Whale Vigil to Memorialize Bay Area Whale Deaths, Demand Action

BERKELEY, Calif.  – Conservation and peace groups will gather Monday with whale lovers to honor the many whales that have recently been killed in the Bay Area. They will also call attention to the ship strike, entanglement and climate risks whales face as a result of human activity.

“The Whale Vigil reminds us that peace is caring for each other, for the whales, and for the waters that sustain all life. Golden Rule sails to honor those bonds and to protect what is sacred.” ~ Michelle KanoeLehua Marsonette, Project Manager, Veterans For Peace Golden Rule Project

What: Rally and press conference calling attention to whale deaths. Speakers will commemorate the whales and call for action.

Visuals will include signs and banners, inflatable whales and gravestones on the beach to symbolize the whales that have died. The Golden Rule sailboat will be behind the speakers in the water, with a “Save Whales, Stop Ship Strikes” banner.

When: Rally and speakers at 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 18. Opportunity to board the Golden Rule peace sailboat for a floating vigil and tour around the Bay at 12 p.m. Please R.S.V.P. specifically for the sailboat tour if interested.

Where: Shorebird Beach at Shorebird Park, Berkeley Marina, 160 University Ave., Berkeley, CA, 94710

Who: Speakers and attendees from Veterans for Peace, the Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Turtle Island Restoration Network, Resource Renewal Institute, Environment California and representatives from the offices of state and federal California legislators.

Background

At least 24 whales have washed up dead on Bay Area beaches in 2025 alone, and at least eight of those were likely killed by ship strikes. According to scientists, the actual number of whale ship strikes could be up to 20 times higher than those recorded, because many whales sink after being struck. Ship strikes threaten several whale species, and off California’s coast they are a leading cause of death for gray, blue, fin and humpback whales. One study estimated that about 80 whales are killed by ship strikes off the West Coast each year.

WHALE VIGIL MEMORIAL VOYAGE LIVE TOUR