Saving Seafood

MASSACHUSETTS: More than 100 right whales spotted south of Island

March 23, 2026 — Scientists in the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, who conduct aerial surveys to collect data on the presence of marine animals, photographed more than 100 unique North Atlantic right whales over six weeks in waters south of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

The aquarium team and another survey team from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) flew six surveys between Feb. 5 and March 18 and photographed more than 115 right whales in that stretch, about a quarter of the current population of 380. Seventy individuals were sighted on March 2 alone, which the aquarium said is the highest number of individual right whales they’ve ever documented; their regular surveys began in 2011.

Many of the right whales, identified by unique marks on their heads called callosities, were deep below the surface, which scientists noted could indicate that food is abundant south of the islands, especially in the Nantucket Shoals area.

Read the full article at The Martha’s Vineyard Times

NOAA announces planned rollback of North Atlantic right whale protections

March 4, 2026 — The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration has announced plans to roll back protections for North Atlantic right whales as part of the Trump Administration’s ongoing efforts to deregulate across multiple government sectors.

There are fewer than 380 right whales left in the world, with roughly 70 females capable of bearing young. North Atlantic Right Whales, one of the most endangered species in the world, are frequently spotted by the dozens in the Gulf of Maine.

Vessel strikes and equipment entanglement are the leading causes of death, Rachel Rilee of the Center for Biological Diversity told Maine Public.

Read the full article at NEPM

NOAA seeks information to support improvements to vessel speed regulations

March 4, 2026 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service today announced an advance notice of proposed rulemaking requesting information that could help modernize regulations designed to reduce the risk of lethal vessel strikes with endangered North Atlantic right whales. NOAA is seeking information from industry experts, coastal communities, and other relevant stakeholders on ways to reduce unnecessary regulatory and economic burdens while ensuring responsible conservation practices for endangered North Atlantic right whales.

Through this action, the agency invites public comment to inform potential revisions to the 2008 vessel speed rule. Under existing regulations, most vessels 65 feet or longer must travel at 10 knots or less in Seasonal Management Areas along the U.S. East Coast at certain times of the year. Lower vessel speeds are one of the ways to reduce the likelihood of serious injury or death to North Atlantic right whales in the event of a vessel collision.

“NOAA encourages economic prosperity in our oceans, and advancements in technology are increasingly allowing maritime commerce to coexist with endangered species,” said Neil Jacobs, Ph.D., NOAA administrator. “This action is an important step in implementing the President’s vision of adopting modern technologies, supporting American industry, and promoting efficient and effective regulations.”

NOAA continues to focus on developing new technologies, engineering approaches, and other advanced tools to reduce the risk of vessel strikes with endangered North Atlantic right whales. Technology has the potential to provide transformational tools to prevent species extinction while allowing marine industries, including fisheries, boating, and shipping, to continue to flourish.

“NOAA Fisheries remains committed to a thorough review of the best available science and public comments to ensure regulations that consider both the needs of industry and endangered species,” said Eugenio Piñeiro Soler, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries. “We will continue to explore creative solutions that support economic activity while carrying out responsible management practices for endangered species.”

There are approximately 380 North Atlantic right whales in existence—an increase of approximately 20 individuals since 2020. The latest estimate in 2025 marks the third consecutive year that the population has shown signs of increasing. NOAA Fisheries estimates there to be only about 70 reproductively active females. The agency declared an Unusual Mortality Event in 2017 due to elevated deaths. Human impacts continue to threaten the survival of North Atlantic right whales, and the population will need to increase significantly in order to recover.

The public is encouraged to submit comments via the Federal Register during the comment period through June 2, 2026

GEORGIA: Right whales return to Georgia coast

November 10, 2025 — North Atlantic right whales have returned to their calving grounds off Georgia earlier than expected. Or at least two of them did.

Anglers videoed the two endangered whales off Hilton Head, S.C., and Savannah Wednesday afternoon, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Two right whales were also reported near Cape Lookout, N.C., on Saturday but researchers couldn’t determine if they were the same whales.

“It is possible they are the same pair that was seen off Cape Lookout on Saturday,” DNR senior wildlife biologist Jessica Thompson told The Current GA. “The sighting documentation was similar. They had video that made it clear it was two adult right whales, but not clear enough to confirm ID. There was also an unconfirmed sighting at another location in N.C. of a single adult. No others have been seen in the Southeast yet. These are the early birds.”

The state marine mammal of Georgia, North Atlantic right whales are one of the most imperiled large whales, with a population estimated last month at 384 individuals. These bus-sized mammals migrate more than 1,000 miles each fall from Canada and New England to the Southeast. The waters off Georgia, north Florida and South Carolina are considered their core calving area, but they usually arrive in late November or early December.

Thompson, leader of the agency’s work with marine mammals, called the early sighting of these two uncommon but not unheard of. It did create an urgency to “make sure boaters know right whales are back and everyone is aware of the need to be vigilant.” She also encouraged boaters to report all sightings and stay at least 500 yards from any whale seen.

