English - Caribbean Environment Programme

Other areasOne other area was assessed for long-finned pilot whales but received a score of less thanfour – the Faroe-Shetland and Faroe Bank Channel, Wyville-Thomson Ridge and north eastRockall Trough region.6.1.10 SPERM WHALENorth Scotland1. Area: Faroe-Shetland Channel and Wyville-Thomson and Ymir Ridges (see Figure 6.11, p.96)Time of year: All yearConcentrations of animalsHigh relative density estimate2Critical life processesSome evidence of importanceTotal24Assessment: Area of InterestHigh relative densities have been recorded here. There is little information on importance for criticallife processes but the data available suggest the area is used for foraging and migration.Threats, status and relative importance of the area (north Scotland)Specific information on the impacts of human activities on sperm whales in this region is lacking,but Section 5.2 and Annex III provide a general assessment. Threats are likely to include acousticand physical disturbance and habitat degradation from vessel traffic and oil and gas production andexploration. The level of human use means impacts are potentially high for this offshore region 675 .This species is considered 'Vulnerable' globally. Within the UK, these waters and those of far westScotland are the most important for this deep water species.675Halpern et al, 200895