Tag: Right Whale

FIRST RIGHT WHALE BABY OF 2019 SPOTTED IN CAPE COD BAY!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Right whale #1204 with her 2019 calf in Cape Cod Bay

FROM THE CENTER FOR COASTAL STUDIES

On Sunday, April 7 the Center for Coastal Studies right whale aerial survey team spotted their first right whale calf of the year in Cape Cod Bay. This sighting heralds the arrival of the 2019 calves to their feeding grounds here in the northeast.

The calf, which was first sighted by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) on January 17 in the calving grounds of the southeastern US, is the third of seven known mom-calf pairs of the season. Its mother is right whale #1204, a whale of at least 38 years of age that was first seen in 1982.  This is #1204’s ninth known calf; her first was documented in 1988, the most recent in 2013.  Out of the nine calves, this is only the second #1204 has been documented with in Cape Cod Bay.

Boaters, kayakers, paddle-boarders, swimmers and light aircraft and drone pilots are reminded that it is illegal to approach a North Atlantic right within 500 yards (1500 feet) without a Federal Research Permit. However, the right whales often feed very close to shore, offering whale watchers on land unbeatable views of one of the rarest of the marine mammals.

CCS right whale research and response operations are conducted in partnership with DMF and NOAA under federal permits issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service. Support also comes from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, CCS aviation contractor AvWatch, private foundations, and contributions from CCS members.

BEAUTIFUL RIGHT WHALE AND HER PLAYFUL NEWBORN CALF FILMED TWO DAYS AGO!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Satellite Beach is south of Cape Canaveral on Florida’s East Coast. I hope the two will be passing through Cape Ann waters on their migration northward!

VIDEOGRAPHER RYAN CLAPPER WRITES, “A North Atlantic right whale and her calf. Filmed 2/24/19 AT Satellite Beach. Zoomed in and cropped footage. The mom and her calf played for a while until a boat scared them away. This video has been shared with the FWC.”


IMAGE OF RIGHT WHALE AND CALF COURTESY WIKICOMMONS MEDIA

GO! Whale sightings NOW off the shores of Magnolia #GloucesterMA

Posted on by Catherine
Right whales gloucester MA _20180504 visible from shore_074320 ©c ryan.jpg
MAY 4th- Right Whales visible to the naked eye from shore near Gloucester MA end of Long Beach. May 6th and 7th they’re still off shore. Go- see them!

David Vanderhooft writes about his whale sightings May 6 & 7,  2018

He’s counted five total today.

“The whales are around this morning; I saw the spouts around 9:00, relatively farther offshore. Yesterday they were in the vicinity all day, with one cruising between Magnolia and Kettle Island around noon, and all within view of the naked eye. Lots of people with binoculars, telescopes, cameras. As I mentioned in my post, at least one whale has a dorsal fin, which right whales apparently do not.”

Keep to shore!

“Please do remind everyone that it’s a stiff fine if one approaches them. Yesterday there were several kayakers and at least one paddle boarder who went out, and one sailboat too. The lobstermen seem to be observing the rule with care, as I haven’t seen very many.”

I look forward to seeing the Magnolia photographs and hearing more spectator reactions. What a gift this spring. Thanks so much for writing, David.

 

CHANNEL 5 WCVB STORY WITH RIGHT WHALES ON LONG BEACH

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

WCVB reporter Duke Castiglione was on Long Beach yesterday for the following story. Click on the link below to see Cape Ann locals and Castiglione at Long Beach!

http://www.wcvb.com/article/noaa-extends-emergency-bans-to-protect-endangered-right-whales/20181874

NOAA extends emergency bans to protect endangered right whales

WCVB: Federal authorities have extended a ban on trap gear closures for part of Cape Cod Bay to reduce the risk of right whales becoming entangled in trap gear.

Right whales are critically endangered and scientists say their population has been decreasing since 2010 due to continued mortality and low birth rates.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, recent aerial surveys have observed upward of 100 right whales — about 25% of the known population — within Western Cape Cod Bay.

Officials said high plankton counts indicate the whales will likely remain in the bay into next week.

The whales have also been spotted off the coast of Cape Ann.

The Salem News reports Marblehead has been treated to some rare sightings of right whales over the past several days.

Right Whales are feeding along the Massachusetts coastline on their northward migration to feeding grounds off the coast of Nova Scotia, amongst other northern locations.

Massachusetts Whale Trail #whaletrailMA and more in Gloucester

Posted on by Catherine

The Massachusetts Whale Trail “is a special collection of museums and attractions, whale watching, and historic sites and tours with a connection to whales.” Capt Bill & Sons, 7 Seas Whale Watch, and Cape Ann Whale Watch are included.

WhaletrailMA

Naturally, Gloucester had created a version on the HarborWalk which you can find on line or on the trail at marker #36 right by Tonno Restaurant, Gloucester, MA.  Whale watching is beloved here in town. The Gloucester HarborWalk has whale watch information, points of interest and a tab to all the local whale watching  companies.”Most offer daily whale watching trips from April through October.”

SEVEN SEAS WHALE WATCH +1 (888) 283-1776
CAPE ANN WHALE WATCH +1 (800) 877-5110
CAPT BILL & SONS +1 (800) 339-4253
YANKEE FLEET +1 (978) 283-0313

When O’Maley 6th graders study Gloucester and visit the HarborWalk, the student thank you drawings featured whale tails and spouting whales. It’s common for local kids to be invited to birthday parties on whale watch trips.  Donna Ardizzoni photographed and wrote about her Right Whale sightings from shore spring 2018, and more whale sightings around town. Parsons Street wall Mural (by the Fish Net HarborWalk street mural) was painted by local kids under the direction of Cape Ann Art Haven and features a great whale.

