Atlantic Orca Working Group (GTOA)

Groupo Trabajo Orca Atlantica (GTOA), or – Atlantic Orca Working Group.  Their website logs sightings and interactions with vessels off the Iberian peninsula, plus has useful information on Orca behaviour and guidance for yachts.

https://www.orcaiberica.org/

In 2020, several groups of Orca whales were encountered between 2 and 8NM from the coast off the Iberian Peninsula, that interacted with yachts both sailing and motor-sailing, in some instances in a “threatening” manner.

Marine scientists discovered this is an endangered sub-population of killer whales that migrate around the Iberian peninsula.

This website by the Atlantic Orca Working Group (of which Madeira Whale Museum is a part) is an excellent resource for sailors with lots of great information about Orcas interacting with boats, safety protocols, regulations in Spain, maps of interactions, ID photos and much more.

The group also have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OrcaIberica

See latest news item at: Atlantic Spain and Portugal: ORCA Interaction Advice to Yachts

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