Read the full article at GPB

MAINE: Survey finds Maine lobster fishers remain wary of whale conservation measures, but optimistic for industry

October 6, 2025 — A recently released survey of Maine lobster harvesters and processers found the industry remains worried that right whale conservation measures will impact their business, although roughly half of respondents expressed optimism for the fishery’s future.

The Maine Department of Marine Resource (DMR) said 1,366 people responded to its survey, which it released in September. Nearly all of the respondents were harvesters, although 66 dealers also participated. According to DMR, roughly 29 percent of the people involved in the state lobster industry took part in the survey.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Whale entanglement reports declined slightly in 2023, NMFS reports

July 29, 2025 — Entanglement in fishing gear or marine debris ensnared 64 large whales in U.S. waters during 2023, below the average annual number of cases in recent years but not yet a clear trend, the National Marine Fisheries Service reported.

The National Report on Large Whale Entanglements Confirmed in the United States in 2023 notes the 64 confirmed large whale entanglement cases nationally was less than 67 confirmed large whale entanglement cases in 2022.

“It is also below the average annual number of confirmed entanglements over the previous 16 years (which was 71.8),” according to a July 28 summary from the agency. “We will continue to analyze data from 2023 to understand whether this dip is temporary or part of a longer-term downward trend.”

Along with ship strikes, entanglements are a threat to individual whales and threatened or endangered species, such as the North Atlantic right whale with a population now estimated at only around 370 animals.

Reducing that danger to meet NMFS’ mandates  under the Marine Mammal Protection Act drives management actions on the East, Gulf and West coasts, including changes to fishing seasons, gear restrictions and efforts to develop and test so-called ropeless gear in fisheries.

According to a NMFS  breakdown of 2023 confirmed entanglement cases, 61 cases or 95 percent involved live animals, and three were whales found dead and floating when initially reported. The 2023 cases were lower than the average annual number of 71.8 confirmed entanglements from 2007–2022.

Four species of large whales were documented with 2023 entanglements in U.S. waters: humpback whales,  gray whales, minke whale and North Atlantic right whales.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

MASSACHUSETTS: State launches ‘acoustic’ program using buoys to monitor endangered right whales off Mass. coast

March 27, 2025 — A state program announced this week will enable researchers to monitor North Atlantic right whales off the Massachusetts coast using a system of buoys and underwater recorders that provide information to more effectively manage fishing closures and ship speed limits, officials say.

The program’s goal is to build a more thorough understanding of right whale patterns and aid in efforts to reduce human impact on the endangered species of about 370 individuals, researchers said.

“We want to make sure [fishing and shipping lane] closures are as effective as possible without being unnecessarily burdensome,” Erin Burke, manager of the Division of Marine Fisheries Protected Species Program, said in a call Wednesday.

The new monitoring network is comprised of two passive acoustic monitoring buoys and 17 archival monitoring moorings, Burke said.

Read the full article at the Boston Globe

Conservation groups aim to defend NOAA vessel speed limit in court

March 25, 2025 — Conservation groups are attempting to step in to defend a 2008 vessel speed rule designed to protect North Atlantic right whales from vessel strikes, arguing that the speed limits are vital to saving the endangered species.

“This speed rule is the only one that protects the few remaining right whales from deadly vessel strikes,” Conservation Law Foundation Senior Counsel Erica Fuller said in a statement. “Undermining the rule will set a dangerous precedent that risks the survival of endangered right whales and countless other marine mammals and vulnerable species. Our responsibility to protect these creatures extends beyond policy; it’s a commitment to preserving the health of our oceans for generations to come.”

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

Whales recorded in large numbers off New Jersey coast

February 6, 2025 — Whales are gathering in large numbers off New Jersey in a portion of the Atlantic Ocean called the New York Bight, according to several sources.

Viking Yacht Company of New Gretna, Burlington County, posted to Facebook that a large group of North Atlantic right whales, an endangered species with only about 360 individuals left, was congregating in the New York Bight between the Hudson Canyon off Sandy Hook and Block Canyon off Montauk, New York.

The New York Bight is a triangular area of ocean that stretches between the Jersey Shore and Long Island.

“NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has used planes to identify the whales — present due to large amounts of food,” Viking Yacht staff wrote on Facebook. “We’re advising boaters to be vigilant. If whale(s) are seen, provide a wide berth.”

Read the full article at the Asbury Park Press

Court restores protections for critically endangered whales off New England

February 3, 2025 — A Massachusetts court on Monday restored federal protections for endangered whales off New England against entanglement in fishing equipment, overruling a lower court that struck down the federal rule.

The Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association challenged the National Marine Fishers Service (NMFS) rule, finalized in 2024, which closed a 200-square-mile stretch of federal water between February and April. The severely endangered right whale, hunted nearly to extinction during the age of whaling, frequents the area during that period. Ship strikes and entanglement in lobstering gear are a major threat to the whales, believed to have a remaining population of fewer than 400.

Read the full article at The Hill