20170925_085547

 

Ocean Alliance headquarters is located in Gloucester. Kim Smith posted the announcement for its most recent National Geographic special. 

Maritime Museum (opening May 26) and Cape Ann Museum are included on the new Whale Trail map. Cape Ann Museum collection includes Hartley’s study for Whales Jaw Dogtown

Hartley-WhalesJaw collection CAPE ANN MUSEUM Gloucester Mass

Stores along Main Street and throughout Gloucester’s neighborhoods have art and goods inspired by whales. Look for hand carved wood sculptures at Willow Rest. Savour Wine & Cheese, Gloucester, MA

 

 

 

Received an email from NOAA regarding the Right Whale off of Magnolia

Posted on by Donna Ardizzoni

Yesterday I received a survey email from NOAA asking about the whale that I saw off of Shore Road and Rafe’s Chasm.  They saw the information of Good Morning Gloucester.  Sent NOAA the grainy photos, wish they were better but with the rain and wind it was not easy to get a decent photo.  Also sent them the times of the sightings.  Today I received the email below.  We are lucky to have Ocean Alliance right here in Gloucester and Iain Kerr came over.  https://www.whale.org/

Mariners are urged to use caution and proceed at safe speeds in areas used by right whales. Federal law prohibits operating vessels 65 feet or greater in excess of 10 knots in certain areas and times along the US east coast. Approaching right whales closer than 500 yards is a violation of federal and state law.
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT ACTIVE DMA ZONES AND SHIP STRIKE REDUCTION
REGULATIONS VISIT:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/shipstrike

DETAILS OF SIGHTINGS CAN BE VIEWED AT:
http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/psb/surveys/

DETAILS OF ACOUSTIC DETECTIONS FROM CORNELL UNIVERSITY:

http://www.listenforwhales.org/

***NEW NUMBER TO REPORT RIGHT WHALE SIGHTINGS IS 866.755.NOAA***

Right Whale Sighting Advisory System
NOAA Fisheries
ne.rw.survey@noaa.gov

866.755.NOAA
 

website www.nefsc.noaa.gov/psb/surveys/surveys
facebook https://www.facebook.com/NOAAFisheriesNEMA/
twitter http://www.twitter.com/noaafisheries
youtube http://www.youtube.com/usnoaafisheriesgov

 

 

 

BREAKING: RARE RIGHT WHALE CALF FOUND DEAD

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

A female two- to three-month-old rare North Atlantic Right Whale calf was found dead in Cape Cod Bay on Thursday. She was one of only four calves born this year to a species in sharp decline. Researchers and whale lovers are especially distressed that the calf was a female, as they are the future of the population.

The calf was found north of Barnstable and was towed to Sesuit Harbor. Cause of death is unknown and a necropsy is planned.

As you may or may not have been following, there have been a record number of Right Whales currently making their home in the waters off Cape Cod, not because there are more whales, but because of the wealth of zooplankton. Each spring, Right Whales return to Cape Cod to feed on tiny crustaceans such as krill. Right Whales are the rarest of all large whale species, with only approximately 500 known world wide. They are endangered for several reasons. Right Whales never fully recovered from being heavily hunted during the whaling era. They have a high blubber content, which makes them float when killed, and produce a high yield of whale oil. Secondly, because they feed slowly by skimming at the photic zone of the ocean, at the upper surface of the water, they are vulnerable to ship strikes and to becoming entangled in fishing gear.

The best place too see Right Whales at this time of year is from Cape Cod beaches, according to Charles “Stormy” Mayo, director of the Right Whale Ecology Program at the Center for Coastal Studies. They may be as close as 150 feet from the shore, which is closer than can be seen from research boats.

Photo courtesy CapeCod.com

GMG FOB Dave Moore shares the following from National Geographic. The recent article (March 10) is very interesting and relevant: “How Many Right Whales Do We Miss.”

 

And Here’s the Drone Video of The #GloucesterMA #RightWhale From Martin Del Vecchio

Posted on by Joey Ciaramitaro

On November 29, 2015, a rare North Atlantic right whale visited Bass Rocks, along the coast of Gloucester, MA. It spent about an hour and a half swimming very close to the shore, spy-hopping, rolling in the waves, and generally appearing to enjoy itself.

North Atlantic right whales are extremely rare and are critically endangered, with approximately 400 animals remaining. The New England Aquarium catalogs all known whales and sightings at http://rwcatalog.neaq.org/, and in an email said:

“The folks at the Aquarium concur that this is a young whale. They believe it might be one of the calves that was born in the winter of 2014, so about 2 years old. Hopefully they’ll be able to confirm that once they get all available images/footage. If that’s the case, then that makes this an even more valuable sighting. Survival rate for calves and juveniles during the first couple of years is somewhat low, so when we can confirm that a calf has survived we all get pretty psyched. ”

You can read more about North Atlantic right whales here:

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/mammals/whales/north-atlantic-right-whale.html

Filmed with a DJI Inspire 1 Pro drone, a Zenmuse X5 camera, and the Olympus M.Zuiko 12mm lens.
Video is copyright © 2015 by Martin Del Vecchio