The WorthWhale Project
We are a team of graduate students at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at UCSB. Our thesis research is based on the economic valuation of sperm whale tourism in Dominica in order to determine the population's contribution to EcoTourism. To reduce the risk of vessel strikes on this Caribbean community of sperm whales, we created a dynamic marine spatial plan for the coast waters of Dominica and proposed shipping lanes that will avoid high suitable habitat of sperm whales. By addressing the threats to these animals, we can help ensure the ongoing survival of the sperm whale community and their contribution of Dominica's economy.
Results
Our project findings include an economic valuation of sperm whale tourism in Dominica, a suggested marine spatial plan for managing vessel traffic surrounding the west coast of Dominica, and a time cost analysis of the vessel speed reduction zone.
For the Complete Final Report Please Visit : Link To Repository
For the Complete Final Report Please Visit : Link To Repository
The Total Annual Net Profit Generated from Sperm Whale Tourism in Dominica $2.9 Million
Species Distribution Model Output. MaxEnt output of the point-wise mean of the model using maximum values for salinity, chlorophyll, and primary productivity. Sperm whale presence data with temperature, bathymetry, salinity, chlorophyll, and primary productivity environmental variable inputs. Jackknife analysis determined primary productivity and bathymetry to be the most influential factors on sperm whale distribution. The scale in the legend indicates habitat suitability, with red areas representing high suitability, and blue areas representing low suitability.
Vessel Abundance Density per km2 (2012-2019).Vessel abundance per km2 from 2012- 2019 distributed into 20% bins. The darkest orange represents the highest density of vessels, or the top 20% of vessel points traveling greater than 10 knots.
Vessel Traffic Recommendations. Marine spatial plan for suggested vessel traffic management off the west coast of Dominica. Offshore and inshore shipping lanes (white) avoid high sperm whale habitat suitability and are split into southbound and northbound lanes (arrows). The vessel speed reduction zone (black lines) encompasses high sperm whale habitat suitability.
Vessel Time Cost in Vessel Speed Reduction Zone. Graphs show total time cost each year for vessels traveling through the 10 knot vessel speed reduction zone. The y-axis is scaled to each vessel type. Merchant vessels experience the largest time cost in a vessel speed reduction zone, cruise ships experience slightly less, and high speed ferries experience the least time cost. No vessel AIS data were available for 2016 due to Hurricane Maria.