CObal-NAV: Knowledge, Collaboration, and Coexistence with Whales and Navigators – A New Approach to Reducing Ship-Whale Collisions

The CObal-NA V project (COnnaissance, Collaboration, and Coexistence with whales and navigators) is a newly launched, multi-stakeholder initiative aimed at reducing vessel strikes on the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. This species, with fewer than 350 individuals remaining, faces major threats from collisions with commercial ships, ferries, and other vessels, particularly in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and along the US Atlantic coast-key habitats for feeding and migration. CObal-NA V focuses on the deployment and evaluation of real-time detection technologies (acoustic, thermal, and visual), the integration of necropsy and behavioral data into predictive modeling, and an inclusive, adaptive framework to engage mariners, Indigenous communities, and other stakeholders in co-developing workable solutions. This paper presents the objectives, methodology, and anticipated outcomes of the project's initial phase, which centers on early-stage field testing, baseline data collection, and stakeholder engagement. While no results are available at the time of writing, we provide an overview of the research design and collaborative mechanisms that form the foundation of CObal-NAV.