Cadaver of fin whale adrift towards Zeebrugge

Off the coast of Nieuwpoort

The animal has been floating a few kilometers in the sea off the coast of Nieuwpoort since Friday afternoon and is not visible from the coast. It is an animal that does not occur naturally in our North Sea, because it is too shallow there. The currents may push the carcass past Ostend tonight in the direction of Zeebrugge, where the harbor wall juts into the sea.

Analyzes of the currents confirm that the cadaver probably drifted to us from the Atlantic Ocean via the English Channel. The Maritime Rescue and Coordination Center monitors the animal’s movements and lights up shipping, because a collision risk is real in the dark.

Controlled wash-up?

“A possible scenario that is being investigated is to stage a controlled wash-up of the carcass. In this way, the danger to shipping can be eliminated and the animal is prevented from washing up in a place where salvage is more difficult,” explains Kelle Moreau from the RBINS. The last fin whale washed ashore on our coast in October 2018, then with a controlled wash-up. It will be examined on Saturday whether this scenario is used.

Once the animal has washed ashore, immediate action is taken to dissect and salvage the cadaver. This is done by the RBINS in collaboration with various universities. “We perform the autopsy and try to determine the cause of death. Of course it is a rare event for such an animal to wash ashore, so that also offers other scientific opportunities such as studying parasites or the stomach contents,” Moreau said.

Watch the images of the fin whale that washed ashore in De Haan in October 2018