Walter Finch
CAPTAINS are warning that the first orca could be killed this summer if solutions are not found to the ‘interactions’ in the Strait of Gibraltar that have been crippling their vessels.
Anger is rising among sailors who complain their livelihoods are under threat from a pod of orcas who target yachts and catamarans in the region.
The stark warning comes after a five-year spree which has seen the whales cripple hundreds of vessels and sink seven.
Now, a series of captains claim they can no longer bear the economic costs of the orcas, which have made the Strait too risky for yachts and catamarans to navigate in the summer season.
Yassine Darkaoui, a sailor who runs a repair shop in Tangier, has warned he is prepared to kill a whale ‘to teach them a lesson’ if nothing is done.
The Moroccan told the Olive Press he has fixed the rudders of three separate vessels attacked by orcas in the last year alone, and he expects to have plenty more business this coming season.
“I meet a lot of sailors who tell me they are prepared to shoot these motherf***ers if they try to harm their boats or endanger their families,” said Darkaoui.
“These guys have often invested their life savings in their boat. So when you see them being attacked by those beautiful monsters, it could lead to shooting them.”
“People are thinking that, because they’re so smart, they can teach these animals to leave them alone by killing one, which for me is not the best solution.”
The sailor, who had to shelve plans to open a sailing centre in Tangier because of the attacks, continued: “But it is just a matter of time – and not much time.
“Summer is coming, the tuna migration begins soon, and the orcas are coming back. It might be that we need to kill one of them to teach them a lesson.”
And he added: “But let me tell you, if I kill an orca, I will kill it with a tear in my eye.”
The chilling threat comes despite the Iberian orca being a heavily protected species. Under Spanish law anyone harming an orca could face two years in prison.
The interactions that have taken place since 2020 are being blamed on around a dozen of the 40 whales that inhabit the Strait.
They have also targeted yachts off the coast of Galicia.
In 2023 the German-flagged sailboat Meu was rammed near Cape Touriñán when the 16-metre yacht came across a pod of orcas.
They struck the boat’s rudder during the encounter, damaging it and also causing a leak in the vessel. The five-member crew contacted the Spanish lifesaving service, Salvamento Maritimo, which arranged for a tow to a nearby seaport.
Following the spate of attacks near Gibraltar, various attempts have been made to ward them off, including throwing firecrackers overboard as orcas are acoustically sensitive to loud noises.
Darkaoui told the Olive Press he also wants more research into a type of sonic tool which could be reliably used to keep them at bay.
“Something that, when you turn it on, they stay around 500 metres or a kilometre away,” he said.
Plans are afoot to trial an acoustic deterrent later this year, but it has received a cool reaction from some sections within the marine biology community.
Janek Andre of marine conservationists WeWhale fears that such an implement could ‘damage their hearing, which is highly sensitive.’
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“The animals could get lost or even die because of hearing damage,” he told the Olive Press.
“Imagine if all sailboats have this device assembled – then the orcas are going to have to leave the geographical area – their home – because it’s not that big.”
Conservationists and marine biologists alike have been at pains to insist that these interactions are not ‘attacks’ nor signs of aggression, but merely a playful hunting practice.
Solutions proposed include skippers sticking near the coast to avoid the centre of the Strait, while remaining in frequent communication with one another.
WeWhale also offers to escort boats on regular trips, such as from Tarifa to Tangier, and they plan to open a hotline this summer for skippers to call to get the last known location of the pod.
The good news is that reported incidents were down last year from 2023’s peak of 186 interactions, according to data collected by the Cruising Association (CA), pointing to the effectiveness of these solutions.
“These orca are protected, much like tigers in India, and we must therefore find ways to coexist with them,” CA lead John Burbeck told the Olive Press.
“We suggest treating orca encounters like stormy weather or man overboard. These are serious risks that crews prepare for.”
But many skippers have described these measures as ‘unworkable’ and instead are calling for a more robust solution – one which allows them to continue their livelihoods.
“Even if you know where they are, you can’t necessarily avoid them, as these creatures are fast,” another sailor told the Olive Press.
“They can go from one side of the Strait to the other in two or three hours. Sticking to the coast does seem to help, but the cost of it adds up.
“Journeys take much longer and there are hazards near the coast, such as tuna nets, and sudden swells that can push you against the rocks.
“Anyone would defend their house if it was under attack, so you can’t entirely blame the captains who want to fight the orcas.
“You can spend two or three months waiting for a new rudder. That’s three months of lost business, which is something you can’t claim on insurance.”
Ultimately, the orcas are ‘hurting the yachting and sailing industry in the Strait’, which is an economic cost that has been adding up for several seasons.
“People are afraid to go out sailing. There is definitely a collision coming this summer.”
I would hope that if anyone carries out such a threat, it would be considered a crime and punished severly.
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