How to take action for cetaceans

Loving cetaceans is one thing. Acting for them is another. Whales, dolphins, sperm whales and other marine mammals face an accumulation of threats, bycatch, noise pollution, chemical contamination, ship strikes, climate change, which will not be resolved without collective commitment. This page brings together the concrete actions anyone can take, from a one-off donation to long-term voluntary involvement.

You do not need to be an oceanographer: the great majority of conservation work rests on volunteers, donors and informed citizens. Every kilo of plastic not thrown away, every targeted donation, every sighting reported contributes to a planetary ecosystem of protection.

Supporting the major NGOs

Several organisations devote their activity to the protection of cetaceans, with complementary approaches. Supporting these NGOs through membership, donation or volunteering remains one of the most effective levers.

Observatoire Pelagis (CNRS: La Rochelle)

The French national scientific reference for marine mammals, the Observatoire Pelagis coordinates the Réseau National Échouage (RNE), the national stranding network, and runs the programmes monitoring populations at sea (SAMM surveys, photo-identification). Attached to the CNRS and to La Rochelle Université, Pelagis publishes the official scientific data on French cetaceans every year. Supporting Pelagis means supporting fundamental knowledge. Website: observatoire-pelagis.cnrs.fr

Souffleurs d’Écume

A naturalist association based in the Var, Souffleurs d’Écume is the French reference for research on Mediterranean cetaceans. It runs scientific surveys at sea, monitoring of the resident populations (sperm whales, Cuvier’s beaked whales, fin whales) and public awareness programmes, and takes part in the HQWW label. Membership is open to enthusiasts. Website: souffleursdecume.com

Sea Shepherd

Founded in 1977 by Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society embodies direct action at sea: interventions against Japanese whalers in the Antarctic, removal of ghost nets in the Sea of Cortez to save vaquitas, blockades of hunts in Iceland. The organisation claims more than 6,000 whales saved by its operations. Spectacular methods, but effective in media terms. The French branch is active. Website: seashepherd.fr

Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC)

The largest organisation in the world devoted exclusively to cetaceans. WDC runs campaigns against captivity and commercial whaling, and for the creation of marine sanctuaries. It is also a heavyweight of lobbying at the International Whaling Commission. Offices in the United Kingdom, USA, Germany, Argentina and Australia. Website: uk.whales.org

International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

The world specialist in the operational rescue of stranded cetaceans. IFAW has raised the rate of successful refloating from 15% in 1998 to nearly 80% today, thanks to the continuous improvement of techniques. It also coordinates large-scale anti-poaching and anti-trafficking programmes. Website: ifaw.org

Becoming a volunteer with the Réseau National Échouage

The Réseau National Échouage (RNE) is made up of about 350 volunteer correspondents spread along the whole French coastline, mainland and overseas territories included. Coordinated by the Observatoire Pelagis, it is a citizen arrangement unique in the world, combining surveillance, intervention and science. Becoming an RNE correspondent is the field commitment with the greatest impact that can be taken on in France.

The conditions and the training

No particular qualification is required at the outset, scientific curiosity and geographical availability are enough. The initial training, given by Pelagis, lasts about three days in person and covers: species identification, management of a stranding (dead or live animal), the reporting protocol, the safety of those involved, and basic biological sampling. An official correspondent’s card is then issued.

Correspondents then intervene occasionally, close to their home, when a stranding is reported. Depending on the region, one may be called out between one and ten times a year. The majority of the work is administrative (observation forms, photographs, data submission) but the fieldwork remains at the heart of the task. Information: Observatoire Pelagis, 05 46 44 99 10.

Taking part in citizen science

Several platforms allow any observer, leisure sailor, diver, traveller or tourist on a whale watching trip, to contribute to scientific research by sharing their sightings. These data feed the global databases used by researchers.

Happywhale

An international photo-identification platform using an image recognition algorithm. Have you photographed the tail fluke of a humpback whale, the dorsal fin of a common bottlenose dolphin or the scars of a killer whale? Upload your photograph: the algorithm compares it with millions of others and identifies the individual if it is already known. You then know which animal you came across, and its individual history is enriched. Website: happywhale.com

OBSenMER

A free French application for reporting sightings at sea, cetaceans, birds, turtles, waste and other notable events. Developed by Al Lark and other associations, it is the reference tool for leisure sailors and sea professionals in France. The data contribute to the monitoring of marine biodiversity. iOS / Android application.

SeaWatch Foundation

Aimed at the United Kingdom but open to Europeans, SeaWatch centralises cetacean sightings made from the coast or at sea. A reference tool for following the presence of porpoises, dolphins and whales in the English Channel, the North Sea and the Atlantic. Website: seawatchfoundation.org.uk

Choosing responsible consumption

The daily choices of each person have a considerable cumulative effect on cetaceans. Three areas matter particularly.

Sustainable fishing

The main cause of direct cetacean mortality in the world is bycatch, accidental capture in fishing gear. In France, hundreds of porpoises and common dolphins die each winter in the nets of the Bay of Biscay. Favouring fish from sustainable fisheries (MSC label, local small-scale fishing, line-caught fish, while avoiding pelagic trawls during the winter) directly reduces this pressure. Consult the WWF seafood guide or the Mr.Goodfish application.

Limiting plastic

A blue whale is thought to ingest up to 10 million microplastics a day. Several cetaceans have been found dead with kilos of plastic in the stomach. Reducing one’s consumption of single-use plastic (bags, bottles, packaging) remains one of the most directly beneficial gestures. Systematically refusing plastic straws, bags and cutlery. Favouring loose goods. See our page on microplastics.

Responsible whale watching

If you go out on an observation trip, choosing an operator certified High Quality Whale Watching (HQWW) in the Mediterranean, or an international equivalent, guarantees that the approach respects the welfare of the animals: a minimum distance of 100 m, reduced speed, limited observation time, no more than 3 boats per group. See our page on the labels.

Making a targeted donation

A financial donation remains one of the most effective forms of support when one cannot give time. A few recommendations for targeting a donation.

For French fundamental research: Observatoire Pelagis (CNRS), Souffleurs d’Écume, Miraceti, Cybelle Méditerranée.
For emergency rescues: IFAW, the national branches of Sea Shepherd, the RNE fund.
For political advocacy campaigns: WDC, France Nature Environnement Mer, Bloom Association.
For critically threatened species: earmarked donations (“Save the Vaquita”, “North Atlantic Right Whale Recovery”, “Mediterranean Sperm Whale Project”).

The majority of these donations are tax-deductible in France at a rate of 66% (associations of general interest) or 75% (safeguarding endangered heritage). A donation of €100 therefore costs €34 after the tax reduction, the equivalent of a restaurant meal, but with a concrete impact for species that cannot plead their own cause.