Interactions between orcas and boats rise in the Strait

Interactions between orcas and boats in the Gulf of Cadiz and the Strait rose by 45% this spring compared with the same period last year, according to the Spanish Marina Mercante, an agency of the country’s transport ministry which oversees commercial shipping. 

A total of 31 interactions has been recorded so far this year, compared with 17 during the whole of 2025, with numbers expected to fall if the creatures follow the same seasonal pattern seen in previous years. 

The ministries of transport and the environment have issued updated guidance aimed at reducing risk when boats encounter orcas. 

Boaters are advised to avoid designated high-risk areas where possible and to navigate as close to the coastline as safely practicable. While the guidance applies throughout the year, extra caution is recommended between April and October, when orcas are most found in the Gulf of Cadiz and the Strait. 

If an interaction occurs, authorities advise skippers not to stop their engines and instead head towards shallower coastal waters. 

People on board are also urged to avoid the sides and stern of the vessel to reduce the risk of injury or falling overboard in rough conditions. 

The guidance also reminds the public that it is prohibited to use any deterrents if they could cause the orcas harm, disturbance or distress. 

Where it is safe to do so, sailors are encouraged to assist in attempts to identify the orcas by sending photographs to Spain’s coastguard, Salvamento Maritimo, at orcas@sasemar.es 

Anyone who sees orcas or is involved in an interaction is asked to notify the nearest Salvamento Marítimo station via VHF channel 16. They will also be asked to provide details including the vessel's type, length, colour, flag and registration, together with information about the encounter such as the date, time, location, duration, any damage sustained and the number of orcas involved. 

The Director General of Spain’s commercial shipping agency, Ana Núñez Velasco, said: "We will cooperate with all the sectors involved in these situations to reduce as much as possible the harm of this phenomenon. These interactions are repeating latest years, but it is a fresh trend." 

"We have been continuously monitoring the orcas, analyzing the evolution of these interactions and adapting our guidance to the scientific information available, and we will continue to do it while one single case occurs." 

The Andalucían official responsible for the environment, José Casado, said the recommendations reflected work carried out since 2023 and have been endorsed during an international workshop in Madrid in 2024 involving orca experts from Spain, Portugal and Morocco. 

He said: "The recommendations reflect broad consensus among maritime authorities, agencies and the scientific community." 

"They are reviewed regularly and will continue to be updated as understanding of this phenomenon evolves."