Halo ferry ship hits humpback near Vancouver: DFO

A ship owned by a high-speed, passenger-only ferry service between Vancouver and Nanaimo has struck a humpback whale near Vancouver in English Bay, according to a federal department.

Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) said in a written statement that Halo Ferry has notified the department of the collision.

According to DFO, the company is fully cooperating.

The statement said the whale was seen swimming north after contact, but it did not provide any additional details about the animal’s condition.

Regulations require operators of vessels or fishing gear to immediately notify the department of accidental contact with marine mammals.

Halo Ferries advertises 14 daily sailings between Downtown Vancouver and Downtown Nanaimo using two catamarans.

Vancouver Island Ferry Company, which operates the Hullo ferry, said in a statement that its ship Spuhels “possibly contacted a whale” during a scheduled sailing.

“Upon sighting the mammal, the bridge team immediately took action, and executed a crash stop maneuver in accordance with safety procedures,” the statement said.

The company said it followed all reporting protocols, including notification of DFO, the Canadian Coast Guard, First Nations partners and the Whale Reporting Alert System.

The statement did not provide any details about the condition of the animal after the collision, but said that CCTV footage and crew observations after the incident indicated that the whale was seen moving away from the area.

“This incident is deeply felt by our crew and everyone at (Vancouver Island Ferry Company),” it said. “We take our responsibility to protect marine life very seriously and strictly follow the Whale Reporting Alert System and Canada’s Marine Mammal Guidelines.”

Last month, researchers found a dead humpback near a site where it was reportedly struck by a BC Ferries ship on BC’s north coast.