Evidence that beached whales in Scotland are “in distress” due to seismic testing in North Sea

The website strandednomore.wordpress.com reports 3rd September 2012: “In less than 48 hours 3 mass strandings involved pilot whales and dolphins happened in the US East Coast and in the UK. As usual, whales died, were euthanised, some were rescued and some calves were stashed away for subsequent transfer to the Sea World. The media posted neutral description of events, whitewash opinions from “experts” and the public commented “sad, but natural events”.

Well, were they natural events? We have discovered that some activities most likely involving the Navy happened a day before mass stranding in Florida and seismic survey activities for the Big Oil have been ongoing prior and during mass stranding in the UK. Please read info below and share if you can, the media, officials and NGOs involved are not interested in giving you this side of the story. As usual, feel free not to believe any of it and to verify every fact we state here for yourself.

Mass Stranding

26 pilot whales, Anstruther, Fife, UK (link).

Seismic survey activities in the area prior and during mass stranding of 26 pilot whales

1. The Timeline:

1. 26 (initial number was 29) pilot whales were discovered around 7am, local Coast Guard was notified, British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR www.bdmlr.org.uk) arrived later to deal with it.
2. our source says that several seismic surveys have been going on in the North Sea, some surveys in fact are still on that had been happening when fin whales and beaked whales stranded 2 weeks ago.
3. the same source says that one survey in particular was the most powerful and also the closest to stranding site both in time and space (see map above). This survey has been going on prior (since at least 31st August, 2012) and possibly even during initial stranding. The vessel name is M/V Polarcus Adira (see this monster here:) the company has several Polarcus vessels, all monstrous and huge, in fact these are the biggest seismic surveys vessels out there (company site link: but note that it was most likely contracted by some oil company to do a 3D survey for them). M/V Polarcus Adira tows 8 huge arrays with airguns, each array is 6000m long. To help you visualize this horror here is Youtube video (the vessel look like one of 8 company’s Polarcus):
4. BDMLR (British Divers Marine Life rescue) attended this stranding and asked M/V Polarcus Adira to cease seismic survey. 16 whales are dead and it looks like 10 have been rescued and left harbour for now.
5. just received another info about another much smaller vessel doing survey extremely close to the stranding site. The vessel is called Bibby Tethra and it has been doing some survey utilizing sonar. It is much less powerful compared to Polarcus but it could have contributed to stranding as well in one way or another.

2. Our Concerns

1. BDMLR does not seem to be interested in investigating the cause of stranding (particularly anthropogenic connection) and is content with Polarcus’ flat denial of any involvement (like anyone expected them to admit it). Here is Polarcus’ communication posted on BDMLR FB page:”The Master of MV Polarcus Adira has called our Control and confirmed that they were in transit to the area yesterday. Their activity did not cause this stranding as they were not in position when it would have happened at the turn of the tide in the early hours of the morning. Their survey began at 9am this morning, well after the stranding. All activity has been ceased and they are awaiting a call back from us before they recommence”

   Sure.
   Whatever.

2. Nobody is interested in independently verifying what Polarcus has been doing in the area since 31st August , 2012. We suspect that no questions will be asked.
3. Everybody needs to understand that oil companies will vehemently deny any involvement so they can write in their permit applications that “There is no evidence of adverse impacts from seismic surveying on marine mammals”. Implicating their involvement will mean possible law suits from environmental groups, more hoops to jump through when they get permits for seismic surveys and more expenses to hire more Marine Mammal Observers (MMO) and Passive Acoustic Monitoring Technicians (PAM). So you see that Big Oil will do everything they can to distance themselves from this stranding.
4. BDMLR lost 16 whales in this stranding. Their necropsy results could implicate Big Oil’s role in stranding, but we are doubtful that: a) necropsy will be done as it supposed to be done; b) BDMLR will ever make it public. It is clear that BDMLR is content to brush this stranding off as “natural” and just move on to merrier matters.
5. Media reporting on this stranding was mum about seismic surveys.

3. What needs to happen

1. The public needs to realize what is going on in here and demand Polarcus Adira investigation. Also, their survey must stop until the exact cause of stranding is established.
2. The media needs to pull their head out of their %^&* and start doing some investigative journalism in here.
3. BDMLR has to be reminded that they do not own stranded cetaceans nor can they hoard, hide and arbitrary seal necropsy results. The results should be available to the public and should include info on both what was done and what was NOT DONE.
4. Environmental and cetacean welfare groups also need to pay attention to this.

Source: Strandednomore.wordpress.com, 3rd September 2012

Please do share this