A few days before the Ocean Summit organized in Nice, a distressing image has resurfaced. A sperm whale was found dead after a collision with a ship. Photographer Greg Lecoeur, who captured the image, and journalist Hugo Clément are raising awareness about the consequences of maritime traffic.
A sperm whale, drifting lifeless in the Bay of Angels, struck by a boat. This is the scene captured by Nice-based photographer Greg Lecoeur in the summer of 2024 and made public this Sunday, June 8, by journalist Hugo Clément. The publication comes as Nice is preparing to host the Ocean Summit. “A few kilometers from this crime scene, in Nice, world leaders are going to meet in the coming days to try to find solutions to better protect the oceans,” laments the journalist.
In the photo, a trail of blood, the massive body of the cetacean, and around it, blue sharks. “Such scenes are not that rare,” points out Greg Lecoeur in the columns of Nice Matin, who has been working for years on marine biodiversity with the association We Are Méditerranée. Hugo Clément adds: “In the Mediterranean, a semi-closed sea among the busiest in the world, maritime traffic is intense. Besides the chemical and noise pollution it generates, it poses a deadly threat to large marine mammals. Every year, dozens of cetaceans — sperm whales, fin whales, or dolphins — are struck by commercial ships and ferries, often without the crews even noticing.”
The Mediterranean is one of the world’s busiest maritime spaces. Traffic is intense, especially in the Pelagos Sanctuary, supposed to protect marine mammals. Yet, the impacts are clearly visible to those who take the time to observe.
An ecological and political urgency
According to data shared by Greg Lecoeur and Hugo Clément, several dozen cetaceans die each year from these collisions. Commercial ships and ferries are to blame. And this often happens without the crews realizing it.
The lack of harmonized regulations between coastal countries complicates responses. In France, approaching within 100 meters of a cetacean is prohibited. This is not the case elsewhere. The photographer emphasizes shared responsibility: “if consumers change their behavior, the industries will adapt.”
On land, numerous debates are expected at UNOC. At sea, the tragedies continue. Reducing boat speed, detection systems, or changing maritime routes are some of the avenues being considered. For Greg Lecoeur, it’s not about blaming but acting: “We need to ask the question: what’s in these ships? Our consumer goods.”
