Gillian Keller
THE stretch of water between Barcelona and the Balearics, known as the Mediterranean Whale Migration Corridor, will be declared a Marine Protected Area.
In a victory for the environment, the 46,263 square metre area will not be available for any new oil or gas drilling projects.
It is an important migration area for whales and the second and third largest species on earth, fin and sperm whales, both migrate through it.
These, along with Pilot whales, Cuvier’s beaked whales and other species also live for much of the year north of Mallorca.
In early 2016 the migration corridor was labelled a ´black spot´ or an area exposed to a significant amount of noise.
Seismic exploration for hydrocarbons using air guns emit an explosive sound of up to 240 decibels with projects lasting for weeks. The loud noises are often deafening to whales, and extreme noise pollution has been known to kill hundreds of them.
