal biology, including acoustic analyses.

smruconsulting.com

Jasco Applied Sciences

JASCO Applied Sciences provides consulting and research services for assessing and mitigating underwater noise. Since its origin in 1981, JASCO has been developing and implementing acoustic technologies ranging from advanced acoustic recorder design to complex acoustic and behavioural modelling algorithms to comprehensive field monitoring and data analysis, including acoustic detection of marine mammals and human sources.

jasco.com