• Home
  • Art & Culture
  • Business
  • Food
  • Tourism
  • Contact Us
Saturday, May 10, 2025
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Martha's Vineyard Guide
  • Home
  • News Agencies
    • The MV Times
    • The MV Gazette
  • Tourist Agencies
    • MVOL
    • MV Chamber
  • Food Agencies
    • Edible Vineyard
    • Farm Field Sea
  • Galleries
    • Cousen Rose
    • The Field Gallery
    • Old Sculpin Gallery
    • Eisenhauer Gallery
    • North Water Gallery
    • The Granary Gallery
    • Louisa Gould Gallery
    • The A Gallery
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • News Agencies
    • The MV Times
    • The MV Gazette
  • Tourist Agencies
    • MVOL
    • MV Chamber
  • Food Agencies
    • Edible Vineyard
    • Farm Field Sea
  • Galleries
    • Cousen Rose
    • The Field Gallery
    • Old Sculpin Gallery
    • Eisenhauer Gallery
    • North Water Gallery
    • The Granary Gallery
    • Louisa Gould Gallery
    • The A Gallery
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The Martha's Vineyard Guide
No Result
View All Result
Home Business

Federal agency reports right whale numbers spiraling downward – News – capecodtimes.com

by mvguide
October 27, 2020
in Business, News, Tourism
0
0
SHARES
347
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

At a consortium last year, NOAA told participants there were 412 right whales remaining as of January 2018. But at Monday’s meeting NOAA said they had used new information to adjust that number downward to 383 whales.

Chasing prey that cannot be found in their usual feeding grounds, the North Atlantic right whale braves a maze of millions of vertical lines, mainly used to mark lobster gear, New England’s most profitable species. These whales are also traveling in one of the most heavily trafficked areas in the world for international and local shipping and other vessel traffic.

In recent years, the world’s most endangered great whale has shown up in Canadian waters in areas where they were rarely if ever seen and which had few of the fishing and shipping regulations and closures to protect them.

The combination has been deadly, as was revealed at the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium’s annual meeting Monday when the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration unveiled its annual population estimate. That report showed there were dramatically fewer whales than researchers believed.

At last year’s consortium, NOAA told participants that there were 412 right whales remaining as of January 2018. But at Monday’s meeting NOAA said they had used new information to adjust that number downward to 383 whales. They said their most recent estimate showed just 366 right whales alive as of January 2019. The 2018 adjustment and more recent mortality data means 46 fewer right whales than researchers believed were in the population.

NOAA said the estimate was preliminary and was part of a new stock assessment for the species.

After years of rebuilding, the population peaked at 481 in 2011 then started a long decline, with an estimated 103 births but 218 deaths, meaning 24 deaths per year on average. Scientists say the species can only sustain a rate of one human-induced death or serious injury per year. Even more ominous is the low number of female right whales, less than 94.

“Given the recent estimate of rate the decline, if we don’t act quickly, right whales are headed rapidly toward extinction,” said Sharon Young, marine issues field director for the Humane Society of the United States.

“The U.S. has both the ingenuity and science to dramatically reduce or even eliminate the threats to this species,” Young said. “It’s time to stop talking and stop wringing our hands and take action.”

NOAA declared an unusual mortality event for North Atlantic right whales in 2017 after a string of deaths in Canadian waters, and some in U.S. waters. The declaration brings more resources and research to bear on the problem, but the deaths have continued with 42 human-caused fatalities over the last three years. Four entangled right whales have been seen in the Northeast since February.

In its letter Monday, NOAA said it is working on a plan from an advisory group that was calculated to reduce the risk of entanglement by 60%, including 30% fewer lines in Massachusetts and 50% fewer in Maine, although Maine withdrew its support of that plan.

NOAA said it also continues to investigate with fishermen technologies that will eliminate vertical lines in fisheries or make them less likely to snare whales.

Follow Doug Fraser on Twitter:@dougfrasercct.


Source link

mvguide

mvguide

Related Posts

Influenza Vaccination Clinics Scheduled in Centerville

HN PHOTOS: ANOTHER BAD CRASH AT ENTRANCE TO BELL TOWER MALL…

by mvguide
May 10, 2025
0

Posted by Cape Cod Daily News via Hyannis News Friday May 09, 2025 (4 hours ago)     CENTERVILLE,...

Influenza Vaccination Clinics Scheduled in Centerville

Spring Season Opens May 10th | Heritage Museum & Gardens

by mvguide
May 9, 2025
0

Latest Headlines Spring Season Opens May 10th | Heritage Museum & Gardens Spring Season Opens May 10th | Heritage...

Influenza Vaccination Clinics Scheduled in Centerville

🎙️ Cape Conversations | Anne Scott-Putney | What’s New at Heritage Museums…

by mvguide
May 8, 2025
0

Latest Headlines 🎙️ Cape Conversations | Anne Scott-Putney | What’s New at Heritage Museums & Gardens… 🎙️ Cape Conversations...

Influenza Vaccination Clinics Scheduled in Centerville

Standoff situation in Truro comes to peaceful end

by mvguide
May 7, 2025
0

Latest Headlines Standoff situation in Truro comes to peaceful end TRURO – A tense situation unfolded in Truro Tuesday...

Influenza Vaccination Clinics Scheduled in Centerville

TEENAGE BOY STRUCK BY PICKUP TRUCK IN HYANNIS… SUFFERED SEVERE LEG FRACTURE [HN…

by mvguide
May 6, 2025
0

Posted by Cape Cod Daily News via Hyannis News Monday May 05, 2025 (2 hours, 32 minutes ago)  ...

Influenza Vaccination Clinics Scheduled in Centerville

Medical condition may have led to traffic crash on Harwich/Chatham town line

by mvguide
May 5, 2025
0

Latest Headlines Medical condition may have led to traffic crash on Harwich/Chatham town line HARWICH – A medical condition...

Next Post

The Vineyard Gazette - Martha's Vineyard News

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Facebook Twitter

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Subscribe and receive updates in your email inbox.
SUBSCRIBE

Category

  • Agriculture & Land
  • Art, Culture & Activities
  • Business
  • Food
  • News
  • Tourism

Advertise With Us

Community PR

Submit a Press Release

Currently Playing

© 2025 The Martha's Vineyard Guide - Site by Sitka Creations® LLC.

No Result
View All Result
  • Betsy Shands
  • Breakwater MV Real Estate
  • Community PR
  • Contact Us
  • Darcie Lee Hannaway
  • Home
  • JMS Rentals
  • Marston Clough
  • MV Center for Living
  • MV Community Greenhouse
  • MV Mediation Program
  • Nelson Mechanical Design, Inc.
  • Seth Williams Plumbing and Heating
  • Submit a Press Release
  • Summer Shades
  • Trademark Services LLC

© 2025 The Martha's Vineyard Guide - Site by Sitka Creations® LLC.