Once a sperm whale or group of sperm whales has entered the North Sea and continues due south, the animals will reach progressively shallower waters, which is totally unsuitable for these marine mammals.

Being animals of the deep ocean, sperm whales have no experience whatsoever in finding their way in this kind of shallow and treacherous waters. Sperm whales have been found all around the North Sea.

A first symposium on sperm whale strandings "The North Sea Sperm Whales, One Year After" took place in Koksijde, Belgium on 16 -18 November 1995 marking the anniversary of the stranding of four sperms whales on the Belgian coast. Scientists and administrators discussed the results of the Sperm Whale investigation and the practical, organizational and legal difficulties of the winter season 1994/1995. The lectures given at the symposium and additional contributions are published in the proceedings: Jacques, T. G. & R. H. Lambertsen (ed.) 1997. Sperm Whale Deaths in the North Sea, Science and Management. Bulletin de L'Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Biologie, Vol. 67 - Suppl., Bruxelles.

During the winter 1997/98, once again a large number of sperm whales stranded along the North Sea coast of the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark (see also Tab. 1). Therefore, the Fishery and Maritime Museum in Esbjerg and the Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen organized a workshop on how to handle sperm whale strandings from a practical, biological, educational and management related angel.

Tab. 1 Sperm Whale Strandings in the Wadden Sea 1994 until May 1998

04.11.1994 1 Baltrum, FRG
03.11.1994 1 Terschell./Ameland, NL
31.01.1996 1 Norderney, FRG
27.03.1996 16 Rømø, DK
28.03.1997 4 Ameland, NL
04.12.1997 1 near Bremerhaven, FRG
04.12.1997 1 near Cuxhaven, FRG
04.12.1997 13 Rømø, DK
23.01.1998 3 Eiderstedt, FRG

About 30 experts from Scotland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark attended the workshop which took place on Rømø on the 26th and 27th May 1998. Recommendations for handling future events were concluded and are given in the text box below.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Sperm whales are ocean dwellers and not inhabitants of the North Sea. Yet, sperm whale strandings of young males of at least 11 m in size have occurred here for centuries. The factors causing them to enter the North Sea are poorly understood.

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of strandings. This could be coincidental or due to changes in the marine environment. However, it may also be the result of a population increase in the North Atlantic since the cessation whaling.

The shallow North Sea is regarded as a sperm whale trap. Once the whales have entered it, their chances of survival are remote. Hence acknowledging that stranded sperm whales cannot be saved, it is recommended

1. that rescue attempts should only be tried when the animals are still swimming around and appear to have the physical strength and possibility of escaping to open the water.

2. to leave stranded and alive sperm whales quietly and without stress on the beach to die.

3. to set up regional contingency plans covering the responsibilities, logistics, financing, nature management and scientific tasks in order to maximize the collection of information and to ensure efficient disposal carcasses.

4. to exchange information on all levels and to implement a common protocol for handling sperm whale strandings in order to improve the understanding of sperm whale biology.

5. to put emphasis on public education for the sake of disseminating information based on sound scientific knowledge and judgment.