WHOI in the News
Right whales spotted off Nantucket
mentions WHOI
Scientists Alarmed by 6 Right Whales Deaths in Canada
quotes Mark Baumgartner
SCIENTISTS ALARMED BY 6 RIGHT WHALES DEATHS IN CANADA
quotes Mark Baumgartner
Study Aims to Protect Right Whales South of the Vineyard
mentions WHOI
Our view: New concern over fate of right whales
quotes Michael Moore and mentions WHOI
Dead And Entangled Right Whales Off New England Coast, A Sign Gear Rules Aren’t Working?
quotes Michael Moore and mentions WHOI
Deaths of 2 right whales in 2 days alarms scientists
quotes Michael Moore and mentions WHOI
Scientists say oil exploration offshore could doom rare right whales
mentions WHOI
Study measures drag from fishing gear entanglements on North Atlantic right whales
reprint of WHOI news release featuring Michael Moore and JP student Julie van der Hoop
Study measures drag from fishing gear entanglements on North Atlantic right whales
reprint of WHOI news release featurng Julie van der Hoop and Michael Moore
Right Camera Could Protect Endangered Whales
Scientist hopes his smart system can reduce ship collisions with North Atlantic right whales. A new technology on the horizon may help to reduce one of those threats, however.
Some almost never-seen whales have been hanging out right by New York City
quotes Mark Baumgartner and mentions WHOI
Whales untangled? State contemplates opening closed areas to fishermen using ropeless gear
Because scientists have determined that the human impact on right whales needs to be limited to less than one fatality a year if the species is to avoid extinction, regulators have been unwilling to open closed areas to fishermen, even those using ropeless technology.
New Ocean Buoy Monitors Whales Off MD.’s Atlantic Coast
The buoy is equipped with a hydrophone to record marine mammal calls, and thanks to an algorithm, researchers will be able to determine whether they belong to a humpback, fin, sei, or a critically-endangered North Atlantic Right whale.
On the Verge of Extinction, These Whales Are Also Shrinking
Most of the 360 or so North Atlantic right whales alive today bear scars from entanglements in fishing gear and collisions with speeding ships and, according to new study, they are much smaller than they should be. According to the authors of the new study, the best way to ensure the continued survival of the species is to pressure fishery managers in the United States and Canada to significantly reduce the amount of rope-based fishing gear and implement ship speed limits in the North Atlantic. “We all consume goods moved by the sea, and many eat lobsters,” said Michael Moore, a senior scientist with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and co-author of the study. “If we all were to demand these management changes of our elected officials the situation would change drastically.”
With A Drone And Patience, Scientists Track Endangered Right Whale In Cape Cod Bay
“Right whales are beautifully equipped for drone work in terms of identification,” he said. “They wear their identity on their heads in the form of callosities,” which are massive calluses that are unique to each individual whale. “So every time we take a photograph, we know who it is.”
With A Drone and Patience, Scientists Track Endangered Right Whale in Cape Cod Bay
The whales are nearing the end of a three-month period during which nearly half the population of approximately 360 can be spotted in Cape Cod Bay.
Rare whales spotted east of Boston; protection urged
The whales are North Atlantic right whales, which number only about 360 in the world.
Endangered right whale population down to 360 as they begin migration toward Florida coast
As the critically endangered North Atlantic right whales begin their southward migration from New England and Canada toward the coast of Florida, including Volusia and Flagler counties, researchers are marking the beginning of calving season with uncertainty and urgency.
Fishing gear confirmed as major cause of right whale deaths
A major study looking into the deaths of North Atlantic right whales has found that entanglement in fishing gear has become a leading cause of mortality.
Ocean research group says right whale entanglements hurt animals’ reproductive health
A research group says the rise in the number of fishing-gear entanglements of North American right whales is hurting the animals’ ability to reproduce and care for their young.
Facing new threats, lobstermen take hard line against right whale protections
At a recent conference on right whales in Portland, scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution presented a study suggesting that lobstermen can actually increase their profits by reducing their buoy lines.
Right whale population drops to 409, as consortium urges more action
“Yet another year of decline for right whales,” said Consortium Chairman and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution researcher Mark Baumgartner.
Despite threats from fellow fishermen, lobstermen press Mass. to allow ropeless fishing in closed areas
To protect right whales, some areas along the coast, such as Cape Cod Bay, have since 2015 been closed to lobster fishing between February and May, when large numbers of them feed in those waters.