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Entanglements and vessel strikes impact large whales worldwide. Post-event health status is often unknown because whales are seen once or over short spans that conceal long-term health declines. Well-studied populations with high site fidelity verified by photo-ID offer opportunity to confirm deaths, health declines and recoveries. We used known outcome entanglements and vessel strikes of right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) to model probabilities of deaths, health declines and recoveries with Random Forest (RF) classification trees. Variables included presence or absence of phrases from case narratives ('deep laceration', 'cyamid', 'healing', 'superficial') and a categorical variable for vessel size. Health status post-entanglement was correctly classified in 95.7% of right whale and 93.6% of humpback whale cases (expected by chance=50%). Health status post-vessel strike was correctly classified in 91.4% of right whale and 88.6% of humpback whale cases. Important variables included cyamid presence, emaciation, discolored skin, constricting entanglements, gear-free resightings, superficial or healing lacerations, and vessel size. Cross-validated RF models were applied to unknown outcome cases to estimate the probability of deaths, health declines and recoveries. Total serious injuries (probability of death or health decline > 0.50) assigned by RF were nearly equal to current injury assessment methods applied by biologists for known outcomes. However, RF consistently predicted higher serious injury totals for unknown outcomes, suggesting that current assessment methods may underestimate risk for cases lacking details or long-term observations. Advantages of the RF method include: 1) risk models are based on known outcomes; 2) unknown outcomes are assigned post-event health status probabilities; and 3) identification of important predictor variables improves data collection standards.

Nautilus International is calling for radical new thinking to stop the rising death toll among merchant seafarers involved in lifeboat drills.

Nautilus International is calling for radical new thinking to stop the rising death toll among merchant seafarers involved in lifeboat drills.

Death toll of migrants asphyxiated on Italy boat 'rises to 49'.

Death toll of migrants asphyxiated on Italy boat 'rises to 49'.

Vessel strikes have been documented around the world and frequently figure as a top human cause of large whale mortality. The shipping lanes in the Santa Barbara Channel, California and nearby waters have some of the highest predicted whale mortality from vessel strikes in the United States waters of the eastern Pacific. Beginning in 2007, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration requested voluntary vessel speed reductions (VSRs) for vessels greater than 300 GT traveling in the Santa Barbara Channel shipping routes to decrease whale mortality from ship strikes. We employed a ship strike model using whale density data and automatic identification system (AIS) vessel data to estimate mortality under several management scenarios. To assess the effect of the VSR on strike mortality, we bootstrapped speeds from vessels greater than 19 m long that transited when no VSR was in place. Finally, we calculated the predicted mortality for hypothetical cooperation scenarios by artificially adding speed caps post-hoc to real vessel transits. For 2012-2018, we estimated that in our study area on average during summer/fall (June-November) 8.9 blue, 4.6 humpback, and 9.7 fin whales were killed from ship strikes each year (13-26% greater than previously estimated). We evaluated winter/spring (January-April) humpback mortality for the first time, resulting in an estimate of 5.7 deaths on average per year. Poor cooperation with the VSR led to low (5% maximum) to no reductions in the estimated number of strike mortalities. Evaluating potential scenarios showed that if 95% cooperation occurred in the lanes, whale deaths there would decrease by 22-26%. Adding VSRs with similar cooperation levels at the northern end of the Santa Barbara Channel and south of Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary could decrease estimated strike mortalities in those areas by 30%. If VSRs were added and cooperation reached 95% there and in the lanes, we estimate a 21-29% decrease i

Coastal fatality figures* released today (9 June) by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) show the number of deaths at the UK coast reached a five-year high in 2015, with 168 people losing their lives.

Officer of ferry sent to prison due to omissions causing death of a fisherman.

Somali piracy death toll rises as violence worsens.

The numbers: List of migrant deaths grows after boat capsizes off Libya.

Death toll rises to 41 in Philippine storm.

Death toll climbs to 6 in Taiwan shipping accident.

Prosecutors seek death penalty for Korea ferry disaster captain.

Union Cabinet approves law providing death penalty for maritime piracy.

Toxic fumes from ships linked to thousands of UK deaths.

Master of 'death ship' should be charged: ITF.

Italy Seeks "Code of Conduct" for NGO Ships as Death Toll Rises.

Manatee deaths by watercraft rising at record pace in Florida.

Ship emissions caused more than 1,200 ozone-related and 2,500 particulate-related premature deaths in the Pearl River Delta region in 2015, according to new research in the AGU journal GeoHealth. The new study also predicts that implementing new coastal emission controls could reduce mortality due to fine particulates by 30 percent and ozone by 10 percent by 2030.

Death Toll in UAE Tanker Fire Rises to Four.

Death by noise: Sound of ships kills marine mammals in Mumbai.

Canada orders reduced ship speeds to prevent right whale deaths.