Latest news with #NationalOceanicandAtmosphericAdministrationFisheries
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Entangled gray whale freed off Palos Verdes coast
A whale that got trapped in a gillnet off the coast of the Palos Verdes Peninsula about a week ago has been freed, officials said Wednesday. The adult gray whale was first spotted by whale watchers on April 8, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries said in a news release on Wednesday. A day later, a trained and authorized team used aerial drones and underwater cameras to document the entanglement and found that the gillnet had snagged a rock crab trap, keeping the whale from swimming free. 'The whale was anchored in place because of the trap about 100 feet down on the sea floor and was having difficulty coming to the surface to breathe,' NOAA Fisheries spokesperson Justin Greenman said. Video shared by NOAA Fisheries showed team members reaching over the side of their boat as they cut the net with specialized tools. 'After working for 2 hours, they were able to cut off the net, and the whale swam free!' NOAA Fisheries' post on Instagram read. To report an injured, dead, or stranded marine mammal, contact NOAA's West Coast Stranding Hotline at 866-767-6114. To report an entangled marine mammal, call NOAA's Entanglement Reporting Hotline at 877-767-9425. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
09-04-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Two endangered whales mysteriously pop up off unexpected US coastline, NOAA says
Two endangered whales are baffling researchers by continuing to show up along a stretch of U.S coast that is not part of their turf, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries. The pair of North Atlantic right whales are not only 'out-of-habitat,' but they're hanging out in shallow water off the Florida Panhandle, the department said in an April 4 news release. Multiple 'nearshore' sightings have been reported in the 40 miles between Panama City Beach and Destin, NOAA says. (Right whales reach up to 52 feet and weigh up to 140,000 pounds, making them tough to miss.) The most recent sighting, on April 5, was off the Okaloosa Island Pier, about seven miles west of Destin, NOAA told McClatchy News in an email. 'While not unheard of, it's rare for North Atlantic right whales to be sighted in (Gulf of Mexico) waters. Since 2000, there have only been four other known instances of this occurring,' NOAA Fisheries says. 'Biologists are working with partners and law enforcement to raise awareness about the animals' presence. The public and mariners are asked to report all sightings immediately to our hotline (877-WHALE-HELP) so we can monitor their movements and body conditions.' What caused this? The two whales, known as Koala (age 16) and Curlew (age 14), have never before been seen in Gulf Coast waters, experts say. 'Both (are) adult females who could have been pregnant when they first came to the Southeast U.S. this calving season, although neither has been seen with a calf previously,' NOAA says. It's unclear why they are continuing to travel west, but some research suggests climate change could be involved. The traditional home for North Atlantic right whales (all 370 of them) stretches along the East Coast, from New England to the Southeastern U.S., NOAA says. 'North Atlantic right whales face many threats, including ... climate change — which may alter their migratory patterns and feeding areas,' a NOAA species profile reports. Koala and Curlew 'appear to be in good health,' but their presence off one of Florida's tourism hot spots heightens the chances of a potentially deadly boat strike, experts say. 'Right whales tend to swim just below the surface and rest at the surface, making them difficult to spot,' NOAA says. By law, people (and boats) must stay at least 500 yards from whales, NOAA says.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Researchers baffled by rare animal behavior spotted along popular coast: 'Super unusual'
An exciting but concerning wildlife sighting off the Jersey Shore has puzzled experts. A mother North Atlantic right whale and her calf were spotted February 3 near the northernmost coast of New Jersey, TAPinto Neptune reported. The animals feed in northeast New England and Canada but travel to Florida every winter to calve. "Scientists are perplexed as to why this pair of whales are away from their normal swimming grounds," the outlet stated. Nora Ives, a marine scientist with the Oceana North Atlantic right whale campaign, called it "super unusual." The mammals were nearly extinct in the 1890s, and there are only about 70 reproductive females. North Atlantic right whales are giving birth later in life, and as many as 10 years are elapsing between births by one female, Ives said. They're dying off even though they can live 130 years. The adult right whale in question is known as Accordion because of the propeller scars on her back. She is a first-time mother and is 14 to 17 years old. The calf was 3 to 4 weeks old at the time, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries report about the sighting. There are only a few hundred right whales remaining. In 2012, for the first time in over a decade, estimated deaths of the animal exceeded documented births, according to a NOAA Fisheries graphic shared by TAPinto Neptune. Since 2017, there has been an "unusual mortality event," with deaths far exceeding births from 2014 to 2019. The figures seemingly rebalanced in 2020, perhaps because the COVID-19 pandemic helped reduce vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglements, the primary threats to the magnificent creatures, which have lost about one-fifth of their population over the last decade. "They're really hard to see because they are dark and they don't have a dorsal fin," Ives told TAPinto Neptune. "And they swim slowly, close to the surface of the ocean. So, that's a big part of the reason they're critically endangered, because the two main threats are vessel strikes, again because we can't see them, and they can't move fast enough to get away, and fishing gear." It is illegal to approach the species, but Ives said people should take a photograph if they think they see one. Even if it's far away or blurry, it can help scientists understand the whales better. Because the whales remain close to the coast and must traverse busy shipping lanes, mariners are encouraged to slow down. This doesn't always make a difference, however, especially to mothers and calves, as they stay near the surface. Should taxpayers help pay to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? We should pay for all of it We should pay some but not all Corporations should foot the bill Charities should pay for it Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Off the coast of Massachusetts, vertical buoy lines have been banned to protect right whales. You can help by donating money to conservation efforts and talking about the animals' circumstances with family and friends. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Most of the world's sea turtle populations are rebounding – even amid climate change threats
