High Numbers of Right Whales Seen in Gulf of Maine

Posted by Alan Sorum Dec 31, 2008

Researchers with NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center report seeing a large group of North Atlantic right whales in the Gulf of Maine. A survey team saw a group 44 right whales on 3 December 2008. Normally researchers will only see a few whales every day.

In a press release from the Center, Team Leader Tim Cole said, “We’re excited because seeing 44 right whales together in the Gulf of Maine is a record for the winter months, when daily observations of three to five animals are much more common. Right whales are baleen whales, and in the winter spend a lot of time diving for food deep in the water column. Seeing so many of them at the surface when we are flying over an area is a bit of luck.”

Right whale populations are critical with the total number of animals estimated to be 325. Regulations have been put into place to limit vessel speed in areas of important habitat along the east coast of the United States.