Dynamite blasts scaring away humpback whales in Babuyan

The mesmerizing songs of giant humpback whales echoing along the coasts of the Babuyan Islands during the summer might just disappear soon.

This, after an international conservation group warned that dynamite explosions in the waters of Babuyan have been scaring away the North-western Pacific humpback whales from coming to the Philippines to breed.

According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the loud dynamite blasts in the Babuyan Islands are rapidly replacing the enthralling sounds of the humpback whales.

In fact, Dr. Jom Acebes, consultant for the WWF’s Humpback Whale Research and Conservation Project (HWRCP), who went to Babuyan Islands two weeks ago for his group’s annual humpback whale survey, noted that as much as six dynamite explosions occur in the area in just one hour. The annual humpback survey is ongoing until April.

The WWF said locals use dynamite to salvage metal from five shipwrecks in the area, which is within the humpback breeding grounds in the region. 

"The once forgotten vessels became an alternative source of income for the locals two years ago. Back then, scavengers dove into the water with acetylene torches to cut up the sunken ships. Now they resort to using dynamite to break up the parts, making it easier to collect the scraps," the WWF said.

Since 2000, the WWF has been studying the frequency and abundance of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the country’s northernmost parts.

Over the years, the WWF noted that "dynamiting," including dynamite fishing, has been an ongoing problem in the Babuyan Islands, endangering the fragile population of whales, dolphins and coral reefs, and the villagers who depend on the sea for their livelihood.

Louella Beltran, media officer of WWF-Philippines, said some of the shipwrecks are more than 20 years old and have become artificial reefs that serve as refuge and breeding grounds of fish. 

She said that dynamiting the ships not only drives away the whales but also destroys a productive fish source.   

"The fisherfolk in the community have noticed a significant decrease in fish catch. Because both people and whales are heavily reliant on the sea as a life source, what happens to one species will also be felt by the other," Beltran said.

The WWF said the Babuyan Islands boasts the highest diversity of cetacean species in the Philippines with 14 out of 25 species found there. 

It is believed that the Babuyan Islands is the southernmost breeding place of North-western Pacific humpbacks, which move between Japan and the Philippines to breed and give birth, before heading to Russia and Alaska to feed. 

The WWF called for a strict enforcement of local policies and an immediate stop to all dangerous and illegal activities in the Babuyan Islands before more harm is inflicted on the local community and the marine species.

In 2003, the Cagayan provincial government passed Provincial Ordinance No. 09-2003, declaring the humpback whales as a protected species within the territorial jurisdiction of the province and providing penalties for violators. 

The ordinance was enacted in recognition of the fact that the presence of the humpbacks and other sea mammals indicates a high-quality marine ecosystem that requires vigilant protection and conservation. 

"We are waiting for the familiar sight of mother and calf humpbacks swimming into the (waters of Babuyan Islands). We want them to know that this is their home, too, and that they are safe here," Acebes said.