ABC News, 19 September 2021:
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| The Australian coast is a busy route for whales during their annual migration north. (Supplied: Go Whale Watching) |
Queensland researchers say whale watchers have reported fewer sightings this east coast migration season.
But experts say there has been less traffic near popular beaches this year.
Griffith Centre for Coastal Management researcher Dr Olaf Meynecke said it's been an unusual season with whales remaining further out to sea.
"Very different to the last three years at least, because we've had the whales migrate quite far offshore," Dr Meynecke said.
"There's a lot less happening closer to the coast."
Dr Meynecke said the southern migration was now underway, with whales and their calves making their return journey.
He said pods had been more commonly spotted 10-to-15 km offshore.
"We've actually had less entanglements in shark nets and those entanglements usually happen when the whales are close to shore," he said.
"Of course the mums and calves usually come close to shore to rest.
"But there's not as many as we had last year and definitely not as many newborns.
"It's been a very different season."
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Whales and their calves are currently on their return journey south along the east coast.(Supplied: Seaworld) |
Dr Maynecke said the East Australian Current (EAC) - made famous by a certain clownfish - serves as a navigation tool for migrating humpbacks.
He said this year the EAC was further offshore which could explain why whales were too.
Ocean Analyst Lucinda Matthews from the Bureau of Meteorology said the EAC did appear to weaken along the Gold Coast in August and move slightly east.
"It's possible the whales are now staying offshore to stay in the maximum current available to hitch the best ride south," Ms Matthews said……
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| The East Australian Current begins at the point where the westward flowing South Equatorial Current splits into two. (Supplied: Bureau of Meteorology) |
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