Right whale mom and calf spotted in NY/NJ shipping lanes; NOAA urges boats to go slow
There was both excitement and concern expressed after a North Atlantic right whale mother and calf were spotted Monday close to the busy shipping lanes at the entrance to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, which monitors right whales closely through aerial surveys, said the adult female has already been struck once before by a boat. In fact, the agency nicknamed her "Accordion" because the propeller scars on her back resemble the musical instrument.
The agency, environmentalists and whale watching companies are reminding vessel operators to go slow to avoid hitting the mother and calf.
"We are absolutely thrilled to hear of any births. They are critically endangered and there's only about 370 North Atlantic right whales left, of which we estimate only 70 are reproductively active females. (It's) so very exciting to get a birth," said Nora Ives, a scientist with OCEANA, the world's largest ocean conservation nonprofit.
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While Ives said they're thrilled about the birth, their also concerned for the safety of the mom and baby calf crossing one of the busiest ports in the world.
"That is extremely worrying. These whales are super hard to see. They're dark, they're slow, they swim near the surface, they don't have a dorsal fin. That's why it is extremely important to go slow for whales below," Ives said.
Accordion and her calf were spotted within a Seasonal Management Area where by law vessels 65 feet or longer must travel at 10 knots or less. NOAA proposed an amendment to expand the size of the SMAs and include boats 35 feet and bigger in 2022, but withdrew it in January after 90,000 public comments, many of which sought alternative solutions.
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Accordion is at least 14 years old and was first seen in 2011 as a juvenile. NOAA said she's never been seen in the traditional Southeast calving grounds, which stretches from southern North Carolina through northern Florida.
NOAA said this is her first known calf and they're not sure where or when the calf was born. The agency said it's unusual to find such a young calf so far north at this time of year. However, it is common to find other right whales in this area.
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Right whales were depleted by the commercial whaling and, despite protection from commercial harvest since 1935, have not recovered. They took their name from being the "right" whale to hunt, because they're curious by nature but also spend a lot of time on the surface.
With so few of these whales left, NOAA and its several partners closely monitor the Southeast for new offspring during the annual right whale calving season, which lasts from mid-November to mid-April.
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So far this season, NOAA has recorded 10 calves that have been born. That is below what NOAA said would be a productive mating season, but there are still two months left.
According to NOAA ,with the current number of females and the necessary resting time between births, 20 newborns in a calving season would be considered a relatively productive year. However, right whales need to produce 50 or more calves per year for many years to stop their decline and allow for recovery.
The main threat to right whales continues to be human activity, whether it be vessel strikes or entanglements with fishing gear, according to NOAA.
When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel is not reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor. Reach him @danielradelapp; dradel@gannettnj.com
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Right whale mom and calf spotted in NY/NJ shipping lanes
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