Current official response
Two countries. Two clearly separated procedures.
Interactions remain concentrated around parts of the Atlantic Iberian coast and nearby approaches. They are dynamic, and official advice can change as authorities review new evidence.
This guide is a passage-planning aid, not a replacement for Notices to Mariners, coastguard instructions, current charts or the skipper’s judgement. Check the original national guidance again immediately before sailing.
Do not stop. Make for the coast when it is safe.
Spanish guidance published in April 2026 recommends the following response during an interaction:
- Do not stop the vessel.
- Head towards the coast and, where navigation remains safe, towards shallower water.
- Keep people away from exposed sides and positions where sudden movement could cause injury.
- Do not use prohibited or harmful deterrents.
- Report the interaction to Salvamento Marítimo on VHF Channel 16.
- Take photographs or video only when doing so is safe and does not distract from navigation.
Immobilise or reverse, depending on the conditions.
Portuguese guidance says that, if the sea and location allow, crews can use one of these response options:
- Immobilise: reduce speed, stop the engine, lower the sails and leave the rudder free.
- Alternatively, reverse without making abrupt changes of course.
- Keep clear of the rudder and any equipment that could rotate, fall or move suddenly.
- Keep VHF and position-reporting equipment switched on.
- Contact the maritime authorities on VHF Channel 16 or call 112.
- Record and report the interaction to the Portuguese maritime rescue coordination centre.
Before acting: establish which national waters you are in, use the current official procedure for that jurisdiction and follow any direct instruction from the maritime authorities.
Before departure
Brief the response before anyone needs it.
- Confirm the current Spanish or Portuguese protocol for the waters on the intended route.
- Check recent interaction reports and mapped activity, while recognising that yesterday’s positions do not predict today’s.
- Identify safe inshore options using the chart, forecast, swell, tide, traffic, draft and possible shelter—not depth alone.
- Brief every person aboard. Decide who will steer, monitor position, operate the VHF and record the event.
- Secure loose equipment and keep the aft deck, steering system and exposed sides clear.
- Have VHF Channel 16, position information and the relevant national reporting details immediately available.
Shallow water
A useful planning option—not a guarantee.
Cruising Association observations have found fewer reported interactions close to shore and in water under about 20 metres. That is useful context, and Spanish official guidance also directs vessels towards coastal or shallower water during an interaction when navigation remains safe.
It does not make an inshore route automatically safe. Grounding risk, rocks, fishing gear, surf, swell, tide, lee shores, traffic and the consequences of losing steering all matter. The skipper still needs a charted, weather-appropriate route with enough sea room for the actual yacht.
During and after an encounter
Navigate first. Report clearly.
Make the yacht safe
Follow the current national protocol, control crew movement and avoid improvised actions that could injure people or animals.
Call the authorities
Use VHF Channel 16 and give the vessel name, position, nature of the interaction, condition of the yacht and assistance required.
Keep a useful record
Note the time, coordinates, depth, course, speed, weather, number of animals, duration, response used and any damage. Submit the relevant national report afterwards.
Common questions
Should a yacht stop during an interaction?
That depends on the jurisdiction. Current Spanish guidance says not to stop and to move towards the coast when safe. Current Portuguese guidance includes immobilising or reversing if conditions allow. Confirm the applicable national protocol before sailing.
Is it safer to remain in water shallower than 20 metres?
Observed reports suggest reduced interaction risk close inshore and in shallower water, but this is not a guarantee. An inshore route must still be safe for the yacht’s draft, the weather, swell, tide, traffic and charted hazards.
Can deterrents be carried or used?
Do not assume a deterrent is lawful or safe. Spanish guidance specifically warns against harmful or prohibited measures. Check current national rules and use only actions authorised by the relevant authorities.
Who should be contacted?
Use VHF Channel 16. In Spain, report to Salvamento Marítimo. In Portugal, contact the maritime authorities on Channel 16 or 112 and follow their instructions.
Sources and limits
Check the originals again before departure.
This guide was checked on 18 August 2026. Advice, risk areas and reporting processes can change. The national maritime authorities and the skipper’s safe assessment of the vessel, weather and route take precedence.
- Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition: 2026 orca interaction guidance
- Portuguese Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests: advice during an orca interaction
- Cruising Association: safety information and national protocol comparison
- Cruising Association: historic interaction data and passage-planning context