Most sea turtle populations are rebounding around the world, researchers said this week. That promising news comes even amid continuing man-made threats to the beloved marine reptiles, including climate change, habitat loss, and fishing. 'Sea turtles are a shining light of marine conservation with recoveries of many nesting populations,' Graeme Hays, distinguished professor and chair in marine science at Australia's Deakin University, said in a statement. Hays and Deakin's Jacques-Olivier Laloë, along with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries researcher Jeffrey Seminoff, reviewed the status of the seven species of sea turtles around the world in a study published in the journal Nature Reviews Biodiversity. The reason for the rebound is tied to new protections and conservation efforts, with more turtles nesting at beaches that have stronger protections in place. Many fisheries have implemented measures to avoid catching the animals and removed or reduced artificial lighting that can confuse baby turtles trying to find the ocean. 'When I think of sea turtles, the first word that comes into my mind is resilience,' said Seminoff, a research scientist who specializes in sea turtles at NOAA Fisheries' Southwest Fisheries Science Center. 'They are sensitive because they depend on the marine ecosystem, but give them a chance to thrive and they will take advantage of it.' Seminoff also said that the increasing number of sea turtles reflects a change in public mindset, with former poachers now leading visitors to nesting sites as a part of ecotourism. In the past, commercial hunting, entanglement in fishing nets, and a loss of nesting beaches had resulted in declines. The Endangered Species Act and other measures helped protect the species more widely. Data on populations and nesting beaches show four of five regional populations of green sea turtles are increasing, NOAA said. That trend is the same for loggerhead turtles. Annual loggerheads increased from around 500 to 35,000 in Cape Verde in the North Atlantic Ocean. There were also increases in individual populations of the critically endangered hawksbill and Kemp's ridley, the vulnerable olive ridley, and flatback turtles. Leatherback turtles, the largest of all sea turtles, were determined to be struggling the most. They are the only species that lack scales and a hard shell, and swim more than 10,000 miles a year to find prey in between nesting seasons. The researchers analyzed nearly 300 records of turtle numbers over time. They found that 'significant population increases were three times more common than significant decreases. In an updated compilation of additional time series published in 2024, significant increases were six times more frequent than significant decreases.' While the global evaluations reveal a 'generally encouraging picture' of species growth, the researchers note that climate change resilience remains a concern. Rising temperatures at oceans and beaches lead to more female offsprin, and that could eventually interfere with reproduction. Yet, new evidence shows loggerheads are responding to the shifts, nesting in cooler areas. Turtles could also begin nesting at some beaches earlier in the year, the researchers said. 'The bottom line is: When you stop hunting and otherwise harming species and they regain their ecological foothold, they can again become a thriving part of the marine ecosystem,' Seminoff said. 'There will always be surprises, but now many sea turtles have greater resilience going forward.'
The Independent
21-03-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Most of the world's sea turtle populations are rebounding – even amid climate change threats
Most sea turtle populations are rebounding around the world, researchers said this week. That promising news comes even amid continuing man-made threats to the beloved marine reptiles, including climate change, habitat loss, and fishing. 'Sea turtles are a shining light of marine conservation with recoveries of many nesting populations,' Graeme Hays, distinguished professor and chair in marine science at Australia's Deakin University, said in a statement. Hays and Deakin's Jacques-Olivier Laloë, along with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries researcher Jeffrey Seminoff, reviewed the status of the seven species of sea turtles around the world in a study published in the journal Nature Reviews Biodiversity. The reason for the rebound is tied to new protections and conservation efforts, with more turtles nesting at beaches that have stronger protections in place. Many fisheries have implemented measures to avoid catching the animals and removed or reduced artificial lighting that can confuse baby turtles trying to find the ocean. 'When I think of sea turtles, the first word that comes into my mind is resilience,' said Seminoff, a research scientist who specializes in sea turtles at NOAA Fisheries' Southwest Fisheries Science Center. 'They are sensitive because they depend on the marine ecosystem, but give them a chance to thrive and they will take advantage of it.' Seminoff also said that the increasing number of sea turtles reflects a change in public mindset, with former poachers now leading visitors to nesting sites as a part of ecotourism. In the past, commercial hunting, entanglement in fishing nets, and a loss of nesting beaches had resulted in declines. The Endangered Species Act and other measures helped protect the species more widely. Data on populations and nesting beaches show four of five regional populations of green sea turtles are increasing, NOAA said. That trend is the same for loggerhead turtles. Annual loggerheads increased from around 500 to 35,000 in Cape Verde in the North Atlantic Ocean. There were also increases in individual populations of the critically endangered hawksbill and Kemp's ridley, the vulnerable olive ridley, and flatback turtles. Leatherback turtles, the largest of all sea turtles, were determined to be struggling the most. They are the only species that lack scales and a hard shell, and swim more than 10,000 miles a year to find prey in between nesting seasons. The researchers analyzed nearly 300 records of turtle numbers over time. They found that 'significant population increases were three times more common than significant decreases. In an updated compilation of additional time series published in 2024, significant increases were six times more frequent than significant decreases.' While the global evaluations reveal a 'generally encouraging picture' of species growth, the researchers note that climate change resilience remains a concern. Rising temperatures at oceans and beaches lead to more female offsprin, and that could eventually interfere with reproduction. Yet, new evidence shows loggerheads are responding to the shifts, nesting in cooler areas. Turtles could also begin nesting at some beaches earlier in the year, the researchers said. 'The bottom line is: When you stop hunting and otherwise harming species and they regain their ecological foothold, they can again become a thriving part of the marine ecosystem,' Seminoff said. 'There will always be surprises, but now many sea turtles have greater resilience going forward.'
