Juvenile Humpback Whale Freed From Fishing Gear Off Chatham
May 7, 2009
It took the rescue team about an hour to cut away and remove the fishing lines and buoys that were entangled with the whale.
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60 North Atlantic Right Whales Seen in Cape Cod Bay
March 26, 2009
An article by Mary Ann Bragg, on CapeCodOnline.com, reports that as many as 60 North Atlantic Right Whales were observed in the waters of Cape Cod Bay in a recent aerial survey conducted by the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies, more than six times the number of whales observed during the same period of time last year.
It is believed that the abundance of the rich zoo-plankton mix in the Cape waters, including both winter and spring types of zoo-plankton that are in the local waters right now, are a driving force for how long the whales will remain in the area.
The article reports that the increase in the number of whales seen in Cape Cod Bay waters also coincides with a record number of right whale calf births this year (39). The calves were born in waters off the states of South Carolina, Georgia and Florida.
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Record Number of North Atlantic Right Whale Calves Reported in Cape Cod Bay
March 21, 2009
In what could be great news for the upcoming whale watching season for local whale watchers and whale watch operators, such as Newburyport-based Newburyport Whale Watch, record numbers of the North Atlantic right whale have been reported to be in the waters of Cape Cod Bay.
An online article on the Provincetown Banner website reports that the North Atlantic right whale, one of the world’s most endangered species, have returned to Cape Cod Bay as part of their annual migration.
The article reports that record numbers of North Atlantic right whales have been reported in Cape Cod Bay this month. In the article, Dr. Charles “Stormy” Mayo, director of right whale research at the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies, states that the current number of whale calves born this year is already over 35, the highest figure ever confirmed.
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Earth Day Whale Watch, Whale Center of New England, Gloucester, May 2nd
March 19, 2009
When: Saturday, May 2nd from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (Rain date is May 3rd)Where: Gloucester, MA.
The Whale Center of New England, Gloucester, MA is having its annual Earth Day Whale Watch on Saturday, May 2nd. The whale watch also marks the start of the center’s 2009 field season.
The annual whale watching trip is a fundraiser for The Whale Center of New England. All proceeds from the trip are used for the center’s whale research and conservation programs. Chief Scientist, Mason Weinrich, and Database Manager, Jenn Tackaberry, will lead this year’s trip.
Last year’s trip was great with lots of activity, including an impressive breaching and lob-tailing display from the humpback whale, Springboard.
There are already dozens of feeding humpbacks on Stellwagen Bank. The Whale Center of New England is expecting this to be a great trip and a great kick-off to the 2009 season. The trip departs from Gloucester, Massachusetts, and is scheduled to run from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
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Specialist To Direct Aerial North Atlantic Right Whale Survey
January 30, 2009
An article by Mary Ann Bragg on the online edition of Cape Cod Times reports that Dr. Ruth Leeney, a native of Ireland with a doctorate in harbor porpoise ecology and acoustics, will lead the North Atlantic right whale aerial survey program at the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies.
Dr. Leeney, who joined the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies last year as an aerial survey observer, has technical and field experience with marine mammals. Her work has included photo identification, field deployment and execution of aerial surveys.
The Center for Coastal Studies’ right whale aerial survey program, which operates out of Chatham Airport, is conducted from January through May with money from the state Division of Marine Fisheries and a federal permit from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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NOAA Gives Navy Marine Mammal Protection Measures for Sonar Training off Atlantic Coast and Gulf of Mexico
January 25, 2009
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA’s) Fisheries Service has issued regulations and a letter of authorization to the U.S. Navy that includes measures to protect marine mammals while conducting Atlantic fleet active sonar training off the Atlantic coast and in the Gulf of Mexico.
The regulations require the Navy to implement measures designed to protect and minimize effects to marine mammals.
Along with issuing these regulations, NOAA will undertake a comprehensive review of all mitigation measures applicable to the use of sonar and will report to the Council on Environmental Quality regarding the results of this review within 120 days.
Regulations To Be In Effect For Five Years
These regulations, in effect for five years, govern the incidental take of marine mammals during the Navy’s training activities, include required mitigation and monitoring measures, and require annual letters of authorization.
