Barbados’ Cetacean Survey – a study of whales and dolphins – undertaken as part of the Barbados Marine Spatial Plan and in partnership with the Caribbean Cetacean Society (CCS), has now been completed.
The survey was carried out for the collection of data on essential marine biodiversity from the 24th of February till the 8th of March 2025, which is an important component of designing a Marine Spatial Plan. As Barbados' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is more than 400 times its land space, it could be considered a large ocean state. While much is still unknown about this vast area, Barbados is making steps to learn more about the life that inhabits its waters.
Cetaceans have only been studied once before in Barbados. The survey, therefore, will go a long way in addressing data gaps.
Fisheries Data Analysts Kyle Foster and Jalisa King took part in the second leg of the expedition, which surveyed all coasts of Barbados, as far as 30 miles offshore at times.
Days were spent surveying the waters for signs of cetaceans. This was done visually by keeping watch for blows as these mammals surface for air, the flukes of their tails as they dive, or breaches as they jump out of the water.
A piece of technology known as a hydrophone was also used to listen for species nearby, capable of detecting the clicks, whistles, and songs of the cetaceans.
One of highlights of the expedition was witnessing a pod of approximately 30 bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) which curiously inspected and played around the vessel. They displayed interesting behaviors; swimming upside down in patches of sargassum seaweed, and slapping it with their tails.
Another highlight was being in the presence of two bottlenose dolphins and two sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) at the same time. Interactions between these species are rare, but dolphins are known to harass sperm whales, forcing the whales to throw up their food so they can eat it. It was unclear what was happening below the water during this particular time, however, but the dolphins were a good indicator that the sperm whales identified on the hydrophone were nearby.
Information was collected on the number of individuals, their locations, and behaviors, and over time, as more expeditions are undertaken, the trends documented will be able to inform the Marine Spatial Plan. Conclusive decisions can be made in the future to determine what activities can happen, where, and when in Barbados' EEZ, to avoid any harmful impacts on these important sea creatures.
Visit the Caribbean Cetacean Society's website to learn more about their work!
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Learn more about the work being undertaken by the Marine Spatial Plan Unit here!