Saving Seafood

“It was amazing:” Scientists spot multiple blue whales in southern New England waters

March 6, 2026 — Researchers say they spotted three endangered blue whales off the coast of Southern New England in in a 24-hour period last month.

Observers with New England Aquarium said it’s the first time they have documented blue whales in their southern New England survey area.

Seeing blue whales outside of their Canadian feeding grounds is rare in the Atlantic, documenting them in two different areas of the ocean just hours apart is a first for Research Scientist Orla O’Brien.

She said little is known about the Western North Atlantic population, which is believed to be between 400-600 individuals.

“I don’t want to sound like silly but the mystery and the beauty of it is what we felt in the plane,” she said. “It was amazing.”

O’Brien says the whales were likely on the search for food near the Seamounts Marine National Monument — a breeding ground for krill and other plankton due to its unique biodiversity and nutrient-rich water.

In addition to the endangered blue whale, the aerial survey team spotted more than 300 animals, including three endangered fin whales, three endangered sperm whales, about 50 pilot whales, and hundreds of dolphins.

Read the full article at WSHU

Right whale ambassadors celebrate baby boom

February 24, 2026 — The right whale calving season is ending on a positive note. As of this week, 22 right whales have been born in the warm waters off the Southeastern U.S. Coast.

It has been 15 years since 22 whales were born in a single calving season, which runs from November to April, says Julie Albert, director of the Right Whale Sighting Network at the Blue World Research Institute in Cocoa, Florida. Only about 370 right whales still exist. Right whales have been listed on the national Endangered Species list since 1970.

“With this species having such a small population, every single birth gets celebrated,” Albert says. “There are fewer than 70 breeding females, and they are getting older and older when they give birth for the first time. They are stretching out the intervals in which they have their calves.”

The Southeastern U.S. coast is a prime right whale birthing area, and the island has become central to efforts to save the creatures. The annual Right Whale Baby Shower, which marks the end of the calving season, will be held April 8 at the Tigre Island Room in Fernandina Beach. The event is hosted by the Amelia Island Whale Ambassadors, Inc., an all-volunteer nonprofit organization that seeks to educate the public about the plight of right whales. The entry fee is a suggested $20 donation.

Read the full article at Fernandina Observer

Atlantic Sea Scallop Dredge Survey Enters 4th Decade

December 22, 2025 — The Atlantic Sea Scallop Dredge Survey, a cornerstone of fisheries science and management along the U.S. East Coast, marked more than four decades of research in 2024, underscoring its role in supporting one of the region’s most valuable commercial fisheries.

First launched in 1979, the survey has evolved from a government-led effort into a collaborative partnership between marine scientists and the scallop fishing industry. Today, researchers work alongside commercial crews aboard working scallop vessels, allowing data to be collected under real-world fishing conditions.

The survey gathers critical information on the abundance, spatial distribution, and life history of Atlantic sea scallops across a broad range, from Georges Bank to the Delmarva Peninsula. This long-running dataset provides fisheries managers with the scientific foundation needed to set catch limits, protect habitat, and ensure the sustainability of the stock.

Read the full article at the Cape Charles Mirror

Haddock broadline sales up, prices likely to rise

January 23, 2019 — Haddock, a species that for decades has largely been popular in New England and the Middle Atlantic, is starting to proliferate down the U.S. East Coast, according to the latest data.

Broadline sales of haddock increased in nearly every U.S. market between 2016 and 2018. At the low end, sales in the “East North Central” area stayed relatively flat, while sales in the West South Central region of the U.S. (Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana) increased by 92 percent.

Broadline sales everywhere else increased too: Middle Atlantic by seven percent, South Atlantic by 21 percent, Mountain-Pacific by 44 percent, West North Central by 49 percent, and East South Central by 48 percent.

Read the full story at Seafood Source