Collaborating for Conservation: A Summary of Current and Future Directions in Blue Whale Science

ABSTRACT The blue whale has been the focus of considerable research effort worldwide, yet significant gaps remain in the understanding of this species' ecology, behaviour, distribution and resilience to anthropogenic pressures. This review synthesizes insights from an international workshop held during the 25th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals 2024 hosted in Perth, Western Australia, which convened over 40 scientists specializing in blue whale research. The workshop aimed to consolidate the current state of knowledge, identify key research gaps and develop collaborative strategies to advance blue whale science with a focus on the local population of blue whales, the eastern Indian Ocean pygmy blue (EIOPB) whale. With research efforts into the species intensifying in recent years, there exist considerable opportunities for collaboration across research groups to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort and maximize the value of research efforts. Further, filling critical knowledge gaps that limit conservation and effective population management will require holistic studies focused not only on blue whales but on their prey species, krill and the mechanistic links between environmental drivers, krill and blue whales.