Story and image rights courtesy of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)
North Atlantic right whales can be easy to miss. Their black bodies blend into dark ocean waters, making them susceptible to threats like vessel strikes. These critically endangered marine mammals earned their name when the whaling industry was at its peak, as they were the “right” whales to hunt. Not only did they yield large amounts of oil and baleen, but their tendency to stay close to the surface and to shore made them easy targets.
Right whales have raised white or cream patches of skin on their heads called callosities. Oftentimes, researchers can identify them by these features. (Photo by Digital Imaging of Cape Cod Permit NOAA NMFS #27066)
North Atlantic right whale conservation
When whaling was outlawed in 1935, fewer than 100 of these majestic creatures remained. Their population has grown since then, but with an increasing number of threats posed by climate change and human activity, North Atlantic right whale experts are still worried for their futures. While the latest population estimates show a slight upward trend, there are only approximately 372 North Atlantic right whales in existence, including 70 reproductively active females, but new technologies are helping to minimize some of these human interactions.
Preventing whale entanglements
Unfortunately, 85% of North Atlantic right whales have been entangled in fishing gear at least once. While not all entanglements are immediately fatal, the energy drain can cause chronic health issues. This can impact a whale’s ability to swim, forage for food, and in some cases, to become pregnant.
Atlantic waters off the coasts of New England and New Brunswick, Canada, are home to some of the most lucrative fishing and seafood in the world, but also host North Atlantic right whale populations during spring and summer. Some seafood traps sit on the seafloor and are connected to floating buoys on the surface by a link of rope, creating hazards for North Atlantic right whales. Is there a way industry and nature can coexist?
Ropeless or on-demand fishing gear includes technology that eliminates most of the rope in the water column, leaving fewer obstacles for North Atlantic right whales to navigate. When fishers are ready to haul their traps back to the surface, a wireless signal activates an inflatable lift bag or pop-up buoy. In 2023, the federal government invested more than $82 million under the Inflation Reduction Act toward efforts to protect North Atlantic right whales. More than 20% was earmarked for improving on-demand gear and helping fishers switch their equipment.
North Atlantic right whales spend most of their time close to the shore and surface, which is why they’re sometimes referred to as the “urban whale.” Increasingly busy waterways, warming oceans, and changes in prey distribution are creating an increased risk of vessel strikes. (Photo by Véronique LaCapra, NOAA/NMFS Permit #17355)
North Atlantic right whales and vessel strikes
North Atlantic right whales spend most of their time close to the shore and surface, which is why they’re sometimes referred to as the “urban whale.” Increasingly busy waterways, warming oceans and changes in prey distribution are creating an increased risk of vessel strikes for North Atlantic right whales. Shipping, cruise and fishing vessels fatally strike an estimated 20,000 of all whale species around the world annually. In the U.S., an estimated 80 endangered and threatened whales are struck each year off the West Coast, and more than one-third of all North Atlantic right whale deaths along the eastern U.S. can be attributed to ship collisions.
Measures to protect right whales, such as seasonal slow zones, are in place. The Right Whale Ship Speed Rule sets a speed limit of 10 knots for boats larger than 65 feet in whale-dense areas. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has reported high compliance with the rule and a slight reduction in vessel strikes.
Technology helps right whale conservation
Technology, such as acoustic buoys and gliders, helps to warn mariners of a whale’s presence. Acoustic buoys and gliders pick up the unique calls of various whales, including right whales. This technology can detect, classify and report the sounds of marine mammals in near real time, giving mariners a chance to slow down or change course if a whale is present. The data collected by these buoys also supports voluntary vessel speed restrictions.
Thermal imaging cameras are a new technology helping to protect whales. Whale detection cameras, recently developed by WHOI, are being trialed on shipping vessels in the Pacific Ocean and have shown promise in the protection of whales. The whale detection cameras use heat signals, in conjunction with artificial intelligence, to detect a whale’s body or spouts. The artificial intelligence’s algorithms filter out thermal signatures of boats, birds and waves, and sends alerts of probable whale detections for verification. All probable whale detections are reviewed by a human within 15 seconds and transmitted to the vessels’ captains. This human-in-the-loop verification minimizes the chances of a false alert, avoiding alert fatigue and building trust and confidence in the whale detection technology.
A pair of North Atlantic right whales are seen skim feeding in Cape Cod Bay in 2021. (Photo by Michael Moore and Carolyn Miller NOAA NMFS Permit #21371)
A future with more North Atlantic right whales
North Atlantic right whales play an important role in maintaining a balanced ecosystem. They keep the ocean healthy by shifting carbon and nutrients throughout its layers. After they pass away, they also continue the food cycle by becoming food for other organisms. Not only are these marine mammals ecologically important, but they also have significant cultural meanings in many Indigenous communities.
Watch North Atlantic right whales in action in Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild episode, “Safe Passage for Whales.” Watch the clip and get the full streaming link here.
Facts about the North Atlantic right whale
- The North Atlantic right whale has no teeth. A combed-shaped tissue in its mouth — known as baleen — acts as a filtering and feeding system.
- Speaking of food, this large whale primarily feeds on small marine organisms, such as krill and copepods.
- North Atlantic right whales can eat between 2,500 and 5,500 pounds of food a day. No wonder they weigh up to 70 tons!
- Blubber accounts for up to 40% of the right whale’s body weight. Plus, this whale species sports a very large head which measures about one-third of its total body length.
- Right whale heads are capped with distinctive patches of raised white skin called callosities. Each right whale has a unique pattern of callosities that help scientists identify each individual.
- North Atlantic right whales are mostly found along the coastal waters of the eastern United States and Canada. During winter, they migrate to warmer waters in the southeastern United States.
- These majestic creatures are slow swimmers, only reaching up to 10 mph.
- It’s believed this species was named by whalers who considered it the “right” whale to hunt due to its slow speed and abundance of oil-making blubber.
- A critically endangered species, North Atlantic right whales are protected by U.S. Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act and Canada’s Species at Risk Act.
- North Atlantic right whales produce a special waste (plumes) that fertilizes the ocean and helps feed a marine organism called phytoplankton, which produces 50% of the world’s oxygen!
- Right whales use a variety of sounds to communicate, including whoops, screams and groans.
- Right whales have the ability to live as long as 75 years, but many lives are cut short by human-caused threats.
What is the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)?
WHOI is the world’s premier independent organization dedicated exclusively to ocean research, technology and education. It combines state-of-the-art science, engineering and ship operations to unravel the mysteries of the deep and devise science-based solutions to planet-wide problems. Right whale conservation is a top priority.
For more on North Atlantic right whales, check out a heartwarming video about a right whale mother and baby, plus a great article on right whale conservation from WHOI.