The letters of authorization, which are required for the Navy to legally conduct their activities, provide the Navy with the terms and conditions of the marine mammal mitigation measures, and requires annual reports, and Navy review of their activities to show they do not result in more numerous effects or more severe harm to marine mammals than were originally analyzed or authorized.
The Navy requested authorization under the Marine Mammal Protection Act because the mid-frequency sound generated by tactical active sonar may affect the behavior of some marine mammals or cause a temporary loss of their hearing.
NOAA’s Fisheries Service does not expect the exercises to result in serious injury or death to marine mammals and is requiring the Navy to use mitigation measures intended to avoid injury or death. However, in a small number of cases, exposure to sonar in certain circumstances has been associated with the stranding of some marine mammals, and some injury or death potentially could occur despite the best efforts of the Navy. Therefore, the regulations and the letter allow for a small number of incidental injuries to marine mammals.
NOAA’s Fisheries Service has determined that these effects would have a negligible impact on the species or stocks involved.
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Rare Sighting of Blue Whale In Waters Off Gloucester
October 8, 2008
A rare sighting of an endangered blue whale was made by researchers of the Gloucester-based Whale Center of New England during a research cruise aboard their 42-foot research vessel, The Mysticete, on Sunday, October 5, 2008.
An article by Andea Holbrook in the Gloucester Daily Times provides an account of the blue whale sighting.
The adult blue whale, which was estimated to be between 70 to 80 feet long, was sighted approximately 15 miles off the Gloucester coast in an area where whale watch boats usually don’t go.
Researchers believe that the blue whale, which was observed for approximately 45 minutes, was feeding as it was seen in the same area as about a dozen humpback whales, which were also feeding.
Blue whales are endangered and generally occupy colder waters than those found off New England; they are usually found further to the north of New England and in the waters off Iceland, Norway and northern Canada.
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Albino Whales In The News (Whale Shark and Southern Right Whales)
August 30, 2008
There were two interesting albino whale sightings in the news this week. Actually, we should correct that statement and set it straight as the whale shark is not actually a whale, but a fish – the world’s largest fish. The other creature was indeed a whale – an albino Southern Right Whale.
Both creatures are believed to be white because of a lack of pigmentation in their skin but they are expected to gradually turn to a darker colour as the years go by.
Whale Sharks, according to the Whale Shark Project website, have a circumglobal distribution in tropical and warm temperate seas and are typically found in areas of high plankton productivity. They are present mainly between latitudes 30° N and 35° S, but have been sighted as far North as New York on the US East coast and as far South as Tasmania. (Note: I couldn’t document or verify any whale shark sightings in New England waters ~ Mark Bransfield)
Do you know the name of the second largest fish in the world? It is the basking shark, a plankton eating, filter-feeding shark that is often seen in the coastal waters of New England.
Some Large Whale Species Showing Signs Of Recovery
August 13, 2008
On Tuesday, August 13, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world’s largest conservation network, released its most recent assessment on the state of the world’s whales, dolphins and porpoises- cetaceans.
The assessment reports that some of the larger whales including the humpback, minke and southern right whale are recovering from a threat of extinction, helped in large part by the ban on whaling that was implemented during a worldwide moratorium on whaling in the 1980s.
The IUCN said that almost 25% of the cetaceans were still in danger, mostly the smaller species of cetaceans. Fishing gear entanglements are currently the main threats to cetaceans.
The blue whale, the largest creature ever to have lived on earth, remained on the IUCN’s ”endangered” list along with the fin whale and sei whale.
For more information about the IUCN’s cetacean assessment, visit Alister Doyle’s online report for Reuters.
Killer Whale Sightings Off East Coast of Nova Scotia
August 10, 2008
An article by Chris Lambie in the Chronicle Herald Metro, a Halifax, Nova Scotia newspaper, reported that the rare glimpse of two killer whales, a male and a female, close to the Nova Scotian shore was seen by Eastern Passage fishing charter captain, Art Gaetan of Blue Shark Fishing Charters.
The article reports that Mr. Gaetan said that he hasn’t seen killer whales out there in 28 years.
“We tracked them for about 45 minutes to an hour,” he said. “It was pretty cool.” The orcas were swimming near two fin whales, Mr. Gaetan said.
