THE death of a female southern right whale, killed after being minced by a boat propeller off Peel Island, is under investigation.
The body of the 8m-long female sub-adult was found off Peel Island on Saturday morning, a day after a Cleveland-bound North Stradbroke Island water taxi reported hitting a whale.
It had three deep propeller cuts to its head and was believed to have died before it washed ashore.
The dead whale has different markings to one seen after being hit by the ferry off Goat Island early on Friday.
That whale, believed to be at least 12m, has not been seen since and is believed to be with a calf.
Samples were taken from the animal's carcass, which was moved to the northern side of Peel Island, where it has been put on the beach to decompose.
North Stradbroke Island's lead indigenous body, the Quandamooka Yoolooburrabee Aboriginal Corporation, called for the investigation.
QYAC land and sea coordinator Darren Burns said it would pave the way for better laws to protect wildlife in the bay.
However, he dismissed calls for a reduction to the 40knot maximum speed limit in the bay's channels or installing cages around boat propellers as impractical and "uneconomical".
"We can't criticise the ferry company because whales are becoming more prevalent and already trawler operators have identified whales in the bay as a safety hazard," he said.
"We need people who are experts in this field to investigate to come up with clear and informed ways and protocols to stop this happening again.
"I don't want to pre-empt any inquiry but there are infra-red devices to detect animals in front of the boat and other best-practice measures."
A Parks and Wildlife spokesman said the southern right whales were listed as endangered and protected under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
He said it was "becoming more regular" for boats to hit whales in Moreton Bay as there were more than 19,000 whales passing the eastern shores a year.
Stradbroke Ferries chief executive David Thomson said the ferry captain was shaken after the incident on Friday but said the whale had been alive and had swum away.
"It was in the dark at 5.26am and the ferry was travelling the same course, at the same speed in the same channel it has always done," he said.
YOUR SAY: What extra measures, if any, do you think should be taken to protect marine life in the bay? Email your views, together with your full name and address, to: lettersredlands@fairfaxmedia.com.au
